[2025 Deqin Attraction] Travel Guide for Mingyong Glacier (Updated Apr)

📸Deqin 3-Day, 2-Night Easy Hiking Guide✍🏻 A healing wonderland at the foot of Meili Snow Mountain, perfect for beginners💕 🌟【Trip Highlights】 ✔️Easy hiking routes, 4-5 hours per day ✔️Prime spot for capturing the sunrise over Meili Snow Mountain ✔️Rainbeng Village + glaciers + forests, a triple treat for stunning photos ✔️Immerse yourself in Tibetan culture, a feast for the soul and the stomach 🗺️【Itinerary】 Day1⃣️：First Encounter · Divine Scenery 🔹Morning: Arrive in Deqin → Head to Feilai Temple Viewing Platform 👉🏻Must-do: Wake up early to catch the sunrise over the mountain! Capture the golden glow on Kawagebo Peak with your phone camera! 🔹Afternoon: Take a jeep to Rainbeng Village (1-hour drive) 👉🏻Hike: Easy hike to the sacred waterfall (5km round trip/3h) ✨Tips: Hang prayer flags along the way and circle the waterfall three times for good luck~ Day2⃣️：Immersion · Glaciers and Forests 🔹Full day: Rainbeng Village → Ice Lake Trail (12km round trip/6h) 👉🏻Highlights: Trek through primeval forests and alpine meadows to the breathtakingly blue Ice Lake! Horseback riding is available for the descent (approx. CNY 200-300) 🔹Evening: Enjoy yak butter tea in a Tibetan home, warm up by the fire, pet a cat, and admire the snow-capped mountains. Day3⃣️：Farewell · Memories in the Clouds 🔹Morning: Rainbeng → Mingyong Glacier (3-hour hike) 👉🏻Activities: Walk along the boardwalk to get up close to the thousand-year-old glacier. Remember to bring sunglasses to prevent snow blindness! 🔹Afternoon: On the way back, stop at Wunongding Viewing Platform for a panoramic view of the thirteen peaks, perfect for your social media feed! 🎒【Packing List】 ✅Essentials: ▫️Sun protection trio: sunscreen + sunglasses + sun hat (the plateau's UV rays are no joke!) ▫️Hiking gear: waterproof hiking boots, jacket (with liner), trekking poles (available for rent at guesthouses) ▫️Essential items: thermos (stay hydrated), glucose oral solution (for altitude sickness), power bank (no power outlets on the trail) ▫️Extras: ethnic-style shawl (for photos), snacks (limited options at rest stops) ❌Don't Bring: ▫️Suitcases! A 40L backpack is recommended, as some sections require a jeep transfer. ▫️High heels/skate shoes (trust us, your feet will thank you⚠️)

Deqin County in northwestern Yunnan, home to the Meili Snow Mountain, is a paradise for hiking enthusiasts. Whether you want to experience the Tibetan customs on a short hike or challenge a high-altitude hiking route, Deqin can satisfy you. Recommended hiking routes 1️⃣ Feilai Temple → Yubeng Village (Classic Route) 🔹 Difficulty: ★★★☆☆🔹 Hiking time: 6-8 hours (one way)🔹 Highlights: Meili Snow Mountain in the sun, primeval forest, sacred waterfall, icy lake🔹 Route: Take a bus from Feilai Temple to Xidang Village (about 40 minutes), and then start hiking over Nanzong Pass (3700m). The scenery along the way is spectacular and finally arrives at Yubeng Village. Yubeng Village is divided into Upper Yubeng and Lower Yubeng, where you can continue hiking to the sacred waterfall or icy lake. 2️⃣ Mingyong Glacier Hiking (suitable for beginners) 🔹 Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆🔹 Hiking time: 2-3 hours (one way)🔹 Highlights: alpine glaciers, virgin forests, Tibetan culture🔹 Route: Starting from Feilai Temple, take a car for about 1 hour to reach Mingyong Village, hike into the Mingyong Glacier Scenic Area, go up the mountain along the wooden plank road, and enjoy the glacier landscape of Meili Snow Mountain up close. 3️⃣ Hakuba Snow Mountain Hiking (High Difficulty Route) 🔹 Difficulty: ★★★★★🔹 Hiking time: 3-5 days🔹 Highlights: Hiking in uninhabited areas, alpine meadows, snow-capped mountains, virgin forests🔹 Route: Starting from Deqin County, enter the Baima Snow Mountain National Nature Reserve, pass through virgin forests and alpine pastures along the way, and finally arrive at the high-altitude snow-capped mountain area. Suitable for travelers with extensive hiking experience. How to get to Deqin County? 🛫 Airplane: The nearest airport is Shangri-La Deqing Airport. After arrival, you can take a bus or chartered car to Deqin (about 5 hours). 🚌 Bus: There are buses from Lijiang and Shangri-La directly to Deqin. There are fixed flights every day and the journey takes about 10-12 hours. 🚗 Self-driving: You can reach Deqin from Lijiang via National Highway 214. The scenery along the way is magnificent, but some sections of the road are dangerous, so you need to pay attention to driving safety. How to get to the starting point of the hike? Feilai Temple: You can take a minibus or chartered car from Deqin County (about 30 minutes). Xidang Village (starting point of Yubeng hiking): Take a chartered car from Feilai Temple, the journey takes about 40 minutes. Mingyong Village (starting point of Mingyong Glacier hike): Take a car from Feilai Temple, the drive takes about 1 hour. ⚠️ Things to note ✅ Altitude sickness: Deqin is at a high altitude, so you need to adapt to the plateau environment in advance. Pay attention to rest before hiking and avoid strenuous exercise.
 ✅ Keep warm: The temperature difference between day and night is large in the hiking area, so it is recommended to wear windproof and cold-proof clothing. ✅ Environmental awareness: Please do not discard garbage at will to protect the plateau ecological environment. ✅ Respect Tibetan culture: When entering Tibetan areas, please respect local customs and do not take photos of Tibetan residents or the interior of temples at will.

#outdooradventure My visit to Mingyong Glacier was a breathtaking experience that left me in awe of nature's beauty. Nestled in the Yunnan province, the glacier is easily accessible from Shangri-La, with scenic hikes leading visitors through stunning landscapes. As I approached the glacier, the vibrant blue ice contrasted beautifully with the surrounding greenery, creating a mesmerizing view. The tranquility of the area, punctuated by the sounds of cracking ice and rushing water, made for a serene atmosphere that was perfect for reflection and photography. The activities available around the glacier enhanced my experience even further. I enjoyed hiking along the well-marked trails, which offered varying levels of difficulty and stunning views at every turn. Interacting with the local Tibetan communities added a rich cultural dimension to my visit, giving me insights into their traditions and way of life. Overall, Mingyong Glacier is a must-visit destination for anyone seeking adventure and natural beauty, making it an unforgettable highlight of my travels.

Meili Snow Mountain🏔A guide to a dream journey through the four seasons❤️ 🚉Transportation strategy: [Airplane] You can first take a plane to Diqing Shangri-La Airport, and then take a bus to Meili Snow Mountain. [HighSpeedRail] Train: Take the train to Lijiang or Dali, then transfer to the bus. [Car] Car: There are cars from Shangri-La, Lijiang or Dali, and you can also choose to charter a car or share a car. [CarFront] Self-driving: If you have plenty of time and are skilled in driving, you can arrange your itinerary freely and enjoy more scenery along the way, but you must pay attention to road conditions and weather. 📍Detailed address: Located in Deqin County, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, it is a mysterious snow mountain, known as the "first of the eight sacred mountains in Tibet" Meili Snow Mountain National Park 🌟Highlights: [Glister] Feilai Temple Observation Deck: Located halfway up the mountain opposite the Meili Snow Mountain, it is one of the best places to view the "Golden Mountain in the Sunlight". Feilai Temple ✅Must experience: [Sun] Wunongding Observation Deck: Closer to the snow-capped mountains, you can take more stunning photos of the "Sunshine on the Golden Mountain" and see the panoramic view of the 13 peaks of Meili Snow Mountain. Wunongding Observation Deck 👍Most recommended: [Lightning] Mingyong Glacier: The largest valley glacier in Yunnan, with the lowest altitude at the end. You can choose to hike or ride a horse to the glacier viewing platform to enjoy the beauty of the glacier up close. Mingyong Glacier ✅Must experience: [Glister] Yubeng Village: It is divided into two villages, Upper Yubeng and Lower Yubeng. It is a paradise for hiking enthusiasts, where you can deeply experience the local Tibetan culture and natural scenery. Yubeng Village, Deqin 🏨Hotel environment: [TokyoTower] Feilai Temple: There are many hotels and B&Bs with scenic views. Some rooms have direct views of the snow-capped mountains, making it convenient to get up early and watch the "Golden Mountain in the Sunlight". [Drops] Yubeng Village: The accommodation conditions are relatively simple, but you can deeply experience the local Tibetan culture and natural scenery. [BeachUmbrella] Wunongding: There are high-end hotels nearby with good viewing locations, where you can take stunning panoramic photos of Meili Snow Mountain, but the price is relatively high. 🍲Food recommendations: 🍵Butter tea: One of the main drinks of the Tibetan people, it has a unique taste and is rich in nutrition. [Tea] Tsampa: Made from highland barley flour, it has a fragrant and sticky taste and is one of the staple foods of the Tibetan people. 😍Tibetan barbecue: lamb and beef as main ingredients, with unique seasoning and grilling techniques, delicious taste 📝Note tips: [Mount Fuji] The Meili Snow Mountain area is at a high altitude, so you need to prevent altitude sickness in advance and prepare relevant medicines. [Glister] Respect local religious beliefs and customs. Do not point fingers at the sacred mountain, and do not tear or trample on the prayer flags.

📍Mingyong Glacier and some scattered photos|||After reading the book about Meili Snow Mountain written by Lin Shangli and Guo Jing, I was eager to see the place where the bodies of 17 members of the China-Japan joint mountaineering team were buried. Unfortunately, the body of a Japanese team doctor (Shimizu Nagano) has not been found yet. I hope it will be found soon to give Mingyong Village a clean slate. The existence of Mingyong Glacier is a miracle in itself. As the main glacier of Kawagebo, it is the southernmost, lowest, and fastest modern glacier in China. However, with global warming, the glacier is melting at a rate of nearly 60 meters per year. Along the boardwalk of the scenic area, you can hear the sound of the glacier collapsing. In good weather, you can also see the main peak of Meili, Kawagebo. The scenic area is very mature, with boardwalks throughout. The phone can only capture one ten-thousandth of its beauty. The Tibetan compatriots burning incense and praying, the Prince Temple, the sound of bells from the Lotus Temple, and the scene of smoke curling up all make people deeply feel the mystery and uniqueness of this land. Sometimes I really think it is good to leave some places untouched by humans.

⛰【Travel Guide】 📍Detailed address: Deqin County, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan 🚗Transportation guide: 🕙Opening hours: All year round 💰Ticket price: Free 🌟Highlights: Mingyong Glacier (also known as Meili Snow Mountain Glacier), located in Deqin County, Diqing Prefecture, Yunnan Province, is the longest glacier under the peak of Mount Kawagebo. It is a low-latitude tropical monsoon marine modern glacier, called 'Mingyong Qia' in Tibetan, where 'Mingyong' refers to a village below the glacier, and 'Qia' means the water from the melted glacier. 'Mingyong' means a brazier, named for the village's mild climate surrounded by undulating mountains. 📌Little Tips: Mingyong Glacier is the largest, longest, and has the lowest terminal altitude among the valley glaciers in Yunnan Province. It is one of the long glaciers under the peak of Mount Kawagebo in the Meili Snow Mountain range in Deqin County, Diqing (Shangri-La), Yunnan. This is a low-latitude tropical monsoon marine modern glacier, with snow and ice on the mountain top that never melts.

After leaving Feilai Temple, you will definitely pass through the Mingyong Glacier route of Meili Snow Mountain on the way to Yubeng. This is when you must stop and climb a bit~ 🚘 Travel method: Charter a car from the guesthouse at Feilai Temple 🚗 to the entrance of Yubeng Village 💰 Price: 300 (business car) ⛰️ Meili Snow Mountain Park's Mingyong Glacier, entrance ticket 55rmb, but this road is really worth it, the whole journey takes about 5h-6h to complete, and most of the path is walked through plank roads... Fast people might return in about 4h... 🪙 After entering, you can buy an electric cart ticket, round trip 75... It is recommended to buy this ticket, because climbing really takes a long time... At the end of climbing this route, there is an immense joy in your heart... Mingyong Glacier

|Check in at the place closest to heaven. 📍Here 💥A grassland surrounded by snow-capped mountains on all sides🏔 💥There is sunshine☀The harmonious radiance fills every corner Everything exists like the Garden of Eden in people's dreams 👉Recommended 5-day tour route in Shangri-La Visit snow-capped mountains🏔, glaciers, grasslands, plateau lakes, and national parks🏞 Day 1 Go to ✈🚄Shangri-La. Check in to Dukezong Ancient Town Hotel🏨 📍The ancient city is really beautiful, with all kinds of alleys and in front of the inns being photogenic. It is worth spending a few hours taking photos and strolling around here! Eat a meal and rest early to recharge your energy. Day 2 🥗After breakfast 🚗Take a bus to 🏞【Pudacuo National Forest Park】In the paradise of Shangri-La, find the most beautiful lakes and mountains. 📍This is the first national park in mainland China. The park covers a large area and has a very rich ecosystem, including original and intact forest shrubs, alpine meadows, wetland lakes, geological relics, river canyon ecosystems, etc. that must not be missed. 🚗Then we went to the Jinsha River Big Bend. The Jinsha River is an elliptical pyramid-shaped mountain that suddenly rises up to the Jinsha River Gorge Wall, forcing the river water to form a large "Ω" shape around the peak. Here you can feel the majesty of the Jinsha River and take some photos. One hour is enough! 🚗After the end, take a bus to Feilai Temple and check in to the hotel🏨. Day 3 🌄Get up early and watch the Golden Mountain in the Sunlight at the [Feilaishi Observation Deck]. This is the best place to watch the "Golden Mountain in the Sunlight" of Meili Snow Mountain. It faces Kawagebo, the main peak of Meili Snow Mountain. If you are lucky, you can see the Golden Mountain in the Sunlight, which is very photogenic! 🚗Then we set off for [Mingyong Glacier]. Mingyong Glacier is located at the foot of Kawagebo, the main peak of Meili Snow Mountain. It extends from the top of the peak to Mingyong Village at the foot of the mountain. 🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️The hike is relatively simple. Walk up the mountain road for about ten kilometers, climbing to an altitude of 3,200 meters for about 5 hours round trip. Arrive at the Mingyong Observation Deck and look up at the sacred mountain Kawagebo at close range, and fully experience the infinite scenery on the dangerous peaks! 🚗Then we drove to Xidang Village and took an 🛺 off-road vehicle to check in at the [Yubeng] Inn🏨. Day 4 🥗After breakfast, head to [Shen Waterfall] 🚶‍♂️ for hiking🚶‍♀️. The round trip is about 12km long and takes about 6 hours. The artificially paved stone road is not difficult to hike. Along the way, you will feel the sacredness and seclusion of the hidden villages, the primitiveness and freshness of the mountains, rivers and lakes, and the majesty and shock of the snow-capped mountains around you. 📍I was really impressed by the beautiful scenery of nature along the way. Any photo taken with my phone 📷 looks like a treasured oil painting! After the end🚗Return to Feilai Temple and check in to the hotel🏨 Day 5 🥗After breakfast, head to 🚗Shangri-La. On the way, you can stop by [Napahai], which is a large lake. 📍In summer, the grass is abundant, and small animals grow on the grassland. Sheep, cattle, and horses graze in groups, blending into the grassland. 📷You can ride a horse or take photos with the lambs! Finally, we had lunch and headed to the airport.

I spent two nights in Deqin of Shangri-la County in Yunnan, mainly to visit the Meili Snow Mountain. Unfortunately the clouds around the mountain range never fully cleared up but anyhow I found another highlight which was the hike up to the Mingyong Glacier. The Mingyong Glacier is just below the main peak of the 6,740m high Kawagebo. From the hotel it took a bit more than an hour by car to get to Mingyong Village, where I paid about US$12 for a ticket to visit the glacier. From the ticket office, I had to drive another 10 minutes or so to get to the park entrance. The path up to the top observation deck was about eight kilometers and an ascendance of more than 1000 meters. To get to the top observation deck, one could take the elevated wooden pathway running parallel to the old unpaved dirt road which used to be the only way up until a few years ago. The dirt road is still in use by construction workers and their donkeys which hauled heavy building materials up the mountain. If you want to challenge your physical capability you can try the dirt road – there are ample opportunities for you to get back to the wooden pathway. However, you may want to save your energy for the last stretch of the climb. The wooden pathway was reasonably well built, but the hike took me about two hours, partly because I often stopped to take photos but also because walk up at high altitude area was quite an exhausting exercise. Finally, I came to a small plateau where there was a Taizi (crown prince) Temple. From this point onward, the climb became much more steep and it felt like never ending 🤣. I did get to the top observation deck and I really enjoyed the view of the scenery around me. The glacier shrinks quite significantly every summer (presumably because it is located in low latitude as well as in low altitude). Therefore parts of the lower Glacier is very dark due to rocks and dirt which is quite natural but a good reminder to humanity that we need to preserve our nature! At Taizi Temple, the old dirt road continues upward to the Lianhua (Lotus) Temple at an elevation of 3,470m (quite a bit higher than the top observation deck at a mere 3,150m). I'm luckily I brought my childhood snack, Snickers, with me so I sat down at the top and enjoyed the quietness of my surrounding and interestingly I even heard the nearby ice cracking. #themepark#nationalpark#lakes

Shangri-La Mingyong Glacier rain collapse before the stop, I came to the Mingyong Glacier from Feilai Temple. It is really the first time I saw the snow-capped mountains and glaciers at a close distance. It was a surprise. Mingyong Glacier is located in the Shangri-La area of Diqing, Yunnan Province. It is also the largest and lowest valley glaciers in Yunnan. Here you can see the holy mountain god Shenshen Lake and the very chronological temples. The path along the path is full of prayers, which may be the highest belief in the hearts of Tibetans. Tips

About two hours later, the Mingyong Glacier~ Mingyong Glacier is located in Shangri-La, Yunnan, and is one of the longest glaciers under the Kawagebo Peak. The ice and snow on the top of the mountain are not changing all the year round. Mingyong Glacier is the largest, longest and lowest altitude valley glacier in Yunnan Province. It is one of the most classic outdoor hiking routes in Lijiang. The route to Meili basically includes the Mingyong Glacier on foot! Mingyong Glacier Tibetan is called "Ming Yongcha", "Mingyong" is the name of the next village of the glacier, "Qia" is the meaning of the melting water of the glaciers. I can ride up the mountain, but its not boring to go riding on horseback, so my peers have chosen to go on foot, remember to spend four hours on the whole trip~ Its really tired, but the smiles are still acceptable. About two hours later, I arrived at the top of the mountain~ Don't watch the sun on the mountain. The temperature on the top of the mountain is very low. The snow on the glacier has not melted. There is a small store on the top of the mountain. It burns firewood and sells snacks. Visitors can also have a rest. Let's go~ everyone is tired, and I bought a noodles here for lunch! Tired of being hungry, eating fragrant fragrant, the most unloved instant noodles, actually delicious to burst! The cow on the top of the mountain is super cute and does not attack people. You can grab it and take a photo! Traffic Raiders Mingyong Glacier is located in Mingyong Village, Deqin County, about 50 kilometers from Deqin County and about 40 kilometers from Feilai Temple. 1 Deqin-Mingyong Glacier Auto: Deqin County Bus Station 7 per day

The Mingyong Glacier is the longest and largest glaciers in the four major glaciers of Meili Snow Mountain. It stretches from the Meili Snow Mountain at an altitude of 6,740 meters to the original forest area of 2,600 meters, stretching for 11.7 kilometers. --Because of global warming and too many tourists, the melting rate of glaciers has intensified and is receding at a rate of about five or six hundred meters per year. It takes about three hours to climb the glacier. It is recommended to prepare dry food. If you don't have the physical strength, you can find a horse to go up the mountain at the foot of the mountain! Mingyong Glacier Transportation: Mingyong Glacier is located in Mingyong Village, Deqin County, about 50 kilometers from Deqin County and about 40 kilometers from Feilai Temple. 1 Deqin-Mingyong Glacier about when it takes about 4 hours Mingyong Glacier Ticket 228 yuan package (including Jinshajiang Dawan 60 yuan, fog 60 yuan for the Jingding Observation Deck, 60 yuan for the Feilai Temple Observation Deck, and 78 yuan for the Mingyong Glacier)