Self-Driving the Yunnan-Tibet Highway – The Tiger Leaping Gorge to Shangri-La Route

On February 15th, we set off from Lijiang on our self-driving journey along the Yunnan-Tibet Highway. Our first day's destination was Dukezong Old Town. We took the expressway and then the G214 National Highway, arriving at our first scenic spot of the day, Tiger Leaping Gorge, in one and a half hours. It's currently the off-season, so there weren't many people at Tiger Leaping Gorge. Near the ticket office is the Overlooking Double Rainbows Viewing Platform. Tiger Leaping Gorge is known for its depth, steepness, and magnificence. The river water rushes through the gorge, creating many dangerous shoals and waterfalls. It's currently the dry season, so the Jinsha River didn't create massive waves at the Tiger Leaping Stone and Tiger Leaping Gorge viewing points. However, compared to the muddy yellow river water during the high-water season, the Jinsha River is now clear and green, like a green ribbon winding between the cliffs. Leaving Tiger Leaping Gorge, we headed to our next planned scenic spot, Baishuitai (White Water Terrace). It was then that we realized we had embarked on Yunnan's scenic highway, the "Tiger Leaping Gorge to Shangri-La Route," which is still shown as the "East Ring Road" on navigation maps. The vehicle traveled through towering mountains, with the Jinsha River winding below. Haba Snow Mountain was on the left, and Meili Snow Mountain was on the right. There were many viewing platforms along the way. With blue skies, white clouds, green waters, and snowy mountains, the road was winding and rugged, but the road surface was in excellent condition, making for a great driving experience. We stopped at almost every viewing platform to take pictures, our eyes constantly feasting on paradise. We arrived at Baishuitai Scenic Area around noon. This is a niche scenic spot with cheap tickets and few people. The terraced calcified pools, illuminated by the sun, presented a Morandi blue color, like a fairyland. Leaving Baishuitai Scenic Area, the altitude gradually increased, and the terraced fields below were covered in silver. We passed Pudacuo National Park on the way, but because it was winter and not the most beautiful season for Pudacuo, we didn't enter the scenic area. After crossing the Xilianpen Pass, we arrived at Dukezong Old Town in the evening. Dukezong Old Town under the lights was peaceful. Dukezong Old Town has a giant prayer wheel that is 21 meters high and weighs 60 tons. The prayer wheel is made of gilded pure copper and contains 1.24 million mantras, six-character proverbs, and 16 tons of various Buddhist treasures. Following the crowd pushing the prayer wheel, we pulled the rope to turn the prayer wheel slowly three times, hoping for a smooth and safe journey. There is a Tibetan restaurant on the first floor of the hotel, called "A Ma La Tibetan Restaurant". It is run by a Tibetan couple and doesn't even have a street-facing storefront, but it is quite popular. The yak hot pot is authentic, the butter tea is fragrant, the highland barley cake is soft and glutinous, and the zanba with yogurt has a unique flavor. After a day of playing, we couldn't help but start eating before all the dishes were served.