A few hours after getting on the bus in Lijiang, we were dropped off at the road that leads to the Tiger Leaping Gorge high trail. Our bags were conveniently brought to the end of the trail, so we set off with our day packs stuffed with food, water, and warm clothes. We had to walk along the road for a bit until we got to the beginning of the trail. 

Then we started the uphill walk.

The views from the top of this portion of the trail, looking at the snow-capped Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and the village below, were lovely.

Wildflower season had just started!

We stopped at Naxi Guesthouse with most of the other hikers for lunch.

Then it was time for the 28 switchbacks… Fairly difficult given the altitude!

But the view from the top was so worth it! Even got to take a nice pic without having to enter the area where some lady decided we need to pay her to enter. 

Heading back downhill.

First good view of the river and the entire gorge.

Can’t get enough wildflower pics.

Cactus on the trail?! Feels weird in this high altitude somewhat damp environment.

Mountain village.

Mountain chicken.

We stopped for the night at the Halfway House, with its mediocre accommodations, large Korean tour groups (who kindly gave us their extra food as their guide ordered too much!), and beautiful views, as seen below. We spent the evening eating, hanging out with fellow hikers, and struggling to get some much needed rest. 

Halfway house is in the middle.

The next day, we set out after eating banana pancakes, and quickly found a nice waterfall around the first bend.

With a donkey walking through it! 

We suck at selfies. 

Small temple with Tibetan prayer flags.

At this point in the hike, we stopped to enjoy the view and Thom proposed to me! Beautiful viewpoint.

With a few hours left before we had to catch the bus to Shangri-La, we decided to go down to the river in the gorge. Quite a long ways down..

The trail is blasted into the rock here. 

The official (we think – not 100% sure as there were at least 3..) Tiger Leaping Rock. There is a legend about a tiger that leaps across the gorge from a rock like this. Have to go back and read up on the full story.

Ladders on the way back up! Feels like we are back in Canada on our difficult West Coast Trail hike.

Huge weird pretty flowers at the top, probably the size of my head.

After finishing the hike, we rewarded ourself with a pretty view and yak cheese dumplings for our engagement day lunch. The cheese was somewhat like cheese curds and not half bad, though still not satisfying my massive cheese cravings! 

After lunch, we caught the bus to Shangri-La, and took a gorgeous ride below the trail we hiked, through gorgeous tall mountains, and through a Tibetan valley with classic housing and lots of yaks.