Yala Kamiyama Fact

Yala Snow Mountain – the Holy Mountain of Local Tibetans

Listed as one of China’s 80 ecotourism areas, Yala Snow Mountain Nature Ecotourism Area offers a huge abundance of fascinating sights and experiences. According to ancient Tibetan legends, there were nine peaks that made up the whole world, each with its own god. The nine gods were known as the Nine Creators, with Yala as the primary god of them all.

Yala Snow Mountain – the Holy Mountain of Local Tibetans

The climate of Yala Snow Mountain is harsh, with snow at the peak all year round. While the rainy season brings warmer, wet air to the area, the rains also cause a lot of the snow to melt, swelling the rivers and flooding some areas of the valleys. From November to April the mountain experiences a bitter winter, with strong, cold winds from the west. Climbing is forbidden in the winter months as the temperatures can get as low as -50 degrees with extreme winds.

Surrounding Yala Mountain to the north and northwest are the Tagong Grasslands (Lhagang), creating a stunning contrast between the snowy mountain side and the grasslands below. Nearby villages can also be reached, including Danba, one of the most beautiful valleys in the region. It is popular to begin a few days trek to the mountain starting at Kangding or an even closer point around Zhonggu village, to have the best experience.

Tagong Grasslands

Trekking around Mount Yala can take days and properly preparing should be a priority. Zhonggu sits at an elevation of around 3,000 meters and is a great location to ascend Mt. Yala’s eastern pass, which sits at around 4,216 meters. The Yala Mountain trek is not steep and can be climbed without easily. This can also make the change in elevation easier for those not used to such high altitudes. As Sichuan’s second highest mountain range, on a clear day you can see for miles, making this scenic trek very worthwhile indeed. Off in the distance, you may even be able to spot the peaks of Minya Konka, covered in snow.

Yala Mountain Trek

If you plan on making the long trek and camping out in the area, there are a few things you should prepare for. The temperatures can drop well below freezing at night, so a good tent is recommended, as well as sleeping bags that can handle these sub-zero temperatures. Plenty of layers of clothing to adapt to the changing temperatures throughout the day are also critical. The best time to visit Yala Kamiyama is during the milder months from May to early July and September to early October, before it gets too cold during the day.

4 Days Sichuan Mount Yala Trekking and Camping Tour

Where is Yala Mountain

Yala Snow Mountain sits at the intersection of Danba, Daofu, and Kangding, three of the counties of Sichuan Province. Situated in the Yala Snow Mountain Nature Ecotourism Area, it is a great place for tourists, where its crystal-clear highland lakes, the natural wild pastures, the ancient forests, and the spectacular glaciers can impress you. Add a delightful hot spring and a beautiful waterfall, and the place could almost be a paradise.

Taking a flight from Chengdu to Kangding

While the mountain sits at the junction of three major counties, it cannot be easily reached, as there is no vehicular access into the area of the reserve. Travelers to the area can take a flight from Chengdu to Kangding, or ride on one of the buses that leave from Xinnamen Bus Station, Chadianzi Bus Station, and Chengbei Bus Station. There is only one flight from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport to Kangding Airport daily, which leaves at around 9:45am.

After arriving at Kangding you can charter a vehicle to get to Yala Ecotourism Area, which starts at Zhonggu Village. Once at the entrance, the only way to get around inside is by hiking, which is a great way to experience the area and the mountain. There are no facilities such as hostels or restaurants in the area, so you need to bring enough food for the trek, as well as a good tent and sleeping bag. It can get very cold at night, even in the height of summer. After you have finished hiking, you can get out at either Zhonggu Village or Taizhangou, where there is a road that leads to Bamei. You can get a bus there to Danba and then on to Chengdu, and buses also run back to Kangding from Bamei, to get back to Chengdu.

Trekking from Zhonggu to Taizhangou

The normal 3-day route incorporates trekking from Zhonggu to Taizhangou. The first part is 18 kilometers to Xinianzi, at 3,600 meters, and on the second day to Yala Pass (4,216m), Yariatso Lake (4,200m), and Yalayotso Lake (3,980m), where you will camp after a second route covering 18 kilometers. The last day of trekking covers a third 18-kilometer section that takes you to Zhongbanchang (3,570m), Taizhangou Valley (3,400m), and finally to the Badan road, to get a car to Danba or back to Kangding.

There are several lakes around the mountain that you will pass and be able to photograph, which have seen very few visitors since Joseph Rock first discovered the area in the 1920s. There are also some spectacular sights to catch at the crest of the 4,216 meter-high Yala Pass, the highest point that you can walk to on the mountain. While the mountain is receiving more tourist popularity, it is still a quiet, secluded place to visit, and if you really like to get off the beaten track, the treks in this region of Kham are some of the most beautiful, isolated trails in China.

Highlights of Yala Scenic Area

Inside the Mount Yala Scenic Area there is only one hiking route, which normally takes around three days to trek. There is no accommodation inside the area, so camping is the only option. The hiking trail passes by some of the most beautiful scenery in the region, including the sacred Yala Snow Mountain, Yalayotso Lake, the Sisters Lakes, and the Yala Pass.

Yala Snow Mountain

Yala Kamiyama, called Yarlha Shambo Gangri in Tibetan, which means “white yak mountain in the east”, is one of the four holy mountains in the Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. The mountain exists in many ancient texts, including a mention in the “Epic of King Gesar”, and is held in high regard by the locals. The mountain is strung with prayer flags, and Tibetans have been coming to the mountain to pray for centuries, and hang their prayer flags in honor of the nine mountain gods.

Yala Kamiyama

The peak is wrapped with cloud and covered by snow all year round, and is sacred to the local Tibetans, who often kneel to pray at the foot of the mountain. Known in some ancient Tibetan books as “the second Shambhala”, the mountain takes on different shapes from different directions. Seen from Tagong Grassland, it looks like a lotus-shaped throne, while from Bamei town a crown and from Nongge Mountain a sitting Buddha.

The area around the mountain is peppered with over a dozen ravines with amazing, picturesque views. As autumn descends on the region, the magnificent pine forests stand tall against the lower deciduous forests, and are a stark contrast to the red and gold colors of the leaves with their bright green needles.

Yalayotso Lake

At the western foot of Yala Snow Mountain, there is a waterfall that is around 60 meters high. Melted snow runs down the cliffs and flows along a stream into Yalayotso Lake, which covers an area of 1 square kilometer. The Lake shows multiple colors from the edge to the center, and in the morning, it is quiet and smooth like a mirror. Around the lake are huge heaps of stone, thought to be the remnants of other ancient snow mountains. Pilgrims have a tradition of piling towers of stones on the heaps to pray for peace. To the north of the lake are forests of redwoods, which become gold and orange in autumn, and to the west are small, rolling hills, which are covered in flowers in the summer months. On the hills that are located to the west of the redwoods, there is a forest of azaleas, and in May, the azaleas bloom and suffuse an exquisite fragrance all around. Azaleas can be seen everywhere, growing in light-purple, purple, pink and light-yellow clusters.

Yalayotso Lake

Sisters Lakes

As you ascend over the Yala mountain pass, you can see the peaks of Mt. Yala before you, and below lies the beautiful clear waters of Yariatso Lake, which sits on the side of the mountain, at an elevation of 4,200 meters. Almost untouched by humankind, as is most of the area, Yariatso Lake is a virgin area of nature, preserved by the Yala Snow Mountain Nature Ecotourism Area.

Climbing History of Yala Snow Mountain

At a height of 5,884 meters above sea level, Yala Snow Mountain is one of the highest peaks in the region. However, being one of the most sacred places in the Tibetan region of China, the mountain has never been climbed. Similar to Mt. Kailash in western Tibet, it is considered to be too holy to allow climbers to defile its flanks, and permits are not issued for climbing this beautiful, holy mountain. But tourists can do the kora around Yala Mountain like the local Tibetans do.