5 Days Classic Shangri-La Tour with Meili Snow Mountain

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Shangri-La Arrival (No meal)

   Upon your arrival at Shangri-La Airport (Diqing Shangri-La Airport: DIG), the local driver will pick you up from the exit gate by holding a welcome board with your name and transfer to local hotel.

   Free and easy on your own for rest of the day.

   Accommodation: Overnight in Shangri-La

2. Day 2: Shangri-La Tour (B,L)
   Songzanlin Monastery, Pudacuo National Park, Dukezong Ancient Town, Guishan Hill

   Shangri-La has a different appearance of the past places where you will start to meet Tibetan element. The first site will be Songzanlin Monastery which is the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan area and famed as “Small Potala Palace”. It was built along hillside, looking like an old castle, showing the brilliant construction technology of Tibetan.

   In the afternoon, you will head to Pudacuo National Park, a main highlight of Shangri-La. The park is a priceless gift from nature: with altitude between 3,500 meter and 4,159 meters, it does collect rich natural resources including geology and landform, lake wetland, meadow, river and valley, rare plants and animals. The amazing scenery here will make you can’t stop the camera in your hands and marvel at this wonderland.

   Last, move to Dukezong Ancient Town. It’s the largest and best-preserved Tibetan population in China and also a very important station along the Ancient Tea Horse Road. Besides, walking up to the top of Guishan Hill to appreciate the typical Tibetan style view---Prayer Wheel. From there, you will have a bird-view of Shangri-La county and Duzekong Ancient Town. Get to your Shangri-La hotel to check in.

   Accommodation: Overnight in Shangrila

   

3. Day 3: Shangri-La- Deqin-Feilaisi (B,L) 180kms/4hrs driving
   Nixi Pottery Village, Dongzhulin Monastery, The First Bend of Jinsha River, sunset over Meili Snow Mountain

   After breakfast, follow your guide to drive around 5 hours to Deqin County (3400m altitude). You won’t be board since there are many amazing views on the way!

   After 1.5-hour driving, you would have a panoramic view of Nixi Pottery Village which is a remote village with long history of pottery. Continuing driving along Jinshan River, you could enjoy the beautiful natural scenery along the river and arrive at Benzilan Town for lunch.

   After lunch, move on your visit to Dongzhulin Monastery. Lesser-visited though Dongzhulin Monastery is, it has a quite famous historical origin as the cradle of the Tibetan Buddhism in Western Yunnan Province. The Monastery houses many precious relics like Buddhist statues, Thangkas, and pagodas.

   Then, you will pay a visit to The First Bend of Jinsha River, also called the Moon Bend, is a spectacular natural landscape on the boarder of Yunnan Province and Sichuan Province. The grand Jinsha River flows and takes a bend in the shape of “Ω” around the pyramid-like Rizhui Peak, impressing the visitors a lot with the amazing views.

   Arrival at Feilaisi in the late afternoon, the gorgeous sunset over Meili Snow Mountain will be waiting for you! Meili Snow Mountain is reputed as “Snow Mountain Prince” in China and attracts endless backpackers with the scene of “Snowy Peak bathed in Gold Sunlight”. There are 13 peaks with altitude over 6,000 meters in Meli Snow Mountain, enjoying the title of “Thirteen Peaks of the Snow Mountain Prince”. The main peak of Meli Snow Mountain, Kawakarpo Peak, is the highest in Yunnan Province with 6740 meters without being topped as so far.

   Accommodation: Overnight in Feilaisi

   

4. Day 4: Feilaisi-Mingyong-Shangri-La (B,L) 210kms/ 4-5 hrs driving
   Sunrise over Meli Snow Mountain, Mingyong Glacier

   Today, get up early to catch the marvelous sunrise over Meli Snow Mountain. Don’t forget to bring your camera to record this amazing moment!

   After breakfast at hotel, drive around 1 hour to Mingyong village from where you will start today’s hiking. Walking around 2 hours, you will arrive at Taizi Temple, the place for people to worship this sacred snow mountain. Keep walking and arriving at the viewing deck, you could have some rest and appreciate the amazing Mingyong Glacier.

   Mingyong Glacier is the largest and longest one valley glacier in Yunnan Province, like a silver dragon roaring from the deepest of sky to the Lantsang River when looking from distance. It’s one of the hottest hiking routes in Yunnan Province and taken as a must-do-once-in-life activity for those adventurers.

   After the visit, drive around 4.5 hours back to Shangri-La.

   Accommodation: Overnight in Shangri-La

   

5. Day 5: Shangri-La Departure (B)

   The 5 days classic Shangri-La tour will end by today. At the confirmed time (according to your departure flight), the driver will meet you at the hotel lobby and see you off at Shangri-La airport.

   Accommodation: N/A