Yes, a Tiger Leaping Gorge & Shanghai-la day trip from Lijiang is possible! We visited Shangri-la, the gateway to Tibet, and Tiger Leaping Gorge all in one day on a convenient day tip from Lijiang on a Chinese day trip tour and had a ball, this is what we got up to.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Is Tiger Leaping Gorge Worth Visiting on a Day Trip from Lijiang?
Yes absolutely! Tiger Leaping Gorge is a must visit and Lijiang is the perfect place to do it from. While you can hike there and do an overnight trip this is not suitable for everyone, a day trip is absolutley something every one can do! We were originally going to spend a night in Shangri-la but our time began to run out so we joined a day trip and didn’t look back! A Tiger Leaping Gorge day trip is best for people who don’t have multiple days to hike or are not able to hike up a demanding mountainous route. It is perfect for those staying in Lijiang who have a day that can be used to visit this incredible site!
Can You Visit Tiger Leaping Gorge and Shangri-La in One Day?
Yes! Tiger Leaping Gorge and Shangri-La make a perfect day trip from Lijiang. You will get to see the incredible force of the gorge which is spectacular! Visit some off the beaten path locations and then experience the magic of Shangri-La. It is perfect for anyone that doesn’t have excess time.
How Far Is Tiger Leaping Gorge from Lijiang?
Tiger Leaping Gorge is about 1h 26m or 88.4 km from Lijiang. The roads are well built and they will take you through the mountains which is beautiful.
Best Way to Get from Lijiang to Tiger Leaping Gorge
- Private driver – you can book a private driver who will take you wherever you want to go and at your own pace, this is an excellent but a little more expensive option.
- Group tour – this is the option we took and it worked out perfectly, you can check it out our tour to see if it suits you.
- Bus + taxi – by taking a bus and/or taxi you are able to move at your own pace but will waste time looking for the right bus and ordering a taxi, there is Didi here but not as many drivers are in the area so will take a while and cost will be higher due to the distance.
How long do you need for Shanghai-La?
If you have the time you could spend a night or two there which would be enough to see the town and other attractions surrounding it. We had booked this hotel which looked excellent and we had been looking forward to staying here, however we were just as happy with our day trip and feel we got enough of the experience.
What did the day trip include?
A visit to Tiger Leaping Gorge, Shangri-La town and surrounding area, Napa Valley and a unique Tibetan lunch experience.
Can you do this day trip if you don’t speak Mandarin?
The guide gave lots of information in Mandarin about the area and what was happening next. Luckily Mike’s Samsung phone and Samsung earbuds came to the rescue! We put one in each and put on his Samsung interpretative feature and we got a playback in English of what was happening! This was a lifesaver and the first (but not last) time we have used it.
Lijiang to Tiger Leaping Gorge Day Trip Itinerary
This is the detailed Shanghai-la and Tiger Leaping Gorge day trip itinerary.
5:30am – Pick up
We were told to wait in a location on the main road closest to our hotel in Lijiang Ancient Town. The tour guide contacted us the night before to confirm the location and send the pick up time. He sent us the number plate to look out for so we knew which to jump in as other tours were also collected from here. We were collected on time at 6am in a clean mini van. Luckily we weee the first collection and could choose our seat!
8:30am First stop: Tiger Leaping Gorge
After making all the pick ups our group came to about 12 people and we were off. We got to Tiger Leaping Gorge by about 8:30am.
This timed out perfectly because we were almost the only people here! We spent an hour enjoying the views of the rushing water! It’s so much more impressive in person than in photos.
You really feel the power of the water as it crashes around the large boulders. An hour here was exactly enough time here, we took the stairs down and back up which was fine (a bit of a work out!) or you can save time (and your breath!) by taking the escalator. It costs 70CNY for a one way trip down or up (or both) and gets you there in 8 minutes! The cost is an additional to the day trip.
10am Second stop: hillside view and prayer flags
We stopped of here to take in the landscape and some prayer flags. It was a short 10 minute stop. There were toilets and food available.
11am Third stop: Shanghai-La Pagoda of Inner Harmony Stupa
This huge pagoda was a great stop off and somewhere we wouldn’t have gotten to without the tour. It’s massive and you can walk around the inside as well as spin the prayer wheel’s outside.
12pm Fourth stop: Traditional Tibetan lunch at a tribal elders home.
This was a pretty unique experience! We were taken to a Tibetan leaders home and fed Yak Bone, mushroom and butter soup, Yak Buuter tea, bread, buttery potatoes and stir fry cabbage abd capsicum. The food was very tasty although I think the Yak butter tea could take some getting used too! It was very buttery but not very tea tasting!
After lunch the lady took us to her table to explain about local herbs and what they’re used for. You could purchase them but of course this was no use to us. It was really interesting listening to her tell the local tourists about the purposes, it got very in depth!
1pm Fifth stop: Napa Valley
At this stop you had the option to take a horse ride (price not included but started at 280CNY) or just wander around the field to the very nice prayer flags (entry 9CNY) . No one in our group went horse riding so we were back on the bus and off to our next stop.
2pm Sixth stop: Shanghai-La
We arrived in Shangri-La by about 2pm. We were dropped off and told when and where to meet the tour guide/driver. Off we set to see what we could here! We went straight to the giant prayer wheel, a huge 21m high and 60 tonne wheel that you can join in pushing to turn it for good luck. A local told us to always go clockwise and turn it 3 times and before finishing make sure your wishes/prayers are done. We jumped in where there was an opening and started turning, it was really heavy as people finished and others joined in. Of course Mike was asked for pictures by local guys as well.
We went around the temple complex here and soaked up the blue skies. The area here is free but you do have to create a QR code with your details to enter. A local staff member helped us navigate the Chinese QR page. After this we walked the town enjoying the views and the slightly more rustic Tibetan vibes. It was cool to Eder the change in foods, appearance and souvenirs in the town.
Back to Lijiang
We met back up with our group at the designated time and were given the choice to either return to Lijiang by highway at a cost of 230 CNY to be divided by the group number (for us a cost of 23 CNY each as there were 10 of us.) this would take 1.5hours.
Alternatively we could take the old highway which would take 4 hours. We all decided to take the 1.5 hour highway and used Wexin to pay the diver our portion of the highway fee. The ride was easy and quick, which we all appreciated at the end of our long day exploring.
Would we do a Tiger Leaping Gorge Day Trip Again?
Yep for sure! This was the perfect option for us as we ran out of time to stay over night in Shanghai-La. If you only have a day and are trying to decide what to do, this retour really gives you the best of both, Shanghai-La and Tiger Leaping Gorge in one day.
How Much Does a Tiger Leaping Gorge Day Trip Cost?
The Tiger Leaping Gorge and Shangri-La day trip cost us ¥168 CNY / $24.80 USD. We booked our Tiger Leaping Gorge & Shangri-La day trip on Trip, it was so easy!
Do You Need a Tour or Can You Go Independently?
This tour makes this trip very easy, it is all organised for you. You can however do it independently but would need to hire a driver for the day or hire a car which requires a Chinese drivers licence.
What to Pack for a Tiger Leaping Gorge Day Trip
- You only need to take minimal supplies with you as there is food available everywhere and lunch is included,
- Bring a light sweater or coat in case of rain. It was really cold in the early morning of November so I also had a beanie and gloves,
- Bring water and light snacks, there are food stands everywhere but we saw the Chinese people pulling snacks out of their bags, we didn’t feel like we needed anything though, other than water,
- Make sure you have Google Translate or a translation option on your phone as this really helped us, however we wouldn’t really need it as the driver wrote to us on We Chat to keep us updated.
Common Mistakes First-Time Visitors Make
Some people think they need to pre-prepare a lot of snacks, clothes for these types of trips but you really don’t. You can get everything you need along the way. A bottle of water is good for the bus though. Another common mistake is worrying about the language barrier. Honestly it isn’t a problem. A lot of what the guide was saying wasn’t important to the tour, just casual chat. We could understand enough to get by. Another mistake is worrying about the pick up, the driver will contact you via We Chat and tell you where to stand, they will also send their number plate so you know you are getting into the right vehicle.
Is Tiger Leaping Gorge Safe for Western Travellers?
Yes the day trip to Tiger Leaping Gorge is safe for Western travellers, we never felt any concern and if anything the Chinese people on the tour were excited we were there. They were taking photos with us and making sure we were in the right place. The tour guide was messaging us on We Chat to keep us updated, we were very well looked after.
Want to see it all in action? Watch our full guide on YouTube and follow along on Instagram @passport_nomads and @kelly___buckley for travel tips and inspo.
