South Silk Road

Leaping Tiger Gorge Tour – Part 1

A hastily-purchased tour pass in the Old Town led to an early morning pork bun breakfast around the corner while waiting for a group bus. My expectations were a casual stroll up the paved path of this renowned gorge.

Video: waiting for early morning pickup.

 

 

The bus stops in rural town of Dadongzhe, on the first bend of the Yangtze River, which is colored a rich muddy brown from all the recent rain.

 

At first I thought this was a scenic stop on the way to the gorge, but then they started pulling out the rafts and handing out life vests.

First Bend of the Yangtze

 

Looks like rain is coming.

 

 

The trash wrapped around the shoreline trees shows how high water levels can get.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are headed towards this shore.

 

A hike up a narrow path leads to a small stream.

 

 

 

The group follows the path up the stream, past ruins, waterwheels, and waterfalls. It gets very dark in places. The name of this place is “Three Streams.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The area is so isolated and deep in the hillside you can’t hear anything but rushing water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There’s a large dam and pond far up the gorge.

 

 

 

 

Above the dam the land levels out a bit. Walkways wind over the stream, around fields, signs of life, and religious beacons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are told to head up to the newly constructed highway at the top of the gorge using these footbridges, which are apparently still being constructed.

 

 

 

 

A short stroll down the highway is a newly constructed South Silk Road Museum,  highlighting religious, agricultural, daily life of the region’s inhabitants. It’s a huge open warehouse in the side of the mountain, with eerie caves and some oddly-constructed displays.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dongba writing

 

This long cavern had hundreds of miniatures depicting scenes from around Yunnan. It wasn’t lit enough to really see much.

 

 

This alley was filled with agricultural artifacts, and again, not enough light to really see anything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the museum the group meets up at a bus. Hours are past, we are starting to get tired, rain is on its way, and apparently the hike up the gorge hasn’t even started yet.