Kulaganjri 36km | Beginner Difficulty, Top Scenery~

Just returned from hiking Kulaganjri, and the scenery in November is absolutely stunning. Sunny days are the best filter! The snow-capped mountains and lakes look much better than those overly saturated photos. Even beginners can handle this hike! 1️⃣ This time, I hiked the entire 36km of Kulaganjri, averaging 12km per day, with an elevation gain of 200-700m. Although the altitude is quite high (above 4500 meters), it doesn't require much physical strength! 2️⃣ Visiting in November-December, the visual effect is comparable to EBC. The weather is very clear and clean, and the snow-capped mountains of Kulaganjri are not foggy or gloomy. The lake water reflects light more transparently and beautifully. You can see the golden sunrise and blue ice, as shown in pictures 3-4. It's just a bit cold (daytime -6~2℃), and it occasionally snows. 3️⃣ In terms of scenery, Baimalin Lake > Zhegong Lake > Jiejie Lake. In terms of difficulty, Zhegong Lake is the hardest, with an elevation gain of 700m and the highest altitude reaching 5100m. You can choose whether to go to the top based on your personal condition! 4️⃣ There is no signal on the mountain!!! There is only WiFi signal in the guesthouse in Sexiang, so be sure to take note! ⚠️ I suggest beginners like me join a commercial group for the hike. They provide satellite communication facilities, oxygen, and outdoor first aid kits. The guide also arranged an oxygen-supplied hotel for us, which was quite comfortable. So, I only had a headache and nausea on days 3 and 4, but I adapted later! 5️⃣ Speaking of altitude sickness, I think adapting to the altitude, keeping warm, resting well, and having some food and drinks are very important! At high altitudes, you can't catch a cold. Sleeping well keeps your spirits up. You can bring glucose to mix into a thermos while hiking! 6️⃣ Currently, Kulaganjri is not overly commercialized. Instant noodles cost 5 yuan, dumplings and noodles are 17-20 yuan, and a proper meal costs around 40 yuan if shared. You can also bring your own food for self-sufficiency! ✅ Here is a list of our hiking gear for reference: ▪️ ID card, some cash ▪️ Border pass (you need to get this from your local police station, or ask the guide to help) ▪️ 45-60L outdoor backpack, 28L small backpack ▪️ 1L thermos, toiletries, gastrointestinal medicine, headache medicine, cold medicine, sunscreen, sunglasses, lip balm ▪️ Magic headscarf, hat, crampons, snow gaiters, gloves ▪️ Windproof jacket and pants, down jacket/fleece, mid-cut hiking shoes (to prevent sprains), fleece clothes, spare underwear, thick long socks In summary, if you want to experience a high-altitude beginner route in November-December, you should definitely add Kulaganjri to your itinerary!