Lijiang 3-Day City Walk Guide

Lonely Planet lists Lijiang Old Town as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, calling it a "living fossil of Naxi culture." When the golden summit of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain pierces the morning mist and the aroma of roasted baba drifts across Sifang Street's cobblestones — you'll understand this city's "slow" isn't a slogan but daily life where streams carry fallen flowers past every doorway.

📅 Itinerary Overview

Day	Theme	Key Attractions
Day 1	Old Town Walk	Dayan Old Town → Mu Palace → Lion Hill → Black Dragon Pool
Day 2	Jade Dragon Snow Mountain	Glacier Park (4680m) → Spruce Meadow → Blue Moon Valley
Day 3	Ancient Villages	Shuhe → Baisha → Naxi cuisine

🏘️ Day 1: Old Town Walk

Dayan Old Town (UNESCO World Heritage)

800 years old. Free entry. LP: "Streams flow past every household — China's best-preserved ancient town."

Mu Palace (¥40)

Naxi chieftains' "Forbidden City." Fusion of Han, Bai and Naxi architecture.

Black Dragon Pool

LP: "Snow mountain reflected in the pool — Lijiang's classic postcard shot." Free. Best in morning light.

🏔️ Day 2: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

LP: "Thirteen peaks soar to 5596m — the southernmost always-snowcapped mountain in the Northern Hemisphere."

Glacier Park (cable car ¥140): reach 4680m. Book 1 day ahead on WeChat!
Blue Moon Valley: four gradational lakes, "mini Jiuzhaigou." Included in park ticket (¥100).
Impression Lijiang (Zhang Yimou): 500+ Naxi performers with snow mountain backdrop. ~¥260.

🏡 Day 3: Ancient Villages

Shuhe (Free)

LP: "Perfect for finding a café and zoning out." quieter than Dayan.

Baisha (Free, murals ¥30)

Purest Naxi culture. Almost zero commercialization. Ming Dynasty murals blending 3 religions.

🚗 Getting There

Flight: Lijiang Sanyi Airport (Kunming 1h)
HSR: Kunming → Lijiang ~3.5h, Dali → Lijiang ~2h
Bus 101 to snow mountain: ¥15

🍜 Food

Cured rib hotpot (腊排骨火锅): ¥80-120/pot
Naxi grilled fish: ¥40-60
Chickpea jelly (鸡豆凉粉): ¥5-10
Wild mushroom hotpot: ¥100-200/pot

💡 Tips

Best season: Mar-May, Sep-Nov
Glacier Park cable car sells out — book 1 day ahead!
Altitude: town 2400m, mountain 4680m — bring oxygen canister
Old town is FREE (maintenance fee cancelled)
Sunscreen SPF50+ essential at altitude
Budget: ¥1500-2000/3 days (excl. flights)

Based on Lonely Planet, UNESCO, and multiple travel sources.