Yubeng: It's a shame to go, but it's also a shame not to go... See you later

Number of days：3 days
Time: July
Average cost: 1100 yuan
With whom: couple
Updated: 2022.07.24

Because I looked up a lot of guides before going, which were quite complicated, I wanted to write down my experience and give some feedback. Those who look up should pay attention to the timeliness of my guide. After all, things change too fast. The time in the village where "asked what era it is, they don't even know about the Han Dynasty, let alone the Wei and Jin Dynasties" no longer exists.

Time: July 11-13, 2022

Weather: It was basically completely overcast in the morning, and some moisture began to dissipate around noon. It was cloudy in the afternoon, and the snow-capped mountains could occasionally be seen through the clouds in the evening. It was very sunny. There was rain at night.

Clothing: It will be cool before 8 am and after 8 pm, so you need to wear a layer of clothes. The rest of the year is summer, especially at midday and during the long afternoons. Getting sunburned is like being grilled like a skewers, but the shade is still nice. Accommodation: One night at Feilai Temple, and one to two nights in either Upper or Lower Yubeng Village. There are plenty of B&Bs, if you're not picky. However, booking on the day of peak season can be tricky, so booking a day in advance is recommended. Even the most popular online B&Bs are hard to find. Whether to stay in Upper or Lower Village depends on your itinerary (previous guides compared accommodation and dining options in Upper and Lower Villages, but I've noticed they're both equally well-stocked now, with food and accommodation options available. The main difference between Upper and Lower Villages lies in the scenery and itinerary). Stay in Lower Village for Shenpu Waterfall and in Upper Village for Binghu Lake. When looking for B&Bs, be sure to check the exact address (some may say they're a few hundred meters from Lower Village, but they might actually be in Upper Village. Don't underestimate the distance; an hour's hike up the mountain will tire you out). Upper and Lower Villages are not far apart and visible from each other, but getting down is easier than getting back up—about an hour's walk).

My itinerary:

Day 1: At 8:30 AM on July 11th, I took a bus from Shangri-La Bus Station to Feilai Temple. Before the final stop at Feilai Temple, the bus would stop in Deqin County. The driver would ask if you were going to Yubeng. If so, you should get off in Deqin and take their passenger bus to Xidang. The buses that got on at Feilai Temple were all illegally operated. However, the bus service was limited and we would have to wait several hours, so I didn't listen to the driver. (Of course, I still left the driver's phone number so that if we couldn't find a bus at Feilai Temple, we could return to Deqin and take a bus. I later gave this number to a passerby who helped him find a bus from Feilai Temple to Deqin. Since from this place, if you don't drive and haven't booked a bus to Feilai Temple in advance, you must go to Deqin County to catch a bus. Ticket booking official account: Diqing Transportation.) We arrived at Feilai Temple at noon and had a simple bowl of noodles. We left our large luggage at the inn (a suitcase wouldn't be convenient to bring into Yubeng, so we only had a backpack). We tried to ask the innkeeper to find us a shared ride to Xidang, but he said that most shared rides had left in the morning and there wouldn't be any available for lunch. A shared ride cost about 25-30 yuan per person, so we hired a car for 150 yuan. The ride took less than 1.5 hours (we were too lazy to return to Deqin to take the bus, which would have taken several hours). If you are driving from a distance, it is recommended to stay at Feilai Temple for one night, watch the sunrise the next day, and then go to Xidang and Yubeng. If you drive overnight, arrive at Feilai Temple early in the morning, watch the sunrise, and then go directly into the mountains.

There is a viewpoint on the way (a very obvious open space). If the weather permits, you can stop and enjoy the view if you drive by or charter a car. We passed by it twice and saw people singing live to the snow-capped mountains. There was also a one-legged man selling coffee from a coffee cart. We bought a latte for 25r~

Feilai Temple - Xidang Viewing Platform

Feilai Temple - Xidang Observation Deck

A coffee cart and the one-legged hero at the Feilai Temple - Xidang Observation Deck

Near Xidang, there's a toll booth collecting a 55 yuan mountain entrance ticket. After purchasing your ticket, drive a short distance further to the Xidang parking lot. Self-driving vehicles are restricted to this point and cannot go further (our chartered vehicle also stopped here). From here, you can either hike over a mountain (reportedly 18 kilometers) to Yubeng Village or take one of the scenic area's off-road vehicles.

The off-road vehicle ticket office clearly displays prices: 200 yuan per person to Upper Yubeng Village and 260 yuan per person to Lower Yubeng Village. The seven-seater SUV was shabby and crowded, and the mountain road was rugged, bumpy, steep, narrow, and dusty... It was a real bummer, but the ride was a truly thrilling experience. The ride took about 40 minutes. Along the way, I met many people circumambulating the mountain on foot, and I truly admire them. But if ten years ago, everyone heading to Yubeng had to circumambulate the mountain together, with no cars available, it would have been much easier. Now, they often have to stop to wait for the SUVs to roar past them, then swallow the clouds of dust they kick up. Alas. Because the bus stops at Shangyubeng before continuing to Xiayubeng, and the route from Shangyubeng to Xiayubeng is downhill, I personally recommend that if you're staying in Xiayubeng that night, don't have much luggage, and have enough time, you take the bus to Shangyubeng, gaze at the snow-capped mountains and overlook the lower village from the observation deck, pass through Shangyubeng, and then hike to Xiayubeng, which also allows for great views. This takes about an hour. The two villages appear close, but one is uphill and the other downhill, so the hike from up is easy, but the reverse is painful. We cracked sunflower seeds along the way and met several brave people making their way up.

The viewing platform at the off-road vehicle stop in Shang Yubeng Village

Hiking from Shang Yubeng Village to Xia Yubeng Village

On the way from Shangyubeng Village to Xiayubeng Village

On the hike from Shangyubeng Village to Xiayubeng Village

As we were approaching Xiayubeng Village, we came across a lovely coffee shop called Shanye. We ordered a cup of Dirty42m and posed for a while before continuing on our way.

On the hike from Shangyubeng Village to Xiayubeng Village, we found a coffee shop

In the evening, we arrived at our inn in Xiayubeng, Shenpu Inn.

Xia Yubeng Village Entrance Facing the Snow Mountain, Shenpu Inn

It’s still a few hours before sunset, so let’s have fun on the meadow at the village entrance:

Xia Yubeng Village Entrance

The entrance to Xiayubeng Village, behind which is the mountain pass leading to the Divine Waterfall

The entrance to Xiayubeng Village

In the courtyard of Shenpu Inn

At sunset, the cows walked home by themselves without being called by their owners:

The cows can go home by themselves

I was very hungry after a day and wanted to eat three bowls of rice in the evening. There was a relatively stylish restaurant about ten meters away from the inn. They served three dishes with unlimited rice. The price was not expensive. I was so satisfied. I even brought some instant noodles with me, but I didn’t need them at all.

You can see the snow-capped mountains from the restaurant window.

That night, there were no stars to be seen. The rain was pouring down, and the prayer wheels were making a "squeaky" sound...

The next day:

I woke up early in the morning, only five o'clock. I had never woken up so early before and couldn't fall back asleep. The sky was just getting light. It was still foggy until sunrise.

The snow-capped mountains were completely invisible in the early morning, and the clouds were so low.

There was no porridge at the inn, so we went to the stylish restaurant we had last night. There was porridge, fried dough sticks and eggs, and we ate well before setting off. It was still quite chilly at 8am, so I bundled up for breakfast. I encountered some cows grazing:

Xia Yubeng Village

The hike to Shenpu Waterfall is 5.4km one way. Some say it takes 4-5 hours round trip, but for a beginner like me, hiking and climbing at the same time, it would take at least 6 hours. It was already past 9am when we set out and we made it back to the inn at 3pm. The first two-thirds of the hike was a relatively flat, gently climbing slope, passing rivers, Mani piles, enormous trees, and tiny squirrels... We climbed a densely forested hill, sometimes avoiding the paved road and taking a shortcut. But the last third brought us right up to the Divine Waterfall. Seeing it right there, I had to climb endless steps under the scorching sun. I wanted to give up a hundred times, then I felt reluctant a hundred times. I collapsed every 50 steps, only to get closer. There were donkey and horse rides available; I didn't ask, but I heard it was 200 yuan. I had no idea how far we went. Some people turned back at the steps, while others rode up. We smelled tons of donkey and horse manure along the way... No wonder they say this is the easiest hike; I actually made it!

As soon as we entered the mountain, we saw horses grazing leisurely everywhere.

Avoid paved roads and find a hiking feel.

There are snow-capped mountains and gurgling water at the foot of the mountain.

The huge rocky beach is covered with Mani piles.

This tree is really big

I don't know who sacrificed a sheep's head here

Saw the sacred waterfall, but still need to walk for an hour

Finally arrived!

However, I recommend staying in Xia Yubeng Village on the day you hike to Shen Waterfall. Otherwise, after exiting Shen Waterfall, you'll need to pass through Xia Yubeng and then climb to Shang Yubeng for accommodation, which I think is quite a hassle. Of course, there are motorbike shuttles between Upper and Lower Yubeng. If you have the money, you can get anything you want.

The entire 10.8-kilometer hike took me 4.5 hours to get up and 1.5 hours to get down. If you're not in a hurry, I recommend taking it slow and conserving your energy. Getting to Yubeng isn't easy, so stay for two days and then visit the most beautiful glacial lake. But I was pressed for time and had to leave Yubeng that day.

I returned to the inn, picked up my luggage, had a bowl of noodles, and drank coffee (I always drink coffee to stay alive no matter how tight the time is). In the courtyard of the Shenpu Inn, right at the entrance to the village, there's a "Shenpu Coffee Shop." Their dirt is called lava, and it's 45 meters high. A gulp of it is a toast to the invisible snow-capped mountains, the mighty Shenpu, and myself for being awesome:

We arrived at the off-road vehicle boarding point for Xiayubeng Village around 4:30. The return off-road vehicle ticket was a few dozen yuan cheaper than the one into the village, so the trip from Xiayu Village to Xidang cost 200 yuan per person. We arrived at the Xidang parking lot about 40 minutes later. In the evening, there were many people waiting to pick up passengers for rides. After a brief wait of about ten to twenty minutes, we finally found a ride for five people. The trip was to Feilai Temple or Deqin, with fares of 30-40 yuan per person. A little over an hour later, we arrived at Feilai Temple. Since we had already booked an inn and stored our luggage there, we got off the bus directly there. After a short rest, we went to the highly-reviewed "Meili Specialty Hot Pot Restaurant" for a yak hotpot. It was the first time I'd ever had hotpot with so much mint, and it was incredibly fragrant. The goji berries were also incredibly sweet. We enjoyed butter tea and barley cakes. After the heavy meal, I felt bloated and uncomfortable. It dawned on me that after such a strenuous day, coupled with the high altitude of Feilai Temple, I needed to be mindful of my diet!

Meili Specialty Hot Pot Restaurant Yak Hot Pot

The homestay we booked at Feilai Temple was: Deqin Photographer's Home Inn. They had three snow mountain view rooms on the 4th floor, with large floor-to-ceiling windows facing Kawagebo. (The next morning, we saw others waiting for the sunrise on the rooftop in their clothes, while we could just lie in bed. It felt great.) I booked after checking out the rooms at Feilai Temple. There was one room available, and the price was not expensive at the time, 200 yuan, and you could book directly with the owner. But recently, I noticed that the prices on the app have increased, which seems to indicate that the peak season is even busier. The downside is that the road leading to the hotel entrance is quite steep, traffic is severe for those driving, and the view room is on the fourth floor, with no elevator. Of course, the staff were very helpful, carrying my suitcase up to the fourth floor in one go, while I had to walk down the first floor, catching my breath. Of course, the most unfortunate thing wasn't these things, but the fact that even with such a nice room, the sun never showed up. Not even the sun shining on the golden mountain, nor the clouds.

When I went to bed at night, I saw Kawagebo shrouded in clouds.

In the early morning, those people were waiting on the rooftop for the impossible sunrise on the Golden Mountain, and I was watching them in the room.

Day 3

I didn’t see the sunrise on the Golden Mountain. I slept until noon, checked out, and went to the first floor of the famous "Meili Past" Inn to have coffee, waiting for our customized car to pick us up back to Shangri-La. Fortunately, while we were drinking coffee, the inn played the documentary "The 1991 Mount Kawagebo Disaster," which gave us a better understanding of the mountain. Although we didn't see the Golden Mountain in the Rising Sun, and although we had many regrets, it seemed that it didn't matter.

For the many climbing teams that wanted to conquer it, for the devout yet angry Tibetans below the mountain, for the bodies buried under the glacier, for the countless villages, livestock, giant trees, and families of the deceased buried by the avalanche... For the tourists who just wanted to see the Golden Mountain in the Rising Sun and pray for good luck, for the devout believers who came to worship step by step, eager to be baptized and redeemed... Regret, no matter what, cannot be erased.

The past is gone with the wind

As long as there is tomorrow

Everything can be expected in the future