From Lijiang to Tacheng, it is 140KM, you will have 4 hours driving along the beautiful Jinsha (Gold Sand) River, which is the upper reach of Yangtze River in Lijiang. Drive through Shigu Town, Zhongxing Town, Judian Town,Shangjiang Town with some Naxi ethnic villages on the way. You will have lunch in Juxian Restaurant(a clean restaurant and best food) with local flavour in Judian Town; If you are lucky, you will find the local bazaar happened every 5th and 10th of the traditional Chinese calendar.
 
After lunch, continue the driving to Tacheng Town. Unload the floating equipment including tent, sleeping bag, water-proof bag, fridge, paddles,LPG container,gass cooker,life jacket and so on. You will start the rafting after inflating the drifting boat. The most beautiful part of the rafting today is the Jigong(Rooster) Stone Islet located in the middle of Jinsha River in Shangjiang Town. From a far, you will find there is a sharp peak which looks like a flying rooster, hence the name of Rooster Stone Islet. The Jinsha River is divided two parts by the Rooster Stone Islet in the middle. Here is the most exciting rafting part of your trip because of the rapids, whirlpools and waves at the foot of the Rooster Stone Islet. After 4 hours rafting, you will build the camp for overnight in the beach island near the Judian Town.
 
--Tacheng Town is located in the northwest Lijiang. It is connected to Yulong Naxi Autonomous County in Lijiang, Shangri-La County, Weixi Lisu Autonomous County and Deqen County in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Tacheng is a multi-minorities town with more than 11 minorities including Naxi, Tibetan, Han, Bai, Lisu and so on. There are also Lisu living in multi-cultural Tacheng, northwest of Lijiang, another lovely and underdeveloped area.

Tacheng is an important town of the Tea Horse Trade Caravan from Yunnan to Tibet and India. Tacheng is also a military importance and the centre of the economy and culture exchange between Naxi and Tibetan people, because historically the Tea Horse Trade Caravan entered the Tibetan Area from Tacheng.

Get up in the early morning, enjoy the sunrise of the Jinsha River with green mountain ranges. After breakfast, continue the rafting trip to Zhongxing Town. Today is a specail rafting, you will raft through some islands in the middle of Jinsha River with some green willows and cows in the islands as well as you will find some farmers are fishing in the river with small canoes in the river. Especialy, you will find some children swimming in the river without underwear. If they find you are coming from a far, they will be very shy and hide in the willows or they will swim very fast as a fish into the grass. This will be very special experience for your trip.
 
You will have a simple lunch when you land in Judian Town. Lunch includes some watermelon, chocolate, bread, some fruit, and local pancakes as well as some drink. Build the camp in the willows forest island in the late afternoon. Have a bonfire party in the evening.
 
--Jinsha River or Gold Sand River is the westernmost of the major headwater streams of the Yangtze River, southwestern China. "JinSha" literally means "Gold Sand" or "Golden Sands". Its headwaters rise in the Wulan and Kekexili ranges in western Qinghai province, to the south of the Kunlun Mountains, and on the northern slope of the Tanggula Mountains on the border of the Tibet Autonomous Region. Jinsha River from Weixi to Tiger Leaping Gorge is very good for rafting; it is very easy for the beginners of rafting experience. The Jinsha River becomes dangerous from Qiaotou to Daju, which is the deepest Tiger Leaping Gorge in the world.

Enjoy the sunrise of the Jinsha River in the morning. After breakfast with a nice coffee and milk, continue the rafting to Shigu Old Town. You will raft through a big "S" turn in Stone Gate Pass, an millitary importance historically. Raft to the First Bend of the Yangtze River and Shigu Town. You will witness the wonder of the First Bend of the Yangtze River with a big turn from the southward to the east. You will finish the rafting in Shigu Port. Have a nice lunch in Jiangnan Restaurant in Shigu Town. Lunch with the natural river fish, wild vegitables, and local flavour.
 
After a short rest in Shigu Ancient Town, continue the rafting to Qiaotou Town(Tiger Leaping Gorge Town). Duaring the rafting, you will see some Naxi ethnic village on the river side in Longpan Town, raft to Kaifaqu in Shangri-la,  see the ancient Jihong Bridge, the Suspension Bridge, arrive at Qiaotou Town and finish the rafting tour in the upper Yangtze River. After lunch in Qiaotou Town, drive to visit the upper Tiger Leaping Gorge(3900M in depth) which is the deepest gorge in the world located between Jade Dragon Snow Mountain(5596M) in Lijiang and Haba Snow Mountain(5396M) in Shangri-la. Drive back to Lijiang in the late afternoon.
After dinner, transfer to hotel, service ends.
 
--the First Bend of the Yangtze River
About 44 miles outside of Lijiang, unusual geological phenomenons force the Yangtze to make a sudden V-shaped bend and flow to the northeast. This extraordinary turn, nearly180-degrees, creates beautiful and marvelous views that startle the imagination. Here, the river is wide and the water flows in a gentle, slow pace. Large willow trees grow luxuriously alongside the river that is banked on both sides with lush, fertile deep green vegetation and immense, steep mountains that rise up from the river to touch the clouds in the blue sky above. The whole sight is like a wonderful landscape painting that never ends.