Off to Tiger Leaping Gorge!
Our group numbered eight. Eight completely different people that crossed a span of ages and a maze of nationalities. There was Claud, 54 years old, originally from Vietnam, now residing in Montreal; Brian, 72 years old, a brilliant Irishman who now spends his time documenting his travels in beautiful postcards and calendars; Sarah and John from Sweden, a fun loving and equally good looking couple on holiday; Eric, a 33 year old native of Holland who is now teaching English in Beijing and Christopher, a young Danish student studying in Hong Kong. Cara and I wrapped up the package. Having met up the night before over Mama Naxi’s fine cooking, we quickly became friends and decided to hike Tiger Leaping Gorge during the next few days. Plans were finalized over tea and, with Mama’s assistance, we planned to leave after sunrise the following morning.
Mama filled us up on banana pancakes again and wished us farewell as our minibus pulled away. The trip to Qiaotou took just over two hours and we were let out to pay the 50 yuan entrance fee. From here, we strapped on our backpacks and embarked on our trek along the world’s longest, deepest, and narrowest gorge. Armed with our hand sketched map and a few bottles of water, we took off at a jolly pace for our first destination. Five minutes and three huge hills later, after we stripped off some of our layers, we slowed down our pace and began shuffling along at a mini-marathon pace. Two hours into the Gorge’s path lies Naxi Guesthouse, a perfect place to catch your breath and buy a cold drink. We were already breathing heavily and sweating in the hot sun of mid-day – the first time I’ve been actually hot the entire time I’ve been in China. The group tried to delay the next portion of the trek, the dreaded 28 bends. Some call them the 24 bends, although there seemed to be about 30 or more. Whatever the number, they were not fun. I tried to count them, but, after seeing stars, and almost loosing my footing enough to tumble to my death, I concentrated on climbing. The bends lead straight up the mountain and are a series of sharp, steep, rocky paths……very nearly like a staircase winding back and forth. Our tight little group broke up at this point as we each settled into our own comfortable pace. Cara and I stuck together near the front and took it upon ourselves to relay the happy news down the mountainside whenever we stumbled upon a semi-flat patch of ground.
After resting our burning calves, we followed the downhill path to Teahorse Guesthouse, a set of lovely, solid cabins built on the cliff’s sharp side. The beds were warm and the food was cheap – there were two blankets (very exciting)!!! Cara and I watched the sunset behind the Five Fingers Mountain and warmed up by the wood burning stove inside the kitchen. The girls that ran the guesthouse were darling and made us a chocolate cake for dessert. The floury concoction was missing some much needed sugar but the caring thought was there. It was a beautiful night with a full moon and dancing stars. The wolves were out as well and competing packs on either side of the gorge took turns calling back and forth for the remainder of the evening.
The gang met for breakfast and set off at ten a.m., before the sun had risen over the mountains. There was still fresh dew on the trail, causing us to slip and slide along the narrow path and we were walking in shadows for much of the first part of the morning. Although the trial on the second day was rather flat and rocky, in many places the trail was only a few inches wide and we had to walk single file – we were nearly teetering on the edge of the cliff on several occasions. The strong winds didn’t help much, often causing us to grip the side of the mountains in panic of being blown away.
The mountain slowly woke up along the path. We met donkeys carrying their wares to neighboring villages and several herds of goats who were either off to market of in search green pastures (hopefully the later). The animals were not too concerned about sharing the path and we often had to move aside or climb up the steep cliff, allowing them to pass. There were waterfalls and small villages…. plenty to keep us occupied as the sun rose high into the sky. Eventually, we reached Tina’s guesthouse for lunch and waited until the rest of our trailing group caught up. It was then that someone suggested hiking to the very bottom of the gorge before we called it a day and caught a bus back to Lijiang. Looking back, I’m thrilled with our decision, but, at the time, I wasn’t a happy camper. The hike down to the Tiger Rock is steep and winding, kind of like doing the 28 bends in reverse. Not too bad though and the stunning views along the rapids made up for any leg pains.
We were entranced by the scenery below. In front of us lie the huge gorge that we had been watching for some many hours on the path way above. Down below at eye level, it looked so much bigger and more impressive. It was here, in the narrowest portion of the gorge where legend began. Centuries old stories say that a tiger leaped across these very stones in hopes of escaping a hunter. If you felt so inclined, you could climb along the ropes to the very spot where the tiger actually leaped – someone died there a few years ago so we passed on that opportunity. A picture was enough to satiate my curiosity.
What goes down must come up. In the case of the Tiger Rock adventure, this meant hauling ourselves up the steep, almost impossible ladders that led straight back up to the road. There was a bus to catch in an hour so we couldn’t take our leisurely time. Much of the ladders are spent on hands and knees as the ropes and cables were too frayed to be trusted…… it was also best not to look down. By the time we arrived at the top, we were too winded too speak and were full of scrapes and cuts. However, we made the bus just in time with our record breaking marathon efforts. A two-hour bus ride back to Lijiang followed and Mama was waiting for us on the doorstep surrounded by yummy aromas wafting from her kitchen. Back again…….
Less than a week left in China and the days are passing more and more quickly as we make our way back to Kunming. A 40 hour train ride awaits us. Actually, though everyone we tell grimaces at the thought of two days on a train, we are excited about the journey. Trains are a perfect way to see the countryside and get to know many of the locals. Then we will have three days to see the sights in Shanghai before once again boarding Singapore Airlines (a wonderful airline to fly with if you ever get the opportunity – you get real cutlery!!)
