Complete Hiking Guide to Yubeng Village｜From Beginner to Advanced Routes + Practical Tips to Unlock the Secret of Meili Snow Mountain

️ Yubeng Village is hidden at the foot of Meili Snow Mountain, with no road access. Hiking is the best way to explore it, offering easy routes for beginners and challenging high-altitude trails for experts. Along the way, you’ll enjoy stunning views of snow-capped mountains, glaciers, and canyons. This guide helps you navigate it with ease～ 🚗 Getting to Yubeng 1. Major transport: First arrive in Lijiang or Shangri-La, then carpool to Feilai Temple (about 6-8 hours). It’s recommended to stay overnight to catch the sunrise on the mountain the next day. 2. Entering the village: From Feilai Temple, take a private car 1.5 hours to Xidang Village. Then you can choose to take an off-road vehicle (200 RMB/person uphill to Yubeng, 260 RMB/person downhill, about 40 minutes) or hike directly into the village (Xidang hiking route takes 7-9 hours). 🌟 Classic 5-day 4-night hiking route (no backtracking, beginner-friendly) 1. Day 1: Feilai Temple → Xidang Village → Upper Yubeng Wake early to see the sunrise on the mountain around 6:30, then carpool to Xidang Village. If you’re fit, hike to Upper Yubeng; if not, take the off-road vehicle. Stay overnight in Upper Yubeng, where you’ll likely see the snow mountains from your window and can enjoy Tibetan foods like butter tea and barley cakes. 2. Day 2: Upper Yubeng → Xiaonong Base Camp → Ice Lake A 14 km round trip taking about 7 hours, with a 600-meter elevation gain. Pass through primeval forest, visit the Sino-Japanese mountaineering team ruins, and see the gem-like blue Ice Lake. Xiaonong Base Camp offers supplies (instant noodles 40 RMB/serving, energy bars recommended to bring yourself). 3. Day 3: Upper Yubeng → Lower Yubeng → Divine Waterfall First, hike 40 minutes to Lower Yubeng, then take the Divine Waterfall route. The 12 km round trip takes about 5 hours on easy stone slab paths. At the Divine Waterfall, you can walk clockwise around three times to pray; if lucky, you might see a rainbow. Stay overnight in Lower Yubeng. 4. Day 4: Lower Yubeng → Ninong Canyon → Exit Village A 5-hour downhill walk on a cement road, with cliffside plank roads along the Lancang River canyon offering spectacular scenery. Those afraid of heights should be cautious; avoid during rainy season due to high risk of falling rocks. Afterwards, you can take a vehicle to Shangri-La. 5. Day 5: Flexible arrangements Experts can choose the Divine Lake route (single-day round trip, altitude 4350 meters); if you prefer to relax, stay in the village to explore Tibetan houses, drink butter tea, and photograph grazing cattle and sheep. ⚠️ Key Hiking Tips 1. Essential gear: Waterproof hiking shoes, windbreaker, trekking poles, knee pads (very useful for downhill), headlamp. Layer clothing due to large temperature differences at high altitude. 2. Altitude sickness prevention: Take Rhodiola a week in advance, avoid washing hair on the first day in the village, bring glucose oral solution to replenish energy—more practical than oxygen tanks. 3. Cultural taboos: Keep quiet near the Divine Waterfall, spin prayer wheels and walk clockwise, don’t step on Tibetan door thresholds, don’t point at Buddhist stupas with your finger. 4. Others: Book accommodations at least one month in advance during peak season; supplies in the village are expensive, so bring energy snacks like chocolate and nuts.