China Guide
Yunnan
Hikes in Meili Xue Shan Reserve
Price: Entry fee ¥63
Address: The Reserve's main entrance is 20km from the Feilai temple viewing point (¥30 by tractor)
Two trails set off from the main entrance. Most people head east for the three-hour ascent to the Mingyong glacier, one of the world's lowest at 2700m, and advancing relatively quickly at 500m a year. The road is relatively good for the area, and you'll find a fair few souvenir shops and guesthouses at the glacier viewing point.
A more interesting option is to head west, into the old forest. Four hours' walk takes you to the hot springs, which have a couple of guesthouses, and are irregularly connected to Deqin by bus (officially at 8am and 3pm). The springs are nothing special, but might be the last hot water you'll see for a while. From here a gruelling three-hour ascent climbs to Nazongla Pass (or ¥100 on horseback). A well-marked path then takes you downhill to Upper Yubeng village, a Tibetan settlement of considerable charm. Though plenty of visitors stay here with local families (¥10 per night, plus ¥10 for a meal), it's worth persevering for another couple of hours to the even prettier Lower Yubeng village. Here you'll find Aqinbu's Shenbu Lodge, the best place to stay in the area, and a handy base for further treks, on which the helpful owner can advise. Be aware that the locals, as well as being fiercely traditional (Tibetan-style polyandrous marriages are common), are desperately poor – one of the few sources of income is picking rare mushrooms for export.
The most popular trip from Lower Yubeng is the straightforward two-hour walk to the dramatic Yubeng Shenpu, a sacred waterfall, with bears, snow leopards and the highly endangered Yunnan golden monkey lurking in the nearby forests.
More ambitious hikers can attempt the full Kawa Karpa pilgrimage trek, three circumnavigations of which are said to guarantee a beneficial reincarnation, according to Tibetan religious doctrine. The circuit takes twelve days or so, beginning in Deqin and ending in the village of Meili. Much of the route is above 4000m, and it's only possible with a local guide – travel agencies in Shangri-La can make the arrangements for you.