Yunnan: Day 6 Shika Snow Mountain

For our last day in Yunnan, we had planned to take the cable car to the top of Shika Snow Mountain (4500 metres) and then do a 15-km hike to a lake. Alas, driving winds and snow at the top thwarted our efforts and we decided to enjoy the summit and then retreat to the relative warmth of the cable car. Why hike when you can't see the views, right? At least that's what how we rationalized our decision to avoid hours in -12ish celcius weather. It was still awesome to see the mountain, and a nice way to spend our last morning in this beautiful part of China.

Yunnan: Day 5 Flaneuring around Shangri-la

Blessed again with gorgeous blue skies and sunshine, we spent day 5 wandering around temples and monasteries in laid-back Shangri-la. The biggest monastery is called Songzanlin Si and is 300 years old; 600 Tibetan monks live and worship here and it was a magical place. The town of Shangri-la is fringed by snow-capped mountains and truly lives up to its heavenly name.

Yunnan: Day 4 Tiger Leaping Gorge & Baishuitai Terraces

After hiking down to Tina's Guest House and meeting our driver, Martin, we continued on to the Baishuitai Terraces on our way to Shangri-la. These terraces are naturally formed by sodium bicarbonate and flowing water and were quite interesting. When we arrived in Shangri-la, after driving for hours over twisting mountain roads with sheer drop-offs and no guard rails, we were rewarded by a wonderful meal of yak hot pot and another stunning view from our room: Guishan Temple watching over the old town.

Yunnan: Day 3 Tiger Leaping Gorge Hike

Our first day of hiking in Tiger Leaping Gorge involved 8 tough hours of climbing and hiking, some of it in relentless sunshine. But we were rewarded at every turn with spectacular views. What a beautiful place! And the view from our room at the Half-way Guest House at the end of the day was sublime.

Yunnan: Day 2 Lijiang Old Town

A Unesco World Heritage site, the old town of Lijiang is a warren of 800-year-old streets and buildings. You can wander for hours and hours and never encounter the same street or alley, and all of it is pure magic.