Chinese Name:东巴谷

Location:at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and 15 kilometers away from Lijiang Old Town.（玉龙雪山脚下，距丽江古城15公里）

Altitude:5,600 meters

Overview:

A trekking route leads to the amazing Dongba Valley.  The Dongba Valley is home and livelihood of Naxi people. Traditional houses of Naxi and other peoples are open to visit.

Highlights
The walk along the lake on the edge of the forest - another boardwalk - is worth taking and passes a cemetery with memorials for extinct species, giving the name of the animal, the date of death of the last member of the family and the cause of extinction.

The Road to Heaven
To the Jade Water Village - en route, is "The Road to Heaven". It is a tranquil spot, its main feature is a long, colorful floor mural, showing the three realms: hell, earth and heaven, of the Naxi religion. On the right, sculptures represent good spirits and gods; evil spirits are depicted on the left.

Road and path

At the top of the road is a small hermitage and a set of temples with huge Buddha and Naxi Guides statues, but the favourite is the walk back down through the peace garden. This is a set of glades and paths filled with wind chimes. The temples and garden face the holy Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

What to buy in Dongba Valley

A stone seal, a representation of the Naxi guardian angel and a carved dragon. but the prices here are higher than haggling would achieve in the old town.

Tours Including Dongba Valley

1 Day Lijiang City Tour to Lijiang Old Town,Black Dragon Pool,Dongba Culture Museum,Mu Palace and Lion Hill

5 Days Lijiang Golf Tour with Lijiang Ancient Lakefront Golf Course and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club

6 Days Lijiang and Shangrila Tour with Tiger Leaping Gorge Trekking from Daju Town

Attractions near Dongba Valley

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

The Jade Dragon Snow Mountains (玉龙雪山) are a small group of peaks close to the city of Lijiang. The nearest slope is only about 30 kilometers north of the Dayan Ancient City District, and the mountain can be clearly seen from the Black Dragon Pool next to the ancient district.

Lijiang Ancient Town

The beauty of the Old City is also due to the integrity of geographical nature and harmony. In 30 km northwest to the Old City lies the unconquerable Yulong Snow Mountain of 5,596 m and the relics of glacier in the Quaternary Period. The spring is divided into three branches to flow into the Old City relatively from east, middle and west.

Black Dragon Pool

Black Dragon Pool (also Heilongtan), or Jade Spring(Yuquan) Park is the main headwater of the Yushui River which goes through the Old Town. People believe that the gods of the Naxi people are living in the chestnut woods, beside the mouth of springs, behind the carved doors and below the bridges. The springs come from the god-protected mountains and gather in this place and finally form the dragon pool. Then water goes down a waterfall and becomes the Yuhe River, pouring life to the Old Town.

Dongba Culture Museum,Lijiang

The Dongba culture is a most inclusive term referring mainly to the language and scriptures. The Dongba language is actually composed of 1,400 picture-like characters and symbols that are still used by Dongbas, researchers and artists of the culture. It is by now the only living hieroglyph in the world and is regarded as a precious cultural relic of mankind. On August 30, 2003, the Dongba classical literature was accepted as a written world heritage by UNESCO