Head to Renlongba, face the snow mountain at the foot of the glacier

Renlongba Glacier is located at the junction of Ranwu Town, Babu County, Changdu City, and Chayu County, Nyingchi City, Tibet Autonomous Region. It is one of the rare mid-low latitude maritime modern mountain glaciers on Earth. Here is a travel guide:

Best time to visit

- The best viewing period is from late December to the end of February the following year. At this time, the lake surface is frozen, allowing you to walk on the lake to the glacier and enjoy sights like the blue ice walls and blue ice caves; March and April also have good weather and are suitable for visiting❄️

Transportation guide

- Self-driving: Starting from Ranwu Town, drive along National Highway 559 for more than 20 kilometers to reach Rilongba. A four-wheel-drive off-road vehicle with a skilled driver can drive close to the scenic area, with a fee of 50 yuan; ordinary vehicles can park at the scenic area entrance and take a villager’s van or pickup truck to the site, costing 70 yuan per person🚙
- Group tours: You can choose a tour group that includes Renlongba Glacier for convenience and peace of mind👥

Tour methods and fees

- After arriving near the scenic area, you need to ride a horse or hike about 1 kilometer to reach the glacier. Horse riding costs 150 yuan per person round trip; if you can handle altitude sickness, hiking is also an option. Entrance ticket is 50 yuan per person, and the scenic area shuttle bus costs 20 yuan per person🎫

Equipment and supplies

- Clothing: Wear a thick down jacket, windproof jacket, fleece, thermal pants, high-top non-slip hiking boots, wool socks, and also prepare a sun hat, sunglasses, and mask to protect your face and eyes from sunburn🧣
- Others: Bring trekking poles and crampons for easier walking on ice. Prepare oxygen tanks, glucose, and other items to prevent altitude sickness, as well as common medicines like cold medicine and gastrointestinal medicine🎒

Precautions

- Renlongba Glacier is at a high altitude, with the glacier tongue end at 4560 meters. Pay attention to preventing altitude sickness during hiking and avoid strenuous exercise🫁
- Do not climb the glacier casually, and be aware of dangerous terrain such as ice rivers and crevasses⚠️
- Follow environmental protection rules and do not litter anywhere in the scenic area♻️