Yunnan's World-Class Scenery!

Who would have thought that world-class scenery is just a two-hour drive from Lijiang? This is Laoyaoshan in Shangri-La, a fairy-tale secret place comparable to the Dolomites. In summer, the grass is lush and green, and in autumn and winter, the mountains are covered with flowers. This is also one of the few places where you can enjoy the beauty of both Yulong and Haba snow mountains at the same time. A light hike of 3-4 hours of leisurely wandering, the whole journey is filled with breathtaking alpine meadows, towering snow mountains standing in the distance, and highland rhododendrons, cattle, sheep, and horses dotting the landscape. Yunnan, how many more surprises do you have that I don't know about? Laoyaoshan is located around Tiger Leaping Gorge Town in Shangri-La. The way we chose to get there was: Kunming to Lijiang by high-speed train (3 hours) + Lijiang to Tiger Leaping Gorge by self-driving (1 hour on the highway) + Tiger Leaping Gorge to Laoyaoshan (navigate to Yunji Wild Luxury Hotel) by self-driving on mountain roads (1 hour) The drive is not far, but the mountain road is quite winding, with many sharp turns, requiring an experienced driver. It is recommended to plan for a total trip of more than 3 days. The best part here is the wild luxury inns built, where you can enjoy the stunning snow mountains right from your room. We chose Yunji Wild Luxury Hotel. Although the room rates are a bit expensive, the cost performance is worth it. My room's floor-to-ceiling windows face the Haba Snow Mountain, which looks like a 'blade mountain,' and vast alpine meadows. The hotel also offers a perfect view of the 'Golden Mountain' phenomenon at sunset on both snow mountains. Every staff member is very enthusiastic. Before going up the mountain, they pointed out an easy path, which really saved us from taking a detour. They also came to notify us to watch the sunset Golden Mountain, otherwise, we would have almost missed it. The food tastes great, the breakfast is rich, and there is also a bar and a café. Overall, highly recommended. Of course, if you don't want to stay overnight on the mountain, you can also join a hiking group and return on the same day. This hiking route is considered entry-level. I usually never hike and rarely exercise, but I was able to reach the top. The most essential part is the viewing point halfway up the mountain, where you can overlook the Haba Snow Mountain range and vast continuous pastures. This scene really feels like stepping into a fairy tale world! On this side, the Haba Snow Mountain has less snow in summer, but it does not detract from its beauty. The massive weathered rock mountain body, like a blade, is inherently striking to humans. Next, climbing along the slope to the ridge, you can witness the Yulong Snow Mountain appearing abruptly in front of you. The pastures, alpine plants, and forests along the way are all beautiful without exception. Falling in love with Yunnan, there is only a difference between zero times and ten thousand times. The brave enjoy the world first!