Code: SHANGRI-LA03
4 Days Shangri-La Hiking to Meili Snow Mountain & Yubeng Village
The Yubeng Village, located in Deqin County of Shangri-La in northwest of Yunnan Province, is an ancient Tibetan village hidden under the Miantsomo Peak of the Meili Snow Mountain. It is known as the last Xanadu on earth. Due to the transportation limits and isolation in history, the Yubeng hiking trail is an epic route popular among hikers. Accessible only by a hiking and horsing trail, this route is some physically demanding.
► Route: Shangri-La → Xidang → Yubeng Village → Xiaonong Base Camp → Ice Lake → Sacred Falls → Ninong Grand Canyon → Shangri-La
► Hiking Distance: 60 km (37 mi)
► Difficulty: Beginners’ hike with low difficulty
► Altitude Range: 2,000 to 3,800 m (6,562 to 12,467 ft)
► Ticket Price of Yubeng Scenic Area: CNY 60
► Opening Hours: All day long
► Route: Shangri-La → Xidang → Yubeng Village → Xiaonong Base Camp → Ice Lake → Sacred Falls → Ninong Grand Canyon → Shangri-La
► Hiking Distance: 60 km (37 mi)
► Difficulty: Beginners’ hike with low difficulty
► Altitude Range: 2,000 to 3,800 m (6,562 to 12,467 ft)
► Ticket Price of Yubeng Scenic Area: CNY 60
► Opening Hours: All day long
Travel Tips:
1. It is recommended to arrive at Shangri-La the day before. There are direct flights to Shangri-La from Kunming, Chengdu and other cities in China. If you want to go there by bus, it is recommended to get to Lijiang first, and then take a bus to reach Shangri-La in about 3.5 hours.
2. Prepare the things you need for the hiking, including a 30L backpack, a climbing pole, outdoor clothes, waterproof hiking shoes, toiletries, sunscreen, and other personal items.
Day 1 Shangri-La – Deqin – Xidang – Yubeng Village
In the morning of the first day, take a bus from Shangri-La to Xidang Village, the starting point of the Yubeng hike. There is no direct bus, and you have to transfer. Take the shuttle bus from Shangri-La Bus Station to Deqin first.
► Bus Hours: 7:20-18:00
► Frequency: every 1 hour
► Distance: 160 km (100 mi)
► Duration: 2.5 to 3 hours
► Fare: CNY 60 to 65
From Deqin, you can hire a car or carpool with other travelers to Xidang, which takes about 1 hour and costs CNY 20 per person.
► Bus Hours: 7:20-18:00
► Frequency: every 1 hour
► Distance: 160 km (100 mi)
► Duration: 2.5 to 3 hours
► Fare: CNY 60 to 65
From Deqin, you can hire a car or carpool with other travelers to Xidang, which takes about 1 hour and costs CNY 20 per person.
Hiking from Xidang into Yubeng Scenic Area
► Hiking Distance of Today: 11 km (6.8 mi)
► Hiking Time: 6 hours
► Altitude: 2,234 to 3,729 m (7,329 to 12,234 ft)
► Difficulty: Generally simple with gentle uphill. The road surface is relatively flat, suitable for beginners. You just need endurance. Walk slowly, breathe evenly, and gradually adapt to the elevation.
From the entrance, hike about 4 hours with an elevation of 1,500 m (4,921 ft), and you will reach the highest point of the day, the Nanzheng Pass, where you can enjoy the continuous peaks of the Meili Snow Mountain, and then descend all the way to the Upper Yubeng Village, the place you'll spend the night these days.
● Note: If you are not physically fit to hike, you can take a local car to enter the Yubeng Village. The fare is CNY 150 from the entrance to the Nanzheng Pass, CNY 200 to the Upper Yubeng Village, and CNY 260 to the Lower Yubeng Village.
Stay Overnight in Yubeng
There are a number of Tibetan inns in both the Upper and the Lower Villages. There is only a river between the two villages, but it takes one hour to walk due to the rugged mountain roads. If you plan to go to the Glacial Lake the next day, it’s convenient to stay in the Upper Village, while if going to the Sacred Waterfall, the Lower Village is convenient. All in all, it is recommended that you live in the Upper Village for the next three nights for better views. If the weather is good, you can see the wonders of the mountain in the gold sunshine from your room in the morning. The golden rays of sunrise shine on the Miantsomo Peak and Jiawa Renan Peak, which embrace the little Tibetan houses of Lower Yubeng Village below, beautiful as an oil painting.
Please note that the accommodation conditions are limited. The sanitary condition of the rooms is acceptable but sometimes you may encounter cutoff of water or electricity, and there might be no hot water to take a bath on rainy days. To avoid altitude sickness, it's also not recommended to shower here, especially on the first night.
Day 2 Yubeng Village – Xiaonong Pasture – Glacial Lake – Return
► Hiking Distance of Today: 14 km (8.7 mi )
► Hiking Time: 7 hours
► Altitude: 3,160 to 3,800 m (10,367 to 12,467 ft)
► Difficulty: It is the most difficult section of the whole route. There would be a continuous climb at high altitudes. Some roads are narrow, and there might be water or snow, so you need to be careful.
Enjoy the sunrise at the inn while having breakfast. Depart at about 8:30, for today's destination, the Glacial Lake. Pass the Mani Stone Piles and Prayer Wheel at the entrance of the village and start today's hike. Passing the subalpine meadows and a sea buckthorn forest, you’ll gradually climb to an altitude of about 3,400 m (11,155 ft), where you’ll go through a pristine mixed forest of firs and birches and reach the Xiaonong Pasture. To save energy, you can also rent a horse to go there from the Upper Yubeng Village, at a cost of CNY 100 to 200.
The Xiaonong Pasture is the base camp and supply point for lunch break. The local Tibetans sell simple food here such as instant noodles, fried rice and yak milk. After a rest, it is about an hour's hike to the Glacial Lake. This road would be more difficult to walk, with some sections slippery, especially in winter. It’s best to have a pair of crampons to prevent slip.
After seeing the Glacial Lake, follow the original road back to the village to rest and have dinner. If the weather is good, you can enjoy and photograph the stars at night.
► Hiking Time: 7 hours
► Altitude: 3,160 to 3,800 m (10,367 to 12,467 ft)
► Difficulty: It is the most difficult section of the whole route. There would be a continuous climb at high altitudes. Some roads are narrow, and there might be water or snow, so you need to be careful.
Enjoy the sunrise at the inn while having breakfast. Depart at about 8:30, for today's destination, the Glacial Lake. Pass the Mani Stone Piles and Prayer Wheel at the entrance of the village and start today's hike. Passing the subalpine meadows and a sea buckthorn forest, you’ll gradually climb to an altitude of about 3,400 m (11,155 ft), where you’ll go through a pristine mixed forest of firs and birches and reach the Xiaonong Pasture. To save energy, you can also rent a horse to go there from the Upper Yubeng Village, at a cost of CNY 100 to 200.
The Xiaonong Pasture is the base camp and supply point for lunch break. The local Tibetans sell simple food here such as instant noodles, fried rice and yak milk. After a rest, it is about an hour's hike to the Glacial Lake. This road would be more difficult to walk, with some sections slippery, especially in winter. It’s best to have a pair of crampons to prevent slip.
After seeing the Glacial Lake, follow the original road back to the village to rest and have dinner. If the weather is good, you can enjoy and photograph the stars at night.
Day 3 Yubeng Village – Nainong Pasture – Sacred Falls – Return
► Hiking Distance of Today: 14 km (8.7 mi)
► Hiking Time: 7 hours
► Altitude: 2,980 to 3,800 m (9,777 to 12,467 ft)
► Difficulty: The difficulty is moderate, as you may have acclimated to the high altitude in the last few days. In winter from November to the next April, there will be snow, but the road is relatively wide and flat.
Start from the inn around 9:00 and head for the most well-known scenic spot of Yubeng, the Sacred Waterfall. Hike towards the Lower Yubeng Village first, pass by the Five Trees with Same Root, and you can appreciate the virgin forest, snow peaks, and fluttering prayer flags all the way to the Nainong Pasture. After passing two service stations, you can see the Statue of Padmasambhava on the other side of the river, and then take a short hike to the waterfall. The Sacred Waterfall is a holy place in the hearts of Tibetan people, which makes it especially memorable to touch the holy water here. After staying for half an hour, you can return the same way.
● For those who are physically fit and want to spend an extra day in Yubeng, they can add a day of hiking to the Lake of God. This alpine lake is at an altitude of 4,700 m (15,420 ft), more difficult to hike. A round trip from the Upper Yubeng Village to the lake is 11 km (6.8 mi) and takes 7 to 8 hours. As fewer people go there, the scenery is more primitive and natural.
► Hiking Time: 7 hours
► Altitude: 2,980 to 3,800 m (9,777 to 12,467 ft)
► Difficulty: The difficulty is moderate, as you may have acclimated to the high altitude in the last few days. In winter from November to the next April, there will be snow, but the road is relatively wide and flat.
Start from the inn around 9:00 and head for the most well-known scenic spot of Yubeng, the Sacred Waterfall. Hike towards the Lower Yubeng Village first, pass by the Five Trees with Same Root, and you can appreciate the virgin forest, snow peaks, and fluttering prayer flags all the way to the Nainong Pasture. After passing two service stations, you can see the Statue of Padmasambhava on the other side of the river, and then take a short hike to the waterfall. The Sacred Waterfall is a holy place in the hearts of Tibetan people, which makes it especially memorable to touch the holy water here. After staying for half an hour, you can return the same way.
● For those who are physically fit and want to spend an extra day in Yubeng, they can add a day of hiking to the Lake of God. This alpine lake is at an altitude of 4,700 m (15,420 ft), more difficult to hike. A round trip from the Upper Yubeng Village to the lake is 11 km (6.8 mi) and takes 7 to 8 hours. As fewer people go there, the scenery is more primitive and natural.
Day 4 Yubeng Village – Ninong Grand Canyon – Exit
► Hiking Distance of Today: 18 km (11.2 mi)
► Hiking Time: 5 hours
► Altitude: 2,136 to 3,160 m (7,008 to 10,367 ft)
► Difficulty: Easy, but almost all the way downhill. Alpenstock and good hiking shoes are very important.
Leaving the Yubeng Village, you’ll enter a small woods and follow the dirt road. You can hear the Yubeng River. Out of the woods you’ll see the river bank. The rest hiking of today will be along the beautiful Ninong Grand Canyon with the Yubeng River running at the bottom. There are rough gravel roads, with some section very narrow along the cliff. Be careful all the way. There is a rest stop and observation deck for lunch break. Early in the afternoon, when you see the clear Yubeng River flowing into the yellow Lancang River, it is not far from the exit at the Ninong Village. From the parking lot at the exit of the canyon, you can carpool with other tourists to the Feilai Temple, Deqin, or Shangri-La according to your following travel plan.
► Hiking Time: 5 hours
► Altitude: 2,136 to 3,160 m (7,008 to 10,367 ft)
► Difficulty: Easy, but almost all the way downhill. Alpenstock and good hiking shoes are very important.
Leaving the Yubeng Village, you’ll enter a small woods and follow the dirt road. You can hear the Yubeng River. Out of the woods you’ll see the river bank. The rest hiking of today will be along the beautiful Ninong Grand Canyon with the Yubeng River running at the bottom. There are rough gravel roads, with some section very narrow along the cliff. Be careful all the way. There is a rest stop and observation deck for lunch break. Early in the afternoon, when you see the clear Yubeng River flowing into the yellow Lancang River, it is not far from the exit at the Ninong Village. From the parking lot at the exit of the canyon, you can carpool with other tourists to the Feilai Temple, Deqin, or Shangri-La according to your following travel plan.