Lijiang Off The Beaten Path

Lonely Planet doesn't mention this at all but there is a pristine blue lake at the lower base valley of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. It's here where you get the best shot of the Mountain since there are cascading limestone terraces that are almost white in colour.

This place is an important migration passage/breeding ground/wintering haven of nearly 76 species of wild geese and ducks, e.g. Anas crecca, Fulica atra, and Aythya fuligula.
I did not see the black necked cranes when I was here however.

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Once you get out of the local bus terminal, at the foot of the Yu Long Xueshan, (Jade Dragon Mountain), after about one and a half hours driving from Lijiang, you will see on a higher meadow some horses ready to clime up the mountain on a horseback. The price is about 80 Yuan and for taller people, you have to stand on their very old weighting machine to check the right horse for you.
Then from this meadow at about 3000 m. high, you will ride on your horseback to the highest point of this mountain. The way up is not to difficult, but after a pause on the top, you'll ride down about the same small path and on the very steep parts, where your horse can take a short cutting to come quickier back home, you have to keep firmly the saddle.
When you'r lucky, you could cross on your ride to the top, a Long Haired Yak, who can reach 2 m. tall at his shoulders, and living only between 3000 and 5000 m. I took his picture no. 3 on a horse back, so rather difficult and a bit fuzzy.

On your way to the old town from the airport or from old town to destinations like Snow Mountain, don't forget to look outside. Most of the time, the fields are full of sunflowers or "you cai hua" (not sure what is it called in English...is it Dandelion?). It's worthwhile to just ask the driver to stop and let you take pictures. As the saying goes, we should sometimes 'stop and smell the flowers' ;-)

It's the Loch of Yunnan, next to a village which long have been secluded from the outside world by rolling mountains. To go there, hire an experienced coach driver so your coach doesn't roll down the cliff halfway into your journey there.

The people are hospitable, and you can go for a boat ride to the temple, a night in a campfire and roast goat served with curry pepper. Horse rides are available too.

Accomodations are catered by small family-run inns in the village.

The hike through Tiger Leaping Gorge is spectacular. Take your time - too many rush through in 2 days and don't see anything. Best to take 3-4 days. Go down to the river - it's worth it. I'll have a full travelogue with photos published once I get home.

Most of the tourists tend to spend their time strolling in the very center of Old Town, near Square Market and the Water Wheel. Take the time to get out of the center and wander through the beautiful cobblestone sidestreets. We fell in love with the people and the culture as we quietly made our way "off the beaten" path.

Within an hour or two, you can cycle out of Lijiang and make your way through traditional Naxi villages that are not on the tourist trail... just like the one in the photo.

These villages, built in traditional stone clusters, are often quite a distance from any tarred road, and can be found by following quite rough paths through the meadows. You will not find any tourist facilities: no bars, restaurants, shops, just the family units, living in community, and working on the land.

While "lost" tourists are obviously a curiosity, don't be surprised to find that the streets empty as you arrive. People clearly liked to keep their privacy and would rush off into their houses as we approached.

We remained discrete. We didn't poke around in private property, and certainly didn't try to take photographs of people who clearly didn't want to be committed to film. You can get a sense of these villages from the photograph.

There is no clear destination... you just head off and you can't fail to stumble across some paths leading from the main roads... you will certainly not be able to cycle all the way - the paths are rough. However it makes for a great day out and the scenery is spectacular.