Jade Snow Mountain Lijiang
You can take in stunning natural landscapes all at once, including snow-covered terrain, glaciers, alpine meadows, and pristine forests.
Jade Snow Mountain Lijiang (丽江玉龙雪山) is capped with snow all year and peaks at 18,360 feet. The area is predominantly home to the Naxi people who revere it as a sacred mountain. From the ancient town of Lijiang, you can see the mountain standing tall and silent, a steadfast guardian to generations of Naxi living below. At Jade Snow Mountain Lijiang, you can climb thousands of meters to its summit, marvel at pristine blue lakes, feed yaks up close, and wander through vast spruce meadows. It’s a chance to immerse yourself in untouched nature.
Table of Contents
Highlights of Jade Snow Mountain Lijiang
Golden Mountain at Sunrise
When the first ray of sunshine in the morning overturns and falls on the snow peak, a stunning golden light can be seen falling from the sky, illuminating the top of the snow mountain. The warm color of the rosy glow replaces the original cold color of the snow mountain, and in an instant, the snow mountain seems to have life. It can only be seen at specific times and places, usually occurring in the early morning or evening.
Glacier Park
Glacier Park, the area where the main peak of Jade Snow Mountain Lijiang, is almost a must visit for visitors to Lijiang Dragon Snow Mountain. There is a large cableway leading to the mountain, and then climbing the plank road can reach the top of the mountain. On one side of the Glacier Park is a cliff, where a viewing platform has been built, allowing visitors to admire the continuous peaks of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
Spruce Meadow
At the foot of Lijiang Dragon Snow Mountain, there is a small emerald grassland, which the Naxi people call Spruce Meadow. As the name suggests, this is where spruce grows. In fact, there are no spruce trees on the small grassland, but the grassland is surrounded by primitive spruce forests. Each spruce tree is straight and tall, up to 20 to 30 meters high, and so thick that it takes two or three people to hug it.
Yak Meadow
Yak Meadow is located in the north of Jade Snow Mountain Lijiang, surrounded by dense primeval forests, like a natural oxygen bar, where all troubles can be dissipated. It is a typical alpine meadow, snowy scenery, and primeval forest. It is also a meadow pasture for nearby villagers and the best place to appreciate the thirteen peaks of Lijiang Dragon Snow Mountain.
Blue Moon Valley
The beautiful scenery of Blue Moon Valley attracts many tourists all year round. In Blue Moon Valley, the majestic Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is looming in the clouds, and the blue lake is very suitable for taking photos. Every tourist can’t wait to take a group photo here, and many newlyweds also choose to take wedding photos here.
Gan Haizi
Ganhaizi is an open meadow east of Jade Snow Mountain Lijiang, about 2,900 meters above sea level. It gives people a sense of openness and spaciousness. Ganhaizi meadow is a large natural pasture, where flowers bloom and grass sprouts every spring. Tibetan, Yi and Naxi herdsmen living in the mountain streams and valleys near Ganhaizi all bring their felt tents, ride on tall horses, and drive yaks, sheep and cattle to graze on the meadow.
Yuhu Village
Yuhu Village is an ancient village at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Lijiang. In 1922, Rock from the National Geographic Expedition visited Yuhu Village for the first time. The beautiful snow-capped mountains, colorful meadows, clear Yuhu Lake and rich Naxi culture attracted Rock to stay here for 27 years.
Yaks
When walking in Yak Meadow and Spruce Meadow, you will accidentally encounter a large group of white yaks walking. It is a special experience to take a photo with the most special and common animals on the plateau.
Oxygen Bottle
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is at a high altitude, and many people may worry about lack of oxygen, so just prepare a tank of oxygen in advance. Here is a reminder that you don’t need to prepare too many oxygen cylinders, one is enough. Some tour guides will deliberately exaggerate the severity of lack of oxygen and altitude sickness on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in order to get you to buy their oxygen cylinders. In fact, it is not.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain's Three Cableways
Big Cable Car (Glacier Park Cable Car)
The starting point of the cableway is located in Ganhaizi. It is the only cableway that can reach the top of Yulong Snow Mountain and the second highest cableway in the world. Take the cable car and slowly ascend, passing dense primeval forests and gradually sparse bushes along the way. Suddenly, the view in front of you opens up, and a world covered in silver appears before your eyes – this is the Glacier Park.
Middle Cable Car (Yak Meadow Cable Car)
The end point of the middle cableway is Yak Meadow, a large lawn on the other side of Jade Snow Mountain Lijiang. It is 1.2 kilometers long and is a double-sling type, reaching an altitude of 3,500 meters. It takes 20 minutes one way and you can get a close look at the snow-capped mountains.
Small Cable Car (Spruce Meadow Cable Car)
The end point of the small cableway is Spruce Meadow, located at the eastern foot of Lijiang Yulong Snow Mountain and halfway up the mountain. It is 1 kilometer long and reaches an altitude of 3,000 meters. It only takes 10 minutes one way. After arriving at Spruce Meadow, you can take a panoramic view of Lijiang to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
Hiking Up Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
After taking the cableway to Glacier Park, you can hike on the wooden boardwalk to the mountaintop. On both sides of the boardwalk, thick snow is piled up on the mountains, and the cold wind from the mountaintop carries a cold breath. Due to the high altitude, some tourists may experience altitude sickness when hiking along the wooden boardwalk on Jade Snow Mountain Lijiang. They need to carry oxygen cylinders at all times, otherwise they may faint at any time.
Lijiang Impressions Show
The actors who participated in “Impression Lijiang” are almost all young men and women of ethnic minorities who were born and raised in the area. Most of them are ordinary farmers and herdsmen, about 500 people. Living on the plateau for a long time has made their skin dark. They are not professional actors, but they dance in the embrace of the snow-capped mountains with the simplest voices and the most natural movements. Accompanied by the snow-capped mountains and blue sky, with the majestic Lijiang Yulong Snow Mountain scenery behind them, they use the most impactful singing to penetrate the hearts of the audience.
Accommodation near Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Many hotels around Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Lijiang have mountain view balconies facing the 13 peaks of Yulong Snow Mountain. You can overlook the beautiful scenery without any obstruction at 180 degrees. The rooms are decorated with many unique elements of the Naxi ethnic group. The fusion of modern luxury and simple elegance complements each other, interpreting the aesthetics of oriental artistic conception. You can enjoy the delicious food in the restaurant at noon and in the evening. It is very nice to have a signature yak hot pot, cross-bridge rice noodles, or sour soup pig’s trotters facing the snow-capped mountains.
FAQ About Lijiang Yulong Snow Mountain
1. Where does the water in the Blue Moon Valley come from?
The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is covered with snow all year round, and the snow on the mountain melts and flows down to the foot of the mountain. After the erosion of time, the current Blue Moon Valley was finally formed. A lot of limestone fragments are deposited in the lake, and the clear lake water makes these gray-white stones clearly visible.
2. What Chinese ethnic groups are there in Yulong Snow Mountain?
Snow Mountain Lijiang is not only blessed with unique natural resources, but also has a colorful minority culture. There are more than 10 Chinese ethnic groups around it, including Han, Naxi, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Bai, Lisu, Pumi, Lahu, Hani, etc.
3. Is it suitable for children to climb Lijiang Dragon Snow Mountain?
Lijiang Yulong Snow Mountain is at a high altitude. Children and the elderly are generally not recommended to go there because they are prone to altitude sickness and cannot stand it. For children, it depends on their physical condition. If they are in good physical condition, there should be no problem. Children often go up Lijiang to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, but please pay attention to the cold weather when you go up, because the temperature will be a bit low at an altitude of more than 5,000 meters. Also, do not do strenuous exercise. Running at high altitudes will make you panting.
Hours & Fees
Hours
Open daily from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
Best Time
September to March of the following year.
Fees
Entrance Fee: 100 CNY per person (approx. 14 USD)
Glacier Park Cable Car: 140 CNY per person (approx. 20 USD)
Oxygen Bottle: 20 CNY per bottle (approx. 3 USD)
How Do Local Visitors Rate the Jade Snow Mountain Lijiang?
Translation:
The day before heading to Lijiang Dragon Snow Mountain, make sure to get plenty of rest. And trust me, an oxygen mask is absolutely necessary! We left around 4 AM by bus, and off we went. As we started climbing, my ears began to feel a little uncomfortable. The cable car takes you up to 4,506 meters. The scenery is truly breathtaking—way more stunning than in photos, really majestic. But after a while, I started feeling the altitude, and that’s when the oxygen came in handy. Just a few deep breaths, and I was able to take a few more steps. Finally, we reached 4,591 meters, which was my limit, so I started heading back down slowly. Afterward, we visited Blue Moon Lake, and let me tell you, I’ve never seen water so blue in my life—absolutely gorgeous. Every photo there could be a wallpaper for your phone!
Translation:
If you’re on a tight schedule and only have one day to explore, you’ll have to choose between Spruce Meadow and Yak Meadow. If the weather’s clear, I’d strongly recommend choosing Yak Meadow. It’s less crowded in the morning and wide open, offering the perfect backdrop where every photo you take could be considered a cinematic masterpiece. When hiking, make sure to bundle up—especially since the summit is at 4,680 meters. The cable car can be a bit shaky, and if you start feeling uncomfortable, it’s a good idea to use the oxygen mask right away. Taking some time to rest after that can help ease altitude sickness. Overall, apart from feeling a bit sleepy, I didn’t experience any major issues during the trip.
Translation:
Make sure to get plenty of rest the day before your trip to Jade Snow Mountain, and trust me, the oxygen mask is a must! We left around 4 AM by bus, and off we went. As we started climbing, my ears began to feel a bit uncomfortable. The cable car takes you up to 4,506 meters. The view is absolutely stunning—much more beautiful in person than in photos, truly spectacular. But after a short walk, I started feeling the altitude, and that’s when the oxygen came in handy. Just a few deep breaths, and I was able to take a few more steps. Eventually, we reached 4,591 meters, which was my limit, so I started heading down slowly. Afterward, we visited Blue Moon Lake, and I’ve never seen a lake so blue in my life—absolutely gorgeous. Every photo there could easily be a phone wallpaper!
