Best Time to Visit and Hike Yubeng Village
Brief Introduction
Yubeng Village is known for the beautiful valley it lies in and beautiful day treks which depart from it. Under the extraordinary craftsman by nature, Yubeng village is called the miniature version of the real Shangri-La.
It’s divided into two parts: the Upper Yubeng Village and Lower Yubeng Village, about 1 miles between the two parts. From Upper Yubeng, trekkers have access to the Base Camp, and Ice Lake hikes. From Lower Yubeng, you can find the paths to the Sacred Waterfall, and if you are a hardcore hiker, Holy Lake, which from a higher vantage point, has an unobstructed view of the Kawa Karpo Peak (6,740 meters), and most of the rest of the mountain range.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Yubeng Village is from May to July in late spring and early summer; from September to October in autumn. Flowers bloom from may to July. From September to October, the scenery is charming. Large temperature difference between these two seasons and you’d better bring enough warm clothes when you travel.
What to See?
Sacred Waterfall
Apparently best seen in the morning to catch rainbows. 4-5 hour hike. The path starts by crossing Lower Yubeng, and turning right near the stupa. There are green trash cans along the path. There is a tea shop about 2/3 of the way to the waterfall. In the summer, the tea shops also provide basic lodgings and bedding if you want to stay overnight in the mountains.
Holy Lake
A high mountain lake south of Yubeng. 10 hour hike. Begin in Lower Yubeng, crossing the bridge to the left of the stupa and then taking an immediate right up a steep trail through a wooded mountainside. This part of the hike is slippery in parts and could be difficult in wet weather. After around 3 hours the trail contours round a slope into a meadow at 4300 m which has a partial shelter. This is followed by a relatively shallow ascent over rocky (and snowy) ground to the lake. Once at the lake it’s possible to go a little further towards the peak.
Base Camp and Ice Lake
From Upper Yubeng to Base Camp take about 3 hours. From the base camp to the lake is about another hour. The path leads towards the snow mountains, and starts off fairly easy, getting progressively steeper as you get to the top. Just before the lake, you may have scramble up some rocks for the last section of the walk, which could be a bit dangerous in winter. To reach the lake, you can scramble down the rocks to reach the bottom.
