There are pleasant experiences that fade in your memory over time, and there are experiences that will remain embedded for the rest of your life. My two-day hike of Tiger Leaping Gorge will stay with me, clearly and fondly. The colourful mountains, the gorge, and the pleasant mountain villages along the way make this hike unforgettable.
First, a general overview of the hiking trail:
The trail is fairly easy to follow, although not consistently marked. There were couple of instances where we missed a turn, but village folks were able to point us to the right path fairly quickly.
The trail is not technically challenging, but portions of the trails are on the cliff's edge. A very unfortunate misstep could result in serious injury or death, but as long as you are not intentionally walking on the very edge of the trail, you should be safe.
There are some switchbacks and inclines that will strain most hikers' energy, especially in heat. We hiked in April (so not in the middle of the summer) but I found myself drinking copiously every few steps upwards. A person of average fitness should be able to complete the hike in 1.5 to 2 days.
There are number of guesthouses along the trail. Halfway Guesthouse has unreal scenery from their patio (and washroom).
When we hiked (April 2019), there were few hikers but not very many, especially as the hikers from the bus that we took dispersed throughout the day. For most of the hike, we were the only hikers within our sights. There were road and bridge constructions happening when we were there, and knowing the Chinese authorities' affinity for mass tourism, I wouldn't be too surprised if the trail become less "wild" sometime in the future.
Moving on to the more finer practical details:
It's easy to get to the Tiger Leaping Gorge trailheads from Lijiang (another UNESCO World Heritage Site). From Lijiang, you should be able to find or arrange - ask your lodging - a morning bus to Qiaotou or other Tiger Leaping Gorge access points.
We started the hike at the village of Qiaotou. From Qiaotou to the start of the actual trail is unimpressive.
Halfway Guesthouse is a convenient place to stop your first day of hiking. If Halfway is full, there should be other less famous guesthouses that you could try. Interestingly, Halfway Guesthouse is located more than halfway of the typical two-day hike that most people do. Meaning, your second day will be shorter and easier.
Many people stop their hike at Tina's Guesthouse, where you can catch a bus back to Qiaotou and Lijiang. You could also extend your adventure by hiking to Walnut Garden.
From Tina's Guesthouse, there are several paths down to the river. Even though it was downhill, I found the hike very tiring.
From the gorge, you can climb the "Sky Ladder" rather than slogging your way through multiple switchbacks. Sky Ladder (or Ladder to Heaven) is literally a ladder on a cliff face. Even four years later, I am amazed that my desire to avoid switchbacks was greater than my concern for falling to my death. On the ladder, I was very focused in making sure that my one hand was securely gripping a rung before I released the other hand to reach for the next rung.
Oh, did the site have Outstanding Universal Value? I don't know. I was too focused on the view. And not falling off the ladder.
