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With heaven on the left and Yubeng on the right, hiking in Yubeng is a milestone that every outdoor hiker cannot avoid as part of the inner pilgrimage of Mount Meili.
This guide will show you the scenery you can see while hiking to Yubeng, from the perspective of the 7th Meili Circumambulation Festival.
People who usually go hiking in Yubeng will choose Lijiang as their first stop in Yunnan. On the one hand, as a large city in Yunnan Province, Lijiang has many flights to and from various places, and the prices are moderate, making it more suitable as a gathering city than Shangri-La. On the other hand, the average altitude of Yubeng Village is above 3000M, while the altitude of Lijiang is about 2000M. As the first step to adapt to high altitudes, it can help outdoor people who are new to high altitude areas to better adapt to the altitude.
At the same time, there are many spots in Lijiang City where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of snow-capped mountains, such as the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and the colorful pavilion photographed in Heilongtan Park this time.
The day after landing, we recommend traveling from Lijiang to Shangri-La to Feilai Temple. There are two ways to travel from Lijiang to Shangri-La: a full national highway or a full expressway. If you're not pressed for time, we recommend taking the national highway, which offers several scenic spots along the way, including the following:
Overlooking the First Bend of the Yangtze River
Yizupo Observation Deck
Driving along National Highway 214 from Shangri-La to Feilai Temple, you will pass by the spectacular "Ω" Bay Observation Deck, which is a great spot to take photos of life.
The time of arrival at Feilai Temple from Lijiang is usually after 5 pm. The sunset time at Feilai Temple is usually around 6 or 7 pm in winter and about an hour later in summer, so everyone has plenty of time to go to the Mingzhu Laka Observation Deck to watch the sunset with a panoramic view of Meili Snow Mountain.
The observation deck is located on the east side of Meili Snow Mountain. At sunset, you can admire the silhouettes of the Meili peaks, while at sunrise, you'll have the opportunity to see the Meili Snow Mountain in the golden glow of the sun. Feilai Temple is located at an altitude of 3,400 meters, so mild symptoms of altitude sickness are normal and not cause for concern. When visiting Feilai Temple, be sure to keep your head warm and take precautions against altitude sickness.
The next morning, everyone must get up early and wait for the sunrise on the golden mountain in Meili at the viewing platform. The sunrise in winter is usually after 7:30 in the morning. The first ray of morning light is pink when it shines on the mountain, and then the whole mountain will turn golden in just a few minutes.
If you want to take a complete time-lapse video of the sunrise on Jinshan Mountain, you need to go to the viewing platform early to occupy a favorable position. You can start shooting the time-lapse from around 7:30. If you need to shoot the transition from night to day, you need to go even earlier.
After taking photos of the Golden Mountain in the Sunlight, we set out from Feilai Temple and arrived at Ni Nong Village after about an hour and a half of winding mountain roads. Since the entrance to Yubengxidang is under construction this year, Ni Nong has become the only hiking entrance.
Walking into the village along the mountain wall, from Ni Nong to Xia Yubeng can actually be divided into three sections. The first section winds under the mountain wall and there is a deep canyon on the left. The walking feeling is similar to Tiger Leaping Gorge.
After crossing the bridge, the second section all the way to the Jinnong convenience store is a cement paved road with a very steep slope. The widest part of the road is no more than two meters, and motorcycles often speed past.
The third section, from Dajinnong to Xiayubeng Village, is a roughly 7km dirt road with a slightly gentler slope. For this section, we recommend taking a pickup truck (98 per person) directly to Xiayubeng Pond, saving you the hassle of climbing the dusty dirt road. This section takes about 3 hours on foot, but only 20 minutes by car.
After arriving at Xiayubeng, you will be greeted by stunning scenery. The pond by Xiayubeng is a great spot to take a photo. On the left is a prayer flag temple, on the right is an alpine meadow, and right in front is a towering snow-capped mountain.
The rain-bent pond reflects Mentsum and Five Crowns Peak.
The road from Xia Yubeng Village to Shang Yubeng Village is very long. Although it is only 1.5 km long, the climb is 200 meters. It takes about 1-1.5 hours to walk. You can take a bus from the pond to Shang Yubeng Village for 60 yuan per person, which takes about 10 minutes.
The hotel we stayed in Shangyubeng was Shanyu Hotel. The room had heating (the conditions in the mountains were limited and the heating effect was not obvious), electric blankets, and the conditions were equivalent to a standard room in a normal city hotel.
The hotel’s rooftop is a great spot for stargazing at night, with the majestic figure of Bau Bamong visible under the starry sky.
If you are lucky, you can photograph Comet A3.
At the same time, the rooftop is also a good place to watch the sunrise on the Golden Mountain the next day. On the left is Mencimu, on the right is General Peak (Baubameng), and behind us there is an even more surprise, the White Horse Snow Mountain surrounds us like a guard.
After watching the sunrise in Shangyubeng Village, you can visit the glacial lake. Shangyubeng Village is closer to the glacial lake, so you don't need to go through the lower village. After exiting the hotel, head to the right of the village. The entrance is marked by a prominent white pagoda. The first section of the road to the glacial lake is a continuous climb through the forest.
The climb through the forest ends at Xiaonong Pass. Once you see the prayer flags and the viewing platform, it's a short descent to Xiaonong Base Camp. Base Camp is a rest stop, offering hot fried rice, instant noodles, and rice bowls. Hot water and drinks are also available. However, the signal here is poor, so it's recommended to bring a small amount of cash. From Base Camp, after a short stretch of flat road, the climb continues. At this point, you can see the prayer flags at Binghu Pass ahead. Once you reach the pass, you'll see Binghu Lake.
On the mountain wall above the glacial lake is a blue glacier.
From the Ice Lake Pass, you can follow the path down to the shore of the Ice Lake. When playing by the lake, remember not to enter the ice cave or under the ice dome without permission, otherwise it is very dangerous. It is important to note that the return journey should start around 2 pm, otherwise the mountain road will be rugged and dangerous as it gets dark.
The Divine Waterfall is relatively close to Xia Yubeng Village, so it's recommended to visit it the next day after visiting the Ice Lake. Otherwise, visiting both attractions in one day, combined with the debuffs of high altitude, would be too much for your health. The Divine Waterfall route is much easier than the Ice Lake route, but it requires you to first travel from Shang Yubeng Village to Xia Yubeng Village, passing the familiar pond and following the stone path all the way to the forest. Once in the forest, the climb begins.
Yubeng Village has a very good ecological environment. There are many small animals in the village. You can often see kittens on the road. There are also many squirrels in the trees in the forest. They are not very afraid of humans. Please be careful when feeding them to avoid being scratched or bitten, and do not overfeed them.
After climbing through the Shenpu Forest, there's a flat, cobblestone path that leads to Shenpu Base Camp. However, the supply station here is only for resting; no food is provided. This is the only wooden toilet on the entire day, so if you prefer not to use the toilet in the wild, you'll want to take advantage of this opportunity.
At the end of this flat road, there is another climb, which continues all the way to the Shenpu Platform.
After arriving at the sacred waterfall, you can spread ronda and circumambulate to pray. We recommend using the ronda scattered on the ground to minimize pollution. Although ronda is biodegradable, it still takes a long time to degrade. If too many people spread it, it will cover a large area on the ground, which will seriously affect the harmony of the natural landscape.
When circling and praying under the Divine Waterfall, remember to walk clockwise and wear waterproof clothing. The water flowing down from the Divine Waterfall will wet your clothes. Do not stay there for too long to avoid getting wet and catching a cold.
The end of the Shen Waterfall trip marked the successful completion of the Meili circumambulation tour. There are two ways out of the village. If you're returning the same way, you can take a bus. There's also a direct route from Shangyubeng to the Dajinnong Grocery Store, which doesn't require passing through Xiayubeng. You can choose which route to take based on your fitness level.
November is the most beautiful season in Yubeng. Not only does it have stable weather and allow you to see the most complete view of Meili Snow Mountain, but the colorful autumn forests of Yubeng Village are also at their peak.
Heaven is on the left and Yubeng is on the right, Meili Snow Mountain will bless every devout believer.
