Jinsha River (upper reach of Yangtze River) cuts spectacularly through Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain to form this deepest gorge of the world. Tucked between peaks of over 3,000m above the river, the Tiger Leaping Gorge is 80m or more at the widest, or only about 30m at the narrowest, a most dangerous section of Yangtze River about 18km long.
At the entrance right in the middle of the river lies a huge rock, and the rushing water has to squeeze through a 13m passage at both sides. Folks say that tigers often leap to the other side of the river by this rock, thus the gorge earns this name. A more recent discovery is the ancient rock paintings on cliffs of the gorge, which add wonders to the grand gorge of the world.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiaoxia) lies in 60 kilometers northwest of Lijiang Old Town. From the top of the gorge you can look down the steeply angled mountain sides to the rushing Golden Sands River (Jingshajiang) with its 18 frothing rapids more than 200 meters below. The gorge also affords tourists the possibility of rafting and drifting peacefully in its large quiet sections.
As a famous nearby attraction of Lijiang, the Tiger Leaping Gorge provides enormous photo opportunities, if you visit this site, please bring your camera, wear your skid-proof shoes, and prepare to be astonished.
Design and incorporate the Tiger Leaping Gorge into your Yunnan tour here!
