8 Days Shangri-la Adventure Tour to Meili Snow Mountain and Daocheng Yading

Yangmaiyong Mountain in Daocheng Yading National Park
Milk Lake in Daocheng Yading National Park
Meili Snow Mountain seen from the viewing deck
One of 13 Snow Peaks of Meili Snow Mountain
The White Stupa in Shangri-La
The Big Turning of Jinsha River

Tour Outline: 8 Days & 7 Nights
Shangri-La (1N) - Feilaisi (1N) - Beizilan (1N) - Xiangcheng (1N) - Riwa (2N) - Xiangcheng (1N) - Shangri-La

Overview
Itinerary
Service Inclusion
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Trip Overview

With 13 peaks at over 6,000 meters, Meili Snow Mountain (Meili Xueshan), also called Kawakarpo, is a UNESCO nature site located in Deqin County dividing Yunnan from Tibet, a wonderful place to hike and explore both nature and Tibetan culture. Yading National Park is located in Daocheng, a county subordinated to Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture on the southwest border of Sichuan Province. The park is nicknamed by tourists as "the Last Shangri-La" and "the Last Pure Land on the Blue Planet" for unique original natural sceneries, a number of snow-capped mountains, glacier-red lakes, and forested valleys.

This tour starts from Shangri-La. If you arrive at Kunming, you can take one hour flight to Shangri-La; and if you arrive at Chengdu and want to visit Daocheng Yading, please contact our travel consultant, who will tailor an another itinerary to your needs and budget.

[Sonzanlin Lamasery] Imagine you are in Tibet when you are standing at this "little Potala Palace";
[Dukezong Ancient Town] Visit this important town of the Ancient Tea-horse Trade Caravan from Yunnan to Tibet or India;
[Meili Snow Mountain] With 13 peaks at over 6,000m, it is an UNESCO natural site located in Deqin county, dividing Yunnan from Tibet;
[Lancang River Grand Canyon] It is famous for not only its deep and long vale, but also the rushing water;
[Daocheng Yading] Nicknamed as "the Last Shangri-La" for its natural beauties: mysterious monasteries, forests, pastures, snow-capped peaks, lakes and Tibetan villages.

Best Time to Visit

All year round
Physical Demands

Very leisure tour; zero physical demand

Day by Day Itinerary

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Day 1: Shangri-La Arrival

Upon your arrival at the Diqing Shangri-La Airport, our tour guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel in Shangri-La downtown. Shangri-La, the former Zhongdian, is well-known as the paradise destination for every tourist, where you have entered the Tibetan cultural area and a landscape of barley fields and yaks scattered in the valleys.

After a short break, we will head for Sonzanlin Lamasery, famous for its alias - "the little Potala Palace", and so named because the whole monastery is in the traditional style with mysterious atmosphere. Then visit Dukezong Ancient Town, an important town of the Ancient Tea-horse Trade Caravan from Yunnan to Tibet and India.

Stay overnight in Shangri-La

Drive 20km in Shangri-La
High Altitude: Shangri-La (3,280m), Songzanlin (3,380m)
Shangri-La Local hotel (Internet and Wifi)
Meal: No

Day 2: Shangri-La - Deqin - Feilaisi (188m)

Baima Snow Mountain

The Big Turning of Jinsha River

Today after breakfast, drive 8 to 9 hours to Deqin County, which is 178km away from Shangri-La by way of Baima Snow Mountain ( also Baimang Xueshan ) Nature Reserve. You will be able to view Baima Snow Mountain if the weather is clear. After traversing 4292m mountain ranges, you will make a short stop and take some shots on the First Blend of Jinsha River. The view along the way is fantastic with different kinds of trees, streams down the valley, prayer flags and stupas, and Tibetan villages. Drive 10km to enter Feilaisi Scenic Area.

Stay overnight in Feilaisi

Drive 188km from Shangri-La to Feilaisi
High Altitude: Deqin (3400m), Feilaisi (3400m)
Internet & Wifi
Feilaisi Local hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Feilaisi - Mingyong Village - Meili Snow Mountain - Benzilan (270km)

Meili Snow Mountain

Mingyong Glaciers

Today try to get up early in the morning to enjoy the magic sunrise of Meili Snow Mountain. Meili Snow Mountain (Meili Xueshan ), also called Kawakarpo, is an UNESCO natural site located in Deqin county, dividing Yunnan from Tibet. It is a wonderful place to hike and explore both nature and Tibetan culture. Then drive to Mingyong Village, where you will walk on the trails for about 4km to Mingyong Glaciers of Meili Snow Mountain, and walk to Tibetan Taizi Monastery which is a good spot to view the magnificent Mingyong Glaciers.

Afterwards, we will do some easy trekking along the Lancang River Grand Canyon as well as Tibet villages. Then drive back to Feilaisi, and continue to Benzilan Town for overnight. On the way, you will have time to view of Meili Snow Mountain and Baima Snow Mountain.

Stay overnight in Benzilan

Drive 270km
High Altitude: Mingyong Village (2325m), Benzilan (2108m)
Internet & Wifi
Benzilan Local hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Benzilan - Derong - Xiangcheng (242km)

The Sceneries on the road to Xiangcheng

The Buddha in Sanpiluobuling Monastery

Today after breakfast in your hotel, transfer from Benzilan to Xiangcheng. After lunch in Derong county, drive to Xiangcheng county in Sichuan Province. The county is a pleasant place to linger or to serve as starting point of excursions into the surrounding mountain areas. On the way, you will visit some Tibetan Villages, Yuangen Mountain and Maan Mountain, and Sangpiluobuling Monastery in Xiangcheng.

Stay overnight in Xiangcheng

Drive 242km, about 7 hours
High Altitude: Derong (2100m), Xiangcheng (2836m)
Internet & Wifi
Xiangcheng Local hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Xiangcheng - Daocheng - Riwa Township (188km)

Today, we will spend a full day driving from Xiangcheng to Riwa township via Daocheng. Along the way, you will enjoy wonderful panoramas of barley fields, expansive grasslands and snow-covers peaks. And also, visit Maxionggou original forests, Wuming Snow Mountain (4550m), Rewu Monastery.

Stay overnight in Riwa

Drive 188km, about 6 hours
High Altitude: Daocheng (3700m), Riwa Township (2900m)
Internet & Wifi
Riwa Local hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Riwa - Yading National Park - Riwa

Xiannairi Mountain and Pearl Lake

Milk Lake

Today tourists have two options:
Option A: Be transferred to the entrance of Yading National Park and take the green bus to Longlongba; hike from Longtongba to Chonggu Temple, and then take a 30 minutes ride in an electromobile to arrive at Luorong Pasture. From here, you will hike or ride a horse up to Milk Lake (4600m) and Five-Color Lake (4700m), or enjoy a horseback riding in this section for breathtaking views of the three sacred peaks: Mt. Yangmaiyong (5958m), Mt. Xianuaduoji (5958m) and Mt. Xiannairi (6032m). Then return to Longlongba and transfer back to Riwa for overnight.

Option B: Be transferred to the entrance of Yading National Park and take the green bus to Longlongba; and then hike for 2.5 hours to Pearl Lake to enjoy grand views of snow-covered mountains, glaciers and rivers. Pearl Lake is nestled in the beautiful upper valley of Mt Chenresig's (Xiannairi's) north face and lies at about 4000m above sea level. Then return to Longlongba and transfer back to Riwa for overnight.

Stay overnight in Riwa

Take green bus, electromobile, hike or horse riding
Altitude: Chonggu Temple (3880m), Luorong Pasture (4150m)
Internet & Wifi
Riwa Local hotel
Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7: Riwa - Daocheng - Xiangcheng (188km)

Today, we will spend a full day driving from Riwa township to Xiangcheng via Daocheng. On the way, you will enjoy the wonderful panoramas of barley fields, expansive grasslands and snow-covers peaks.

Stay overnight in Xiangcheng

Drive 188km, about 6 hours
High Altitude: Daocheng (3700m), Xiangcheng (2836m)
Internet & Wifi
Xiangcheng Local hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8: Xiangcheng - Big and Small Snow Mountain - Shangri-La (220km)

Today, we will drive from Xiangcheng in Sichuan Province to Shangri-La in Yunnan Province, by way of Big and Small Snow Mountain. On the way, you will enjoy the magnificent sceneries of Big and Small Snow Mountain.

Then you will escorted to your hotel or the airport for your next destination.

Drive 220km, about 6.5 hours
High Altitude: Xiangcheng (2836m), Shangri-La (3,280m)
Hotel: No
Breakfast, Lunch

Price Details & Guide

Price Inclusions

Private transportation to the destinations and sites listed in the itinerary; ranging from 4WD land cruiser to bus depending on the group size and trip route; car gasoline, road toll and in-transport refreshments (free bottles of water, air pillow and headscarf) are included;
Lodging: one night in Shangri-La local hotel; one night in Feilaisi local hotel, one night in Benzilan local night, two nights in Xiangcheng local hotel, two nights in Riwa local hotel;
Private experienced English-speaking trip leader;
Airport/railway station pick-up and send-off services at the beginning/end of the tour;
Entrance ticket fees for all the sight spots listed in the itinerary;
Meals listed in the itinerary (7 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, 6 Dinners);
First aid kit;
A coverage of 300,000RMB Chartis travel insurance;

Price Exclusions

International and domestic flight/train to Shangri-La (Note: we accept the domestic flight/train tickets booking to Shangri-La from other cities in advance, check the updated ticket availibility and cost with your travel consultant);
Meals that are not specified in the itinerary (Averagely a meal in the 3rdpole region cost 3~10USD per person);
Tips and gratuities for the trip leader and driver;
The expense of a personal nature like alcoholic beverages, laundry, phone call, etc;
Optional activities and excursions not specified in the itinerary;
China Entry visa fees;

Itinerary Alteration

Once we receive your tour deposit, which is followed by signing the contract, your reservation is secured with legitimacy. Our staff will reserve the accommodation, vehicle, site tickets, meals and more, and pay the deposit for our suppliers. So if you want to alter to another itinerary, you need to cover the deposit we've paid, while no service charge is needed if you make some changes on the itinerary you booked.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

If you cancel the tour beacuse of your personal issues, you will be liable to pay cancellation charges that are bounded by 3rdpoletour.com cancellation policy as follows:

1.) If you cancel the tour more than 30 days before the trip starts, you will forfeit 10% of the total land cost per person;
2.) If you cancel the tour 15-30 days prior to your trip start date, 20% of your total land tour cost will be forfeited as a cancellation fee.
3.) If you cancel the tour 7-15 days before the trip starts, you will forfeit 30% of land cost.
4.) If you cancel the tour 7 days prior to your tour start date, you will forfeit 50% of land cost.
5.) If you fail to show up or cancel at your scheduled arrival time without prior notice or later than that, you will forfeit 100% of the land cost.

If the tour has to be cancelled because of the natural disaster or the government restrictions that is beyond both parties control, we will charge only USD50 per person, this is just the service fee and larbor fee during the preparation. This is a rare occurrence!