The trail guesthouses are as much a part of the Tiger Leaping Gorge experience as the landscape. A series of family-run places spaced roughly a day's walk apart — the Naxi Family Guesthouse at the start, several options in the middle section including the Halfway Guesthouse and Tea Horse Guesthouse, and Tina's at the end near Walnut Grove — provide food, beds, and cold beer at prices that have barely changed in decades. The rooms are simple and sometimes cold; the food is basic Chinese with Naxi variations.
The guesthouses also function as information exchanges. Trekkers share trail reports, discuss conditions ahead, and compare notes on the optional side routes. Trail conditions change seasonally, and the guesthouse owners usually have the most current information about which sections are muddy, where the landslide risks are, and whether the seasonal waterfalls are running. Stopping for a meal even if you are sleeping elsewhere is always worthwhile — the family guesthouses cook better food than the tourist-facing places at the trailhead.