Day 4
Naxi lanes after the train
A morning rail hop, then Lijiang on foot once day-trip crowds thin.
- Black Dragon Poolattraction
- Naxi courtyard lunchfood
- Lijiang Old Townattraction
- Amandayanlodging
Yunnan · 26.87° N · 100.23° E
Lijiang
Step into Naxi lanes where canals run below timber houses and snow peaks, then continue to quieter villages beyond the old town.
- Best for
- Naxi culture · mountain approaches · old towns
- When to go
- Start early to find quiet streets and clear peaks
- Suggested stay
- 2 nights
How it feels
Read the place before collecting its sights.
Begin at Black Dragon Pool in clear morning air, wander northern lanes and let the afternoon slow in Baisha.
The wider journey
See what comes before—and where the route goes next.
- 01Bai communities & Erhai morningsDali
- 02You are hereLijiang
- 03Tibetan culture & plateau scaleShangri-La
A day in context
How Lijiang unfolds inside the route.
The timing is editorial planning context, not live opening hours or turn-by-turn navigation.Day 5
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
A weather-dependent ascent balanced by a low-key Baisha village afternoon.
- Mountain transfertransport
- Glacier Park cablewayattraction
- Baisha villageattraction
- Baisha café lunchfood
- Amandayanlodging
Day 6
Tiger Leaping Gorge to Shangri-La
The route’s biggest landscape shift: gorge country into the Tibetan plateau.
- Lijiang → Tiger Leaping Gorgetransport
- Tiger Leaping Gorgeattraction
Place texture
A small edit, not an endless pinboard.
11:45 · 90 min
Black Dragon Pool
Pavilions and a classic view toward Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
13:30 · 70 min
Naxi courtyard lunch
Chickpea jelly, copper-pot potatoes and local greens.
15:00 · 2 hr 30
Lijiang Old Town
Canals, stone bridges and Naxi timber houses at walking pace.
08:15 · 3 hr
Glacier Park cableway
A dramatic ascent above 4,500 m with broad alpine views.
Why it belongs
The destination is stronger when the movement makes sense.
Arrival
Regional rail from Dali arrives outside Lijiang’s historic center; add about 35–45 minutes for the station-to-hotel transfer.
Reserve
Rail, drivers and plateau stays 3–4 weeks ahead
Route rhythm
4 bases · rail through valleys, then a high-road transfer
Overnight base
Amandayan · Lion Hill · Lijiang Old Town
Related journey