Lige Village of Lugu Lake in Lijiang

Lige Village (里格村) is located on the north side of Luguhu Lake, Ninglang County, Lijiang City. It is surrounded by water on three sides of the east and west, and it has become the "Lige Bay" with the Lige Peninsula as its core. The village is located at the foot of the Lion Mountain. The houses are located on the lake and the peninsula. The unique location makes the Lige different from the other villages. The small Lige Peninsula is more popular. What's more, it is a village without noise and busy.

How to get Lige Village

  First, people can get to Luguhu Lake.

By shuttle bus: Tourist can easily get the ticket from Lijiang to Lugu Lake (no need to get to Ninglang county firstly). The round-way ticket between Lijiang and Lugu Lake is available at only RMB140 yuan, the car departs at 9:30 am every morning. Usually the bus will stop at Luoshui village, the most popular village is Lige, it still has about 11 kilometers from the Big Luoshui Village to Lige Island, you can hire car at Luoshui or tell the driver your destination is Lige village before the boarding.

Hiring cars: If you have a group or can find some people with same itineraries as yours, you can hire cars to Lugu Lake, the price is about RMB400-600 per car (based on the type of the car, tourist car, off-road car, etc.). If you are traveling along, ask for it at the hotels and get help.

If you are going to visit the Lake from Sichuan province, you may need to get to Xichang first, (there are trains, flights available from Chengdu to Xichang). The bus ticket from Xichang to Lugu Lake is about RMB70 yuan.

Second, people can order the bus tickets from tourist center or the local ink.

Highlight attractions and things

Dwellings at Lugu Lake: Most of the folk houses here are built by lumps of wood and planks, every piece of the wood was has slots, and people built the house without nails and bricks. The houses are warm in winter and cool in summer and they are shock resistant, the dwellings are the symbol of Lugu Lake.

Culture: The Mosuo minority has its own language and culture, the most special one is their 'walking marriages'. The concept for marriage, love, women, man and family is quite different from the traditional ones in other parts of China; people only hold a simple and fast ceremony with the presentation of the couples and one witness, after marriage, most of them do not live together, they will stay living in their homes. The men here are usually called ' A Zhu' and the wowen are called 'A Xia' , they work and live as usual and the men only come out to the home of 'A Xia', and the doors will only be opened for their lover 'A Zhu' after confirming their own secret signals, and then they date and have private time.

The local Mosuo people believe that men and women are equal, so the 'third people between a couple', the 'marry someone under the pressure of parents or relatives' and 'women should be tolerant to her husband's living habits' doesn't exist here! Men have their home, so does the women, you don't live by me and I don't live by your money, men are everywhere, and women are everywhere. So people finally know why there are no problems like divorces, widows, children with no parents, inheritance of property and waifs. People have their own ideas for love, sex, and morality, much different from ours.

Changing husband (A Zhu) before having a baby is allowed by Mosuo people, but it doesn't mean sexual chaos, people get to know each other from daily working, learning, and other social activities, they will only hold a 'walking marriage' together with time passing by and the level of love increasing. The matriarchal family is the sanctuary for everybody here so it lasts year after year.

Recommended Tour with Lugu Lake

2 Days Lijiang Lugu Lake Tour and Matriarchal Society Discovery

Best Time to Visit Lugu Lake

Lugu Lake is surprising beautiful place which can be visited all year round. Flowers are blossom in different season, presenting you a charming painting scenery. The best time to visit Lugu Lake is from March to November and as for photographers, come from March to May and September to October that you will shoot brilliant pictures.

Spring: it is a land of idyllic beauty – emerald lake like a clear mirror with the surrounding peach flowers and pear flowers blossom happily, mountains reflecting in water, boats sailing quietly on the tranquil lake…
Summer: it is a summer resort – pleasant and cool weather with gentle breezes blowing, mist floating in the midair after rainy, azalea in pink and white blossom in the mountain…
Autumn: it is a fairyland as beautiful as Jiuzhaigou – the surrounded mountains turn into a red and golden world with leaves changing, the glittering lake, the gorgeous sunglow, geese chirping in the sky that you can image how beautiful the scene is.
Winter: it is a world of waterfowl – different kinds of wild ducks playing on the water.

If you interested in the grandest festival of Mosuo people, come to the lunar July 25 that you can see Mosuo people dressed in traditional festival to pay a worship to Gemu Goddess Mountain.

Luguhu Lake Accommodation

In the Lugu Lake tourist area, there are more than 400 hotels and rooms ranging from inns and guesthouses to five-star hotels. The accommodations are mainly located in Caohai village, Dazshui village, Sanjia village, Lige village and Dazui village. If you have a fixed budget, it is recommended to live in local dwellings and experience local Mosuo’s customs. Here we list some of the accommodations for your reference.

Luguhu Lake travel tips

1. The average temperature here is only 17 degree centigrade, although there is no chilly winter here, don't forget to take more cloth as the temperature differences between morning and night is huge. Bring your umbrella and rain coat as it rains sometime (most of the time it has no rain at the Lake, it stops soon even when it rains). Take care of your skins as the sunlight and ultraviolet rays here is sufficient due to the high elevation.

2. Please respect the local culture, religions and living habit there. Don't swimming in the lake as the water is cold and dangerous. Never hunt the wild animals here or collect the herbariums. Bring some common medicines and try best not getting ill there as the medical condition there is poor.

3. Lugu Lake is of fantastic scenery but touring there is not easy, a driving between Lijiang and Lugu Lake requires time and skillful driving skill; a good health is required to visit the Lake, both physically and mentally. Make sure your car is a safe and with high chassis.