Yubeng Village (Meili Snow Mountain)

Tucked into a high valley on the southern flank of the Meili Snow Mountain range in north-western Yunnan, Yubeng has no road access. The trek climbs steeply from the Xidang hot springs trailhead through forest to Upper and Lower Yubeng, two hamlets connected by a steep half-hour path, which serve as a base for day treks to the Sacred Waterfall and the Glacier Lake beneath Kawagarbo's ice fields. Kawagarbo itself, at 6,740 metres, has never been summited, its ascent left unattempted out of respect for its status as the most sacred peak in Tibetan Buddhism.

Highlights

• Kawagarbo's snow-capped summit, sacred and never climbed
• The Sacred Waterfall day trek from Upper Yubeng, a Tibetan Buddhist pilgrimage site
• The Glacier Lake beneath Kawagarbo's ice fields
• A car-free Tibetan village reachable only on foot or by mule

Getting there

From Shangri-La (Zhongdian) or Deqin town, take a bus or private transfer to the Xidang hot springs trailhead, then trek roughly 3-4 hours, or hire a mule, up to Yubeng village.

What to bring

• Warm layers, since Yubeng sits at 3,100 metres and nights are cold even in summer
• Sturdy trekking boots for the steep, sometimes muddy climb from Xidang
• Cash, since card payment is unreliable in the village's small guesthouses
• A basic altitude-sickness remedy and a plan to acclimatise before the climb