The world-renowned Tiger Leaping Gorge is located 37 miles (60 kilometers) north of Lijiang City, Yunnan province, which is part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas World Heritage Site.
Tiger Leaping Gorge is a scenic canyon on the Jinsha River, which is the canyon with largest falls in the world. As a primary tributary of the upper Yangtze River, the Tiger Leaping Gorge is 10.5 miles (17 kilometers) in length, a mile (1,800 meters) high, and has 600+ foot (200 meters) drops. It is home to 18 dangerous shoals, with precipitous cliff standing on both sides.
The Tiger Leaping Gorge consists of three sections, upper, middle, and lower gorge, which stretches over 15 miles (25 kilometers) in total. The upper gorge is the narrowest section of the Tiger Leaping Gorge and in the center of it is an enormous rock, which cuts the stream of water into two streams and creates a deafening sound. As to the name of this rock, as the story goes, it is across this rock that a fierce tiger jumped onto the Haba Snow Mountain and survived, hence the name “Tiger Leaping Rock”.
The middle gorge is roughly 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the upper gorge with large falls and the Star Densely Distributed reef area is the most dangerous part of it. In this wide gorge, reefs are dense. Crossing the Sleepy Stone Board, then comes the lower gorge, which boasts a 1-kilometer deep wide gully. The lower gorge is close to the exit of Tiger Leaping Gorge and it is the best place to view it.
Standing beside the Tiger Leaping Gorge, you would be overwhelmed by the roaring torrent and impressive spectacle. With its unbeatable charm, the Tiger Leaping gorges attracts uncountable adventure-addicts to pay a visit each year.
Admission Fee: 50RMB. If visiting the Tiger Leaping Gorge before 7:00, no admission fee is needed.
Open Time: 9:00~18:00
Location: Northeast of Pannong County, Jade Dragon Autonomous Prefecture, Lijiang, Yunnan Province.
Suggested Traveling Duration: 2 days Best time to visit: Spring and autumn
How to get to: There are shuttle buses from Lijiang to Tiger Leaping Gorge Town, which is available from 7:00 to 4:30. Just go to the local bus station to buy ticket, which cost about 20RMB. For renting a car, it costs about 500RMB per day.