Lijiang is not a place where everything must be booked months ahead, but a few items sell out in peak season and holidays. The Jade Dragon cableway is the main one. Guesthouses in the old towns and drivers also tighten up around Chinese public holidays. Everything else can usually be arranged a few days out.
In short
Book the mountain cableway and holiday accommodation first, then trains and drivers. In low season, a week ahead is enough for most things.
The fixed items
Jade Dragon's Glacier Park cableway is the one thing that genuinely sells out. Book three to seven days ahead in normal season, and two to four weeks ahead around Chinese New Year, May Day, and National Day. The meadow cableways are easier but still worth booking in peak weeks.
Accommodation in Dayan, Shuhe, and Baisha tightens during holidays and the summer high season. Book two to four weeks ahead for the best rooms, especially courtyard guesthouses with a handful of rooms.
The semi-fixed items
Trains from Kunming and Dali can sell out around holidays; book one to two weeks ahead. Drivers for the mountain, gorge, and lake are usually available a few days out, but a good English-speaking driver is worth booking earlier. Your guesthouse can often arrange one.
Tiger Leaping Gorge guesthouses and Lugu Lake accommodation are limited; book a week ahead in peak season. The gorge trail does not require a permit for the standard route, but check current rules.
What can wait
Local taxis, most restaurants, museum tickets, and old town entry do not need advance booking. You can decide the village loop on the morning of. Keep one flexible day in your itinerary for weather and recovery.
If you are travelling over a public holiday, assume everything is busier and more expensive. The when to go section flags the crowd patterns. For the mountain itself, see the ticket briefing.
Verdict
Lock the mountain and holiday beds; leave the rest loose enough to follow the weather.
Next in the manual
04 linksField desk / direct line
Not sure this fits your trip?
Send the dates, the group, and what you are deciding between. The field desk will tell you what to cut and what to keep.
Independent advice. No bookings, no commissions, no visa service.