Mountains in Yunnan

Yunnan Province is a province dominated by plateau and mountains, with a wide range of topographic types, including highlands, mountain plains, mountains, middle mountains, low mountains, hills, basins and valleys, etc. Of these, 84% are mountains, 10% are plateau and hills, and 6% are basin and valley. Therefore, there are a large number of mountains in Yunnan, of them, 150 mountains with an altitude of more than 4000 meters above sea level.

Topography 

The terrain in Yunnan is largely mountainous, especially in the north and west. A series of high mountain chains spreads across the province. There is a distinct canyon region to the west and a plateau region to the east. 

The average elevation is 1,980 meters. The mountains are highest in the north where they reach more than 5,000 meters; in the south they rise no higher than 3,000 meters. The highest point in the north is the Kawagebo Peak in Deqin County on the Diqing Plateau, which is about 6,740 meters; and the lowest is in the Red River Valley in Hekou County, near the Vietnamese border, with an elevation of 76.4 meters.

In the main mountains of Yunnan Province, Gaoli Gongshan Mountain, Nushan Mountain, Yunling Mountain, Ailao Mountain, Wuliang Mountain, Meili Snow Mountain, Jade Dragon Mountain, Cangshan Mountain ans so on, are in the western part. 

Popular Mountains in Yunnan

Major Mountains in Kunming City

West Hill and Jiaozi Snow Mountain are popular in Kunming City.

1. West Hill

In the western suburbs of Kunming lies Western Hills. They are also called ‘Sleeping Buddha Hills’. For looked at from a distance, they have the appearance of a giant sleeping Buddha. They have also been given another name – ‘Sleeping Beauty Hills’ for the hills when viewed together look like a beautiful young lady laying beside Dianchi Lake with her face upward and her hair trailling into water. You can see the outline of her face, chest, and legs clearly.

Western Hills boasts an excellent environment with flourishing flowers and dense forest, providing tourists an excellent environment to enjoy the tranquility and marvelous scenery. No wonder that the place has gained a reputation as ‘having the most pleasant environment in the world’.

When you are in Kunming, you ought to go ahead to West Hill for 1-2 days to fully enjoy the beauty of west hill and Dianchi Lake.
1 Day Kunming City Highlights Tour with Yunnan Ethnic Villages and Western Hills

2. Jiaozi Snow Mountain轿子雪山

Jiaozi Snow Mountain is a mountain located in northern central Yunnan, China. The mountain peak lies on the border Dongchuan District and Luquan County in Kunming city-level prefecture. The peak is the highest point in the Eastern Yungui Plateau and the highest point of the Gongwang Mountains. Jiaozi Snow Mountain is drained on all sides by tributaries of the Yangtze River, whose main stem flows past 20 km to the northwest.

Here are top 3 Jiaozi Snow Mountain tours chosen by most customers to explore Jiaozi Snow Mountain in the best way. 

1 Day Kunming Jiaozi Snow Mountain Tour
2 Days Jiaozi Snow Mountain Hiking Tour
2 Days Kunming Dongchuan Red Land and Jiaozi Snow Mountain Tour

Major Mountains in Dali

1. Cangshan Mountain

Cangshan Mountain lies west of Dali Ancient City and Erhai Lake and includes 19 peaks and 18 streams. Mt. Cangshan’s 19 peaks extend 50 km north to south in their column formation like a screen. The highest peak is Malong Peak with the height of 4,122 meters(13,524 feet). Waterfalls and surging rivers emit thunderous roars. Malongfeng, the main peak, shoots up into the sky with its top clogged with dazzling snow all the year round. ‘Clouds, Snow, Peaks and Streams’ are four spectacular views of the Mountain. May and June are the perfect months to visit Cangshan Mountain since at that time it’s carpeted with many kinds of flowers. The azaleas are the most eye-catching. 

Recommended Tours
1 Day Dali Cangshan Mountain Hiking Tour to Xiaocenfeng Peak 4092M
1 Day Dali Easy Hiking Tour to Cangshan Mountain

2. Jizu Mountain鸡足山

With a beautiful scenery and numerous temples, Jizu Mountain (which means “Chicken Foot Mountain”) is one of China’s most famous Buddhist mountains. It is located in Binchuan County / Dali prefecture, some 370 kilometers west of Kunming and is a great for visiting all year round. But the area covered by the Jizu Mountain Range (consisting of 13 peaks, 45 cliffs and more than 100 springs) is also great for trekking activities as well as watching wild animals, especially monkeys. There are main attractions including Zhusheng Temple (祝胜寺), Jinding Temple (金顶寺) and 4 Sights and 8 Landscapes. Every year, a lot of tourists go to pilgrimage there. 2 Days Dali Pilgrimage Hiking Tour from Erhai Lake to Jizu Mountain is recommended.

3. Shibao Mountain石宝山

Shibao Mountain Scenic Area is located in Jianchuan County, which is 120 kilometers from the north of Dali City. Shibao Mountain is Danxia landform mountain. The globular weathered granites formed picturesque peaks and rocks looks like bell, arrow, lions, elephants, which are very unique. There are scenic attractions one after another, such as Shizhongshan Grotto, Baoxiang Temple, Jinding Temple, Haiyunju Temple, Shizhong Reservoir and so on. Its scenic spots include Haiyunju Scenic area, Baoxiang Temple and Shizhongshan Grottoes, the three parts.

Recommended Shibao Mountain Tours
1 Day Dali to Lijiang Tour with Shaxi Old Town and Shibaoshan Mountain
1 Day Shaxi Old Town and Shibaoshan Mountain Tour from Lijiang
2 Days Shaxi Old Town and Shibaoshan Mountain Tour from Dali to Lijiang

Major Mountain in Lijiang

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

Located in Yulong Naxi Autonomous County, Lijiang City, Yunnan Province, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is 15 kilometers north of the downtown, which has a highest altitude of 5596 meters and an area of 455 square kilometers. With thirteen perennial snow peak, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain resembles a jade dragon lying in the clouds, hence the name. Featured by its magnificence, precipitousness, uniqueness and beauty, the scenery of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain changes in accordance with seasons and weathers. 

Check More Information About Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Travel Guide.
1 Day Jade Dragon Snow Mountain with Impression Lijiang Show 
1 Day Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Small Group Tour

Major Mountains in Diqing

1. Meili Snow Mountain梅里雪山

Meili Snow Mountain towers over the landscape in the west of Deqin County (Shangri-la) in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Also known as ‘Prince Snow Mountain’, it is the most sacred mountain the in the world. Meili Mountain has long been famous for Kang Karpo Peak, Yunnan’s tallest mountain – 6,740 meters above sea level. Among one of the eight sacred mountains the Tibetans worship, it looks like gilded when the sun rises. There are 13 lesser peaks around it, each more than 6,000 meters above sea level. Legend has it that Kang Karpo Peak is the incarnation of a Tibetan God who helped the local people drive the evil spirit away. Every year from the end of autumn to the start of winter, thousands of Tibetan pilgrims walk to pay their homage to Kang Karpo. 

The best season for visiting Meili Mountain is from January to May, during the time it has snow-capped peaks, dense forests, vast grasslands and beautiful wild flowers. About travel information, you can consult our professional consultant by contact@YunnanExploration.com. You can choose your own tour packages: 
2 Days Kawa Karpo Meili Snow Mountain Tour from Shangri-La
5 Days Shangrila Discovery with Meili Snow Mountain Pilgrimage
7 Days Shangrila Meili Snow Mountain and Yubeng Village Trekking Tour
10 Days Tiger Leaping Gorge Adventure and Meili Snow Mountain Pilgrimage Tour
10 Days Lijiang and Shangrila Exploration Tour with Meili Snow Mountain and Daocheng Yading Nature Reserve

2. Haba Snow Mountain哈巴雪山

Haba Snow Mountain is a mountain rising above the northwest side of Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan, China. It rises opposite the higher Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, and towers 3,500 metres above the upper reaches of the Yangtze River(Jinsha River). The summit of the mountain is a popular destination for amateur mountaineers and its lowest slopes are crossed by the popular Tiger Leaping Gorge trail. Its massif is considered the southernmost extent of the expansive Shaluli Mountains, themselves a component range of the Hengduan Mountains.

Recommended Visit Route: 
► Day 1: Lijiang – Tiger Leaping Gorge – Haba village
► Day 2: Haba Village – The Base Camp of Haba Snow Mountain
► Day 3: The Base Camp of Haba Snow Mountain – The Summit – The Base Camp of Haba Snow Mountain
► Day 4: The Base Camp of Haba Snow Mountain – Haba Village – Lijiang

Major Mountain in Nujiang

Biluo Snow Mountain

Biluo Snow mountain is one of the major mountain ranges in Hengduan Mountain in Yunnan, located at Lanping churchyard which is continuous 145 kilometers. There are 15 snow mountains, which stand 4000 meter above sea level. The Laowo Mountain(老窝山) is the most beautiful a highest mountain than the others, which is 4500 meters above sea level. It is 3200 meters higher compared with the Lantsang. The original ecosystem has been preserved. The climate changes unconventionally in the mountain. It is also called the “Mountain of thousands of Waterfalls and Lakes”, indicating the rich in the beautiful landscapes. 

Tours Including Biluo Snow Mountain.
5 Days Amazing Nujiang Valley and Biluo Moutain Trekking
10 Days Three Parallel Rivers Circle Tour with Nanjiluo and Biluo Snow Mountain Hiking
12 Days Yunnan Three Parallel Rivers Overland Tour with Biluo and Meili Snow Mountains

Gaoligong Mountain(高黎贡山) in Nujiang and Baoshan

The Gaoligong Mountains are a mountainous sub-range of the southern Hengduan Mountain Range, located in the western Yunnan highlands and straddling the border of southwestern China and northern Myanmar (Burma). The Gaoligong Mountains are located along the west bank of the Nujiang Valley; from Gongshan county down in to Dehong Prefecture, a distance of approximately 500 kilometers. It is the drainage divide between the Nujiang (Salween River) and the Irrawaddy River. The main peak is Ga her (嘎普) peak, 5,128 meters above sea level.

Noted Gaoligong Mountain Nature Reserve is right there. Gaoligong Mountain National Nature Reserve(高黎贡山国家自然保护区) is known as the World Species Gene Bank with the high biological diversity. It runs through the southern section of Hengduan Mountains from south to north. Covering a total area of 120,000 hectares with forest coverage of 85%, the Reserve is about 9 kilometers wide from the east to the west, and 135 kilometers long from the south to the  north. Gaoligong Mountain National Nature Reserve is characterized by its natural landscape of biological and climate vertical belts, various types of vegetation, and a great variety of plants and animals. 

Gaoligong Mountain is the concept of a large area, its national nature reserve north to Gongshan, Fugong and Lushui in Nujiang Prefecture, the middle section is Tengchong City, the south to Longyang District of Baoshan. The main peak of Gaoligong Mountain is in Nujiang Prefecture, and the hikers mostly start their tour from Goligong Mountains in Nujiang Prefecture. They set out from Gongshan County and then hike northward along the ancient Tea Horse Road in the Dulong River Basin.

The birding tours and Hiking Tours in Gaoligong Mountain attracts many tourists from home and aboard. Birding tours mainly start from Baoshan, while hiking tours from Nujiang.
8 Days Yunnan Gaoli Gongshan Mountain Birding Tour
10 Days West Yunnan Birding Tour with Gaoli Gongshan Mountain, Tongbiguan Nature Reserve and Ruili Tropical Forest
14 Days West Yunnan Birding Tour with Gaoli Gongshan Mountain and Lijiang Lashihai Lake
7 Days Nujiang Gaoli Gongshan Mountain Peak Hiking Tour from Bingzhongluo

Ailao Mountain Range

Ailao mountain(哀牢山), located in the central part of Yunnan, is the southern extension of Yunling(云岭). It is the dividing line of the Yunnan-Guizhou plateau and the Hengduan mountains(横断山脉), and the watershed of Yuanjiang River(元江) and Amojiang River(阿墨江). Ailao mountain extends from northwest towards southeast with a total length of 500 kilometers. The highest peak of Ailao mountain is the Damoyan peak(大磨岩峰) in Shuitang town, Xinping county(新平县水塘镇), which is 3166 meters above sea level. 

Ailao Mountain and Rice Terraces

Ailao(哀牢) region is steep with high mountains and deep valley, the elevation changes between 600 meters and 3000 meters, forming a three-dimensional climate of cold temperate zone, subtropic and tropic. The stories of Hani people are hidden in the rolling mountains. In Yuanyang County, Honghe County, Lvchun County and Jinping County of Honghe Prefecture, the foot of Ailao Mountain, ethnic minorities such as Hani, Yi, Miao, Zhuang and Yao, have been living for generations. Hani people with strong perseverance have created the world-renowned and magnificent rice terrace in Ailao mountain that shocked the world. This land not merely gives Hani people material needs, but also gives us a beautiful place of art. 

Honghe Hani Rice Terraces on the Ailao Mountain is a heaven for photographers. Yunnan Exploration provides many Honghe tours with Hani rice terraces ranging from 1-11 days. Welcome to consult by by Email: contact@YunnanExploration.com, or Phone: 0086-871-63511469, Wechat: 908400838.

Wuliang Mountain in Pu’er 

Wuliang is a large mountain range located in the center of Yunnan. Its peaks reach altitudes above 3000 meters and the tea gardens are generally grown at high altitude, some of them above 2000 meters. The area around Jingdong town of Pu’er, in the center of Wuliang, is famous for its black teas and Pu-er teas.

This area features sweet and gentle teas. Plantations, natural tea gardens, small patches of ancient tea gardens and vast forests of wild tea trees can all be found in Wuliang Mountain. Therefore, tea tours are popular on Wuliang Mountain. Here are several tours packages with Wuliang Mountain Tea Tour. 

4 Days Puer Forest Tour with Wuliang Mountain and Ailao Mountain (Jinggu-Zhenyuan-Jingdong)
4 Days Puer Tea Culture Tour with Jingmai Tea Mountains and Traditional Ethnic Villages
6 Days Puer and XishuangBanna Coffee, Tea and Minority Culture Tour
6 Days Puer and Xishuangbanna Tea Culture Tour