Trekking · 3 days / 2 nights
3-Day Haba Black Lake & Tiger Leaping Gorge Trek
The two-day Black Lake route with the High Road of Tiger Leaping Gorge bolted on the end — the walk National Geographic calls one of the world’s ten classics.
Day one is forest and pasture. Day two is the lake. Day three is the gorge, with the view from HALFWAY and the Longdong waterfall, then back to Lijiang by five.
Day by dayExactly what happens, in order — nothing added for the brochure.
Lijiang to Orchid Flat Camp
Depart by vehicle from Lijiang at 8. 30 am, arriving at Haba Village around 11:30 am. You'll have free time for lunch on your own. After lunch, take a short drive to the trailhead at Dela Pasture and begin the hike. The trail winds upward through forested meadows, offering views of the Misty Forest along the way. Crossing over a ridge and passing through ancient woodlands, you'll walk past Yangfang Pasture before finally reaching today's destination – Orchid Flat Camp, an alpine meadow with a direct view of Haba Snow Mountain. Enjoy the peace and tranquility at the foot of the peak. Dinner will be hotpot at the camp lodge. After dinner, you can relax or step outside to gaze at the snowy mountain under a starry sky.
Distance. 140km, drive time 3hours.
Hiking. 6km, elevation gain 600m, max altitude 3,800m.
Black Lake, then down to the gorge
In the morning, enjoy the sunrise view of Haba Snow Mountain from the camp. After breakfast, depart from Orchid Flat Camp at 8:30 am. The trail takes you through ancient high-altitude fir forests and Rhododendron Valley, passing by snowy mountain wetlands, until you reach the secret alpine lake – Black Lake, nestled at the foot of the snow peak. The majestic mountain stands before you – take in the breathtaking views and capture the moment with photos. The mountain ash trees by the lakeside turn fiery red in October, creating a striking contrast of gold and crimson across the hillside. We then retrace our steps back to Orchid Flat Camp for a short rest, pack up, and continue descending to the trailhead. From there, we drive to Tiger Leaping Gorge.
Distance. 50km, drive time 1.5hours.
Hiking. 10km, elevation gain 400m, max altitude 4,200m.
The High Road of Tiger Leaping Gorge
Depart at 8. 30 am for the High Road of Tiger Leaping Gorge – recognized by National Geographic as one of the world's top ten classic hiking trails. Arrive at HALFWAY around 9:00 am, a must-stop for every hiker on this route, offering an unobstructed 360-degree panoramic view of Yulong's thirteen peaks – every shot here looks like a masterpiece. Continue along the High Road to Longdong Waterfall, where a spectacular cascade plunges from the cliffs above, like a silver dragon weaving through the canyon. After lunch, head to Tea Horse Inn, where you can snap photos at the famous Face Rock and Eagle-Beak Rock – the kind of shots that will light up your social feed. Finally, drive back to Lijiang, where the tour concludes around 5:00 pm.
Distance. 120km, drive time 2.5hours.
Hiking. 8km, elevation gain 300m, max altitude 2,800m.
What is in the priceAnd what is not. We would rather you knew now.
✓Included
- 2 nights: 1 at Orchid Flat Camp (tent or cabin), 1 at a guesthouse in Tiger Leaping Gorge
- 3 days of private vehicle transfers, one seat per person
- Admission to all sights listed in the itinerary
- Local guide throughout — for groups under 8 your driver-guide walks the whole route with you
- 1 breakfast and 1 dinner at camp
- Travel accident insurance, ¥500,000 cover
- Complimentary: multifunction headband, rain poncho, trekking poles
−Not included
- Flights or trains to and from Lijiang
- Meals not listed above (shared, guide recommends)
- Personal expenses and optional activities
- Single supplement, if you ask for a private room
Prices depend on dates, party size and the hotels you choose, so we quote per trip rather than publish a number that would be wrong. Send us your dates and we will come back with one figure — in writing, with the hotels named.
PracticalThe things people ask before booking.
Tell us the dates. We will send this route back priced, with the hotels named.
Everything here is a starting point — we cut days, add nights, swap hotels and change the order of cities all the time. Rebecca answers in English, usually within a few hours.
