Off-the-Beaten-Track Yunnan Tour

/5 935 Latest reviews

Tour Code: ODY-CN-2424

Destination:Shangri-La, Deqin

Duration

7 Days

Tour Type

Private & Bespoke

Tour Style

Classic

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About This Trip

For a week, this trip will take real trekking enthusiasts and nature lovers deep into the stunning natural scenery of Meili Snow Mountain. From the emerald waters and towering mountains along the Jinsha River Valley to the awe-inspiring Mingyong Glacier and remote Upper Yubeng Village in the highlands, you will experience dramatic alpine landscapes and gain insights into traditional village life. The itinerary also includes a three-day hiking expedition granting views of Glacier Lake, Yubeng Waterfall, and the Grand Canyon of Nylon, with spring or autumn being the most suitable seasons.

Itinerary Summary

DAY PLACE HIGHLIGHTS
1 Shangri-La - Deqin Balagezong Scenic Area, Jinsha River, Dongzhulin Temple
2 Deqin Feilai Monastery, Meili Snow Mountain, Mingyong Glacier
3 - 6 Yubeng Village Xidang Village, Glacier Lake, Yubeng Waterfall, Grand Canyon of Nylon
7 Deqin - Shangri-La Departure
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Itinerary

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Day 1: Shangri-La - Deqin

Pulsing with anticipation, you depart Shangri-La in the morning.

Pass sheer cliff walls and emerald waters within the Balagezong Scenic Area, embarking on the road leading to Bala Village, where traditional Tibetan houses with sloping roofs and valley watchtowers stand. Stretching across 50 kilometers with over 100 sharp turns, the journey reveals a remarkable tale of Mr. Sna Ding Zhu's heartfelt dedication.

Continue along the mighty First Bend of Jinsha River. Then, pause to take in the tranquil serenity of Dongzhulin Temple. Renowned for its simple yet solemn architecture, the temple exudes a devout atmosphere. Drive towards Feilai Monastery Scenic Area and check into your accommodation for a night's rest.

Deqin

Day 2: Awe-inspiring Views of Mingyong Glacier

Today, head to Feilai Monastery, a Buddhist temple with distinct Tibetan ethnic characteristics, which serves as the ultimate vantage point to marvel at the sacred Meili Snow Mountain with its thirteen peaks. Weather permitting, consider an early rise to witness the breathtaking spectacle of sunrise painting the mountains in hues of wonder.

Travel towards the Mingyong Glacier in awe. Its rippling blue mass seems to stretch endlessly between stark cliff faces. Hike along the wooden path through the forest, where colorful prayer flags flutter on the trees. Standing at the observation platform, you look up to see the towering Kawa Garbo and down into the valley where ancient glaciers lie.

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Deqin

Day 3: Reaching Remote Upper Yubeng Village

Pass villages and yaks grazing on lush hillsides and reach the Tibet village of Xidang, the starting point for today's 12-kilometer hike to Upper Yubeng Village. Alternatively, you can opt for a 40-minute off-road vehicle ride to the destination. Wind up a muddy trail surrounded by wildflowers, the road climbing ever higher. Glimpses of towering snowcapped peaks accompany the journey.

At last, Upper Yubeng Village reveals itself in an idyllic valley, with streams flowing through grasslands and prayer flags waving in the alpine air.

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Yubeng Village

Day 4: Hiking to Legendary Glacier Lake

Challenge yourself and ascend from 3150 meters to 3860 meters to take in majestic alpine landscapes along the way. The circular trek will take around 7 to 10 hours, during which you will cross meadows dotted with grazing cattle, pass by the remains of the camp built by the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering team in 1991, and get overwhelmed by soaring snowcapped peaks.

Continuing south along the trail, a ridge crest later revealed the legendary Glacier Lake - its deep blue waters framed by towering cliffs resembling a giant sapphire dropped between the highlands. After enjoying a packed lunch at the lakeside, retrace your steps north along the trail, returning to the starting point and proceeding with another half-hour walk to the lower Yubeng Village for the night.

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Yubeng Village

Day 5: Divine Waterfall

Today a three-hour hike will take you to the Yubeng Waterfall.

Rounding the final bend, the sacred waterfall comes into full view. Sheets of water cascade down the towering cliffside like a thousand silk threads, creating a breathtaking spectacle. For the locals, this place is highly sacred, and following the Tibetan tradition, you can walk clockwise around the waterfall three times to pray for blessings.

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Yubeng Village

Day 6: Lower Yubeng Village - Grand Canyon of Nylon

Leaving Lower Yubeng Village, conquer the rugged Niyong Gorge. Traverse through the pristine forests within the gorge, feel the chill of the melting snow and ice, experience the grandeur of the high mountain ravine, navigate the thrilling cliffside paths, and finally witness the desolate beauty of the dry and hot river valley.

After a short break, it's time to begin the return journey, with night falling as you arrive back in the Feilai Monastery Area.

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Deqin

Day 7: Deqin - Shangri-La

Leaving Feilai Monastery, you embark on a scenic drive from Diqing County to Shangri-La City. Transfer thereafter to the airport or railway station, taking with your unforgettable memories of traversing Yunnan's breathtaking landscapes over the past week.

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What Our Clients Say

"Great Customized Service", "Trip of A Lifetime", "Exceed All Expectations"

Richee Family Adventures

05 Aug 2025

Second Honeymoon My wife and I celebrated our 20th anniversary by spending a few weeks touring around Asia. We loved how Odynovo worked with us to craft a tour of what we wanted to see and how we wanted to see it. This was our first time traveling with a private tour guide, and it was truly amazing. they took care of all transportation, tickets, and everywhere we went we had someone who not only spoke our language, but was also very well-versed in the places we were visiting. We saw Beijing and then took a bullet train to Xi'an. In both cities we had tour guides who had done this "a thousand times," and as a result knew all the tricks on where to take the best pictures, what lines to stand in, where to eat, and what not to waste your time seeing. At one point our guide pulled out ponchos from her backpack when it started to rain, while another helped us haggle for a good price on a new suitcase. We were surprised by how much we loved China, and it is safe to say that is because of the quality of service we got from Odynovo. Oh, and the hotels were great, too! In our first hotel my wife fell in love with her breakfast soup that she had to have every morning, while in Xi'an we were right around the corner from the Muslim Night Market and were able to get to it in less than 5 minutes of walking.We are already looking to see what tours we will be doing next through Odynovo, as the service was amazing, the quality was remarkable, and the cost was very worth it for what we received.
Shannon V

05 Aug 2025

Fabulous! We had a fabulous experience with our guide and Odynovo walking the Great Wall of China, and all other sites in Beijing. We loved our Peking duck dinner. It was fabulous. Thank you, Sammie/Jing for a great experience.
domotic d

05 Aug 2025

Beijing Beauty It started off with a friendly face at the airport, with Roy, our tour guide.The week has been such a pleasure and a treat. From adventures to The Great Wall, Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City, to local markets, delicious Beijing food and roof top tea houses.Roy and our driver, Mr. Zhou, were prompt in picking us up and driving us around safely.The knowledge and fact about history and Beijing that Roy knows and explains is amazing and the fact he could answer my weird and inquisitive history questionsnwoth ease was a treat.He made it so easy to enjoy ourselves and absorb all that was around us, he even takes great photos too! 😊Polite, kind and thoughtful and ever patient in letting us take our time with things that interested us.I would highly recommend this tour and Roy again and again.
Zarah B

05 Aug 2025

Amazing travel experience My name is Zarah M. Babangida a Nigerian and i visited Beijing with my colleagues from the office. During our 5 day stay in Beijing, Ms. Eva Ma, was our Tour guide and from the minute we came through the Arrival Gate of the Airport, we were embraced by her alluring smile and warm welcome. She remained consistent with her warmth, a kind and intelligent professional who exuded unique passion not just for her job as a tour guide but, even more so as a proud Chinese woman. Her outstanding insight and knowledge of the sweet Chinese history and heritage left us in awe. I couldn't be more proud and thankful that she was assigned to our group and she made our stay exciting, fun-filled effortless and knowledge packed. I absolutely commend her dedication to work which she depicted throughout our stay. I recommend her to every visiting tourist because to know Eva, is to love her. If it were up to me, i will increase her bonuses or upgrade her salary as i am sure most tourists would want or revisit for her sake first and then perhaps other reasons.Thank you Eva and keep the passion up🙌.

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