8 Days Meili Snow Mountain and Yubeng Trekking Tour

During this 8 Days Meili Snow Mountain and Yubeng Trekking Tour, you will be impressed by the variety scenery including: alpine forest, stunning waterfalls, glacial lakes and quaint Tibetan villages, all set against a backdrop of the towering Baimang and Taizi Snow Mountains.

Highlights:

  • Enjoy the natural beauty of Meili Snow Mountain.
  • experience the wilds of Tibet.
  • Appreciate the variety scenery on this trek.

Brief Itinerary

  • Day 1: Shangri-La Arriival
  • Day 2: Shangrila-Feilaisi
  • Day 3: Feilaisi-Xidang-Upper Yubeng Village
  • Day 4: Upper Yubeng – Ice Lake- Lower Yubeng Village
  • Day 5: Lower Yubeng Village- Holy Waterfall- Lower Yubeng Village
  • Day 6: Yubeng-Ninong-Xidang-Feilaisi
  • Day 7: Feilaisi-Shangrila
  • Day 8: Shangri-La Departure

Google Map

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Shangri-La Arriival

Sightseeing and Activities: Dukezong Old Town,Guishan Hill Park
Accommodation: Shangri-La
Meals: Lunch

Spend the day around Shangri-La, to get accustomed to the altitude. Visit Songzanlin Monstery, and go bike riding along the Napa Lake Watershed, visit Hamagou, Xiao Zhongdian and other villages on the way. That night, join with the local Tibetans in the town square for some spirited dancing. Overnight at Shangrila.

Day 2 Shangrila-Feilaisi

Sightseeing and Activities: the Moon Bend of Jinsha River, Jinsha River Grand Canyon, Baima Snow Mountain, the sunset of Meili Snow Mountain and the 13 white pagodas
Accommodation: Shangri-La
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, drive 6 to 7 hours to Deqin County (3400m altitude) which is 187km away from Shangri-La. The view along the way is fantastic with different kinds of trees, streams down the valley, prayer flags and stupas, and Tibetan villages. From Shangri-La, after half an hour’s driving, you will have a panoramic view of Nixi Pottery Village, drive down to the river valley, continue the nice scenery along the Jinsha River to Benzilan Town where you will have lunch.

After lunch, drive uphill to the Dongzhulin Monastery which is located in Shusong Village, Benzilan District, Deqin County, and 105km from the seat of Zhongdian County. The Yunnan-Tibet Road passes behind the temple and cars can get straight to the temple. The Dongzhulin Monastery was built in 1667, the sixth year of the Kang Xi Period in Qing Dynasty. Visit the First Bend of Jinsha River or Moon Bend, which is the boundary between Sichuan and Yunnan. This is different from the First Bend of Yangtze River in Lijiang City. The bend in Shigu Town changes the flow direction of the Yangtze River but in Benzilan, the Moon Bend is just a grand bend between the mountains with an impressive scenery. Visit Baimang Snow Mountain Nature Reserve, you will be able to view Baimang Snow Mountain if the weather is clear, pass the top part of today at 4292m altitude at 156km.

Arrive in Feilaisi in the late afternoon, you will have a nice sunset view of Meili Snow Mountain from the Sightseeing Platform, where you can see the 13 white pagodas meaning of the 13 peaks of Meili Snow Mountain over 6,000 meters (19,685 feet) above sea level, known as the “Prince’s 13 peaks”.

Day 3 Feilaisi-Xidang-Upper Yubeng Village

Sightseeing and Activities: the sunrise of Meili Snow Mountain, Xidang Village
Accommodation: Guesthouse in Upper Yubeng
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Meili Snow Mountain Diqing

Get up early to enjoy the sunrise over the Meili Snow Mountains. Drive for an hour to Xidang Village where you will begin your hike to Upper Yubeng Village. Today’s hike will be strenuous – climb from 2,500 m ( 7,500 ft ) to over 3,500 m ( 10,500 ft ) at the pass – passing through beautiful, pristine alpine forest. (Total distance for the day: 17 km , 6 hours) Stay overnight at a guesthouse in Upper Yubeng.

The tough, 1000-meter-high ascent from Hot Springs to Nazongla Pass takes 2.53 hours for a fit hiker without carrying any heavy bag. The path zigzagging under the canopy of trees is quite damp and muddy. A Tibetan house, located at one-third of the route, sells snacks and drinks. No breathtaking view can be spotted at Nazongla Pass. Another alternative is to ride up on a mule. You can easily reach the pass within 2 hours. It costs 100 Yuan from Hot Springs to Nazongla Pass either for riding or carrying heavy bags.

The descent from Nazongla Pass to the upper Yubeng Village takes one hour. Upon arriving at the village, take the trail turning to the left, walk further down to a stream, cross a bridge and climb a small slope up to the lower Yubeng Village.
When you arrive in Yubeng Village. Weather permitting, you’ll wake up to a clear view of the Mt. Kawagebo glacier.

Day 4 Upper Yubeng – Ice Lake- Lower Yubeng Village

Sightseeing and Activities: Yubeng Village, Ice Lake, Meili Snow Mountain
Accommodation: Guesthouse in Lower Yubeng
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Yubeng Village in Deqin County Diqing

Walk for 3 hours (6 km) from Upper Yubeng Village to the “Camp” then for another hour (3 km) onto the Ice Lake. Hike back down to Lower Yubeng Village (3 hours). Stay overnight in a guesthouse in Lower Yubeng.

-Enjoy the sunrise of the Mt. Kawagebo glacier from the guesthouse, then walk up to Binghu Ice Lake of the Meili Snow Mountain. Walk through the original forest from Yubeng Village, you will see some horses and yaks, as well as some wild animals if you are lucky enough. A beautiful river originate from the Glacier Park, walk along the river with some wooden bridges and spruce trees, you will have a wonderful view of Mt. Kawagebo Glacier. At last, arrive at the Ice Lake which is located at the foot of the glacier. Trek down back to Yubeng village in the late afternoon and enjoy the sunset of Kawagebo Peak .

Cuoka Sacred Lake: 1300M higher than Yubeng. The ascent takes 5 – 6 hours.
-First three hours is a tough and long climb in a primitive forest where you may encounter local leeches, especially active after the rain. The ordeal will be rewarded later by a spectacular landscape when you reach the high meadow plateau at 4050M.
– Another one-hour climb, you will climb over a range (alt. 4300M), and reach Cuoka Pasture. There is a collapsed hut.

-Last hour: from Cuoka Pasture to Cuoka Lake (alt. 4385M).
The return trek takes 3 to 4 hours. This one-day excursion is only reserved for strong hikers. Before June, the upper plateau is often covered by snow. Bring enough food and ask Aqinbu to find a good guide for you. It may be more reasonable to do this trek in two days and overnight camp at Cuoka Pasture.

Day 5 Lower Yubeng Village- Holy Waterfall- Lower Yubeng Village

Sightseeing and Activities: Holy Waterfall
Accommodation: Yubeng Lower Village
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

If the weather is good, we’ll wake up to a clear view of the Mt. Kawagebo glacier. After breakfast we will hike to the Holy Waterfall (7 km , 2-3 hours), from which Yubeng’s name originated. Buddhists coming to this area on pilgrimages circumambulate the waterfall 13 times with the belief that this act will set them free from all sins from this life. In the early afternoon we’ll walk back to Yubeng Lower Village (2 hours) where we’ll rest up for the long hike the next day.

Day 6 Yubeng-Ninong-Xidang-Feilaisi

Sightseeing and Activities: Ninong Valley
Accommodation: Shangri-La
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today go back through Nazongla Pass, which is not the same route you already hiked in, you can venture the steep narrow path along a stream and descend to Ninong Village. Spend the whole morning walking down in Yubeng Valley, which flows all the way into Meikong River. Parts of the trail we will cover is actually a canal dig along the half-way mountain by local villagers.

And the altitude drops also to 1,900m(6,232ft), causing quite different views on the way. Have lunch in Ninong village(1,900m/6,232ft), cross Meikong River and 2 hours more trek to Jiabi Village, drive from Ningnong Village to Feilaisi.

Day 7 Feilaisi-Shangrila

Sightseeing and Activities: Mingyong Glacier,Dongzhulin Monastery
Accommodation: Shangri-La
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Drive to visit Mingyong Glacier in the morning.

Set out very early and drive 5 hours back to Shangri-La. On the return journey visit the Dongzhulin Monastery, a large Buddhist monastery, built seven years prior to the Songzanlin Monastery, housing a treasure trove of ancient artifacts.

Departure from Shangrila.

Service ends.

Day 8 Shangri-La Departure

Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation:
Meals: Breakfast

Departure from Shangrila.

Service Excluded:

  • Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
  • Meals as listed in the itinerary;
  • Hotels as listed in the itinerary;
  • Private English-speaking tour guide;
  • Private vehicle for transfers & sightseeing with skilled driver;
  • Service charge & government taxes;
  • Luggage transfers between airports and hotels;
  • Domestic train tickets of soft sleeper.

Service Excluded:

  • Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
  • Chinese visa fees;
  • Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
  • Single room supplement;
  • Tips to guides and drivers;
  • Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
  • Personal travel accident insurance;
  • All optional programs.