Articles

Lijiang + Yulong Snow Mountain 4-Day Itinerary

Best Season: July to October

Route Overview

D1 Lijiang Ancient Town (2 hours) → Lion Hill (1 hour) → Mu Mansion (1 hour) → Lijiang Sifang Street (3 hours)
D2 Glacier Park (3 hours) → Yunshan Ping (1-2 hours) → Blue Moon Valley (1 hour)
D3 Shuhe Ancient Town (2 hours) → Shuhe Sifang Street (0.5-1 hour) → Shuhe Ancient Town - Qinglong Bridge (10 minutes) → Jiuding Longtan (30 minutes) → San Sheng Palace (0.5-1 hour) → Tea Horse Ancient Road Museum (0.5-1 hour)
D4 La Shihai Wetland Park (1 day)

Tips

The altitude of Glacier Park is high and the temperature is low, so be prepared for cold and high-altitude sickness before going up the mountain.
There are many people in line for the Snow Mountain Cableway, sometimes it takes 3-4 hours to wait, so it is recommended to arrive at the scenic area as early as possible.

D1

Travel Tips

Today's main agenda is to explore the ancient city of Lijiang, strolling through the narrow alleys of the ancient city, fully enjoying the leisurely atmosphere of the ancient city. You can also search for various Lijiang specialty snacks on the streets and alleys to fill your stomach. After that, head to Lion Hill and climb to the highest point of Lion Hill—Wangu Tower, overlooking the entire ancient city of Lijiang. If you are lucky enough, you can look to the north and see the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. After getting off Lion Hill, go to the Mu Mansion on the way, and appreciate this Naxi palace-style building in the ancient city that imitates the Forbidden City at close range. In the evening, return to the ancient city and feel the nightlife of the ancient city at Sifang Street. You can also go to the bar to have a good time, and you might encounter a beautiful encounter.

. Lijiang Ancient City (2 hours) -> 20 minutes on foot-> Lion Hill (1 hour) -> 10 minutes on foot-> Mu Mansion (1 hour) -> 15 minutes on foot-> Lijiang Sifang Street (3 hours)
image of Lijiang Ancient Town

Lijiang Ancient Town

image of Lion Mountain

Lion Mountain

image of Mu Mansion

Mu Mansion

image of Lijiang Sifang Street

Lijiang Sifang Street

Transportation Guide

Lijiang Ancient City, you can walk to various attractions within the city.

Dining Guide

Lijiang's most famous cuisines include snacks and hot pots. Jido Liangfen (Chicken Bean Jelly), Naxi Roasted Fish, Baba (a type of pancake), and Dongba Barbecue are the most popular snacks, while hot pots are represented by cured pork ribs hot pot, potato chicken hot pot, black goat hot pot, mushroom hot pot, and yak beef hot pot. Today, you can have all three meals in the ancient city, with any combination of snacks and hot pots, and you can also taste the unique salmon of Lijiang.

image of Zhongyi Market

Zhongyi Market

Snacks

image of Lijiang Sifang Street

Lijiang Sifang Street

Snacks

image of Xiangshan Market

Xiangshan Market

Snacks

image of No. 88 Snack Shop

No. 88 Snack Shop

Naxi Flavor

image of Yu Jie Spicy Pork Ribs Hot Pot

Yu Jie Spicy Pork Ribs Hot Pot

Hot Pot

image of Tuotuo River Fish House (Lijiang Store)

Tuotuo River Fish House (Lijiang Store)

Local Specialty

image of A'an Dessert (May 1st Street Store)

A'an Dessert (May 1st Street Store)

Specialty Beverages

Accommodation Tips

Take the Sifang Street as the center and go east to Wuyi Street. This is a street full of petty bourgeois sentiment, with various characteristic shops, coffee bars, and a strong artistic atmosphere. It is recommended to choose this area to stay. Sesame Blossom Chain Sesame Open Inn is located on Wuyi Street, near Sifang Street, with a superior geographical location and very convenient transportation. The inn is a very typical wooden-style building, with a small bridge and flowing water in front of the door, allowing you to fully experience the charm of the ancient city's water and people. Cloud Top Boutique Holiday Courtyard (Lijiang Naxi Style Shop) is also located on Wuyi Street. The inn is decorated and arranged according to the Naxi traditional quadrangle, retaining the unique style of the Naxi courtyard. All rooms are equipped with Naxi carved solid wood furniture, and the courtyard has a rocker, pavilion, and artificial mountains and flowing water.

D2

Travel Tips

Today's main visit is to Yulong Snow Mountain. First, take the big cableway to the Glacier Park to experience the essence of glaciers in mid-low latitude mountain ranges around the world. After descending the mountain, it is recommended to have lunch first. There are fewer dining options at Yulong Snow Mountain, so you can bring your own dry food for lunch, or you can solve it within the scenic area. After lunch, you can watch the 13:30 performance of "Impression Lijiang" at the Blue Moon Valley Theater. Then head to Yunshanping to explore the huge lawn hidden in the primitive spruce forest. Remember that when you take the cableway to the mid-mountain of the snow mountain, it is the best position to shoot the panoramic view of the snow mountain. Finally, return to the foot of the mountain at Blue Moon Valley to see the almost solidified blue bay in the valley.

Glacier Park (3 hours) -> Cable car + sightseeing bus 30 minutes-> Spruce Meadow (1-2 hours) -> Cable car + sightseeing bus 20 minutes-> . Blue Moon Valley (1 hour)
image of Glacier Park

Glacier Park

image of Yunshan Ping

Yunshan Ping

image of Lan Yue Valley

Lan Yue Valley

Transportation Guide

Yulong Snow Mountain is about 15 kilometers away from the city of Lijiang and can be reached by bus or chartered car. There are snow mountain direct trains from Yuhe Parking Lot, South Gate Parking Lot, Lijun Hotel, and Shuhe Gate every morning at 9:00, returning at 17:00, with a ticket price of 40 yuan per person. You can buy tickets at Yuhe Corridor C area 2-3, Passenger Transport Center Station, and Gao Kuai Passenger Transport Center. Chartering a car from Lijiang to Yulong Snow Mountain, the price varies from 300-500 yuan depending on the type and number of seats of the car. You can also purchase a one-day tour of Yulong Snow Mountain, most of which includes the ticket and round-trip transportation costs. Within the scenic area, you can take an environmental protection car to the cable car ride places of each scenic spot, and then take the cable car to reach them. Note that the Glacier Park large ropeway only reaches an altitude of 4506 meters, and the remaining journey needs to be walked step by step, so you should judge your strength.

Dining Guide

There are fewer dining options on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain; lunch can be brought as dry rations or solved within the scenic area. It is recommended to return to Lijiang Ancient Town for dinner.

image of Snow Kitchen 5596 Restaurant

Snow Kitchen 5596 Restaurant

Buffet

image of Lijiang Sifang Street

Lijiang Sifang Street

Snacks

image of Yu Jie Spicy Pork Ribs Hot Pot

Yu Jie Spicy Pork Ribs Hot Pot

Hot Pot

image of No. 88 Snack Shop

No. 88 Snack Shop

Naxi Flavor

image of Tuotuo River Fish House (Lijiang Store)

Tuotuo River Fish House (Lijiang Store)

Local Specialty

image of A'an Dessert (May 1st Street Store)

A'an Dessert (May 1st Street Store)

Specialty Beverages

Accommodation Tips

It is recommended to return to Lijiang Ancient Town for accommodation; the 1st of May Street is a street full of petty bourgeois sentiment, with various characteristic shops, coffee bars, and a strong artistic atmosphere. It is recommended to choose this area to stay. Sesame Blossom Chain Sesame Open Inn is located on Wuyi Street, near Sifang Street, with a superior geographical location and very convenient transportation. The inn is a very typical wooden-style building, with a small bridge and flowing water in front of the door, allowing you to fully experience the charm of the ancient city's water and people. Cloud Top Boutique Holiday Courtyard (Lijiang Naxi Style Shop) is also located on Wuyi Street. The inn is decorated and arranged according to the Naxi traditional quadrangle, retaining the unique style of the Naxi courtyard. All rooms are equipped with Naxi carved solid wood furniture, and the courtyard has a rocker, pavilion, and artificial mountains and flowing water.

D3

Travel Tips

Today, the main destination is to visit Shuhe Ancient Town in the northwest of Lijiang Ancient Town, to experience a different ancient town atmosphere. Enter through the large archway with the words "Shuhe Ancient Town" and walk along the stone-paved road to the center of the ancient town—the Sifang Street; then go against the stream along the side of Sifang Street, cross the Qinglong Bridge and you can see the Jiuding Dragon Pond; next to the pond is Longquan Temple, behind the temple there is a small hill, which is a good place to overlook the whole ancient town. In addition, the Tea Horse Ancient Road Museum on Zhonghe Road in the ancient town is also worth a visit. There are not so many tourists here, and you can also walk around the characteristic small shops, and when you are tired, find a teahouse to enjoy tea and be in a daze.

Shuhe Ancient Town (2 hours) -> Walk for 5 minutes-> Shuhe Sifang Street (0.5-1 hour) -> Walk for 6 minutes-> Shuhe Ancient Town to Qinglong Bridge (10 minutes) -> Walk for 2 minutes-> Jiuding Dragon Pond (30 minutes) -> Walk for 3 minutes-> . San Sheng Palace (0.5-1 hour) -> 10 minutes-> Tea Horse Ancient Road Museum (0.5-1 hour)
image of Shuhe Ancient Town

Shuhe Ancient Town

image of Shuhe Square

Shuhe Square

image of Shuhe Ancient Town - Qinglong Bridge

Shuhe Ancient Town - Qinglong Bridge

image of Jiuding Longtan

Jiuding Longtan

image of San Sheng Palace

San Sheng Palace

image of Ancient Tea Horse Road Museum

Ancient Tea Horse Road Museum

Transportation Guide

Shuhe Ancient Town is located about 5 kilometers northwest of Lijiang Ancient Town. You can take the No. 11 bus from the ancient city to Shuhe intersection and get off, then walk to the ancient town gate; you can also take a taxi from the ancient city, 5 yuan/person, and the taxi is about 20 yuan; if you are physically strong, you can also rent a bicycle to go.

Dining Guide

Shuhe Ancient Town is rich in delicious food, Shuhe Liangfen and rainbow trout are very famous, and many restaurants in Shuhe can serve them. The area around Sifang Street gathers many restaurants, which is a good place to look for food. Lunch can be enjoyed at any restaurant, or you can also look for those famous restaurants, and dinner can be solved in Shuhe or Hui Lijiang.

image of Daidai Mom's Cuisine (Renli Store)

Daidai Mom's Cuisine (Renli Store)

Local Specialty

image of Restaurant One

Restaurant One

Yunnan Cuisine

image of No. 88 Snack Shop

No. 88 Snack Shop

Naxi Flavor

image of Naotang Private Cuisine

Naotang Private Cuisine

Local Specialty

image of Suosuo Tai An Yang Yu Chicken (Xiangshan East Road Store)

Suosuo Tai An Yang Yu Chicken (Xiangshan East Road Store)

Local Specialty

Accommodation Tips

It is recommended to return to Lijiang Ancient Town for accommodation; the 1st of May Street is a street full of petty bourgeois sentiment, with various characteristic shops, coffee bars, and a strong artistic atmosphere. It is recommended to choose this area to stay. Sesame Blossom Chain Sesame Open Inn is located on Wuyi Street, near Sifang Street, with a superior geographical location and very convenient transportation. The inn is a very typical wooden-style building, with a small bridge and flowing water in front of the door, allowing you to fully experience the charm of the ancient city's water and people. Cloud Top Boutique Holiday Courtyard (Lijiang Naxi Style Shop) is also located on Wuyi Street. The inn is decorated and arranged according to the Naxi traditional quadrangle, retaining the unique style of the Naxi courtyard. All rooms are equipped with Naxi carved solid wood furniture, and the courtyard has a rocker, pavilion, and artificial mountains and flowing water.

D4

Travel Tips

Today's main destination is to visit Lashihai, 10 kilometers west of Lijiang City, to watch birds, row boats, and ride horses to experience the Ancient Tea Horse Road. There are different routes for horse riding, you can choose to go to the Ancient Tea Horse Road in the high mountain canyon, or walk to the deep wetland on the opposite side of the lake along the lake route; after horse riding, you can invite the boatman to start a boat trip to watch birds. There are fewer food choices in Lashihai, you can bring your own dry food.

La Shihai Wetland Park (1 day)
image of Lashihai Wetland Park

Lashihai Wetland Park

Transportation Guide

Lashihai is located 10 kilometers west of Lijiang City, you can take a van from the Zhongyi Market next to the ancient city, the ticket price is 3-5 yuan; you can also choose to take a taxi from the ancient city, the taxi fare is 50-70 yuan. Most one-day tours include horse riding, boating, round-trip transportation, and lunch, which is very convenient.

Dining Guide

There are fewer food choices in Lashihai, you can bring your own dry food, most one-day tours include a local chicken hot pot for lunch. There are stalls selling grilled fish by the lake, all of which are fresh small fish just caught, 15-20 yuan each, you can try it. Dinner can be solved back in Lijiang Ancient Town.

image of Lashihai Ancient Tea Horse Road

Lashihai Ancient Tea Horse Road

Grilled Fish

image of No. 88 Snack Shop

No. 88 Snack Shop

Naxi Flavor

image of Naotang Private Cuisine

Naotang Private Cuisine

Local Specialty

image of Suosuo Tai An Yang Yu Chicken (Xiangshan East Road Store)

Suosuo Tai An Yang Yu Chicken (Xiangshan East Road Store)

Local Specialty

Accommodation Tips

It is recommended to return to Lijiang Ancient Town for accommodation; the 1st of May Street is a street full of petty bourgeois sentiment, with various characteristic shops, coffee bars, and a strong artistic atmosphere. It is recommended to choose this area to stay. Sesame Blossom Chain Sesame Open Inn is located on Wuyi Street, near Sifang Street, with a superior geographical location and very convenient transportation. The inn is a very typical wooden-style building, with a small bridge and flowing water in front of the door, allowing you to fully experience the charm of the ancient city's water and people. Cloud Top Boutique Holiday Courtyard (Lijiang Naxi Style Shop) is also located on Wuyi Street. The inn is decorated and arranged according to the Naxi traditional quadrangle, retaining the unique style of the Naxi courtyard. All rooms are equipped with Naxi carved solid wood furniture, and the courtyard has a rocker, pavilion, and artificial mountains and flowing water.