Sep 21, 2011 - Trek in Tiger Leaping Gorge to Halfway House

We had breakfast at Tina’s on the balcony watching the Tai Chi group from Australia warming up; Tony joined them for a while. We all had a pancake breakfast with banana and chocolate sauce or honey. Philomena had porridge that in typical Chinese style, we have named her 'endless bowl of Scottish happiness'. We packed our belongings and took with us only stuff we would need for one night and began our hike along Tiger Leaping Gorge trail. The actual gorge is around 15 km in length, and is located where the river passes between the 5,596...

Sep 20, 2011 - Lijiang to Tiger Leaping Gorge

The hired bus that arrived to take us to Leaping Tiger Gorge was a 15-seater; we went from being squished into a mini-van to rolling in semi-luxury. On the back of the seats, the headrest covers were embroidered with the words "Lijiang Rende Hospital" (not sure what that meant!). A friend of the driver also came along, hitching a ride so to speak. About an hour or so along the way we hit a huge road block where we stopped for well over an hour. Some said it was an accident where someone had been killed; others said it was a daily road...

Nov 21, 2010 - Tiger Leaping Gorge

The previous night I had arranged 3 bus tickets to Lijiang. Here we would change buses for the onward journey to Qiaotou, the village that lies at the entrance to the gorge. Just as the girls, Elizabeth (Biz) and Kelly, turned up the lady at reception asked why we didn’t book a direct bus the Qiaotou. I told her that we had been informed that this was not possible. What followed was a flurry of phone calls that resulted in a dash to the bus stop in order to make the next bus. Once aboard we settled in for the 6 hours plus ride to the...

Jul 2, 2010 - Tiger Leaping Gorge

We decided, in our infinite wisdom, to do a two day trek through tiger leaping gorge. There were a group of eight of us who did the trk which worked out really well, much easier to do in a bigger group. The first day we took a hour hour bus to Tiger Leaping Gorge and trekked from 10 until eight in the evening. It was mammoth, but after the initial climb to the top of the mountain wasn't that bad and the scenery more than made up for the effort. The next day we climbed down to the gorge where the tiger leaped across to make his escape from...

Oct 14, 2009 - Tiger Leaping Gorge

Our main purpose for the visit to Yunnan Province was to hike Tiger Leaping Gorge. The gorge got its name from a tiger that leapt the gorge at its narrowest point (30 metres) with the aid of a rock to escape from hunters. The hike was 2 days long and approx. 22 kms long. The first day was the hardest with a long steady climb to half way up the gorge where we enjoyed lunch at a local guesthouse and then on to the hardest part of the day - tackling the 28 bends which were a series of very steep switchbacks up to the top of the gorge at around...

Nov 26, 2008 - Tiger Leaping Gorge

hey all just got back from hiking the tiger leaping gorge. it was absolutely incredible. they claim its the deepest gorge in the world, deeper than the grand canyon. stayed at the half way guest house which surprisingly is directly half way between the ends of the gorge. the place was great, hung out with awesome people, had a great time.

May 16, 2008 - Lijang

Lijang is a very scenic old town with lots of Chinese tourists. The old town is UNESCO listed with no cars; it has numerous fast flowing very clean streams running through it. The town is a maze of small streets where you could easily get lost. However it’s not that hard as all the streams run to a central spot with a huge water wheel. Basically you just walk in the direction that the fish are pointing as they all swim against the fast flowing current. 17/5 Took a taxi to a nearby village which was just as full of character with old...

Sep 19, 2005 - Tiger Leaping Gorge

Travelling further north today to the Tiger Leaping Gorge, where the mighty Yangtze cuts through some sheer rock its meant to be awesome. Got up and had to injure the crappy showers, this shower might as well be someone spitting on me its so weak. Met up with Divina the yank Chinese and Ulf the old boy from Sweden, what a random bunch of people im traveling with, grabbed some lunch on the cheap, noodle soup some old same old. Walked up to the northern bus station where my book had claimed you catch the bus to Qiaotou, wrong bloody one...

May 1, 2005 - On to Tiger Leaping Gorge

Anna reporting: The four of us did our very best to get up early and make it to the Bus Station in time for the 8:30 bus to Qiautou, the town where we could start our trek along one of the deepest gorges in the world. Nevertheless by the time we arrived all the tickets were sold out until 1.30pm. Not wanting to wait we ended up taking a microbus instead and set off immediately. Upon arrival in Qiautou we were offered discounted entrance to the gorge. Unable to see any catch we agreed and found ourselves being whisked through the entrance...

Jul 14, 2004 - The Traveler

What is it about being a traveler? The word alone, so distinguished from "tourist," conjures up romance and magic. A tourist is compelled by "sights." A traveler, by "experiences." I think of the great travelers before me--Hemmingway, Keroac, Michner---and what it is that makes them unique. True these men are writers, but are they not first and foremost, travelers? The point is, it's the travel itself that serves as the muse. It's the naked life out there, pulsing and quivering and waiting to be uncovered. That's what got Jack Keroac up the...