怒江傈僳族自治州

Why this place

Nujiang is the Lisu autonomous prefecture along the Nujiang (Salween) River, running through one of the deepest and longest gorges in the world — here the river runs at 700m and the peaks rise to 5,000m on both sides. It is one of the last genuinely remote places in Yunnan.

What to see

• The Nujiang gorge — a road runs along it for hundreds of kilometres between high peaks
• Bingzhongluo and the Tibetan villages at the northern end, with the first bend of the Salween
• The Lisu and Nu villages, and the old suspension bridges over the river
• The Dulongjiang valley — the most remote corner, reachable only by a mountain pass

What to eat

• Lisu cooking: 'shouzhua fan' (hand-grabbed rice), wild vegetables and the local corn liquor
• Nujiang is known for its 'bing' (lacquer) oil and its wild honey

Best time

October–April; the road can be blocked by landslides in the rainy season

Practical tips

• This is real canyon country: the drive is long, the roads are narrow and accommodation is basic — go with time