Mugetso Lake - One of the Most Popular Attractions near Mount Gongga

One of the most scenic attractions of Mount Gongga area is Mugetso Lake, also known as Yeren Lake, which means “Wild Man Lake”. Sitting at an altitude of 3,700 meters above sea level, this beautiful lake is surrounded by pine, cedar, and rhododendron forests on three sides, with the vast expanse of the Tagong Grasslands to the west.

Mugetso Lake - One of the Most Scenic Attractions of Mount Gongga Area

The area around Mugetso is known as the Mugetso Scenic Area, and incorporates a whole host of attractions, from high, snow mountains to small lakes and prairies. Mugetso Scenic Area has a total of nine lakes, some of which are joined to Mugetso by the Yala River. It is a huge tourist attraction, and has been well set up to cater for the thousands of visitors that come there every day in the peak season. Buses run along the length of the area, from the tourist center near Fangcao Prairie to the top side of Mugetso Lake itself.

Mugetso Scenic Area

The nearby mountains include Yala Snow Mountain, Mt.Lotus, Mt.Liuliu, Mt.Camel, and the famous Minya Konka. Minya Konka, also known as Mt.Gongga, is the highest mountain in Sichuan Province, and is known to the locals as “The King of Sichuan Mountains”. At an elevation of 7,556 meters, the peak is the highest peak in the eastern part of the continent, and the third highest peak outside the Himalayan Mountain Range. A favorite place for trekking and mountain climbing, Mt. Gongga sits directly opposite Mt. Yala, across the Mugetso Scenic Area.

Mugetso Scenic Area is also known as Love Song of Kangding Scenic Area, and is an important part of the Mount Gongga National Scenic Area.

Where is Mugetso

Located in the Kangding Qingge Mugetso Scenic Area, near Yala Township in Kangding County, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province, it is one of the highest alpine lakes in western Sichuan, and is like a crystal pearl lying in the midst of high mountains, dense forests, and luxuriant meadows. The lake lies deep in the magnificent Gongga Mountains, and has some of the best natural landscapes in Garze.

It's like a crystal pearl lying in the midst of high mountains.

Highlights of Mugetso Scenic Area

The area of the Mugetso Scenic Spot includes towering snow mountains; glittering alpine lakes and steaming hot springs; lush, primitive forests; verdant meadows; and peculiar-shaped rocks and cliffs. Mugetso is one of the most ideal locations in Garze for sightseeing, whether for mountains, lakes, or alpine forests. The area of Mugetso has several other attractions, as well as the beautiful Mugetso Lake.

Seven-Color Lake

2,600 meters above sea level, this crescent-shaped lake is surrounded by dense forests, which color the reflections of the sunlight on its waters in seven different shades. Thus, the locals have given it the name of Seven-Color Lake. The reflections on the surface of the lake are both magical and mystical, and it is a beautiful sight to behold. The lake also has an unusual feature; it contains both cold and hot water. At the bottom of the lake is a hot spring exit, and the water there can be as high as 67 degrees centigrade.

Seven-Color Lake

Azalea Gorge

Between the Seven-Color Gorge and Mugetso Lake lies Azalea Gorge. An 8km-long gorge with a bubbling stream running down its length, the valley floor is festooned with azalea trees. Connecting Seven-Color Gorge with Mugetso Lake, many visitors travel to the end of the gorge by bus, and walk the 8km-long, newly built boardwalk along the length of the gorge. The valley is home to over 68 varieties of azalea trees, and when they are all in blossom, the valley turns into a fairy wonderland of color. The best time for this is from April to late July.

Azalea Gorge

Fangcao Prairie

At the end of Mugetso Park is the beautiful Fangcao Prairie. An excellent place for horse riding, hiking, or picnicking, many locals spend their free time here. In summer, the park becomes a flower fairyland, as the lush, green prairie erupts with millions of multi-colored blooms.

Fangcao Prairie

Yaochi Hot Spring

Known locally as the “Medicine Pool of Boiling Spring”, Yaochi Hot Spring is located 3,500 meters above sea level, and consists of more than twenty hot springs in one small area. The hot springs are believed to have a healing effect on the body, hence the name, and the waters are normally around 80 to 90 degrees centigrade. The waters contain many trace elements that are beneficial to the health, and the springs have shown to have some benefits on eye diseases, gastrosia, and rheumatism.

Yaochi Hot Spring - Medicine Pool of Boiling Spring

The springs are named for their alleged healing properties, such as Stomach Nursing Spring, where you can drink the water to aid in invigorating the stomach and digestions. There is also Eyesight Improving Spring, which is said to be beneficial for aiding the healing of eye diseases, and is believed to improve the eyesight. And next to the Eye Improving Spring, is the spring where you can enjoy a relaxing foot spa.

Kangding -Tagong to Mugetso Trekking Route

One of the most popular ways to see the area is to travel from Kangding to Tagong, and then trek across the grasslands to Mugetso Lake.

Taking the bus from Kangding to Danba, it is a two and a half hour drive to cover the 108km to Tagong. En route, you will cross the mountain pass of Tsedo Mountain, at 4,296 meters above sea level. As you come to Xinduqiao, you can stop for a short lunch break. This small Tibetan town is famous for its plateau scenery, with lush grasslands, clear, bubbling streams, and beautiful Tibetan houses. It is often called the “paradise of photographers” for the stunning landscape and perfect natural lighting.

Tagong Temple

After lunch, you continue to Tagong, where you will get your first look at the famous Tagong Grassland. In the township you can also visit the Tagong Temple, the Lhagang Monastery, and the Ani Gompa Nunnery, which is just outside the town. Lhagang Monastery sits on the edge of the Tagong Grassland, and is unique in escaping damage during the Cultural Revolution.

The Vast Expanse of Tagong Grassland

In the morning, you will start your trek across the Tagong Grassland to Mugetso. The grasslands are huge, and stretch as far as the eye can see. Dotted with nomadic herdsmen and thousands of yaks, it is an experience to trek across this vast prairie. At 3,700 meters above sea level, the trek across the grasslands is hard and rugged, and inexperienced high-altitude trekkers should not over-exert themselves.

Seven-Color Sea

After a long 25km hike, you stop for the night at a camp. The next morning you will cover the last 10km of the 35km distance across the prairie, to reach Mugetso Lake, in the Mugetso Scenic Area. There are many trails around the lake, which lead to other lakes close by, such as the Red Sea and the Seven-Color Lake. The rest of the day can be spent exploring this beautiful area, with its varied landscapes and diverse vegetation.

Best time to visit Mugetso

As it is located right on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, Mugetso Scenic Area has a cool summer and autumn, and a cold winter and spring. From December to the end of February, the waters of the lake are frozen solid, and the gradual melt will not start until mid-March. Summer in the region is from Late June to mid-September, and temperatures can reach as high as 18 degrees, and as low as 10 degrees. While the summer days are warm, the nights are very cold, and can sometimes reach almost freezing, even in the hottest part of summer.

Azalea trees are in full bloom.

The best time to visit Mugetso is from late April to the end of June, before the rainy, monsoon season sets in. This is the time when the azalea trees are in full bloom, and the azalea forests turn multiple shades of pink and lilac. It is also a good time for photography, as the slightly wetter tail end of June turns the grass a lush green, and the meadow blossoms start to come out, dotting the prairies with patches of color.

The leaves on the many deciduous trees start to change color.

One the monsoon starts, from July to August, the blooms come out in full force, and the whole area is a multi-colored fairyland, full of beautiful flowers and lush green trees. For the photographer in you, this is an ideal time to visit, as is the fall, from October to November, as the leaves on the many deciduous trees in the park start to change color, and the mountainsides turn into a plethora of reds, golds, browns, and yellows.

How to get to Mugetso from Chengdu

For visitors to Mugetso, there are several ways to get there. If you do not enjoy long bus rides, you can fly from Chengdu to Kangding Airport, then take one of the special-line buses to Kangding Town, and transfer to the private cars or local buses to the Mugetso Scenic Area.

Kangding Airport

For those who have time, and like to ride the bus, there are buses every hour from Chengdu Xinnamen Bus Station from 8:00am to 2:00pm, which will take you across the west Sichuan plain and through the Erlangshan Tunnel to Kangding. From Kangding, you can hire a car, or take the public buses, which run several times a day.

Mugetso Scenic Area is also known as Love Song of Kangding Scenic Area. Being an important part of the Mount Gongga National Scenic Area, it is located in Kangding County of Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, about 322 km away from Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province.