Hutiao (Tiger-Leaping) Gorge is internationally famous, far better known in the world than the province in which it is located.

About 100 km northwest of Lijiang Old Town lying between Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain, Hutiao Gorge is believed to be the deepest gorge in the world. The average elevation of the Jinsha River inside Hutiao Gorge is 1,630 meters above sea level, and its bank is 3,733 meters at the highest point, a difference of over 2,100 meters.

The gorge is naturally divided into three sections: Upper, Middle and Lower Hutiao.
The Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge is the narrowest section, and in the center of the river is a huge rock called Tiger Leaping Rock. It is said that a tiger once leapt from the east bank, clearing the rock, to land on the west bank, hence its name.
The most perilous section is the Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge, which features a huge drop in water level. Six kilometers away from the upper gorge is a waterfall where the river crashes down over 100 meters hitting the rocks in the river bed and creating violent currents.
The most important sight in the Lower Tiger Leaping Gorge is the Feixing Rapids, from which people can look down on the unconstrained Jinsha River. A 32 km long road from the Haba Mountain to Jiangbian Village has been opened to traffic, but traveling on foot is much more interesting.

The gorge stretches about 15 kilometers and also affords people the possibility of rafting and drifting peacefully in its large quiet sections, for the gentler folks among us and an exciting rafting adventure for the more experienced.

Tiger Leaping Gorge is not only a scenic area but also a place with plentiful natural resources. In addition, Tiger Leaping Gorge is the birthplace of the ancient Lijing culture, whose people lived in the many caves, big and small, in the Yulong Snow Mountain. In some caves, rock paintings about the life and products of primitive peoples were found. The rock paintings have now become another attraction of Tiger Leaping Gorge.