The Nujiang Valley is one of the most dramatic regions in Yunnan Province. It snakes through the Three Rivers Natural Reserve near the Burmese border and is pretty remote, yet perfect for outdoor types.
The entire Nujiang Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with steep cliffs and snaking rivers and lots of hiking opportunity. There are villages either side of the river connected by roped, hanging bridges; the most pretty of which is Bingzhongluo Village between Liuku and Gongshan. Liuku, Fugong, and Gongshan are the main towns in the Nujiang Valley.
Liuku is the seat of the county and not worthy of much time other than accessing the Nujiang Valley. Fugong is 120kms north of Liuku and is the start of the gorge proper, with miles of trekking trails from the river to snowcapped mountains. Gongshan is the most northerly town of the Nujiang Valley and is linked directly to Nujiang Gorge by a small road.
Getting There & Away
One of the easiest ways to get to Nujiang Valley is to take a sleeper bus direct from Kunming to Fugong (14 hours). Liuku is 10 hours away and Gongshan 18 hours away. There are also buses from Baoshan, which has the nearest airport and is four hours away. Baoshan Airport is less than an hour’s flight from Kunming.