Photos courtesy of Chris Carpenter

Backroads China
Day 10-Jade Dragon Mountains & Lijiang

During our visit to Lijiang (beautiful valley), we will also explore the Jade Dragon Mountain Range. Our trip northward from Lijiang gives access to spectacular forests, glacial valleys, and alpine pastures where ponies and yak graze surrounded by ancient forests of fir and oak. Naxi and, higher up, the wild Xiaoliangshan (Small Cool Mountain) Yi people live traditional lives of farming and animal husbandry. From time to time we'll glimpse the Upper Yangtze River flowing as a silver ribbon thousands of feet below, while glaciers or fog-bound crags tower above. We will have opportunities to hike in a wild, alpine landscape and to see crystal clear streams flowing from alpine valleys and bamboo forests and wooden houses with Tibetan prayer flags flying above them.