Frequent buses connect Tiger Leaping Gorge Town at the southwestern end of the gorge to both Lijiang and Zhongdian. The northeastern end of the gorge is near the town of Daju, which is accessible on the southern side of the gorge by ferry and also has buses to Lijiang. It is also possible to walk in and out from the town of Haba to the north.

The high road is a walking only track that runs the length of the gorge on its northwestern side, from Tiger Leaping Gorge Town to Walnut Grove at the gorge's north-eastern end and then onwards to Haba. Guest houses dot the track, but due to unpredictable weather walking alone in poor weather is inadvisable.

The low road - which really is a road - used to be nothing but a mule track. In recent times it has been widened in to a sealed road. Blasted spectacularly out of the side of the mountain, it is busy only between Tiger Leaping Gorge Town and the narrowest point in the gorge - that of primary interest to tourists. Northeast of this point, the road is virtually empty all the way to Walnut Grove and makes for good cycling. Taxis can be hired but prices are strictly bargained - Sean of Sean's Guesthouse suggests paying 15元 per person from Tiger Leaping Gorge Town to Walnut Grove. Local buses ply this route once or twice a day.