Tiger Leaping Gorge High Trail hiking guide: route map, stages & where to stay

The Tiger Leaping Gorge High Trail (虎跳峡高路, Hutiaoxia Gaolu) is a two-day hike along the north side of one of the deepest river gorges in the world, in north-west Yunnan, China. The Jinsha River (the upper Yangtze) cuts between Haba Snow Mountain (5,396 m) and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (5,596 m), almost 3,800 m below the summits. The High Trail runs 600 to 900 m above the river, through Naxi villages, terraced fields, pine woods and open cliffside, with the snow peaks across the gorge for most of the way. You sleep in family guesthouses that serve hot meals, so you carry only a day pack.

The route

This guide follows the trail as mapped on OpenStreetMap, 18 km from the current trailhead in Changsheng village, 3 km east of Qiaotou town, to Tina's Guesthouse on the Middle Gorge road, in 2 stages of about 9.0 km on average. Guides often say 22 km because they measure from the old start in Qiaotou.

• Stage 1, Qiaotou to Halfway (13.8 km, about 6 to 6.5 hours): a climb over the first ridge to Naxi Family Guesthouse in Nuoyu (km 3.2), then the steep 28 Bends to the high point at about 2,600 to 2,670 m, and a long traverse to Tea Horse Guesthouse (km 8.8) and Halfway Guesthouse in Bendiwan.
• Stage 2, Halfway to Tina's (4.2 km, about 2 hours): a balcony path past waterfalls and Five Fingers Guest House, then a steep, rocky descent to the road at Middle Gorge.

Many hikers skip the first ridge and start at Naxi Family, which saves about 1.5 hours. The 2 stages are short on purpose: the trail is steep and high, and the views are the point. With more time, sleep at Naxi Family or Tea Horse on night 1 and Halfway on night 2.

When to go

The best months are March to May and late September to November. Days are mild (about 15 to 25 °C) and the views are clearest in autumn. June to September is the rainy season: the path gets slippery, waterfalls swell and rockfall and landslides are more likely, and the trail is often in cloud. Winter (December to February) is dry and sunny but cold at night, with ice in shady spots. Chinese holidays, especially the first week of May and the first week of October, bring large crowds and full guesthouses.

How hard is it?

The High Trail is a moderate mountain hike with no technical sections. The hard part is the 28 Bends, a climb of about 400 m in 1 to 2 hours at about 2,600 m. The real total climb is about 1,000 m on stage 1. Some stretches are narrow, with a long drop and no barrier, and in 2026 guardrails were added on one exposed section after a fatal fall. Do not walk after dark or in heavy rain, and take extra care on the descent to Tina's. Horses can be hired at the foot of the 28 Bends for about RMB 200 to 300.

Is the trail open in 2026?

The High Trail is walked every day and the guesthouses are open. Its legal status is not simple. A Shangri-La government notice of 10 February 2026 lists the High Trail, with the Middle and Lower Gorge, among undeveloped areas of the Haba Snow Mountain nature reserve where activities are banned. But scenic-area staff said in October 2025 that the High Trail is open, and in May 2026 the township government called it "an open hiking route" and added guardrails and warning signs.

The river paths in the Middle Gorge are closed. This includes Teacher Zhang's path, the Sky Ladder (Tianti), Yixiantian and the 168-step ladder, which was removed in October 2025. People died there in February 2026. The Lower Gorge is also closed, and hikers report overgrown paths and rockslide damage. Locals may offer a guided descent for about RMB 600 per group. This takes you into a closed area with no insurance cover, so it is not recommended.

Tickets, permits and booking

No permit or guide is needed for the High Trail. The Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge scenic area charges RMB 45. An attendant often collects it from hikers on the Lijiang bus or at a checkpoint, but it is not always enforced on the trail. Carry your passport, because tickets and bus seats are sold in your real name. Book Halfway, Tea Horse and Tina's a few days ahead in spring and October, by phone, WeChat or Trip.com.

Getting there and away

Buses leave Lijiang Bus Station (丽江客运站) at about 08:30, 09:00 and 09:30. The ride takes about 2 hours and costs RMB 40 to 44. Since 2025 they drop hikers on the new road near the gorge bridges, not in Qiaotou town. From there, walk up to Changsheng or take a van to Naxi Family (RMB 20 to 25). Shared vans from Lijiang cost about RMB 80. The Lijiang to Shangri-La railway has a Hutiaoxia station near Qiaotou.

You can send your big bag ahead on the same bus for about RMB 20. It goes to the luggage room at the ticket office next to Tina's, which has cameras but no attendant. Confirm the drop point with the driver. From Tina's, buses and vans leave in the afternoon, at about 13:40, 15:30 and 16:30 for Lijiang and about 15:30 for Shangri-La (RMB 55). Book in the morning at Tina's.

Money and phone signal

Almost everything, even fruit stalls, takes WeChat Pay or Alipay, and both now accept foreign cards. Carry RMB 300 to 500 in cash as a backup. The ATMs in Qiaotou may take only Chinese cards. Mobile signal is patchy but works in the villages and on much of the trail; China Mobile is said to be the most reliable. Signal drops out on parts of the 28 Bends and in side valleys. Google services are blocked in China without roaming or an eSIM, so download an offline map before you go.

What to pack

Pack for a hut-to-hut walk: a day pack, good shoes with grip, a rain jacket, warm layers for the evenings, sun protection, a headlamp and 1.5 to 2 litres of water. Water and snacks are sold at the guesthouses and a few stalls, but not in the low season. Bring toilet paper, a small first-aid kit, and your passport and some cash in a waterproof bag.

Safety

In an emergency, call 120 for an ambulance or 110 for the police. The operators speak Chinese, so ask a guesthouse to call for you if you can. The nearest hospitals with an emergency department are in Lijiang and Shangri-La, both about 2 hours by road. Stay on the marked trail, keep away from the cliff edges when taking photos, and turn back if a landslide has crossed the path. Check the weather and ask at your guesthouse about the trail before each day.