Tiger Leaping Gorge Private Hiking Tour from Lijiang

Hike the gorge or take the scenic route. You pick how deep to go.

A private guided tour from Lijiang to Tiger Leaping Gorge on the Jinsha River, with hotel pickup and a customized itinerary you design at booking. Spend the full day hiking sections of the gorge itself, or drive straight to the Tiger Leaping Stone and return to visit Black Dragon Pond or Baisha Ancient Town. Your guide speaks English or Chinese and travels with you in a private vehicle.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Tiger Leaping Gorge and Lijiang

• Drive to Tiger Leaping Gorge
• Hike and explore Tiger Leaping Gorge
• Visit Black Dragon Pond Park
• Take photos of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
• Visit Baisha Village
• Wander Baisha Village and see tie-dye artwork

The experience

The gorge itself is the draw: the Jinsha River surges through a narrow canyon with towering peaks on both sides, white spray glinting off the water where it churns through the rock. You'll stand on the observation deck and see the scale of it: the steep canyon walls, the river's force. What you do there depends on the itinerary you choose at checkout. You can spend the entire day hiking various sections of the gorge, stopping where the trail lets you, or you can drive to the Tiger Leaping Stone (the landmark the gorge is named for), and head back to Lijiang within the morning or early afternoon.

If you return early, the tour pivots to the secondary stops. Black Dragon Pond Park sits at the base of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, and the reflection of the peak in the water is the shot most visitors come for. The park also holds Ming Dynasty architecture. Baisha Ancient Town is a Naxi settlement where the Mu Family Governors were born, and it has kept the slow pace of village life. You can wander the courtyards freely and watch tie-dye artwork drying in the sun or hanging for sale: the local Embroidery School of the Mu Family is there if you want to see the work up close. Small art stores and hostels run by local people scatter through the village.

The tour runs about ten hours door to door. Your guide is a live person who speaks English or Chinese, and the vehicle is yours alone for the day. Hotel pickup and dropoff are included. The gorge entrance fee (45 yuan) is separate, and you'll want to bring your own meals and drinks. There's no food included in the tour itself.

What’s included

• Private vehicle with pickup and dropoff from your hotel.
• private guide in English or Chinese if you choose that option.
• customized itinerary so you decide whether to hike the gorge all day or combine it with Black Dragon Pond and Baisha Ancient Town.

Options for this experience

4 options

Hiking guide without transportUp to 15 per booking · Guide in English or Chinese · 08:00Hiking tour with a hiking guide and no transport; pickup is included

Private vehicle without a guideUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English or Chinese · 08:00Lijiang city tour: pick from Baisha/Shuhe Ancient Town, Yuhu Naxi Village, Lashihai Wetlands Park or Black Dragon Pool, in a private vehicle without a tour guide; pickup is included

Private vehicle with a tour guideUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English or Chinese · 08:00Lijiang city tour: pick from Baisha/Shuhe Ancient Town, Yuhu Naxi Village, Lashihai Wetlands Park or Black Dragon Pool, with a tour guide in a private vehicle; pickup is included

Private vehicle with a hiking guideUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English or Chinese · 08:00Hiking tour with a hiking guide in a private vehicle; pickup is included

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

AgesAdult (3 to 70 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Aether Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the full-day gorge hike if you want to walk deep into the canyon and spend hours on the trails. Pick the shorter stop at Tiger Leaping Stone plus Black Dragon Pond or Baisha if you want the landmark and the cultural stops in one morning or afternoon. The private vehicle and guide let you move at your own pace and skip the parts that don't interest you.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Chinese.

What's the difference between hiking the gorge all day and just seeing the Tiger Leaping Stone?

Hiking the gorge means you spend the entire day on the trails, stopping at various sections and walking deeper into the canyon. Visiting the Tiger Leaping Stone is a shorter stop at the landmark itself, after which you return to Lijiang and can visit Black Dragon Pond or Baisha Ancient Town instead. Your guide will help you choose based on your fitness and interests.

Can I see the reflection of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain at Black Dragon Pond?

Yes. Black Dragon Pond Park is positioned to capture the reflection of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the water, and it's known as one of the best photo spots for that view. The park also has Ming Dynasty architecture to explore while you're there.

What is Baisha Ancient Town like?

Baisha Village is a Naxi settlement and the birthplace of the local Mu Family Governors. You can wander freely through the courtyards and watch tie-dye artwork hanging to dry or displayed for sale. The Embroidery School of the Mu Family is located there if you want to see how the work is made, and small art stores and hostels run by local people are scattered throughout the village.

Do I need to book a guide, or can I do this with just the vehicle?

You can choose at checkout: Private Vehicle with Hiking Guide, Private Vehicle with Tour Guide, Hiking Guide without transport, or Private Vehicle with no guide. The guide is optional, but a live English or Chinese speaker helps you navigate the gorge safely and explains the history of the stops.

What's included in the tour price?

The private vehicle, hotel pickup and dropoff, and a customized itinerary are included. If you book a guide, that's included too. The gorge entrance fee (45 yuan), meals, drinks and tips are separate.