Opening a hidden door in the snowy Jiangnan region: Stay in Songtsam Meili and experience the 360-degree natural beauty of snow-capped mountains

Number of days: 2 days
Time: March
Average cost: 2000 yuan
With whom: and friends
Updated: 2022.03.21

I believe that everyone has a towering snow-capped mountain in their heart. It is mysterious and holy, representing the infinite power of nature. Mountaineers yearn to conquer it, and ordinary people yearn to see its splendor.

I am that dreamer who has been searching for towering snow-capped mountains! In early January 2022, I once again drove an off-road vehicle through the Meili Snow Mountains, traveling from Guangzhou to Lijiang, Yulong Snow Mountain, Dukezong Ancient Town in Shangri-La, Pudacuo, Diqing, Meilin Snow Mountain, and Songzanlin Monastery. The entire journey took eight days. Located at the junction of Sichuan, Yunnan, and Tibet, the Meili Snow Mountains attract numerous pilgrims with their unique Tibetan cultural heritage. Whether in Tibet or around the world, the Meili Snow Mountains are a fascinating place. "Meili" means "Medicine Mountain" in Deqin Tibetan. It's named for its abundance of precious medicinal herbs. It's one of the four sacred mountains of Tibetan Buddhism, along with Mount Kailash, Mount Amnye Machen in Qinghai, and Mount Gaduo Jowo in Qinghai.

Upon entering the hotel, you're greeted by vibrant colors and the vibrant Tibetan atmosphere. Traditional Tibetan interior design, bronze Buddha statues, thangkas, lacquerware... it resembles a Tibetan art museum.

In recent years, Songtsam Lodge, nestled on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as the "Third Pole of the Earth," has pioneered a "private customization" model where travel concierges provide a seamless experience. This model, which allows more travelers to experience the most beautiful scenery of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, has garnered worldwide acclaim and been hailed as a new miracle in the hotel industry.

Fortunately, a hotel brand has spent twenty years building one fairy-tale residence after another at the foot of the snow-capped mountains in order to connect China's most beautiful scenery. It is Songtsam Resort Hotel Group, founded by Tibetan Baimaduoji. It is the first Tibetan resort boutique hotel group in China with Tibetan culture as its feature, covering hotels, travel, charity and cultural communication. In his book, "The Hidden Door," Bai Ma says he doesn't run a hotel, "I build a home for my guests." Songtsan Hotel is a "home away from home" for many guests, offering an atmosphere many people can't experience in the city and a taste of home that many people only recall from their childhood.

To provide guests with a perfect view of the snow-capped mountains opposite, the hotel has also built a viewing terrace, overlooking the mysterious and beautiful Meili Snow Mountain in the distance.

Shangri-La's Secret Hotel, with its Tibetan-style décor, meticulously chosen location, and idyllic surroundings, makes Shangri-La even more enchanting. Perhaps this is my ultimate dream travel destination. So, on January 11, 2022, after a long journey through mountains and hills, I finally settled into this "home" built specifically for travelers. Of course, it's a pricey one! The nightly rate is around 1,500 yuan.

He Xueqin (Naxi), the person in charge of Songtsam Meili Hotel, said: "The pilgrimage to Meili Snow Mountain has gone through thousands of years. In the past, the journey was tiring and there was no good food and accommodation. Since the opening of Songtsam Meili Hotel, it has rewritten the history of Yubeng without high-quality accommodation. This time, you can drive to Meilin Snow Mountain and enjoy the exclusive Songtsam Hotel throughout the journey. The spiritual core of the pilgrimage remains unchanged. Not only can you experience the hardships of hiking to the Yubeng Divine Waterfall and Ninon Canyon, but you can also enjoy the light luxury quality brought by Songtsam Hotel.

Songtsam Resorts is a resort group with a unique spiritual essence. Founded in Tibet, Songtsam Resorts has been operating for 21 years, nestled in natural, secluded, and transcendent locations. Embracing "the pursuit of inner freedom and tranquility in Shambhala" as its core value and vision, the group continuously explores and preserves the essence of Tibetan culture, creating a "home away from home" for those who yearn to transcend limitations, expand space, and achieve freedom.

Peima Dorje allows visitors from home and abroad to truly immerse themselves in the essence of Tibetan culture and opens a "secret door" to the legendary secret realm of Shambhala.

Songtsam Resort & Spa offers a total of 11 hotels across two series: seven boutique hotels in the Mountain Residence series and four resort hotels in the Linka series. Together with the exceptionally service-oriented Songtsam butlers and its own fleet, they form the "One Ring and One Line" – the Songtsam Shangri-La Loop and the Songtsam New Yunnan-Tibet Route.

Songtsam Meili Mountain Residence is nestled against the mountainside. Its stone-built Tibetan-style watchtowers are a local architectural feature, hand-built using the most primitive stones. Half nestled against the mountainside, they create a harmonious and natural atmosphere. The interior is decorated entirely in logs, and most of the building and decorative materials are sourced from nature.

Baimaduoji realized that simply running a boutique hotel wouldn't be enough to connect the beautiful scenery of the various mountain villages in Shangri-La. It would be better to develop tourism throughout the Tibetan region by creating a circular route through the hotel. Starting from Shangri-La and connecting to destinations such as Tacheng, Cizhong, Meili, and Benzilan, this is the first Songtsam boutique loop route: the Songtsam Shangri-La Loop, which the hotel's founder, Baima Dorje, spent 18 years creating.

What kind of magical figure is Baima Dorje? Having worked at CCTV for eleven years, most of the time he was making films about Tibet. Baimaduoji knows the most beautiful places in his hometown with his eyes closed. He shoots day after day, takes countless shots, and sets up the camera countless times. He knows where the most beautiful place is here.

Why was Songtsam Meili Hotel located here? In fact, when we drove here, we kept complaining about this "windy" path. Songtsam Meili Resort is located on a mountain at an altitude of 3,600 meters, in a small Tibetan village with only 5 households, facing Kawagebo.

Dinner was served at the Tibetan restaurant, which had a great view from the windows. The restaurant mainly served Yunnan-Tibet cuisine. The hotel staff were all locals, friendly and helpful. In their free time, they would share interesting stories about local customs and culture, which made the trip even more interesting. Many mainland tourists may not be used to Tibetan food, but dishes rich in Tibetan ingredients are a must-try!