Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Tour: Cable Car & Blue Moon Valley

A full day on the mountain without the group or the logistics

This private, full-day tour of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Blue Moon Valley departs from central Lijiang with a dedicated English-speaking guide, air-conditioned vehicle, and hotel pickup. You ride the Grand Cable Car to the Glacier Park at 4,506 meters, walk the wooden plank road to the 4,680-meter viewpoint, then explore three turquoise glacial lakes on easy boardwalks. Complimentary oxygen, down jackets, entrance tickets, and a buffet lunch at Snow Kitchen are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

• Take Grand Cable Car to Glacier Park
• Walk wooden plank road to viewpoint
• Guide shares stories and takes photos
• Visit Blue Moon Valley glacial lakes
• Walk wooden boardwalk and stop for photos

The experience

How do you get to the top of a 4,680-meter peak without a group bus and without arranging your own transport? This tour handles the logistics (pickup from Lijiang Old Town, Shuhe, or the railway station, plus an air-conditioned vehicle for the drive up), so you arrive at the cable car station ready to go. The Grand Cable Car takes you to the Glacier Park at 4,506 meters in one ride, and from there you walk the wooden plank road to the viewpoint. Your guide stays with you the whole time, takes photos, and explains why the mountain holds sacred significance in Naxi culture.

The second half of the day moves to Blue Moon Valley, where three glacial lakes sit in a basin ringed by snow-capped peaks and green hills. Yuye Lake, Jingtan Lake, and Tingtao Lake are connected by flat wooden boardwalks (no scrambling, no steep sections), so the walking is easy even at altitude. The contrast between the turquoise water and the white peaks is the kind of thing that stops you mid-step. You stop at photo spots your guide knows, and the pace is yours: there's no schedule pushing you toward the next group.

Oxygen and down jackets come with you at no extra cost, and lunch is a buffet at Snow Kitchen with both Western and local options. All entrance tickets and the cable car are included. The whole day runs about ten to eleven hours from pickup to drop-off.

What’s included

• Free pickup and drop-off in central Lijiang, Shuhe, or Lijiang Railway Station.
• full-day English-speaking private guide.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• complimentary oxygen cylinder and down jacket for the day.
• Jade Dragon Snow Mountain entrance ticket and Grand Cable Car ticket to Glacier Park.
• Blue Moon Valley entrance ticket.
• buffet lunch at Snow Kitchen with Western and local options.

Options for this experience

2 options

Group tour in Chinese (maximum 8 people)Guide in English · 06:30Guide speaking Mandarin. Snow Kitchen buffet: an on-site buffet restaurant within the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain scenic area, serving Chinese-style dishes, with fruit and drinks included. Pickup by van or coach is included.

Day trip to Lijiang Jade Dragon Snow MountainGuide in English · 07:30, 08:00 and 08:30

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 06:30, 07:30, 08:00 and 08:30

Book up to1d before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by JoyChina Expeditions

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to reach the high viewpoint and the turquoise lakes without managing a group schedule or arranging your own transport. The private guide and vehicle mean you move at your own pace, and the included oxygen and jackets remove the usual high-altitude logistics.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the highest point I reach on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain?

The wooden plank road takes you to a 4,680-meter viewpoint after you ride the Grand Cable Car to the Glacier Park at 4,506 meters. That's the highest point of the day, and your guide will be with you to share the views and the stories.

Do I need to be fit to do this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. The walking in Blue Moon Valley is flat and easy on wooden boardwalks. At altitude, complimentary oxygen is provided, and your guide can adjust the pace to what feels right for you.

What's included in the lunch?

Lunch is a buffet at Snow Kitchen with both Western and local options, so you can eat what appeals to you. It's included in the tour price.

How does pickup work?

Free pickup and drop-off are included within central Lijiang, Shuhe, or Lijiang Railway Station. Tell the operator where you're staying when you book, and your guide will collect you and bring you back at the end of the day.

Will I be on a bus with other travelers?

No. This is a private tour with your own guide and vehicle, so there are no shared buses or group stops. The pace and the route are yours.

What happens if I'm not comfortable at high altitude?

Complimentary oxygen is provided for every guest, and your guide can help you use it. The wooden boardwalks in Blue Moon Valley are flat and low-altitude, so you can spend more time there if the higher viewpoint feels too much.