Go Deep in Lijiang: Adventure of hiking in Tiger Leaping Gorge

After staying in the old town of Lijiang, Yang Piyuan and Ai Lin started their walking adventure in the Tiger Leaping Gorge (Pinyin: Hutiaoxia), one of the most world-renowned hiking routes in the world.

How did a lady in the mid-forties with knee pain and a sexagenarian tackle the Gorge -- a hike that not only is unique but also one of the most awe-inspiring in the world?

Most backpackers would start at the Naxi Yage Guesthouse but the two walkers decided to “kick off” their “Hutiaoxia Personal Expedition” from the main road. The first part of their journey began at the spot where they had disembarked the bus from Lijiang. The bus driver had earlier on advised them to start at the guesthouse, which lay further ahead.

However, due to their stubborn determination to stick to the plan, the two asked to be dropped off at the Hutiaoxia Hiking Starting Point. Even at that junction - as one can see from the photo above - there were drivers to pick hikers up. The reason was that this particular stretch of the trail was being upgraded. But the two walkers doggedly trudged along. In the process, they had to avoid trucks carrying construction materials and other vehicles.

They debated (or some would say, argued) over whether they had made the right choice starting at a segment of the trail under refurbishment. But that tiff stopped when they were rewarded with the sight of one of China’s many remarkable engineering accomplishments. Walking this part of the journey enabled them to marvel at the suspension bridges straddling the Jinsha River from different vantage points.

About three quarters along the way to the location where most hikers would begin their trek, the constraint of time forced the two to grab a car ride. When they hopped into the vehicle, they met a young couple from Guangdong, a southern province of China. They, too, were headed to the same destination. The couple’s cordiality and enthusiasm were morale boosters. That’s what fellow hikers would usually do for one another. They mutually elevate moods and spirits; and every once in a while, they add a little spice to the journey. Humans are, after all, social creatures, regardless of what we want to achieve from Hutiaoxia.

Minutes later, the sight of some mules on a dirt road with signboards signaled to the hikers that they had arrived at the “revised” starting point of Hutiaoxia. The two were back on track as far as time was concerned.

The mule is a sturdy hybrid with the qualities of calmness and sure-footedness. They have helped humans across the globe traverse rocky terrains and steep slopes for generations. The mules at Hutiaoxia were not only agile and robust, they were handsome and well-groomed.

The couple from Guangdong engaged the service of a muleteer but the two walkers declined the offer. Even so, the muleteers were patient and friendly. They would follow some hikers up the challenging ridges hoping they could make some money with their animals. The two walkers felt a little bad for not using the service but riding a mule was not part of their agenda. In addition, one of them is not particularly fond of woolly or furry animals. She does not resent such animals but has a strong distaste of animal hair brushing against her skin.

Before the start of the arduous uphill “28 Bends” of the trek, a house built of stones and wood greeted them. Another group of hikers who had arrived earlier took time and pleasure in posing in front of a notice reminding them to be ready for the climb. It was a welcomed break for the two walkers to see the many different poses the hikers presented themselves in front of their cameras. And it was some minutes later that a photo without the hikers could be taken.

It was refreshing to turn around and look back every once in a while during the forward progress of the walk. And this was how the house (photo above) looked like about a hundred meters after the two had passed it.

The variety of plants and animals that exist in Hutiaoxia conjured in their minds the living Naxi pictographs they had seen the day before in the Old Town of Lijaing.

After ascending the 28 Bends, the two reached the peak of the first mountain. Here, many hikers stopped and spent time relishing the beauty and splendor of Hutiaoxia.

As the two proceeded downhill toward their pit stop for the night, there were sections of the path that were quite close to the edge. Despite the dangers these parts presented, they also offered the walkers magnificent views and roaring sounds of the mighty Jinsha River below. These experiences were visually and aurally stunning.

Before they arrived at the stop for the evening, they had an extraordinary rendezvous. They were stared at, and followed by, mountain goats that expertly pranced the path and scaled the cliff.

That “goatly” encounter left him with a positive impression, but for her, it was not. Soon, the Tea Horse Guesthouse came to their view. That energized the walkers and their pace quickened. Here, they would rest for the night.

Another group of hikers arrived at the guesthouse at almost the same time. However, they had made reservations to stay the night at the Halfway House, some 5km further up the trail. As the sun was setting, these hikers had to resort to vehicular transport service to get them to their destination for the night.

Reporting by Yang Piyuan; Editing by Mo Yingyi; Photos provided by Ai Lin