Exploring Lijiang's Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Dali's Cangshan Mountain & Erhai Lake

During the summer vacation of 2022, I traveled to Lijiang and Dali in Yunnan. After flying to Lijiang, I joined a small tour group of 20 people. The group members were all very considerate, and though we were strangers at first, we quickly bonded over the next five or six days, caring for each other and creating warm memories that still bring a smile to my face. We first explored Lijiang freely, then ascended Jade Dragon Snow Mountain the next day. The summit stands at 4,506 meters above sea level, and we took a cable car up—it was freezing! Unfortunately, thick fog obscured the snowy peaks. Later, we visited Blue Moon Valley, with its gentle, pale waters, where some brave souls were even taking wedding photos despite the cold. On the third day, we headed to Dali, cruising on Erhai Lake and visiting Butterfly Spring—though, ironically, there were no butterflies by the spring. In the afternoon, we took stunning photos in a free flower field, and stayed at a hot spring hotel that night. The next morning, we returned to Lijiang, stopping at Shuhe Ancient Town along the way. Heavy rain poured down, so we took shelter in silverware shops or under eaves, enjoying the refreshing coolness of the weather. Back in Lijiang, after enjoying some rice noodles, some of our group went to Lugu Lake while others headed to Shangri-La. Due to limited energy, we didn’t join them—a regret that lingers to this day. I wonder when I’ll get the chance to make up for it.