20 Days Shangri-La Meili Snow Mountain Pilgrimage Trekking Tour

A Pilgrimage around a sacred mountain is called Kora. Nowadays the KawaKarpo area have become an essential part of the Three Parallel Rivers Park, being a World Natural Heritage entitled by UNESCO. Mt. KawaKarpo is considered by the pilgrims as the holy area, and it used to be raved by the early western visitors as a paradise of flora. Till today more and more tourists are thrilled by the extraordinary scenery when traveling in Meili Snow Mountain. This is an unique opportunity to trek with the friendly Tibetan people doing one of the most important pilgrimages of your life.

Highlights:

  • Trek a very long distance along the Tibetan pilgrimage route, challenge yourself and Purify your soul.
  • Enjoy the excellent and extraordinary view of Meili Snow Mountain, explore the mysterious Tibetan culture.
  • Lose yourselves in the most peaceful and harmonious earthly paradise to meet your true self.
  • Step into the historical and cultural ancient town in Lijiang, seek for the Naxi culture on your own feet.

Brief Itinerary

  • Day 1: Lijiang Arrival
  • Day 2: Lijiang
  • Day 3: Lijiang-Shangri-La
  • Day 4: Shangri-La-Deqin
  • Day 5: Deqin-Meili Snow Mountain
  • Day 6: Meili Snow Mountain
  • Day 7: The Camp Meadow
  • Day 8: The Dokila Pass
  • Day 9: the Campsite of Meili Snow Mountain
  • Day 10: The Pass of Meili Snow Mountain
  • Day 11: The Salween River
  • Day 12: The Salween River
  • Day 13: The Kora Path
  • Day 14: The Kora Path
  • Day 15: The Kora Path
  • Day 16: The Kora Path
  • Day 17: The Kora Path
  • Day 18: Meilishui River-Deqin
  • Day 19: Deqin-Shangri-La
  • Day 20: Shangri-La Departure

Google Map

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities: Arrive in Lijiang
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Lunch

Arrive in Lijiang, meet your local guide at Lijiang airport or railway station, then transfer to hotel for check-in.

Day 2 Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Black Dragon Pool, Dongba Culture Museum, Lijiang Old Town.
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Black Dragon Pool Lijiang

In the morning, drive about 30 km to Ganhaizi Meadow(3100 meters), you will take the sightseeing bus for a short visit through the Baishuihe River, then take the chairlift up to visit Yak Meadow of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. And you will hike around 1 hours in the original forest of Yak Meadow(3700 meters).

After lunch, visit Black Dragon Pool, located at the foot of the Xiangshan Mountain (Elephant Hill), north of the Lijiang city. As the water here is a lucid green color, it gained another name Jade Spring Park (Yuquan Park). There are many distinctive and ravishing sites in the park. Hiding in the lush trees or standing along the liquid pool are the antique and exquisite architectural pieces, which are in the style of Naxi. And then visit Dongba Culture Museum nearby. Finally explore Lijiang Old TownLijiang Ancient Town has a history more than 800 years. It was listed as the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997. Here you will see the wonderful wooden architecture of Naxi people.

Day 3 Lijiang-Tiger Leaping Gorge-Shangri-La

Sightseeing and Activities: First Bend on the Yangtze River, Iron Chain Bridge in the Stone Drum town, Tiger Leaping Gorge
Accommodation: Shangri-La
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

The-First-Bend-of-Yangtze-River-Lijiang-01

From Lijiang, we’ll drive about 60 km to the First Bend on the Yangtze River with imposing gorge scenery, and the Iron Chain Bridge in the Stone Drum town. The town of Stone Drum got its name from a large, cylindrical, marble tablet shaped like a drum. The scenery is magnificent as the road running through the Lijiang valley which is filled with wheat fields and drying haystacks.

Continue the driving 40 km more to visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge, the deepest gorge in the world. With 34 rapids of the Yangtze River, it is called the Jinsha in this area because you can find gold in the river. In the afternoon, you’ll head for Shangri-La, the former Zhongdian. Upon arrival in Shangri-La, you will enter the Tibetan cultural area and a landscape of barley fields and yaks scattered in the valleys.

Day 4 Shangri-La-Deqin

Sightseeing and Activities: Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, Baimang Snow Mountain, Dongzhuling monastery
Accommodation: Feilaisi
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

In the morning, you’ll visit the Ganden Songzanling Monastery, the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan. This day, we’ll drive to the northwest, through some stunning scenery! Enjoy the Yangtze river bed, classic Tibetan villages where they can make lovely beautiful wooden bowls and watch the rugged Baima snow Mountain. We will stop at Dongzhuling Monastery, the second biggest one in the Yunnan-Tibetan area. Then go to a cozy Tibetan nunnery. Overnight at Holy Mountain Hotel in Feilaisi.

Day 5 Deqin-Mekong River-Meili Snow Mountain

Sightseeing and Activities: Mekong River valley, Meili Snow Mountain, Trekking
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Lancang-Mekong River Meili Grand Canyon in Deqin County, Diqing

Drive 2.5 hours towards the start point of the trek. We’ll drive to the south and get into Mekong River Valley with a view of Kawakarpo. If the weather is fine, a bird-eye view of winding Mekong with tiny “castle-like” Tibetan villages nearby is available.

After a 2.5-hour driving we’ll arrive the trekking start point where we’ll meet our horses with their hospitable owners. Trekking equipment and food will be loaded on the horses. Then we will have a short stretch over Mekong to a small temple, which is regarded by Tibetans as “the key “or “the permit” to the pilgrimage (Kora). Here we’ll put up our tents in the courtyard of the cozy temple.

Alternatively, just set up our tents on the roof-top of Tibetan houses after a 2-hour walk more.

Day 6 the Campsite (2800 meters) of Meili Snow Mountain

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Wuguan Peak of Kawa Karpo Meili Snow Mountain

Trek 7 hours to the campsite, we’ll load our ponies and say good-bye to the Mekong, and be ready to have a long climb towards Dokila pass (a mountain ridge of Kawa Karpo between Mekong and Salween River). walk together with dozens of ponies along a winding trail, accompanied by the great sounds of ponies’ bells which gives you a feeling of being in a caravan. The trail leads us up through scattered villages on the slope, steep cliffs and old-growth forest. as well as overlooking the breathtaking Mekong river valley.

Frequently, you can encounter different species of Rhododendron, orchids and some other unknown wild flowers. Have a picnic lunch with hot tea and instant coffee, plus a spectacular view. We will encamp on the relatively flat slope by a running stream. The campfire will accompany us through the night.

Day 7 the Camp Meadow (3450 meters)

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking, Follow the footprints of Tibetan pilgrims.
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Miancimu Peak of Meili Snow Mountain

Trek 5 hours to the camp meadow (3450 meters). Today we just follow the footprints of Tibetan pilgrims. You will frequently encounter some holy places such as “Holy Caves”, where pilgrims crawl through for some certain reason and it is surrounded by piled good-wish stones, old jewelry and clothing from pilgrims, prayer flags and so on. At that moment, if you want to speak to someone just whisper to each other to show your respect.

Have a picnic lunch by a running stream. Afterwards, the pilgrimage path brings you to a great meadow named Yongshiton, with a murmuring stream flowing through it and surrounded by Rocky Mountains. There are some shepherd’s sheds as shelters for pilgrims as well as for herds of yaks and horses. Here is our campsite tonight.

Day 8 the Dokila Pass (4560 m)

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Kawa Karpo Kora Meili Snow Mountain in Diqing

Today is a tough day for 9 hours trekking, which is a sort of challenge with a good deal of excitement. In the morning,  leave our campsite to ascend up through the old-growth forest and then arrive at the tree-line, where we can see the Dokila pass that we are going to climb over.

Have a picnic lunch with hot tea and instant coffee. After a 6-hour climb, we will be at the top of the pass, up there the land is covered by the piles of prayer flags, bowls, yak skulls and so on. From here we’ll drop down along a zigzag “holy path” with pilgrims to another meadow (3670 meters) for camping inside the Tibetan Autonomous Region.

Day 9 the Campsite (2550 meters) of Meili Snow Mountain

Sightseeing and Activities: Meili Snow Mountain
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Kawa Karpo Kora Meili Snow Mountain in Diqing

Trek 7 hours. Following a crystal-clear river into a long valley which is covered by immense forest. If you are lucky enough, some wild animals could be encountered. After a 5-hour trek, we come to a shrine for pilgrims, where they left offerings of clothes, bowls, tsamba, money and so on for their next lives.
 
They believe that they will retrace back after being reborn. Picnic lunch with hot tea and instant coffee will be served. From the shrine we will descend down to the campsite, located by a tributary of Salween river on the other side of Meili Snow Mountain.

Day 10 the Pass (3820 meters) of Meili Snow Mountain

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Aben Village
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Kawa Karpo Kora Meili Snow Mountain in Diqing

Trek 9 hours. The pilgrimage path zigzags up through the untouched dense forest of fir, spruce, oak and pine trees with the beautiful “hanging” moss. After a 6-hour climb, we reach another pass with a shrine, where there is also a mass of offering of prayer flags, clothes, jewelry and so on. This is a good viewpoint for Salween River valley, Gaoligong mountain range and a Tibetan village named Aben in a deep valley down below.

Then downhill to Aben village, where we can sleep on the roof top of Tibetan family, and first chance in the trek: beers, sprite, pepsi are available here as a big luxury. This is also a good chance for our pony owners to have a nice relaxed night with local people.

Day 11 The Salween River

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Trek 5 hours. This day, we will descend down to meet Salween River, on route we’ll enjoy some fascinating stone carvings of Tibetan words and Buddhist images on the cliff, where is revered by Tibetan pilgrims as a shrine. But it is also a pity to see that some of the Buddhist carvings ruined during the Cultural Revolution. Afterwards, we walk along a dirt road to our campsite (1950 meters) by Salween among the woods of cactus.

Day 12 The Salween River

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Trek 4 hours. We carry on by the Salween northward, so arid here but still some Tibetan hamlets scattered on the steep slopes of either side of the Salween. Eventually we come to a comparatively densely populated tiny town (Chawalong) with an old tiny temple. Camp overnight here.

Day 13 The Kora Path to the Campsite (2840 meters)

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Kawa Karpo Kora Meili Snow Mountain in Diqing

Trek about 4 hours. This day, we will leave the bank of the Salween, following the mysterious Kora path to climb up through some charming Tibetan villages with some interesting tiny temples. We could have a fabulous chance to visit local families with hospitable hosts. Yak butter tea is the priority drink offered to guests here.

Eventually, the Kora path leads us to the campsite, 2840 meters near a cozy nunnery on the slope. Here you could have a nice relaxing afternoon free for saving enough energy for the next day’s long climb.

Day 14 The Kora Path to Another Pass (3350 meters)

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Kawa Karpo Kora Meili Snow Mountain in Diqing

Trek 8 hours. The Kora path is winding its way to climb up to another pass, with mysterious prayer flags and breathtaking birds-eye view of the Salween River below. Our shepherds will offer a cup of hot tea or coffee here, you will feel that you are at the top of the world at that moment.

Afterwards, the path descends down through fir-tree forest and comes to a “holy spring” for picnic lunch. From here the path have come into being a sandy and winding one on the mountain sides, while below there is a snake-like tributary (Weiqu) of Salween with some fascinating Tibetan villages on the river banks. Then cross Weiqu River by a typical Titetan-style bridge to a village dwelling on the arid mountain side. Here we set up our tents on the roof top of the huge Tibetan houses.
 

Day 15 the Kora Path to the Gebula Pass(4180 meters)

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Kawa Karpo Kora Meili Snow Mountain in Diqing

Trek about 7 hours. Today is a big ascent of nearly 1400 meters, we zigzag up along the Kora path heading for the pass of Gebula. Constantly being accompanied by the great views of the arid Weiqu river valley and rocky peaks on the opposite side of Salween.

Then, enter a forest and keep walking through till the campsite (3960 meters). Perch on the steep slope of Gebula pass, which is dominated by some big snow-capped peaks from afar and spectacular river gorges down below. I guess it is the most difficult day for our ponies with so much camp stuff on their backs.

Day 16 the Kora Path to Gebula Pass (4180m)

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Trek 7 hours. From our campsite we have only a home-stretch distance to climb up, to Gebula pass. There is another shrine for pilgrims. Here our pony owners always hang their new prayer flags on the trees as a sort of offering for a good wish. Afterwards, we descend along a winding path through an immense forest of fir, spruce, birch, oak, pine trees mixed with bamboo and rhododendron.
 
Then, from time to time, the Kora path is being accompanied by the great views of the snaking Weiqu river blow and spectacular snow peaks of Meili Snow Mountain (in fine weather). Eventually, we cross Weiqu River again and ascend up to our campsite (3210 meters) by a tiny Tibetan village.

Day 17 The Kora Path to the Highest Shola Pass (4810 meters)

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking, Shola pass
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Kawa Karpo Kora Meili Snow Mountain in Diqing

Trek about 9 hours. The Kora path leads up steeply through the oak woods with beautiful “hanging moss”. After a 3-hour climb, the path here is getting more gentle through the shrubs and being accompanied by the peaks of Kawa Karpo to the south.

From here the path continues to be heading for the highest pass of Shola. The pass is revered by Tibetan pilgrims as a shrine, where is also piled by an enormous mass of prayer flags, pilgrims walking sticks and clothes and so on. Meanwhile, Shola range is the watershed between Salween and Mekong River, as well as the frontier of Yunnan and Tibetan Autonomous Region. From here we are leaving Tibetan territory and steps into The Mekong valley of Yunnan until the campsite.

Day 18 Meilishui River-Deqin

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Deqin
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Trek 5 hours and drive 4 hours today. It is the final stretch of a 300-km-long path of the Kora, a long descending path along a stunning valley with a crystal-clear river of Meilishui River. On route, there are various pilgrimage sites in the immense forest and many wild flowers.

Eventually, Meilishui River leads us to meet Mekong again, where we’ll reach the finishing point of the Kora. Tibetan pilgrims think what we have done could result in considerable merit. What do you think? From here we’ll drive back to Deqin for a great shower which we have been missing for more than two weeks.

Day 19 Deqin-Shangri-La

Sightseeing and Activities: Back to Shangri-La
Accommodation: Shangri-La
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

This day, your will transfer back to Shangri-La. After arrival, enjoy a leisure time for the rest time of the day. 

Day 20 Shangri-La Departure

Sightseeing and Activities: Departure from Shangri-La
Accommodation: None
Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy your time before transfer to airport for the departure flight. Service ends.

Recommended Hotels

Destination 5 Star 4 Star 3 Star Hostels
lijiang InterContinental Hotel E-outfitting Hotel Liwang Hotel Flowers Hall Inn
Shangri-La Shangri-La Hotel E-outfitting Hotel Bodhi Boutique Inn Guzang Xiangbala Diannan Wu Fu Inn
Feilaisi GuanJing Tian Tang Hotel / Feilaisi Pearl Hotel Deqin Yunling Inn

Service Included:

  • Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
  • Meals as listed in the itinerary;
  • Hotels as listed in the itinerary;
  • Private English-speaking tour guide;
  • Private vehicle for transfers & sightseeing with skilled driver;
  • Service charge & government taxes;
  • Luggage transfers between airports and hotels.

Service Excluded:

  • Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
  • Chinese visa fees;
  • Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
  • Single room supplement;
  • Tips to guides and drivers;
  • Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
  • Personal travel accident insurance;
  • All optional programs.