Tiger Leaping Gorge (Shangri-La)

Tiger Leaping Gorge, on the eastern edge of Shangri-La in northwest Yunnan, is one of the deepest river canyons in the world and a marquee destination for international trekkers traveling through the Tibetan fringe of southwest China. Carved by the Jinsha River, the upper course of the Yangtze, the gorge plunges between the snow peaks of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain, dropping nearly four kilometers from summit to riverbed.

The Shangri-La (Yunnan) section is divided into the Upper, Middle, and Lower Gorges over roughly twenty kilometers. At the narrowest points the channel constricts to only twenty or thirty meters wide, and the entire flow of the Jinsha compresses through these gaps with tremendous force, sending spray high up the cliff walls. The legendary Tiger Leaping Stone sits mid-river in the Upper Gorge, named for a local tale in which a tiger used the boulder to leap across the torrent.

For most of the past three decades the gorge's main draw has been the high trail along the Haba-side ridge, a multi-day trek that ranks among the classic routes of highland Asia. Stone-walled Naxi and Tibetan guesthouses punctuate the path at roughly half-day intervals, allowing independent travelers to walk between hamlets without carrying camping gear. Side trails descend to the river at the Middle Gorge for the closest views of the cataracts.

Independent travelers should come prepared for altitude, exposure, and rapidly shifting weather, and should check local conditions before committing to the high trail, as landslides occasionally reroute sections. With reasonable planning, Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the most rewarding landscape experiences accessible from Shangri-La, and a fitting counterpoint to the monasteries and grasslands on the high plateau above.