Q&A about travelling in Lijiang

Lijiang, in Southwest China's Yunnan province, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the region. Here is a guide covering several problems that visitors may face when travelling to or in Lijiang.

Q1: When is the best time to visit Lijiang?

A1:

No matter what season you come, you will enjoy splendid views. In winter, Tiger Leaping Gorge may not be as soul-stirring as in other seasons due to lack of rain, but winter is the best season to view sunshine lighting up the top of Meili Snow Mountains.

In the middle of May, shrubs cuckoo in Xiaozhongdian town are in full blossom and the best season to appreciate alpine tree cuckoo is in June.

In June and July, the sea of grass on Lugu Lake is beautiful but the roads to the lake may be difficult to drive on as the rainy season occurs at this time. So, you can choose to go to Lashi Lake Wetland where you can ride horses on parts of the Ancient Tea Horse Road, which stretches from Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, to Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet autonomous region.

Autumn is the best season to view migratory birds in Lijiang.

Q2: How can I get to Lijiang?

A2:

Lijiang can be approached by air or by car. Currently there is no train that passes Lijiang. Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen have direct flights to Lijiang every day. Chongqing has direct flights to Lijiang on every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday while Chengdu has direct flights every Tuesday and Friday. Visitors in other cities can go to Kunming and fly from there to Lijiang, or take coaches which can take eight to 10 hours.

Q3: Will I have altitude stress in Lijiang if my health condition isn't good? If I feel good in Lijiang, will I be able to visit areas with higher altitude?

A3:

Lijiang is blessed with abundant plants, which can reduce the symptoms of altitude stress, but if you want to visit tourist attractions above 3,000 meters, such as the Meili Snow Mountains, you could spend a few days in Lijiang to get accustomed to the area's high altitude.

Q4: When are the peak seasons for tourism in Lijiang?

A4:

As the only town of its kind in China listed as a World Cultural Heritage site, Lijiang Ancient Town sees a lot of tourists in its peak seasons, which cover all public holidays such as the summer vacations, and the May Day, National Day and Spring Festival holidays.

Accommodation costs in Lijiang are highest during Spring Festival, from 200 yuan ($29) to 380 yuan a night. In addition to peak seasons, other periods are off season for tourism in Lijiang, with accommodation costing from 60 yuan to 150 yuan.