Yunnan is for lovers [of trekking]

For those of you who aren't all that impressed with Yunnan's bevy of commercialized Old Towns, I highly recommend this itinerary. May '08, the Old Man and I decided to do a tour of this beautiful province mostly by foot, and the sore muscles were well worth it.

Click the links for more information and pictures on the respective destinations. Also, all prices were from my experience in May '08 and are surely subject to change.

• Fly into Kunming, Yunnan's capital, and enjoy a couple of relaxing days at the Hump Hostel. It's centrally located with cheap private rooms, clean facilities, and a rooftop terrace overlooking the main square. (120Y for private double/triple)
• From there, somehow get yourself to Lijiang. Most people take a bus to Dali first, but from my understanding, it's just one big commercialized Old Town. It used to be a hub for artists and musicians, but no more! I'd recommend skipping it. WARNING: Taking the overnight bus is beyond uncomfortable but also a fraction of the cost of flying. Your choice.
• There are a couple of sights in Lijiang. You can join a tour group and visit Yulong Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain), but it's really just for sightseeing and not so much for active trekking. You can also visit Lugu Hu (Lugu Lake), but in the wise words of Doris when asked how Lake Titicaca was, "Seen a lake?" The primary reason to visit Lugu Lake is to get a taste of the Mosuo matriarchical society who resides there.
• In Lijiang, grab a bus to Qiaotou at the head of Houtiao Xia (Tiger Leaping Gorge). You can either do the two day trek in Houtiao Xia to Haba Village or you can just hop on a bus/hitchhike/hire a private ride to the village. (The Old Man and I skipped out on hiking Houtiao Xia due to time constraints, but it turns out there's a better hike to do anyway).
• Once in Haba Village, I recommend staying at the popular hiker's retreat, Haba Snow Mountain Inn (Y20 for dorm, Y100 for private room and bath). At the Inn, you can also prepare yourself for ONE FREAKING AMAZING CLIMB to the top of Haba Xue Shan (5,396m). Hire a guide (Y100/day), donkey (Y150/day), rent crampons, ice axes, tents, and sleeping bags for the 2 day climb up to the summit.
• Once done with your amazing time at Haba, take the morning bus (8am) out of Haba Village to Zhongdian/Shangrila/Xiangelila. Enjoy the sightseeing along this ride--it's gorgeous! You can even see the popular tourist destination, Baishuitai (limestone terraces), from the window of the bus.
• In Shangrila, you can find a million hostels and inns in Old Town. We stayed at the first one we saw called the God of Wealth Inn (Y100 for private double). It's a lovely place with rooms surrounding a cute courtyard, private bathrooms, free internet, and it's very cheap--much cheaper than the popular ex-pat places found on hostel booking sites. Recommended, but get a room on the second floor.
• There is quite a bit to do around Shangrila. I much preferred Shangrila's comparatively uncommercialized Old Town to that of Lijiang's. Take the #3 bus for Y1 to get to Songzanling Monastery at the outskirts of town. Hire a taxi (Y50) to take you to the fields where yaks and cattle graze on flat plains with a backdrop of snow mountains. Walk around Old Town and join in on the nightly dancing in the Old Town Square.
• From Shangrila, take the bus to Deqin. While it's only 100km away, the mountain roads make this a 5hr bus ride. There isn't much to do in Deqin but from there, take a short chartered ride (Y30) to Feilai for a sight of Meili Xue Shan (6,740m).
• People go to Felai for the sole purpose of getting a glimpse of Meili at sunrise, without clouds. Meili is considered a mystical mountain and due to weather patterns in the area, it's rare to be able to see this mountain range in its full glory, unobstructed by clouds. Climbing the mountain is forbidden due to one particularly nasty tragedy in 1991, but many religious Tibetans annually circle the mountain (15-20days) for spiritual reasons. You can likewise partake in the trek but there's also a shorter version, which we did.
• From Felai, grab a chartered ride to Xidang Village (Y130). Here you can hire a guide and/or donkey to get you to Upper or Lower Yubeng Village. The only way to get to Yubeng is by foot/donkey and requires climbing 1,100m to get over a mountain pass.
• In Yubeng (either Upper or Lower; they're about 40min away from each other by foot), you can trek to the base camp of Meili's summit, visit Glacier Lake, see some little tiny waterfalls (sacred for spiritual reasons). All three things require a guide (Y100/day). If you're fast, you can probably visit two of those destinations in one day.
• While most people return to Xidang by going the way they came, a much better alternate route takes you to Ninong Village. Again, any guide will be able to lead the way. This 30km hike is mostly downhill (phew) and it's absolutely amazing. The trek takes you along the Yubeng River Gorge, which we were told is infinitely more beautiful than Tiger Leaping Gorge. This trek is definitely not for those who are afraid of heights. Scary stuff up there.
• 30km later, you're back in Xidang where you can grab a chartered ride back to Felai... and eventually, back home!

All right. So there's my highly recommended itinerary for trekkers! You can't find it in Lonely Planet, that's for sure! It helps to be able to speak a little bit of Chinese to do it all as no one speaks English in northern Yunnan... and frankly, most don't even speak mandarin. Feel free to email me with any questions!