Dulong River Valley

　　This is a remote and mysterious valley, located in the Dulong River basin on both sides of the river within Gongshan Dulong and Nu Autonomous County, Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture in northwestern Yunnan Province. The highest elevation in the area reaches 4,963 meters, while the lowest is 1,000 meters. Around November each year, the Dulong River Valley becomes almost completely cut off from the outside world, as snowdrifts over ten meters thick block all access beyond the mountains. It’s only when the ice and snow melt around August of the following year that the valley becomes most vibrant again.

　　The Dulong River originates from Zayü in Tibet and winds 150 kilometers from north to south in Yunnan. The average width of the river is about 40 meters. On the east and west banks, villagers from Dulong villages “can hear each other talk across the river, but it takes three days to meet and shake hands”—and that’s no exaggeration. In some places, it might even take ten days just to reach each other. Moreover, the river is rapid and filled with hidden reefs, making boat crossings impossible. As a result, people have to “fly” across the canyon to maintain connections between the two sides. The weather in the Nujiang Gorge is highly changeable, with large temperature differences between day and night, so it's important to dress warmly. Of course, bringing essential medications is a must.

　　Some have witnessed firsthand that the Dulong people can indeed “fly” across the canyon—and there are several ways they do it: the first is what people call a suspension bridge. No matter how much they carry or whether it’s day or night, the Dulong people can leap across the river via these “bridges” with light, effortless steps, as if walking on flat ground. Another method of crossing the river is by using zip lines.

　　In truth, whether crossing via suspension bridges or zip lines, both are extremely dangerous. But the will to survive has enabled the Dulong people to master remarkable skills. So just watching the Dulong people cross the river while traveling along the Dulong River can be a deeply satisfying experience. Tattooed faces among the Dulong people

　　Another attraction that draws visitors’ attention is the local women with tattooed faces. Among the Dulong people, face tattoos come in two types: one is covered entirely with patterns, known as full-face tattoos; the other has patterns only on the sides of the forehead and cheeks, called half-face tattoos. To this day, the origins of this custom remain a mystery. However, nowadays, there are very few tattooed-face women left in Nujiang, as the practice is no longer continued.

　　Traveling by bus from Kunming to Liuku (the capital of Nujiang Prefecture) covers a total distance of 614 kilometers. There are 3–5 sleeper bus services daily, taking about 16 hours. After arriving in Liuku, you’ll need to travel another 280 kilometers by vehicle to reach Gongshan.

　　From Gongshan, you can hike to the Dulong River. The mountain paths in the area are very steep and difficult to navigate, but you can hire local porters to carry your luggage and ease the burden.