Day 3: Tiger Leaping Gorge and Shangrila

Some photos posted on this page are courtesy of master chin and Chuen Yee

Drizzled throughout the night into the morning.


The 3 of us went to the market and bought water proofing gear (which really put into good use later) and breakfast. The chinese are really smart. The soy bean drink is all in packets, with sugar already added. So we tapao the youtiao and soy bean drinks back.

The driver was already sitting in the courtyard when we reached the Inn. We took our breakfast quickly and do a last minute pack up. Then we say bye to the inn lady and walked to the car. The Inn lady told us that the trip to Tiger Leaping Gorge （虎跳峡） for their guests have already been cancelled. My heart sank on hearing that news. The rain is going to ruin our plan?? No way!!

We started our journey at about 9am. Surprisingly a short distance out of Lijiang, there is no more rain. Cloudy sky yes, no rain. Phew. In view of Jing Jing's leg condition, we decided to choose the Lijiang route to go into Tiger Leaping Gorge which is flatter. The Shangrila trek requires some ascending and descending on narow trek across the ChangJiang, prolly not a good idea today.

The first spot we stopped for taking photograph is the temple that can over see Chang Jiang from high ground. I paid for the most expensive toilet there - 1RMB/entry. Shortly after we came to a traffic jam. According to the driver, some cars plunged into the river early in the morning. We never get to see the accident site, presumebly the car was towed away or it could be just some made-up stories.

We later reached the meander of Chang Jiang (金沙江第一弯) for some photo taking. It is here that Jing jing try on the Tibetan Red Flower Oilment and he claimed that it helped! The two sales assistant rub the oilment onto his feet and he felt the warm. 200 rmb for 2 bottles - he bought it - one for his mum - filial son indeed.

We reached a restaurant just before the Tiger Leaping Gorge for lunch. So full of people. The Hong Kong family that stayed in the same inn as us are there too! We said hi to each other. They were noisy as usual just like how they were in the Inn =) The biz is so good that we have to wait for a long time before we get served. Hungry. Pricey.

The Tiger Leaping Gorge trek on the Shangrila side is high up perched to the cliff. The road is so narrow that they restrict the number of buses that can go in at any one time, the rest wait at the holding terminal. We saw quite a number of buses waiting. No such restriction in the Lijiang side. We drove right through and 15 minutes later we are at the entrance. Bought the tix and walked in. Just when i happily walked on, the driver called me and ask me bring umbrella. I answered no need, no rain. He said you never know on the way out. That umbrella saved me. Drizzle started to come on our way out.

JingJing took the trishaw with Yinhuan into the gorge and whizzed past us. Chuen Yee and I walked. There are park rangers along the way who will warned us againt falling rocks and hurried us past some "hot spots". The trek is wide and flat, in comparison, the shangrila trek on the other side of the river bank is so high up that buses seemed like toys. The river flow was not realli that fast. We walked for about an hour, passed some interesting water falls and took photos. The water of the waterfalls is crystal clear, green turqoise in colour. It will mix with the brown colour of ChangJiang river at the confluence, such a lively mix. Certain sections of the trek has lost to the ground below. Tunnels are then built for these dangerous sections.

We reached the Tiger Leaping Gorge finally. There is a huge rock in the middle of ChangJiang and legend has it that a tiger leap from one bank to the opposite using the rock. The torrent at this constriction is furious. I bet it is about the same tenacity as the Taiwan flood. Water from the upstream hurried past the rock and created thunderous splashes 2-3 meter high. The sound is so loud that we can hardly hear each other. I took a video of the torrent. The waterfall flowing into the torrent is more tranquil in comparison. Please see the video in youtube/facebook and feel the power.

On the way back, true enough, showers came. Lucky I listened to the driver and brought my umbrella. We head straight to Shangrila. On the way we stopped at some places to take photos. There is even a rainbow across a valley! Thanks to the shower.

We reached Shangrila at 6pm. Checked into our room and we went for steamboat dinner. We ordered some beers and made merry. So yum yum and so full that we didnt have room to try the roadside stall outside. The air outside is coooold. We are at 3000m altitude. Jingjing went to look for dressing kit in a pharmacy and he found it.

We were contemplating whether to go Shika Snow Mountain or Putacho National Park. We decided to go Shika snow mountain.

Watched TV shows in our own room. Almost every channel show military propaganda tv serial. Found the English channel - The General's Daughter - not bad - at least last us through the night =)