三江并流

Why this place

In northwestern Yunnan, the Yangtze, Mekong and Salween run parallel within 100km of each other, separated by mountain ranges 4,000 metres high — the deepest such concentration of big river gorges on earth, and a UNESCO natural site. It is one of the world's great landscapes, and largely unvisited.

What to see

• The Nujiang (Salween) gorge, with the road running along it for hundreds of kilometres
• Tiger Leaping Gorge on the Yangtze, one of the deepest gorges in the world
• The Meili Snow Mountains, and the Tibetan villages between the river valleys
• Bingzhongluo, where the Salween turns and the first bend opens out

What to eat

• Lisu, Nu and Tibetan cooking: hand-grabbed rice, cured meats and corn liquor
• Wild mushrooms and mountain honey; highland barley in the Tibetan north

How to plan

A week at least — the valleys are connected by long mountain roads.

Best time

October–April; the roads are subject to landslides in the rainy season

Practical tips

• This is remote terrain: the drives are long, the roads narrow and the accommodation basic — allow time and go prepared