China - Yunnnan
- Thread starter yamcake
- Start date
In Zhongdian you should stay at the "old quarter" section (south ? - forgot) of the town. There is one long straight road through the town and it is at one end of it. Many backpacker type hostels are available and you only need to walk around to find them. The place also caters to foreigners with cafes dishing out western fare. You will not feel alone especially in Oct.
Spend a night in FeilaiSi to admire the view of Meili Xue Shan from the veranders of the cafes catering to backbackers. Some of the cafes rent out rooms at the back. You can also arrange transport out to Xidang at the cafes.
You will reach upper Yubeng first so might as well stop there. It has a better view than lower down.
No web site from me.
ITs much better for the body to bus up to Zhongdian than to fly. Your body has time to acclimatize to the altitude over a period of 12 hours. Ive seen a girl come down from the airplane and be all excited , run about 10 m on the tarmac, smile, have a photo taken and then just collapse on the tarmac, still smiling. It was hilarious.
And Personally, I feel that china sleeper buses are really something every traveller needs to experience
Photography there can be amazing. I used to spend 5-6 days in Zhongdian at different times of the year. I usually grab a bike or a motorbike and just cycle out to the neighbouring villages.
There are a few really good biking trails. and theres a new road leading out around Napa lake which is beautiful.
Food can be pretty good theres a salmon sashimi place (pick a fish... they kill it.. serve the flesh as sashimi and make soup with the bones), a place which serves a chicken in a pigs stomach, a mutton hotpot to die for(if you dont worry about hygiene)...
Best breakfast by far... The compass cafe run by a Singaporean... (BEST COFFEE IN SHANGRI LA)
at 3,500 m the air is great and the sky a deep rich graduated blue .
Theres also a relatively new cable car up to shika moutain. Its like 8 mins out of town. a little expensive but worth it in my opinion.
Be careful:
Near the prayer wheel is a museum of Tibetan medicine. It is quite amazing.. and a guide will bring you around (they speak good english and are doctors) BUT it will end with trying to sell you medicines.. . around 80-300 SGD per type. beware.
My suggestion is: forget the guided tours.. and forget the tourist places .. take your time and explore.
If you have any questions about Zhongdian, Diqing, Kangding.. feel free to ask!
And Personally, I feel that china sleeper buses are really something every traveller needs to experience
Photography there can be amazing. I used to spend 5-6 days in Zhongdian at different times of the year. I usually grab a bike or a motorbike and just cycle out to the neighbouring villages.
There are a few really good biking trails. and theres a new road leading out around Napa lake which is beautiful.
Food can be pretty good
theres a salmon sashimi place (pick a fish... they kill it.. serve the flesh as sashimi and make soup with the bones), a place which serves a chicken in a pigs stomach, a mutton hotpot to die for(if you dont worry about hygiene)... Best breakfast by far... The compass cafe run by a Singaporean... (BEST COFFEE IN SHANGRI LA)
at 3,500 m the air is great and the sky a deep rich graduated blue .
Theres also a relatively new cable car up to shika moutain. Its like 8 mins out of town. a little expensive but worth it in my opinion.
Be careful:
Near the prayer wheel is a museum of Tibetan medicine. It is quite amazing.. and a guide will bring you around (they speak good english and are doctors) BUT it will end with trying to sell you medicines.. . around 80-300 SGD per type. beware.
My suggestion is: forget the guided tours.. and forget the tourist places .. take your time and explore.
If you have any questions about Zhongdian, Diqing, Kangding.. feel free to ask!
Weather: in August, it is the rainy season, with monsoon rains in the mountains, but this year, so far, it has been quite dry, and you might just encounter the build up of clouds during the day, then a brief thunderstorm around 4pm with cooler temperatures - and then half an hour later, it will be clear.
In December, it gets very cold in the mountains at night. During the day it is usually fine, blue skies, but beyond Lijiang it can get cold and roads are sometimes closed with snow.
Tiger Leaping Gorge: a must-see in NW Yunnan, but the road into the gorge is still under construction. Check for up to date info.
Road: one challenge to travel in NW Yunnan is the on-going road closures and construction. Currently the road from Zhongdian to Deqin is closed and only open every 10 days, and the alternative route is also under construction, with the last part to Deqin very prone to landslides, slips and closures. So don't count on getting to Deqin.
Suggestions: outside Dali and Lijiang, there are many small villages which get very few outside visitors. I don't agree with the posters who suggest Shuhe rather than Lijiang old town. Shuhe is now overly-developed, charmless and expensive, whereas Lijiang old town still retains its charms and beauty, even if you have to share the experience with other tourists.
Equipment: don't take too much, you might notice how heavy it is climbing hills and stairs.
Acclimatize: in Dali, Kunming or Lijiang, before you go to Shangri-la. About 2/3rd of people coming from sea level to Zhongdian in a day will be affected by altitude. Drink lots of water.
If you require more information about the area or a foreign guide, contact me:
Keith Lyons, Lijiang Guides
keithalyons@gmail.com
I've been exploring the area since 1996, and living in Lijiang and Shangri-la since 2006.
We often run trips for photographers, and can help you get the best photos, and also have quality interaction with local people.
Recently we've taken an award-winning photographer from New York around Lijiang, and helped a magazine photographer get images for a book about the area.
In December, it gets very cold in the mountains at night. During the day it is usually fine, blue skies, but beyond Lijiang it can get cold and roads are sometimes closed with snow.
Tiger Leaping Gorge: a must-see in NW Yunnan, but the road into the gorge is still under construction. Check for up to date info.
Road: one challenge to travel in NW Yunnan is the on-going road closures and construction. Currently the road from Zhongdian to Deqin is closed and only open every 10 days, and the alternative route is also under construction, with the last part to Deqin very prone to landslides, slips and closures. So don't count on getting to Deqin.
Suggestions: outside Dali and Lijiang, there are many small villages which get very few outside visitors. I don't agree with the posters who suggest Shuhe rather than Lijiang old town. Shuhe is now overly-developed, charmless and expensive, whereas Lijiang old town still retains its charms and beauty, even if you have to share the experience with other tourists.
Equipment: don't take too much, you might notice how heavy it is climbing hills and stairs.
Acclimatize: in Dali, Kunming or Lijiang, before you go to Shangri-la. About 2/3rd of people coming from sea level to Zhongdian in a day will be affected by altitude. Drink lots of water.
If you require more information about the area or a foreign guide, contact me:
Keith Lyons, Lijiang Guides
keithalyons@gmail.com
I've been exploring the area since 1996, and living in Lijiang and Shangri-la since 2006.
We often run trips for photographers, and can help you get the best photos, and also have quality interaction with local people.
Recently we've taken an award-winning photographer from New York around Lijiang, and helped a magazine photographer get images for a book about the area.
Last edited:
I did not go with this company, but they are a local company and you can go talk to them face to face in Singapore.
http://www.adventure-quests.com/activities/china_sw/yunnan_meilixueshan_10d.asp
hey, yes, me again.
managed to book ticket via cathay pacific. have to transit in hongkong.
will be flying in mid oct.
i have about 13days.
i will be arriving kuming in the early afternoon, so i am not sure if its possible to get a bus ticket(sleeper bus) to lijiang on the day itself.
it will be a close call i guess.
stay at kunming if i did not manage to get bus ticket to lijiang (overnight = 1day)
travel up from kunming to lijiang (1day)
den stay at lijiang to acclimatize (2days)
travel up from lijiang to zhongdian (1day)
den stay at zhongdian to acclimatize. (2days)
den stay at feilaisi. (overnight = 1day )
den to yubeng, (3 or 4days)
den back to kunming by bus (2day)
is the time needed for travel adequate?
managed to book ticket via cathay pacific. have to transit in hongkong.
will be flying in mid oct.
i have about 13days.
i will be arriving kuming in the early afternoon, so i am not sure if its possible to get a bus ticket(sleeper bus) to lijiang on the day itself.
it will be a close call i guess.
stay at kunming if i did not manage to get bus ticket to lijiang (overnight = 1day)
travel up from kunming to lijiang (1day)
den stay at lijiang to acclimatize (2days)
travel up from lijiang to zhongdian (1day)
den stay at zhongdian to acclimatize. (2days)
den stay at feilaisi. (overnight = 1day )
den to yubeng, (3 or 4days)
den back to kunming by bus (2day)
is the time needed for travel adequate?
while planning for my yunan trip this dec i found out that the road from zhongdian to deqin is under construction, vehicles cant go through. the alternate ways is to go 1 big loop from xiang cheng which might take additional day. these will affect your fei lai shi and yubeng.
not sure how accurate the info is. will be very interested to find out.
to save some time for your travel time, you can get a overnight bus from kunming to lijiang. they have this sleeper bus which will reach lijiang the next day morning.
not sure how accurate the info is. will be very interested to find out.
to save some time for your travel time, you can get a overnight bus from kunming to lijiang. they have this sleeper bus which will reach lijiang the next day morning.
I an planning to bring my mother to Yunnan in mid October this year. But I only have 7 days. Can someone recommend me the places I should cover? Want to do Shangrila, Dali and Lijiang( if it is not impossible with the time constraint). Is weather gonna be unbearable? Would appreciate some help
i also read up about the construction of the road from zhongdian to deqin.
the alternate road from xiangcheng, i have no idea until you posted. care to share?
what i heard is the road is under construction and the alt road is from xiangcheng which takes additional 1 - 2 days.. i have no idea if there is any other shorter road or if the road is even able to let any vehicle pass through..
Ok, news from the ground.
Yes, officially, the road to Deqin are closed and public transport is not going up.
My friend said that the roads will be 'officially' closed for 'a few more weeks'
so going by Tibetan timing, that probably means earliest Spring next year
Unofficially though, People have been renting 4-wheel drive vehicles and going up anyway. The road is a bit rough but passable .
Yes, officially, the road to Deqin are closed and public transport is not going up.
My friend said that the roads will be 'officially' closed for 'a few more weeks'
so going by Tibetan timing, that probably means earliest Spring next year
Unofficially though, People have been renting 4-wheel drive vehicles and going up anyway. The road is a bit rough but passable .
1. It isnt that difficult to find sleeper bus tickets to Lijiang seeing as there are so many buses. You should be able to get a ticket from any of the main bus stations.
2. Depending on what your priorities are, I hardly stay in Lijiang for more than 2 days. The old town has lost much of its charm in the last decade or so. I actually suggest you bus straight up to Zhongdian from Kunming. (Bus leaves about 730 and arrives the next morning between 730-900.) This way your body gets slowly adjusted to the altitude.
After spending your time in ZD, simply take the first bus in the morning down to LJ. it is a 4 hour journey only and you get in in time for brunch. (I suggest Jiang brothers Guo Qiao Mi Sian) in LJ.
This way your body takes a hit once. and you are no longer 'acclimatizing' when you get to LJ.
Just my suggestion
Oh BTW, when in Lijiang, check out the public toilets to your left about 200m from the waterwheel going into old town.
They used to have squatting toilets with LCD screens at eye level
its really something that has to be seen.1. It isnt that difficult to find sleeper bus tickets to Lijiang seeing as there are so many buses. You should be able to get a ticket from any of the main bus stations.
2. Depending on what your priorities are, I hardly stay in Lijiang for more than 2 days. The old town has lost much of its charm in the last decade or so. I actually suggest you bus straight up to Zhongdian from Kunming. (Bus leaves about 730 and arrives the next morning between 730-900.) This way your body gets slowly adjusted to the altitude.
After spending your time in ZD, simply take the first bus in the morning down to LJ. it is a 4 hour journey only and you get in in time for brunch. (I suggest Jiang brothers Guo Qiao Mi Sian) in LJ.
This way your body takes a hit once. and you are no longer 'acclimatizing' when you get to LJ.
Just my suggestion
Oh BTW, when in Lijiang, check out the public toilets to your left about 200m from the waterwheel going into old town.
They used to have squatting toilets with LCD screens at eye level
good day.
thanks for the suggestion, ragdolll.
for this trip, my aim is to reach yubeng village and admire Meili xueshan and the village. mingyong glacier, and to stay at feilaisi to see sun rise.
these are the priorities.
but as you mentioned, the road to deqin is almost unpassable unless travelling in 4WD vehicle.
any recommendation on where to hire the service?
thanks.
Last edited:
thanks ragdoll for the info..
do you think the road will be too dangerous to pass through during winter?
cant find any info on this, but was just wondering if there is any flight from lijiang to deqin?
do you think the road will be too dangerous to pass through during winter?
cant find any info on this, but was just wondering if there is any flight from lijiang to deqin?
Ok, news from the ground.
Yes, officially, the road to Deqin are closed and public transport is not going up.
My friend said that the roads will be 'officially' closed for 'a few more weeks'
so going by Tibetan timing, that probably means earliest Spring next year
Unofficially though, People have been renting 4-wheel drive vehicles and going up anyway. The road is a bit rough but passable .
The locals generally do not travel in winter. All the main passes are usually snowed out. and even in the best of times, the roads can be 'exciting'. I have been on a minibus that had to crash into the cliff face repeatedly to slow down because the road was iced over and of coruse they dont have chains or spikes or salt, the driver could not brake and had to hug the side in order to not go over the cliff. scary stuff.
The Diqing municipality airport is actually located at Shangri La. which is 4 hours from lijiang by bus. and another 2.5-4 hours to the town. Theres no airport.
Deqin itself is a very small town with not much happening. So everyone justs camps and wakes up early to catch the sunrise. then heading off to the glacier.
I wish you luck
I once stayed there for 6 days just to get one clear morning shot with all peaks visible. It happened for about 2 minutes on the 6th day unfortunately, it was the fiery orange phase... I would have preferred it at the cool blue phase. Basically at the right times of the year, The colour shift can be breathtakingly spectacular. from a dark grey, to a cool blue to a light purple to yellow to a firey orangy red. Have Pmed you. I can give you some contacts.
However, just know that this is China, that means everything can change. As far as im concerned,it is one of the most amazing sunrises in the world. However if THAT is the main reason for the trip, you may be disappointed, cloud cover, landslides, icy roads, rain, hail, broken down vehicles. . it can all happen.
Feel free to ask if you have any more questions.
Similar threads
