Yesterday I had the most incredible 4 hour + hike up the Jin Dao Xia Gorge with a really fun group of people. We started at the bottom, later learning as we went up that everyone starts at the top and goes down. If I were to do it again, I'd still go from the bottom to the top - it's a workout no doubt but it's a beautiful gradual hike that is also thoroughly enjoyable.
We ate our lunch at the bottom in a little restaurant, pictured above and below, that sells xiao mian, a type of spicy noodle with water spinach. They had 2-3 day old puppies meowling in a corner.
We then proceeded to start the 4 hour + hike thinking it was 1-2 hours. All along the way there was much debate about the true length of the hike as well as the amount of time it would take to do it all. We asked a minimum of 10 groups along the way (both foreigners and Chinese hikers) how long it had taken them to get to the point where we were asking them - everyone said "ooohhh, about two hours". Every single time. I spent the whole hike going up, laughing. Every single person said two hours, even at the top! A bizarre time conundrum we never quite figured out. At some point when we were past the mid point and stopped for some water, we asked the guy selling water if there was a shorter way and he said "If you go straight, it's 1 hour, if you go back and up the other path it's one hour less...". Go figure. It takes 0 minutes?!
The time was irrelevant anyway, the hike was so spectacular I wouldn't have done it any other way. You walk along a wooden plank platform that's been somehow nailed together and attached by metal clamps (not sure I'm doing this description any service as I'm no civil engineer) along the wall of the gorge, anywhere from 30-60 feet up (or more at times). I have no clue how they built this, but it felt sturdy and it enabled you to walk through a gorge high up, enjoying a scenery which you wouldn't have otherwise.
Along the way we came across a relatively large pool/lake in between the mountains and we hopped in a little boat and were taken to the continuation of the path. I have to applaud the Chinese government or their environmental/forestry department for having created such a seamless and discreet hike without doing a disservice to the nature.
The last stretch of the hike was a vertical climb up stairs for about an hour and that's where these guys with make shift chairs show up and ask if you want to be carried up. No, thanks. I was afraid to be dropped, plus I really was enjoying the hike through the last crazy bit. I do think it's a worthwhile service for those who sprain an ankle or who simply can't get up. Though you wonder if someone much larger than them were to arrive and say yes...would these slim albeit strong guys be able to do it? Hmm.... At the very top/end of the hike, a lady was selling fresh Shan Yao (mountain yam) which just so happens to be a Chinese medicinal herb I've studied but never tried fresh. One of my hiking companions who was very cool and from Japan shared a tasty Japanese recipe I will be trying soon with the Shan Yao I purchased.
I almost forgot to mention the original purpose of this hike was a partnership between National Geographic and the Intercontinental Hotel in Chongqing to promote nature awareness. That's the (stuffed toy) penguin mascot below with FanFan, we took pictures of the end of our hike, with our wild hair, sweatiness, and the stuffed toy penguin. It was a GREAT day!!!!
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