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Top 10 Interesting Facts about Tiger Leaping Gorge

Tiger Leaping Gorge is a scenic anyon on the , a primary tributary of the upper .

It is located 60 kilometres north of , in southwestern China. It is part of the World Heritage Site.

1. Tiger Leaping Gorge has an interesting legend behind its name

Photo by Benjamin Raffetseder on Unsplash

Legend says the name comes from a hunted tiger escaping by jumping across the river at the narrowest point (still 25 metres (82 ft) wide), using the rock in the middle.

2. Ranked as the deepest and phenomenal river canyons in the world

Image by fighter_lok from Pixabay

At a maximum depth of approximately 3,790 meters from river to mountain peak, Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the deepest and most spectacular river canyons in the world.

The inhabitants of the gorge are primarily the indigenous people, who live in a handful of small hamlets. Their primary subsistence comes from grain production and hiking tourism.

Around 15 kilometres in length, the gorge is located where the river passes between the 5,596 metres  and the 5,396 metres in a series of rapids under steep 2,000 metres cliffs.

Administratively, the river in this area forms the border between of (right bank) and of (left bank).

3. Tiger Gorge Leaping is not navigable

Tiger Leaping Gorge- Author; Tdxiang- Wikimedia

The gorge is not considered navigable. In the early 1980s, four rafters attempted to go down the gorge and were never seen again.

In 1986, the first known successful attempt to sail through the gorge was made by the first expedition to float down the entire length of the Yangtze, starting at the river’s high source at the Gelandandong glacier lake.

4. Was opened officially for tourists in 1993

Author; David Stanley- Wikimedia

The area was officially opened to foreign tourists in 1993, but had attracted adventurous backpackers already in the 1980s.

Officials plan to improve the existing trails and roads, bringing tour buses and more development. These plans arouse highly varied reactions among the local population, from strong opposition to strong support.

Natural crystals are mined from areas in and surrounding the Tiger Leaping Gorge.

5. Hiking at the tiger leaping gorge is quite possible

Author; BrokenSphere- Wikimedia

Hiking the length of the gorge is possible. The hiking path (“the high road”) is well-maintained and marked, although sometimes narrow, and at times impassable due to heavy rains, and is used by the as part of everyday life.

This trail is longer than the lower road, approximately 22 kilometres, but is more varied. It features a variety of micro-ecosystems, waterfalls, and a fair number of guesthouses for trekkers.

These guesthouses are not well heated, which when combined with the unpredictable nature of high mountain weather makes this trek inadvisable during the rainy season.

6. Was closed down to visitors in 2010

Image by 小猪 朱 from Pixabay

In July 2010, the Chinese government closed the gorge to visitors because a new lower road was being built.

Consequently, there were no government officials to charge the 50 yuan fee to enter the trail.

Locals requested a 10 yuan fee to enter the trail. Many trekkers still hiked the high road in spite of its closure.

Some buses continued to travel the low road, although landslides frequently caused travel delays.

7. There was a proposal to have a hydroelectric dam on the gorge

Hydroelectric Dam example- Author; AppalachianCentrist- Wikimedia

Although Tiger Leaping Gorge is an essential part of the , a World Heritage Site since 2003, the Chinese government floated proposals for a hydroelectric dam on the Jinsha River in 2004.

Construction had begun on the other 12 dams of the same project which lie just outside the boundaries of the heritage area, even though it had not been approved by the State Council.

Media reports suggested that the Lijiang city government waived standard procedures in order to facilitate the project.

8. The project was however abandoned because of the number of people it would displace and environmental complications

The project would displace up to 100,000 people to the north, mainly the Naxi minority, to a Tibetan area with a harsh climate and unfamiliar crops such as barley and potatoes as staples, virtually stop the flow of the upper , and irreparably alter the landscape of the Tiger Leaping Gorge.

The project was abandoned in December 2007. This project was also related to the and the , which would cause massive environmental damage and the destruction of thousands of cultural sites.

9. Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the areas protected by the UNESCO World Heritage Site

UNESCO Logo- Author; International Bureau of Education- Wikimedia

Tiger Leaping Gorge is a part of the Three Parallel of Yunnan Protected Areas UNESCO World Heritage Site which was inscribed in 2003.

Being one of the deepest gorges in the world, Tiger Leaping Gorge is a drop of 3,900m from the mountain peak to the river bed.

On a visit to Tiger Leaping Gorge, one can enjoy deep-incised river gorges, luxuriant forests, towering snow-clad mountains, and glaciers of the UNESCO site.

10. Home to the Naxi Matriarchal minority group

Tiger Leaping Gorge is inhabited by the indigenous Naxi people, who live in tiny enclaves scattered throughout the area.

Descended from Tibetan nomads who settled in the Yangtze valleys centuries ago, they are a proud minority group who have kept many of their old traditions alive.

Some of them still practice a matriarchal system, which was vigorously but not completely eradicated during the Communist era.

Most Naxi people still practice the Dongba Jiao religion, believing that everything has spirits and that those spirits can never die.