Lijiang & Jade Dragon 丽江·玉龙雪山
UNESCO old town of the Naxi people beneath a 5,596 m snow mountain.
Lijiang combines a lively UNESCO-listed old town with the quieter villages of Shuhe and Baisha, all beneath Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. From here you can continue to Tiger Leaping Gorge, Shangri-La or Lugu Lake.
What to see
Lijiang Old Town 丽江古城
A UNESCO World Heritage site and the heart of Naxi culture. Canals, little stone bridges and wooden houses make it feel like a mountain version of Venice. Wander the lanes in the evening and try the local snacks.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain & Blue Moon Valley 玉龙雪山·蓝月谷
The snow-capped Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (5,596 m) towers over Lijiang. A cable car takes you up through primeval forest towards the glacier. Afterwards, visit Blue Moon Valley, where glacier meltwater forms turquoise pools in a crescent-shaped valley, and see the open-air show Impression Lijiang.
- High altitude: walk slowly. Oxygen and warm jackets can be rented at the entrance.
- If glacier cable car tickets are sold out, we switch to the Yunshanping cable car and refund the difference.
- Electric car in Blue Moon Valley (about 60 yuan per person) is not included.
Shuhe Ancient Town 束河古镇
A smaller, quieter old town just north of Lijiang, once a stop on the Tea Horse Road. Clear streams run past the houses around a small square, and the Jiuding Dragon Pool at the top of the town is the source of its water.
Baisha Murals 白沙壁画
In the village of Baisha, Ming-dynasty frescoes combine Han, Tibetan and Naxi art, with Taoist, Buddhist and Dongba stories painted side by side – a unique picture of how cultures met in this valley.
Where to stay
