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Trekking and hiking in China is a rewarding if occasionally daunting experience. With little in the way of “organized campgrounds” or well groomed paths, China still offers accessibility and safety even for the uninitiated trekker seeking places and people almost untouched by modern reality. Most tourists to China forgo these opportunities for pre-packaged itineraries that take in major cities, these travelers often leave without ever knowing the “Real” China. There is a pristine side to China, a picturesque Chinese countryside and snow-capped mountains without hordes of tourists, areas rivaling the Grand Canyon or Switzerland’s Jungfrau, ancient pilgrimage routes and southern rainforests.
 MeiLi Snow Mountain
Six miles west of Deqin County in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous is MeiLi Snow Mountain, the most sacred Tibetan mountain. It is situated between the Nu Jiang and Lancang rivers and is part of the Three Parallel Rivers Protected area. At 22,122 feet above sea level MeiLi Mountain’s still unconquered Kang Karpo Peak is Yunnan's tallest. Thirteen other peaks, rising as high as 18,000 feet surround Kang Karpo Peak. As described in James Hilton’s famous The Lost Horizon, the mountain looks like it is being covered in gold as the sun rises in the east.
The Kang Karpo Peak is one of the eight sacred mountains worshipped by the Tibetans. Legend has it that Kang Karpo is the incarnation of a Tibetan deity who drove away an evil spirit. The site is visited each year by thousands of Tibetans, though the year of the Sheep is the most auspicious year to make a pilgrimage.
Special places of interest include: Hanging glaciers, low altitude glaciers, icefalls and snow slides. The Mingyong Glaciers, which rise to over 18,000 feet and descend down into the forest area 10,000 feet below. On the southern side of the main peak, a waterfall, known as "a deluge of rain and God-mandated cascade", drops down an  amazing 3,000 feet. Feilai Temple and the Prince Temple along the inner pilgrimage route.
Trekking between the mountains is breathtaking with a wide range of animal and plant life to enjoy. The best season for visiting Meili Mountain is from January to May. From mid-October to mid-November is also a good time to enjoy the autumn season.
There are two pilgrimage routes. It takes 4-5 days to complete the inner route from Deqin to Mingyong, Xidang, and Yubeng village. Yubeng is rarely visited by outsiders. The villagers' traditional way of life herding yak, plowing the fields and gathering water from the nearby glacier stream has changed little over the centuries. Yubeng is accessible by foot or horse.
The second route is the outside full pilgrimage circuit of the Kang Karpo Peak, which takes 8 - 12 day.
 Hotels and guesthouses around Deqin can provide more information on trekking options.
Yubeng
Yubeng is accessible only by foot or horse. The journey typically starts in Shangri-la and involves traveling 114 miles by bus to Deqin. Deqin is a large town situated in a valley on the east side of the Mekong River. From Deqin you take a bus to Xi Dang. From Xi Dang you begin your pilgrimage on your own or choose a guide and horse and ride to Yubeng. Sacred waterfalls and glaciers make the pilgrimage or horse ride even more spectacular. Alternatively, you can take a bus or a taxi for 30 Yuan from Deqin to the Fei Lai Si Temple spend an evening enjoying the Meili Mountain views and go to Xi Dang the following day.
Even with its extreme remoteness, the village has become a popular trekking destination for both Chinese and Westerners seeking the wonderment of the Meili  Mountains. The trek to the 12,000-foot high village takes 6-9 hours and usually begins right after sunrise. From the village itself to Yubeng Shenpu (sacred waterfalls) is another 6-7 hours.
Ming Yong Glacier is usually a separate trip that begins by driving to Mingyong Village. Sitting at 8,000 feet, Mingyong Village has become a popular tourist spot with good roads and comfortable hotels. You can walk the just under 5-mile path to Taizi Temple or horseback ride for 70 Yuan. Less than a mile down the same path you can climb up to Lotus Temple at 11,400 feet.
Mt. Kagebo is the highest peak in the Meili Range at or over 22,000 feet. To this day, the peak is still unclimbed.
Other popular spots in the area include the Napa Seasonal Lake Nature Reserve, the Jinsha River Valley, the Bengzilan Tibetan Town and the Jinsha River Valley, the Bengzilan Tibetan Town and the Dongzhulin lamasery.
Hiking Map of Yubeng
 Shudu Lake
Just 26 miles from the city of Shangri-la at 12,155 feet above sea leave is the beautiful deep blue waters of Shudu Lake. It is one of the largest lakes in Diqing Prefecture. Surrounding the lake, there are dense untouched forests of fir, spruce and birch. In addition to the bear, musk dear, lynx and leopard that inhabit the area, Shudu Lake hosts herds of yak and goats during the spring and summer. It is a good camping spot in the summer or enjoy the few guesthouses and  restaurants in the area.
The drive to Shudu requires a rental car as no public transportation is available. There are scenic views, meadows and Tibetan style homes throughout the hour or so drive. Once there expect a profound sense of tranquility as you take in the surrounding sights. Admission to the lake area is 30 Yuan.
There is a ride from Shudu Lake to the Niru Village, which should not be missed. From Pine woods at 12,000 feet descend down into a sub-tropical world of bamboo forests. The ride can take anywhere from 6- 10 hours.
Not to be missed are the Colorful Waterfalls a short trek from Niru village. Almost 1,000 feet wide and 60 feet high the 40 water waterfalls are lit up like a rainbow by the sun and the multicolored mineral deposits of calcium carbonate in the mesa.
Favorite stopping points include: Naxi, Yi and Tibetan villages, the White Water Terrace and the Niru river.
Hiking Map of Niru
 Three Parallel Rivers
The Three Parallel Rivers encompass over 4.2 million acres of land. Inside that area are 9 nature reserves and many scenic spots stretching from Lijiang City to Diqing Prefecture to the Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture. It is the geological meeting point of East Asia, South Asia and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Originating in the Tanggula Mountain on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Asia’s three great rivers the Jinsha (Yangtze), Lancang (Mekong) and Nujiang flow north to south parallel along the Hengduan Mountains for 105 miles through gorges as deep as 9,000 feet bordered by glaciers 18,000 feet high. The average depth of the Nujiang River Gorge is 6,561 feet. Tiger Leaping Gorge, is part of the Jinsha River Gorge and is the deepest gorge in the world. The distance between the Jinsha and Lancang is 41 miles while the distance between the Lancang and Nujiang is just over 10 miles.
The region has over 100 snow-capped mountains, virgin forests, 10,000-year-old glaciers and glacial lakes. The highest mountain in the area is MeiLi Mountain standing 22, 122 feet above sea level.
The people who inhabit this area are as varied as the topography itself. Tibetan Buddhists, live on the plateaus. The Naxi, mainly farmers, inhabit the Jinsha River Valley and the Lijiang Basin. The Yi and Primi mainly live on the slopes between valleys and plateaus. The Lisu, Nu, and Derung mainly live in the valleys and mountainous areas in the south. The Bai mainly inhabit the plains and mountainous areas in the southeast.
Places of special interest include: The Danxia landforms in the Laojun Mountains in the Lijiang Area, aptly named the thousand-tortoise mountain. The Mingyongcun Forest. Valleys, alpine wetlands, forests, meadows, freshwater lakes and rare animals and plants.
Tiger Leaping Gorge
On the Jinsha River just 37 miles north of Lijiang is the not to be missed, 8,000 foot deep Tiger Leaping Gorge. The legend goes, that a tiger trying to escape from a hunter jumped across the river hence the name.
Trailheads begin in either Qiaotou (Tiger Leaping Gorge Town) or Daju. Both towns can be reached by bus or taxi. Daju buses depart Lijiang at 8:30 am and 1:30 PM, fare is 30 Yuan and the drive is about 3 hours. Qiaotou has more departures and long distance buses to Shangri-la /Zhongdian. Both Qiaotou and Daju have Guesthouses if you choose to spend the night. Sean’s Spring Guesthouse located in Walnut Garden (He Tao Yuan) is right on the trail and is a popular stopping place for tourists (telephone 887-820 2222). Of the two staring points Qiaotou is usually the preferred one for it’s more spectacular views and scenery. Daju is also a more costly option because when you pass through the Lijiang tourist sightseeing spot, you have to pay the entrance fee of 120 Yuan and an additional old town fee of 80 Yuan and than the gorge entrance fee of 50 Yuan.
There are two popular guesthouses in Daju, the Tiger Leaping Gorge Hotel and Snowflake Guesthouse. From the guesthouses enjoy the walk to the old ferry. After crossing the river on the ferry, the path continues through a Naxi Village and connects to the Walnut Garden road. There is an admission office just before you reach Walnut Garden and in another few minutes you are at Sean's Spring Guesthouse. From Sean’s it’s a short 20-minute walk to the start of the high trail.
The trail itself is 13 miles long and takes most people at least two days to complete. The path is pretty straightforward with no major obstacles to surmount. Admission is 50 Yuan. Cycling is neither possible nor permitted on either the upper or lower path. Trekking can be dangerous in the wet season. Landslides are common and trails often disappear under the rubble.While visiting Tiger Leaping Gorge it is possible to trek to Haba Mountain. This trek is recommended for more experienced mountain trekkers, arrangements can be made at any number of guesthouses. Tiger Leaping Gorge is under assault by the usual combination of eco-insensitive business people and poor government oversight. Hotels, damming and uncontrolled tourism make this area a see while you can opportunity.
From Kunming, express buses leave from across from the Camellia Hotel, for Lijiang at 8am, 10am and 12pm daily.
Haba Snow Mountain
When visiting Haba Snow Mountain 75 miles southeast of Zhongdian (Shangri-la) County in Deqin Prefecture, you will experience glaciers, lakes and waterfalls, and one of the best-preserved nature reserves in Shangri-la. The area is sometimes referred to as the Sanba Tourist Area. "Haba" means golden flower in Naxi language. Legend has it that Haba Snow Mountain and the Yulong Snow Mountain were two brothers, the Jinsha River is flowing between them, thus forming the Tiger Leaping Gorge.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Cha) has a vertical drop of 12,400 feet or twice the Grand Canyon; needless to say it’s an amazing sight.
The main peak of the Haba Snow Mountain reaches up over 19,000 feet above sea level and is capped with snow all year round. Glaciers and valleys with numerous lakes dot the north side of the mountain. Heihai Lake is perhaps the most beautiful of these lakes. On northeastern side of the mountain are many waterfalls. Haba Waterfall, also called the Great Hanging Water is more than 600 feet high.
Wildlife and plant life abounds in this area. About half of the 13,000 kinds of plants in Yunnan can be found here. There are more than 900 varieties of rare medicinal materials and about 50 kinds of azalea which come into bloom between June and August. Spottings of the Yunnan golden-haired monkeys, rhesus monkey, wild boar and even snow leopards, pandas and black bears are not uncommon
The closest airport to the Haba village is Lijiang. It takes another 5 hours or so to reach the Haba village by car or bus. You will pass through Qiaotou at about the 3-hour mark along the way. After Qiaoto you’ll go through the Tiger Leaping Gorges and then reach Haba. If you have the time, there is an interesting two-day hike from Qiaoto to the end of the gorges. You can spend a night in one of the Naxi villages on the way and then find transportation to Haba. The entrance fee to go through the gorges and to enter the area of Haba Village nature reserve is 50 Yuan per person per area.
Some of the popular stopping off points along the way are Tina's Guesthouse situated on the river at 5,400 feet, Bear’s Paradise, Walnut Garden, Sean’s Spring Guesthouse and Margo’s Gorge Café. Accommodations in the area are primarily guesthouses; rates range from 60- 100 Yuan.
Xishuangbanna
Xishuangbanna is at the northern limits of a tropical zone. It lies within the patterns of the Indian Ocean monsoon and has an average year round temperature of 70 degrees F. Typical of other north/south divides in India and Thailand the trekking in Southern Yunnan is completely different than in the northwest. There are mountain ranges, ethnic villages and the same Mekong River that emanates from the Tibetan Plateau. But it’s the tropical highlights that are to be enjoyed here with rainforests and lush valleys.
Day treks include trips to Dai Villages and tea and rubber plantations along the Mekong River. Forest and hill tribe villages of the Ake, Bulang and Aini are also accessible and require 5-6 hours of hiking to reach. There is also hiking on Nan'nou Mountain, in the Mengla Tropical Rain Forest and in Sanchahe Forest Park also in Mengla.
Jiaozi Snow Mountain
Jiaozi Snow Mountain is located in Luquan County just 116 miles north of Kunming along the north of Yangtze River. Its highest peak Wumeng Gongwang rises almost 14,000 feet above sea level, yet it is still relatively unknown among travelers to the area. The summits snow cap lasts from late October to March. Pine forests, camellias, azaleas and wild flowers abound. The mountain gets its name from its shape which some believe to resemble several people lifting a chair. The best views are the cloud sea, the Buddha light, the sunrise and the Huahai.
To get from Kunming to Sifangjing at the foot of Jiaozi Mountain takes about 6 hours. Then one usually walks or goes on horseback up to the mountain base camp and lodge there. The base camp is in the Dahaiqing valley, which is above the snow line. Walking from Sifangjing to the base camp takes about two and a half hours.
Popular spots include the base camp, Flower Stream, One-line sky, Tanchi Lake, Dead Forest, Mubanhai, the Immortal Field, Elf Pond, Moon Rock and the icefall. Admission is 15 Yuan.
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