I've been mulling over going to China since college, I finally got the chance to do so. However, my first trip to the rising dragon wasn't in the usual places such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou or even Xiamen. I decided to visit Yunnan first because of the things I discovered online.

After exploring the ancient and UNESCO-listed town of Lijiang, I had time to explore the mountains. Snow Mountain was the nearest destination, and I heard good things about it. Renting a car on my own was expensive, so I decided to go to an area where vans shuttled people to the park.

Lijiang is on a historical route in Yunnan, China; its old town provides visitors with a glimpse of its rich culture and past. I had the chance to visit this lovely place during my trip to this country.

I was on again and off again about taking the high trail of Tiger Leaping Gorge, I based my decision on the weather, which was rainy during the first week of my two weeks trip in Yunnan. However, the skies cleared on one of the days, which gave me the perfect opportunity to do the hike, which was said to be one of the most scenic in the region.