★★★★★
Verified visitor · 2026-05-02
At 4,680 metres the snow feels close enough to touch, and Blue Moon Valley below is that unreal turquoise. The day exceeded what I expected.
玉龙雪山风景非常优美，尤其是到了4680平台上，看着近在眼前的雪景非常震撼，蓝月谷的水也很蓝很清澈。
Max 8 travellersNo shopping stopsOxygen and parka included
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain · Spruce Meadow · Blue Moon Valley
丽江一日游 · 玉龙雪山 · 云杉坪 · 蓝月谷
Leave before dawn for first light on the peaks, then climb to a meadow at 3,506 m
Jade Dragon Snow MountainBlue Moon ValleySpruce Meadow
01
The honest version
What the day is actually likeA 05:50 pick-up to catch the mountain before the cloud builds. You top out at 4,680 m, and the day is paced around the altitude, not around the sights.
Good for
- Travellers comfortable at altitude
- Anyone who wants the glacier meadow and Blue Moon Valley in one go
Skip it if
Heart or lung conditions, and small children — 4,680 m is not a place to find out.
Most people get this wrong
Oxygen cans are sold at the base for a reason. Buying one is not weakness; skipping the slow walk at the top is how people end up sitting down.
02
Where the day starts and ends
All times are departurePick-up at hotels around Lijiang old town, Shuhe and Baisha; six set meeting points if your hotel is inside the pedestrian zone
TimeStopLeg
05:50
Depart LijiangHotel pick-up around the old town, Shuhe and Baisha. The sunrise option leaves around 05:00
Start
17:00
Return to LijiangDrop-off at the old town or Shuhe
Return
Departs05:50
Back in Lijiang
17:00
Pick-up Hotels around Lijiang old town
03
The day, to the minute
7 stopsLocal time (GMT+8). Cable-car slots are allocated by the park, so departure shifts with the ticket.
05:50
Depart LijiangPick-up
Hotel pick-up around the old town, Shuhe and Baisha. The sunrise option leaves around 05:00
07:00
Ganhaizi and first light on the peakSight
An alpine meadow at the foot of the mountain; on clear mornings the light runs down from the main summit
08:30
Spruce Meadow, 3,506 mSight
Cable car up, then a loop boardwalk through old spruce forest facing the summit. About 90 minutes
12:00
LunchMeal
Simple set meal inside the park, included. At altitude, eat light and drink water
13:30
Blue Moon ValleySight
Four linked travertine lakes — Yuye, Jingtan, Lanyue, Tingtao — bluest at midday. The walking loop takes about 90 minutes
15:30
Yushui VillageSight
One of the birthplaces of Naxi Dongba culture; the three-tiered Shenlong waterfall is the set piece
17:00
Return to LijiangReturn
Drop-off at the old town or Shuhe
Times are indicative — in peak season traffic and queues can push the day later.
04
In and out
Per routeWhat’s included
- Jade Dragon Snow Mountain entry (¥100)
- Spruce Meadow cable car, return
- Park shuttle buses
- Return transport in an 8-seat vehicle
- Simple lunch, oxygen canister, parka and water
- Travel insurance
Not included
- Blue Moon Valley shuttle ¥40 and Spruce Meadow shuttle ¥20 (both optional)
- “Impression Lijiang” show ticket
- Personal expenses and gratuities
Heads-up
- Spruce Meadow is at 3,506 m, some 1,100 m above the old town. Slow down after the cable car, keep the oxygen handy and stop if you feel light-headed.
- Cable-car slots are allocated in fixed windows and the operator does not choose them, so the departure time moves. Do not plan anything else to a strict clock that day.
- The valley’s colour depends on the sun. Under cloud it reads grey-green, not the blue in the brochures — check the forecast if that matters.
- Parkas are one-size and shared, returned at the end of the day. Bring your own fleece if you would rather not wear communal kit. UV is extreme: sunscreen and sunglasses are not optional.
- “Impression Lijiang” is an open-air show at 3,100 m, at 11:00 and 13:30 daily. It needs a separate ticket and separate transport.
Cable cars mean no climbing, so children and grandparents manage fine — but 3,500 m is a real risk for small children and anyone with heart or lung conditions. Judge before booking.
05
Quick answers
Prices, hours and what is includedHow much does a day trip from Lijiang to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain cost?
$70 per person on the group tour, or from $256 per vehicle for a private car with driver and guide. The group price includes the driver, guide and admission; the private price is for the whole vehicle, whatever the party size.
How long is the day?
It runs 05:50 to 17:00 — about 11.2 hours from pick-up to drop-off, including the drive. If you are catching a train or flight the same evening, book it for after 18:30.
Where does it start?
Hotels around Lijiang old town. Your driver and guide meet you there; the exact spot is confirmed the day before travel.
What is included in the price?
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain entry (¥100); Spruce Meadow cable car, return; Park shuttle buses.
What is not included?
Blue Moon Valley shuttle ¥40 and Spruce Meadow shuttle ¥20 (both optional); “Impression Lijiang” show ticket.
How far ahead should I book?
Two days. We do not accept same-day or next-day bookings because the car, guide and admission have to be arranged in advance. Cancellation is free up to 7 days before the tour; inside that it steps to 20% (6–3 days) and 60% (2–1 days), and nothing is refunded on the day itself.
06
What visitors say
20,670 reviews4.4
★★★★
20,670 reviews for Jade Dragon Snow Mountain — the headline sight on this route, not this tour specifically
Ratings belong to the sight itself. We do not publish invented reviews for a route nobody has rated yet.
★★★★
Verified visitor · 2026-09-26
Be ready for the altitude: take the cable car, walk slowly and buy an oxygen can at the base. It is a mountain, not a theme park — worth it, but pace yourself.
可能有高反的山顶，当然值得打卡，上去后走走歇歇就好，氧气瓶必备，基本都能上去。
★★★★★
Verified visitor · 2026-08-07
The last stretch of stairs to 4,680 metres is hard work but short. Blue Moon Valley really is that blue. In peak season the queue for the shuttle down is the only sour note.
4680爬楼梯有点累的，虽然多云也挺好看，蓝月谷的玉液湖真的蓝，旺季人多，出来等下山的接驳车比较久。
07
