[CN] Yubeng Village: all you need to know about hiking in the enchanting paradise

Reading time: 7 minutes

Yubeng village is well worth the visit for its fairytale-like sceneries and spectacular views of the surrounding snow-capped peaks of the Meili Snow Mountains 梅里雪山. You will also get to appreciate the natural beauty of the Lancang River 澜沧江 (Mekong River) and the Jinsha River 金沙江 (Yangtze River) as you journey into the village. Furthermore, Yubeng Village’s well-established infrastructure makes hiking in the area a breeze for the independent traveler.

Hike done on: 29 Oct 2023 – 2 Nov 2023

Background

Yubeng Village is situated in the Meili Snow Mountain National Park in Deqin, Northern Yunnan, China. The national park holds significant geological and cultural importance as it features the Three Parallel Rivers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the sacred mountain Kawagarbo.

Yubeng Village consists of two sub-villages, Upper Yubeng, and Lower Yubeng, which are approximately 30 minutes apart by foot. The area is popular for hiking, attracting many Chinese visitors.

Pro:

• The well-established infrastructure in Yubeng makes arranging food, transport, and accommodation convenient, eliminating the need to carry heavy gear.
• The trails are well-marked and navigable without the need for a guide.
• Views are stunning! And you can enjoy the views with very little effort.

Con:

• Regrettably, the popularity of the destination means that trails can be crowded with tourists.

Getting in/out of Yubeng Village via Public Transport | 怎么去

To / From Lijiang

Regular long-distance buses are departing from the Lijiang bus terminal to the Shangri-la bus terminal. The journey takes around 3 hours.

To get to Lijiang, there are regular flights into Lijiang Sanyi International Airport. If land transport is preferred, Lijiang is also well-connected via railway and long-distance buses.

From Shangri-la, refer to the section below.

From Shangri-la

Shangri-la (香格里拉) <–>Deqin (德钦) <–> Feilaisi (飞来寺)

• By bus: This takes around 4-5 hours and costs 64 yuan as of Nov 2023. There are direct buses from the Shangri-la bus terminal (香格里拉县汽车客运站) and tickets can be bought at the bus terminal. Departures are every one to two hours, but do check the bus schedule beforehand (e.g. via the TengXun map app) in case of any change. If any assistance is required, the bus operator, DiQingJiaoYun 迪庆交运, can be reached via WeChat.

Feilaisi (飞来寺) <–> Xidang (西当)

• By bus: This takes around 2 hours and costs 20 yuan as of Nov 2023. The bus operator is DiQingJiaoYun 迪庆交运 and tickets can be bought beforehand from the driver at Deqin.

Xidang (西当) <–> Upper Yubeng (上雨崩)

• By foot: This is a 3.5 hours to 6 hours hike depending on your speed. The distance covered is 10.5km with an elevation gain of 1100m. The highest altitude is at 3730m at Nanzheng Col.
• Possible to hire a shared 4WD and the journey will take around 45 minutes. The queue for the 4WD can take around 1.5 hours so factor this in your travel plans. Prices as of November 2023 are listed below:
  • 200 yuan from Xidang to Upper Yubeng (上雨崩) or
  • 260 yuan from Xidang to Lower Yubeng (下雨崩) or
  • 150 yuan from Xidang (西当) to Nanzheng Col/Nanzong Pass (南宗垭口) – from Nanzong Pass you can continue downhill to Yubeng Village by foot
  • For the return journey, it costs 200 yuan from Lower Yubeng (下雨崩) to Xidang (西当).
• Catch the best scenery after the Nanzheng Col/Nanzong Pass
• You can access Yubeng Village through both Xidang and Ninong. Most hikers enter via Xidang and exit via Ninong.

Upper Yubeng (上雨崩) <–> Lower Yubeng (下雨崩)

• By foot: ~ 30 minutes
• Possible to hire a Mule

Lower Yubeng (下雨崩) – Ninong (尼农)

• By foot: ~ 3.5 hours over 12.6 km
• Possible to hire a motorbike

Ninong (尼农) <-> Deqin (德钦)

• By bus: A daily bus departs Ninong at 11.30 am to Deqin. The journey takes around an hour and costs 20 yuan. To book the bus ticket, contact the operator the day before via WeChat. After arriving at Deqin, catch the connecting bus which departs at 12.30 pm for Shangri-la. This bus is also operated by the same bus operator and if missed, the next bus to S is at 2.30 pm.

Accommodation & Food | 食宿

Accommodation and food are readily available in Deqin, Feilaisi, and Yubeng Village. As of November 2023, there appear to be no hostels offering dorm rooms in Feilaisi anymore. The cheapest option I found was a double room in one of the budget hotels and these start from 100 yuan per night during off-peak season. On the other hand, Yubeng village has many hostels available and these start from 60 yuan per night.

A simple meal at Feilaisi (noodles + a vegetable dish) costs around 40 yuan while a simple meal at Yubeng (rice + meat dish) costs around 50 yuan.

Day 1: Feilaisi

🚌 Travel from Shangri-la (香格里拉) to Deqin (德钦) to Feilaisi (飞来寺)

🏡 Stay at Feilaisi (飞来寺)

The bus ride from Shangri-la to Deqin is a scenic one as the route winds along the mountainous roads of the Bai Ma mountain (白马雪山) protected area and the Jinsha (金沙)(Yangtze) river valley. Our driver even made a rest stop at the Jinsha River Bend to allow us some photo opportunities!

The bus, whether bound for Feilaisi or Deqin, will inevitably stop in Deqin to facilitate passenger boarding and alighting. Once past Deqin, it continues its journey towards Feilaisi. Notably compact, Feilaisi’s scenic area appears purposefully developed to host visitors drawn by the allure of the Meili mountains’ sunrise. Legend has it that such an encounter bestows a year of good fortune!

Tips: Choose an accommodation with a rooftop view for a chance to witness the coveted golden sunrise. To enhance your chances, visit during the drier month of October when the Meili mountains are less likely to be shrouded in thick clouds.

Day 2: Enter via Xidang

🚌 Travel from Feilaisi (飞来寺) to Xidang (西当)

🚶‍♀️Hike Xidang (西当)-> Upper Yubeng (上雨崩)

🏡 Stay at Upper Yubeng (上雨崩)

• Hiking distance: 10.5km
• Highest hiking altitude: 3730m (at Nanzheng Col)
• Hiking elevation gain: 1100m
• Hiking time taken: 5.5 hours

The most significant challenge for inexperienced hikers is carrying a heavy backpack. Nevertheless, the trails are well-marked and easy to follow, with several pitstops along the way. Keep in mind that some sections are shared with 4WD vehicles, which can make the trail dusty when they pass by. The hike leads you towards the highest point of Nanzheng Col before descending to Yubeng Village.

Day 3: Glacier Lake & Nise

🚶‍♀️Hike Upper Yubeng (上雨崩) -> Xiaonong Base Camp (笑农大本营) -> Glacier Lake/Ice Lake (冰湖) -> Xiaonong Base Camp (笑农大本营) -> Nise Ranch (尼色牧场) -> Upper Yubeng (上雨崩)

🏡 Stay at Upper Yubeng (上雨崩)

• Hiking distance: 15.5km (including Nise)
• Highest hiking altitude: 3858m
• Hiking elevation gain: 838m
• Total time taken: 9.5h

Nise Ranch is an optional detour for this route. Most people only hike to Glacier Lake, but hey since you are there already, why not make a small detour to Nise Ranch too? There are magical forests to accompany your way to Nise Ranch.

Day 4: Sacred Waterfall Shenpu

🚶‍♀️Hike Upper Yubeng (上雨崩) -> Lower Yubeng (下雨崩) -> Sacred Waterfall Shenpu (神瀑) -> Lower Yubeng (下雨崩)

🏡 Stay at Lower Yubeng (下雨崩)

• Hiking distance: 14km
• Highest hiking altitude: 3630m
• Hiking elevation gain: 700m
• Total time taken: 5.5h

The hike to Sacred Waterfall Shenpu is the easiest hike around Yubeng village. The route is 100% well paved and there are even mules for hire if you prefer. The most challenging part of the route is the last section, starting after the ranch as there is just a seemingly endless staircase to climb! The amount of waterfall also seems to depend on the timing of the day and it may be better to time your arrival in the afternoon. As you descend from Shenpu, you can make a detour to visit the Baima Zhupu Monastery and experience the pilgrim route which involves squeezing through boulders.

Day 5: Exit via Ninong

🚶‍♀️Hike Lower Yubeng (下雨崩) -> Ninong

🚌 Travel from Ninong to Deqin to Shangri-la

• Hiking distance: 12.6km
• Elevation loss: 1020m
• Hiking time taken: 3.5h

Started slightly boring, but got interesting towards the later sections with the spectacular Ninong Valley. Almost entirely downhill and well-paved.

Bonus trail (+1 day): Sacred Lake Shenhu

🚶‍♀️Hike from Lower Yubeng (下雨崩) -> Sacred Lake / Holy Lake Shenhu (神湖) -> Lower Yubeng (下雨崩)

🏡 Stay at Lower Yubeng (下雨崩)

• Distance: 11.5km
• Altitude: 4437m
• Elevation gain: 1430m
• Time taken: 5 hours for the ascent, 3 hours for the descent, and 1 hour at the lake. It is possible to complete the hike in 5-6 hours for the faster hiker.

This trail is the most challenging among the Yubeng routes and is not recommended during rainy weather. During my visit on a sunny day, the trail was clear and easy to follow. Except for an icy and steep section prone to skidding, normal trekking boots sufficed for my hike. But in winter, the trail may be snow-covered and challenging to navigate. Crampons are also essential in late autumn, winter, and early spring.

Yubeng – Sacred Lake Shenhu

Yubeng – Ninong