Upper Yangtze,between twosnow peaks.

Questions worth
answering early.

• How hard is the upper trail?

  Moderate. The first day climbs about 600 metres from Qiaotou to the guesthouse over five to six hours including stops. The steepest section is the 28 Bends near the start, where you switchback up a cliff face. The second day is a gentle descent on a dirt path. The trail is well-marked, busy enough that you are never alone, and the surface is dry footing not technical scrambling. A reasonably fit walker handles it; trail runners and serious hikers find it gentle.

• What about the easier version?

  Drive the lower gorge road and walk only the middle section: about ninety minutes return, level path, no climb. The view of the rapids is the same one the day groups get. Suitable for companions who want to see the gorge but cannot take on the upper trail. We tell you honestly which version fits before you book.

• What's the altitude like?

  The trail tops out at about 2,670 metres. Most travellers feel it as mild breathlessness on the 28 Bends but no altitude sickness. The two nights in Lijiang (2,400 m) before the trek give you an acclimatisation step. Travellers continuing on to Shangri-La (3,200 m) are using Tiger Leaping as the natural mid-altitude step in the climb.

• Is the Bend guesthouse comfortable?

  Comfortable enough. The guesthouse is a converted Naxi farmhouse with about ten rooms, hot water from solar heaters (so morning is hotter than late evening), single or twin beds, shared bathrooms in some rooms and ensuite in the corner ones. Wi-fi works. Dinner is whatever the family cooked that day. It is not a hotel; it is a guesthouse on a trail, run with care. We book the better rooms.

• What month should I trek?

  April to mid-June and September to early November. Summer is the rainy season: the upper trail gets slippery, parts can wash out, and the gorge is often fogged in. Winter (December to February) is cold but clear; the trail is open but the guesthouse is colder than most travellers expect. The shoulder months give clear views, dry trail, and the meadows along the route in bloom in spring or gold in autumn.

• Do I need a visa to visit?

  It depends on the passport you hold. Ordinary Australian, British and New Zealand passports enter mainland China visa-free for up to thirty days, confirmed through 31 December 2026, covering tourism, family visits, transit, and short business. Many other passports qualify under the broader scheme. United States and Canadian passports need a tourist visa under current rules, and we manage the application end to end as part of your booking. Tell us your nationality before we quote and we will check the live wording against the embassy and the relevant foreign-affairs source for your country.