Meili Snow Mountain, Mingyong Glacier
In the hearts of the local Tibetan people, Meili Snow Mountain is a sacred mountain. It is usually shrouded in mist, and locals believe that those who witness the moment the clouds part and reveal th…
Meili Snow Mountain, Mingyong Glacier, Shangri-La
Key facts
- Admission
- ¥150 combo ticket (includes Jinsha River Great Bend ¥60, Wunongding Viewing Platform ¥60, and Feilai Temple Viewing Platform ¥60); ¥228 combo ticket (includes Jinsha River Great Bend ¥60, Wunongding Viewing Platform ¥60, Feilai Temple Viewing Platform ¥60, and Mingyong Glacier ¥78); ¥230 combo ticket (includes Jinsha River Great Bend ¥60, Wunongding Viewing Platform ¥60, Feilai Temple Viewing Platform ¥60, and Yubeng Village ¥80). An extra ¥5 management fee applies to enter Yubeng.
- Time needed
- 1–2 days
- Getting there
- Take a bus from Shangri-La (香格里拉) to Deqin County, then charter a car to the site
- Guidebook rating
- 4 / 5
From China Self Guided Travel 2025, page 263. Open in Google Maps
About Meili Snow Mountain, Mingyong Glacier
In the hearts of the local Tibetan people, Meili Snow Mountain is a sacred mountain. It is usually shrouded in mist, and locals believe that those who witness the moment the clouds part and reveal the mountain are truly blessed. Mingyong Glacier is equally beautiful. Spending the night in the mountains lets you watch the moon and stars up close, and the stillness and remoteness of the place are something you cannot feel everywhere.
Tips from the guidebook
- Chartered car tips: 1. Agree on the price with the driver before setting off, and confirm your destination and route in advance to avoid problems.
- 2. Road conditions are rough. It is worth paying a little more to rent a Mitsubishi Jeep, which will make the journey much more comfortable.
- 1. The most beautiful season for Meili Snow Mountain is January to May. In summer and autumn, it is extremely rare to see the full panorama of the snow peaks.
- 2. The route from Deqin County town to Mingyong Village, where Mingyong Glacier is located, runs at high altitude on dangerous roads and requires good physical fitness. If your health does not allow it, do not go in rashly.
- 3. Climbing Mingyong Glacier is now prohibited for tourists. It can only be admired from the newly built boardwalk.
- 4. The best way to travel from Shangri-La to Meili Snow Mountain is by chartered car. The route passes Nixi (尼西), Benzilan (奔子栏), Dongzhulin Temple (东竹林寺), Baima Snow Mountain (白马雪山), Deqin County town, and Feilai Temple, before reaching Mingyong Glacier. The scenery along the way is superb, and if you pass Feilai Temple at dusk, you may also catch the stunning Meili sunset glow.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Meili Snow Mountain, Mingyong Glacier cost?
Admission to Meili Snow Mountain, Mingyong Glacier is ¥150 combo ticket (includes Jinsha River Great Bend ¥60, Wunongding Viewing Platform ¥60, and Feilai Temple Viewing Platform ¥60); ¥228 combo ticket (includes Jinsha River Great Bend ¥60, Wunongding Viewing Platform ¥60, Feilai Temple Viewing Platform ¥60, and Mingyong Glacier ¥78); ¥230 combo ticket (includes Jinsha River Great Bend ¥60, Wunongding Viewing Platform ¥60, Feilai Temple Viewing Platform ¥60, and Yubeng Village ¥80). An extra ¥5 management fee applies to enter Yubeng., as listed in the 2025 guidebook. Prices can change; check the official channel before you go.
How do I get to Meili Snow Mountain, Mingyong Glacier?
Take a bus from Shangri-La (香格里拉) to Deqin County, then charter a car to the site
How long should I spend at Meili Snow Mountain, Mingyong Glacier?
Plan on 1–2 days for Meili Snow Mountain, Mingyong Glacier.
Where is Meili Snow Mountain, Mingyong Glacier?
Meili Snow Mountain, Mingyong Glacier is in Shangri-La, Yunnan Province, in the Southwest of China. Deqin County, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan
More places in Shangri-La
Yubeng Village
“If you don’t go to heaven, go to Yubeng.” Yubeng Village, behind Meili Snow Mountain, has only about 20 households of simple, honest Tibetan people. They follow Buddhism and have lived here for generations to guard the sacred mountain. The village is divided into Upper and Lower Villages and is connected to the outside world by just one post road, which has helped preserve its purity. Its beauty is beyond question. Upper Village leads to the Sino-Japanese Joint Mountaineering Base Camp for Kawagebo, while Lower Village leads to the Yubeng Sacred Waterfall. Along the way, you can see wonders such as the Ancient Seal-Script Scriptures, five trees growing from one root, and mani stones piled along the river.
¥80 (an extra ¥5 management fee applies to enter Yubeng) · 2–3 days
Feilai Temple
Feilai Temple sits on the east side of Meili Snow Mountain and faces the Taizi Thirteen Peaks across the Lancang River Grand Canyon, making it one of the best spots to view Meili Snow Mountain. It is recommended to spend a night here. If you are lucky, you may see the evening glow and the “sunlit golden mountain” (Ri Zhao Jin Shan), the Shangri-La scenery described in the novel “Lost Horizon.”
Feilai Temple Viewing Platform: ¥60 · 1–3 hours
Shika Snow Mountain
It is the only snow mountain on the northwest Yunnan Plateau with cable car sightseeing facilities. Its location is excellent: from the summit of Shika Snow Mountain, you can take in the Eight Great Sacred Mountains of Yunnan, Sichuan and Tibet. The landscape changes with the seasons, which can be summed up in a saying: "Spring for green grass, summer for flowers, autumn for autumn colours, winter for snow."
¥270 (ticket + round-trip cable car) · 3–4 hours
Baishuitai Scenic Area
Baishuitai is one of the birthplaces of Naxi Dongba culture. From a distance, Baishuitai looks like a set of terraced fields, but in the sunlight, it sparkles like shimmering water. It is known as the "Immortal's Abandoned Fields." It is the largest spring terrace in China. This fairytale-like place is not to be missed on any trip to Shangri-La.
¥45 · 2–3 hours
Niru Village
Located in the heart of the “Three Parallel Rivers” region, this Tibetan village of just 106 households and 643 people boasts high mountain gorges, glaciers and snow peaks, alpine wetlands, forest meadows, and glacial lakes. People call it “the last hidden paradise of Shangri-La,” an ecological Eden that brings together nearly every type of natural landscape found in the Northern Hemisphere, apart from deserts and oceans.
1–2 hours
Shangri-La Grand Canyon
This canyon was originally called “Biran Canyon.” Because one side of the canyon is called Xiang and the other Li, it came to be known as the “Shangri-La Grand Canyon,” a name that is grand but rather vague. Some say the Blue Moon Valley described in “Lost Horizon” is located here, and locals have long believed this is a place where immortals dwell, the true Shambhala. Visitors can explore the deep canyon and towering snow peaks, go rafting through the scenic gorge, and visit Bala Village, an unspoiled ancient Tibetan village. It is well worth a visit. Two marvels in the scenic area should not be missed. The first is a thousand-year-old Bodhi tree whose trunk has grown into the shape of a human palm, a striking sight. The second is the Qudeng Sacred Mountain in the pastures deep inside Jiala Village. Its round, pointed summit is covered in snow, with a black circular rock wall beneath it, and it is known as a natural stupa.
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