A trip to the mountains of Jade Dragon

The tourist center in the mountains is only 25 kilometers on a decent asphalt from the center of Lijiang. If there are more of you, you can take a taxi. But there is also public transport (bus no. 7). In nice weather, you can enjoy this beautiful mountain range with the highest peak Shanzida (5,596 m above sea level)

The road leads for many kilometers along the grassy plateau at an altitude of about 2,800 m above sea level. The view of the mountains is not so shaded.

Along the way there is also one „official“ viewpoint (3,055 m above sea level) – directly opposite the highest peak of the whole mountain range.

The visitor center (3,050 m above sea level) is large and more and more expanding. It is followed by a huge golf course, said to be the highest golf course in the world. There are plenty of lakes, bridges, statues and excursion walkways, so even a relatively walking place. What is important – you can buy a bus ticket to the 20Y cable car and a ticket for the 180Y cable car – to the biggest local attraction.

From the visitor center, it is about 6 km through the coniferous forest to the lower station of the cable car to a height of 3,356 m above sea level. The reason is not to walk, and you will certainly take the local bus line for granted. In beautiful weather or on weekends, it's really crowded here, so the queue for the cable car can stretch even longer for an hour, so count on it.

Finally, it's your turn and you're in the direction of heaven. Against you are massive five thousand rock walls

The journey by cable car takes about twenty minutes so you can fully enjoy the changes in the surrounding countryside. The last trees disappear to a height of about four thousand meters above sea level.

The closer you get to the top station of the cable car, the more you feel like in another world. There is only snow, ice and jagged rock towers around you.

The upper station of the cable car lies at an altitude of 4,506 m above sea level, which the locals are rightly proud of. As it is the second highest cable car in the world (after that at Venezuelan Merida)

In good conditions, you can go even higher. The trail leads about 100 meters higher to an even better view of the surrounding glaciers. From the end of the season, however, this trail can be completely covered in snow

Most tourists come here mainly because of the local glacier – it has one interesting unique. It is the southernmost glacier in the northern hemisphere. Interestingly, this mountain range lies on a parallel parallel to the Egyptian Hurghada.

Deep below you can see the plateau with the visitor center to these magical mountains.

After waiting in the „Glacier Park“, it is worth wandering around the local lakes for a while. It is definitely better to look at them from a distance or from close by, because there are various sails everywhere, etc … Apart from this trip, you can make several other options here. The White river scenic zone: this is a system of lakes and a waterfall on a river flowing from the main glacier. 3km far from the visitor center, so even within walking distance of Spruce Meadows (3,230 m above sea level): just above the river is a small cable car that takes you to a mountain meadow with other interesting views of this mountain range Yak Meadows (3,600 m above sea level): you are already about a little further and above There is also the possibility of a transition between this mountain range and the Tiger Gorge