Why do people who search for “Lijiang Blue Moon Valley” want to read this article?
“Lijiang Blue Moon Valley” has long been a Chinese keyword with more than 10 million broadcasts on TikTok and Instagram. Foreign backpackers want to confirm: Is the lake really so blue? Can it be a high anti? Is it frozen in winter? This practical guide allows you to finish the journey in 10 minutes and start directly.
Highlights dismantling: understand at a glance
- The best season and period
- Zero high reverse route
- Four official ways to buy tickets
- Take a map of the aircraft position.
- Low carbon self service vs one day tour package comparison
1. Where is Lijiang Blue Moon Valley? Fast geolocation
Lijiang Blue Moon Valley is located in ERON County, Lijiang City, Yunnan Province, in the valley north of Ganhaizi and south of Yunshanping, with an altitude of 2,800 – 3,100 m, only 29 km from the Old Town of Lijiang, and 40 min drive (Our China Story, 2,024). Because the four water bodies of Yuye lake, Jingtan lake, Blue Moon lake, and Tingtao lake are arranged in the shape of a crescent, the reflected sky is sapphire blue when it is sunny, and it looks like a round “blue moon” inlaid in the east of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain from a distance, so it is named.
2. Cause of formation: Why is water blue?
The color of the water body is not a filter, but the melting water of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain glacier carries a large number of suspended mineral ions. After falling on the travertine steps in the valley, the air is fully dissolved, so that the short wavelength blue light scattering is enhanced; At the same time, the white travertine and clay at the bottom of the lake reflect the sunshine, forming a high brightness blue (Baidu Baike, 2,025). In winter, the dissolved snow decreased, the ion concentration decreased, and the color was slightly light; 6 – September has the largest amount of dissolved snow and the purest blue.
3. The best travel month: avoid crowds + take photos of Mirror Lake
4 – 5: the snow line of the snow mountain is low, the lake water saturation is high, and the tourists are only 45% of the summer vacation
9 – 10: at the end of the rainy season, the air is transparent, the lake is like a mirror, and the fog is floating before 8:00 in the morning
12 – 2: the average temperature during the day is 8°c, the water body is not frozen, the reflection of the snow mountain is clear, and the price of air tickets and hotels is the lowest
Official data: in 2024, the average daily passenger flow during the “eleven” holiday was 21,000; In April, there were only 3,500 people on weekdays (Xinhua, 2,024). If you want to enjoy the lake alone, choose a weekday morning.
4. Zero altitude reverse route: the minimum altitude difference
- The Old Town of Lijiang (2,400 m) bus ride → scenic spot parking lot (2,900 m), up 500 m, mild gradient
- Along the wooden plank road, you can visit Yuye Lake → Jingtan Lake → Blue Moon Lake → Tingtao Lake. The altitude difference is only 80 m, the whole road is about 4 km, and you can walk for 1.5 h
- If there is older people, you can take the scenic area environmental protection car (￥ 50/ one-way) at the entrance, and get off at the core Lake area, reducing 1 km of walking
Carry a blood oximeter with you. The oxygen in the lake area is equivalent to 85% of the Yu Hai level, and most people have no obvious HYPERREFLEXIVITY (Trip.com Medical Guide, 2,023).
5. Tickets and transportation of Lijiang blue moon valley (official price in 2025)
Tickets
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain mountain entry fee: RMB 100 (including Blue Moon Valley, 48 h effective)
RMB 50/ one-way, RMB 80/ round trip
Ticket channels
- official small program “Lijiang tourism group” – support overseas credit card
- scenic spot self-service machine passport + face recognition
- Ancient City Inn Booking – add RMB 10 service fee.
- Klook English interface – scan the code to issue tickets, and refund immediately
Tip: the daily flow limit for individual passengers is 12,000, and the tickets must be locked before 23:00, 1 day in the peak season.
Traffic contrast
Bus No. 17: Guchengkou → Xueshan tourist center, RMB 15, 70 min, English station
Online car Hailing: RMB 90, 40 min, can take 6 cars
One-day tour of tourism shooting: RMB 260, including shuttle, parking space + Tibetan clothing fitting, excluding tickets
6. Lijiang blue moon valley four lake play and a hidden plane
- Yuye Lake: the lake is the widest, and the side light in the early morning pulls the snow mountain out of a golden line; Stand: stone platform turning left 50 m at the entrance of the plank road
- Jingtan Lake: the dead wood at the bottom of the lake is clear. Put the mobile phone close to the water, and a low angle can take “underwater + reflection” two in one.
- Blue Moon Lake: the deepest color; Carry polarizers to filter reflection and present mirror stratification
- Tingtao Lake: a multistage small waterfall; It can draw water flow with 1/4 slow door. Aircraft position: in the middle of the most downstream wooden bridge, facing the snow mountain
7. One-day itinerary template (suitable for transfer passengers in cities above 1,300 m)
07:30 start from the ancient city → 08:10 arrive at the tourist center, buy tickets, and take the environmental protection car
08:30 – 11:00 four lakes slow tour + aerial photo
11:00 – 12:00 Ganhaizi viewing platform overlooking the snow mountain
12:30 return to the ancient city for lunch
14:00 stroll in Black Dragon Pool Park, take the reflection of Snow Mountain
19:00 ancient city Nakhi ancient music performance
The whole altitude change is gentle, which is suitable for the implementation of the first day of arriving in Yunnan, reducing the discomfort risk in the higher altitude of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain cableway.
8. Package list: visa for foreigners / payment / online at one time
Visa: Tourist (L) visa can swipe the passport self-service channel to enter the scenic spot
Payment: WeChat / Alipay bound with foreign passports can scan the code directly at the ticket window. There is no cash channel in the lake area, please recharge in advance
Network: Airalo or Holafly China eSIM is recommended, and the lake area 4G signal is full of grid
Warm: 2,900 m temperature difference between day and night is 15°c, fleece + windproof coat is enough.
Photography: the UAV needs to declare in advance in the “civil drone integrated management platform”. Within 24 h after the declaration, it can download the two-dimensional code paste machine, and the on-site security check will scan the code for release.
9. FAQs about Lijiang blue moon valley (from Google People also ask)
Q1: Will Blue Moon Valley freeze in winter?
A： The daily average temperature is >0°c, the lake surface will not be completely frozen, and the snow mountain reflection is clearer.
Q2: Can you play with the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain cableway?
A： Yes, but the terminal point of the large cableway is 4,506 m; it is recommended to swim in the Blue Moon Valley to adapt to the altitude, and then go on the large cableway to reduce the high reverse probability.
Q3: Can I buy tickets without a Chinese mobile phone number?
A： Use the overseas mobile phone number to register the Klook account, and choose the on-site two-dimensional code brushing channel.
Q4: How long is the fastest time from Kunming G-Series High-Speed Train to Blue Moon Valley?
A： 3 h from KunMing South Railway Station to Lijiang station, 40 min from the station to the scenic spot gate, 4 h at the fastest.
Conclusion: the “blue moon” is included in the bag, and only a departure is needed
Lijiang Blue Moon Valley has become the first stop for overseas tourists to drive into the northwest of Yunnan Province, with the incredible background of glacier blue water and snow mountain. According to the schedule in this article, you can complete the visa, purchase tickets, take photos, and taste Nakhi pizza in the Old Town of Lijiang within 48 hours. Now lock in the tickets and let the next popular Chinese video protagonist of TikTok, it’s your turn.
References
- Baidu Baike. (2,025). * Blue Moon Valley Scenic Spot * https://baike.baidu.com/item/ Blue Moon Valley Scenic Spot /9,768,720
- Lijiang Tourism Bureau. (2023). Corporate Social Responsibility Annual Report. http://www.lijiangtour.com
- Our China Story. (2,024). * blue moon under Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in Yunnan * https://www.ourchinastory.com/zh/4458
- Trip.com Medical Guide. (2023). High-altitude Travel Health Notice for Yunnan. https://www.trip.com/guide/health-altitude-yunnan
- Xinhua News. (2,024, October 8). * data of tourists received by Jade Dragon Snow Mountain during the “double festival” * http://www.news.cn/photo/20250908/b3442b1a1fc24e9db8cc16925c53dcfc/c.html
