From the Yunnan-Tibet Highway to the Sichuan-Tibet Highway: Deqin

Deqin County is the highest-altitude county in northwestern Yunnan, with an average elevation of over 4,200 meters. The county seat is located in Shengping Town, in a valley about 3,400 meters above sea level. Benzilan Town, also in Deqin County, has an elevation of around 2,000 meters. As National Highway G214 passes through the town, its geographical and economic conditions seem to be somewhat better than those of Deqin's county seat. After having lunch at a Dali restaurant in Benzilan Town, a visit to Dongzhulin Monastery is a must-do activity. Further north, about 10 kilometers from the county seat, lies the more famous Feilai Temple in Deqin, at an altitude of over 3,000 meters. Administratively, it should be a villager group under the jurisdiction of Shengping Town, Deqin. Feilai Temple is named after a centuries-old temple. Its location directly faces the Meili Snow Mountain, making it a popular stopover for admiring the mountain and a starting point for trips to the Mingyong Glacier. After years of development, Feilai Temple now offers a variety of accommodations, from budget-friendly to high-end, as well as numerous dining options. In recent years, a cycling path has been built along the highway, greatly improving tourism conditions. It has become a stopover on the Yunnan-Tibet Highway before entering Tibet, offering both scenic views and comfortable resting facilities. The gas station by the highway is the last one where electronic gas cards can be used (with discounts available for Yunnan Province). The distance from Shangri-La to Feilai Temple in Deqin is nearly 190 kilometers. Although the road is winding, the road surface is in good condition. There is a rest area directly facing the Baima Snow Mountain, which is a great place to enjoy the scenery during the trip. While Feilai Temple is a great place to view Meili Snow Mountain, it's not every day that you get to see the true face of Kawagebo Peak or the sunrise and the golden mountain spectacle before and after dawn. Having witnessed the magical scenery of the thirteen peaks of Meili on several past visits, this time, the stopover at Feilai Temple simply served as the last stop in Yunnan on the journey from the Yunnan-Tibet Highway to the Sichuan-Tibet Highway. A basic requirement for check-in at Feilai Temple is an unobstructed view of Meili Snow Mountain from the room or rooftop. In the afternoon, Meili Snow Mountain is usually shrouded in clouds and mist, but after nightfall, the clouds often disperse, revealing Kawagebo Peak under the starry sky. However, the temperature drops significantly after dark, and you'll quickly start shivering while taking photos. As the destination for the next day was Mangkang in Tibet, I hurried back to my room to rest after a quick photo session.