Wondering where to hike? Look below for the best day hikes and multi-day treks on Haba Snow Mountain!

Recommended Day Hikes

North: Day Hikes from Haba Village (哈巴村)

Traditional Yi Village
You can visit a small Yi Village (彝家村) where the women wear traditional ethnic clothing. The hike takes half a day on the Yi Village Route.

Image credit: Zoharby, Yi Woman in Traditional Dressing, CC BY-SA 3.0

Jianshan Waterfall
Thirty-meter high Jianshan Waterfall (尖山瀑布) is the only falls on the north side of the Haba massif. Arrange an auto shuttle above Yi Village (彝家村路线) and you can visit the falls in half a day. Alternatively, you can reach the falls via the Jianshan Route (尖山路线), which takes a full day. Combine the two routes for a nice loop hike.

North: Day Hikes from Black Lake (黑海)

Magnificent Scenery: Lake Shoreline & Col 4460
Camped at Black Lake or nearby? You’ll find the alpine scenery at 4,000 meters stirring and grand. Want something grander yet? Walk around Black Lake in an hour or two. If you have half a day free, ascend Col 4460 and gaze at the lake and summit glacier from an unusual angle.

East: Day Hikes East Peak Group (东边山峰群)

Hop Over the Edge of the Gorge
For a strenuous but rewarding day hike, walk from Walnut Garden Village (核桃园) to Ennu Village (恩努村). You’ll start from Luke’s Hostel (古道栌克旅舍), trek up and over the edge of Tiger Leaping Gorge and down to Ennu. Along the way you’ll enjoy excellent views straight down the length of the great chasm. The path between the villages follows the Luke-Haba Route (栌克-哈巴路线). You can arrange a home stay overnight in Ennu or catch a ride to Haba Village.

South: Day Hikes Tiger Leaping Gorge (虎跳峡)

Journey to the Bottom of the Gorge
From the Middle Gorge area near Tina’s Guest House (中峡国际青年旅舍), don’t miss the descent to the Jinsha River (金沙江). It’s a half-day journey down and back. Awesome and then some!

Rugged and Wild: Dashengou Canyon
Beginning at Tina’s, clamber up Dashengou Canyon (大深沟) past cascades and waterfalls. It’s a 2-hour round trip to the ravine ladder and back. This is rugged and wild terrain and inexperienced hikers are well advised to hire a guide. See the Bamboo Forest Path (竹林小路) for more.

Space Beneath Your Feet: Empty Glad Platform
Empty Glad Platform (空欢喜观景台) offers one of the best views of Tiger Leaping Gorge. The odd name? It’s about that empty feeling looking down. The round trip hike from Luke’s Hostel takes 3 hours. Consult the Luke-Haba Route for details.

Miner’s Pass and the Twin Brothers
Want to gaze upon Tiger Leaping Gorge from REALLY high up? Make Miner’s Pass (矿工垭口) your destination. Views of the “twin brother” snow mountains, Jade Dragon and Haba, are outstanding. This is a strenuous, full day hike on a steep path topping out close to 4,000 meters in elevation. See the Miner’s Pass Route (矿工垭口路线) for more info.

Recommended Multi-Day Treks

North: Alpine Lakes Region (高湖泊区)

Crown Jewel: Black Lake
Black Lake offers some of the finest alpine vistas found anywhere on the Haba massif. The approach via Lanhua Meadow Route (l兰花平路线) tackles the ascent more gradually than other routes. Camp at an intermediate meadow on day 1, arrive at the lake on day 2, and return to Haba Village via the Jianshan Route (尖山路线) on day 3.

West: Jizhi Valley (鸡枝山谷)

The Remote Jizhi Valley
Trekkers seldom tramp the west side of the Haba massif. Spectacular mountain scenery greets the intrepid visitor to this remote area.The three-day trek starts at Haba Village and ends at Qiaotou Town (桥头镇), near the start of Tiger Leaping Gorge. See Jizhi Pass Route (鸡枝山谷路线) for details.

South: Tiger Leaping Gorge (虎跳峡)

Three Words, One Awesome Attraction
Inaccessible peaks poke the sky, soaring 3,500 meters above the foaming river deep down within. World-famous Tiger Leaping Gorge ranks as one of the top treks in China, and justifiably so. The two or three-day journey (one day for the fleet-footed) offers an unforgettable experience. Dan Siekman has written a practical guide.

South: Haba Muru Sanctuary (哈巴雪山庇护所)

Sacred Space
Ringed by lofty peaks. Unseen from any village. Guarded by remote passes. Drained by a slot canyon. Visited by occasional yak herders. And hardly anyone else. Haba Muru Sanctuary