China’s Meili Snow Mountain is located on the border of Tibet’s Chashu and Yunnan‘s Deqin, and its main peak, Kawagebo, is the highest peak in Yunnan. Part of the larger Hengduan Mountain Range, Meili Snow Mountain ranks among China’s ten most beautiful mountains and is the first of the eight sacred mountains in Tibetan Buddhism. The best place to have a full view of Meili Snow Mountain is from Feilai Temple.
Meili Snow Mountain is also one of the most dangerous and mysterious snow mountains in the world. No one has ever made it to its summit. In 1990, all 17 members of a joint Chinese and Japanese mountaineering team were killed when they tried to conquer Meili Snow Mountain. Later in 2011, Gao Jiahu, a Chinese adventurer disappeared while climbing Meili Snow Mountain. Currently, the Meili Snow Mountain is prohibited from climbing due to religious and cultural protection.
Every year, numerous Tibetans and bonpo believers perform the Kora around Meili Snow Mountain as part of their pilgrimage. With its breathtaking snow-capped peaks, awe-inspiring glaciers, diverse ecosystem, and unqique religious importance, Meili Snow Mountain National Park offers a life-time experience for Yunnan adventure tours.
Meili Snow Mountain Facts
- In Chinese: 梅里雪山
- Other names: Prince Snow Mountain, Medicine Mountain
- Location: Deqin County, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Shangri-la), Yunnan Province, China
- Elevation: The highest peak, Kawagebo,is 6,740 meters (22,112 feet)
- Size:The mountain range covers an area of over 960 square kilometers.
- Latitude and longitude:28°26′14″N 98°41′04″E
- Highlights: Stunning sunrise/sunset over the snow-capped peaks,Mingyong Glaciers
- Opening hours: 08:00-16:00
- Suited to:Nature lovers, adventure seekers, hikers and trekkers
What to Do and See on Meili Snow Mountain
Thirteen Peaks of Meili
“Prince Thirteen Peaks” are the name given to the thirteen peaks of Meili Snow Mountain, which are situated with an average altitude above 6,000 Meters (19685 feet).
Kawagebo is the main peak of Meili Snow Mountain, with an altitude of 6,740 meters, the highest peak in Yunnan. It is a virgin peak that is still unconquered by the world. Kawagebo is the Tibetan name for the Meili Snow Mountains, which comes from the original Tibetan religion, with a history of thousands of years.
Mianzimu (6,054m/), meaning “Goddess of the Sea” in Tibetan, is also known as “Goddess Peak” and is the most beautiful of the thirteen peaks in Meili. Mangjang Lakpa Peak (6040 metres above sea level) consists of two juxtaposed majestic snow peaks. Jiva Rengan, also known as Five Crowns Peak, is a unique mountain shape with five parallel peaks.
✔ Recommended Shangri-La tours with Meili Snow Mountain
- 5 Days Classic Shangri-La Tour with Meili Snow Mountain
- 5 Days Shangri-La Adventure for Nature and Culture
- 7 Days Shangri-La Exploration & Meili Snow Mountain Adventure
Capture the Sunrise over Meili Snow Mountain
Meili Snow Mountain sunrise is a very beautiful natural wonder, when the golden light falls from the sky to shine on the top of the snow mountain, making it a spectacular golden “Potala Palace”. It usually occurs only in the early hours of the morning on a clear day. Foggy Peak (Wunongding) Viewing Deck and Feilai Temple Viewing Deck are the best places to view and photograph the sunrise over Meili Snow Mountains.
Remarks:
- Feilai Temple(Feilaisi), also known as Jixiang Feilai Temple, was built in the 42nd year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty.
- Wunongding is named for its location in the village of WunongdingVillage, opposite the magnificent Meili Snow Mountain. The village still practices the “polygamy” marriage system.
Marvel at the Mingyong Glacier
The Mingyong Glacier, located under the Kawagabo Peak, has a history of tens of thousands of years, and stretches for thousands of meters. It is named for its location in the village of Mingyong. It is the largest, longest and lowest altitude valley glacier in Yunnan Province.
Due to the low snow line where Mingyong Glacier is located, the temperature is high and it melts fast, thus it moves fast. In winter, its ice tongue can extend from an altitude of 5,500 metres down to an altitude of 2,800 metres, like a silver dragon, crawling from the high snowy peaks all the way down to the bottom of the mountain, which is only more than 800 metres away from the Lancang River.
Glacier is one of the few in the world that can be accessed on foot, and visitors can explore the ice formations, crevasses, and crystal-clear streams.
See Buddhists Offer Sacrifices to the Sacred Mountains
Meili Snow Mountain, together with Kailash in Tibet, Mt. Anyimachen in Qinghai and Mt. Gardojue in Qinghai, is known as the four sacred mountains of Tibetan Buddhism. Every year in late autumn and early winter, hundreds of Tibetans lead sheep and hold crutches to chant Buddhist sutras and burn incense around the Kawagebo.
Tibetans in different zodiac years have to worship a specific sacred mountain. In the Year of the Goat, Tibetan Buddhists pay a pilgrimage to the Meili Snow Mountain.
Meili Snow Mountain Hiking and Trekking
Meili Snow Mountain offers some of the best hiking and trekking trails in China. Whether it is an easy hike or a challenging trek, you will indulge in the splendor and beauty of nature, from snow mountains, valleys, lakes and glaciers.
Here are several popular routes:
North Peaks of Meili Trek
Time needed: 5 to 7 days
Difficulty: challenging
It refers to the four peaks on the north side of the Meili Snow Mountain that are above 6,000 meters. This trekking route starts from Yagong village, and hikes along the foothills of the northern slope of the Meili Snow Mountain, providing a close-up view of the snow-capped mountains and glaciers.
Meili – Yubeng Village Hiking
Time needed: 5 days
Difficulty: moderate
This is the small Kora of Meili, which Tibetan Buddhists have been travelling for over 800 years.
Day 1: Fei Fei Temple → Lancang River → Ninong Gorge → Rain collapse Village (about 16km)
Day 2: Yubeng Village → Sea buckthorn forest → Pass → Xiaonong Base Camp → Glacial lake → Return (about 14km)
Day 3: Yubeng Village → Primary forest → Rest camp → Sacred Waterfall → Return (about 14km)
Day 4: Yubeng Village → Ninong Canyon (about 16km)
✔ Recommended Meili Snow Mountain and Yubeng Hiking tours:
4 Days Yubeng Trekking Tour from Shangri-La
7 Days Yunnan Yubeng Village Hiking Tour & Meili Views
7 Days Shangri-La Hiking Tour: Abuji, Thousand Lakes Mountain
7 Days Shangri-La Tour with Hiking in Meili Snow Mountain & Yubeng Village
The Holy Mountain Pilgrimage Trek:
Time needed: 8 to 13 days
Difficulty: challenging
This is the pilgrimage of a lifetime for devout Buddhists. It is usually a clockwise Kora around Kawargbo, which takes from 8-13 days. Tibetans prefer to complete the trek in 13 days because it is an auspicious number. The trekking distance is 250 kilometers and passes through seven large mountains with a height difference of more than 1,500 meters.
However, few trekkers venture into the area because of various constraints such as weather and traffic.
Tips: when hiking the Meili Snow Mountain areas, visitors should be prepared for the effects of high altitude, as well as the potential for rapidly changing weather conditions.
Meili Snow Mountain Weather and When to Go
Meili Snow Mountain belongs to the plateau cold temperate mountain climate, with low temperature throughout the year. It is characterized by distinct dry and wet seasons, strong solar radiation, distinct dry and wet seasons, and vertical changes in climate.
The best time to visit Meili Snow Mountain area is during the dry season, that is, from November to the next April. During this time, the weather is cold but clear, and the mountain peaks are visible. It is also a great time for hiking, trekking, and climbing.
How to Get to Meili Snow Mountain
By air: The nearest airport to Meili Snow Mountain is Diqing Shangri-La Airport in the city of Shangri-La, about 150 kilometers away. After you arrive the airport, take a taxi or bus to Deqin County, which is the main hub for visitors to Meili Snow Mountain.
By Bus: Take bus from Kunming, Lijiang, or Dali to Deqin County. The bus ride can take anywhere from 8 to 15 hours.
By private car: You are suggested to book a Shangri-La tour with us and take a private car, accompanied by a local guide to Meili Snow Mountain.
Attractions Nearby Meili Snow Mountain
- Yubeng Village: This remote Tibetan village is located at the foot ofMeili Snow Mountain and is a paradise for hikers and nature lovers.
- Tiger Leaping Gorge: One of the world’s deepest canyons, its high trail is also one of the top hikes in Yunnanand China. Marvel at the sheer cliffs, roaring rapids, and the legendary Tiger Leaping Stone.
