[2025 Shangri-La Attraction] Travel Guide for Laoyao Mountain (Updated May)

The charm of Laoyaoshan lies in its untamed wilderness, untouched by overdevelopment. Here, there are no orderly scenic boardwalks, but winding paths trodden by yaks; no bustling spots for social media check-ins, only the rustling sound of wind sweeping through rhododendron bushes. If you choose to set foot on the mountain trail on a May morning, remember to hold your breath when the first ray of sunlight dyes the snow-capped peaks red: that moment of awe will redefine your understanding of the word "hidden paradise." 📍Location: Laoyaoshan is located in Lianhe Village, Xiaozhongdian Town, Shangri-La City, part of the southern extension of the Haba Snow Mountain range. The main peak stands at 4,200 meters above sea level, about 100 kilometers from downtown Shangri-La. 🏔️Scenic Features: Alpine meadows, pristine fir forests, rhododendron seas in May-June (mainly yellow cup rhododendrons and purple jade plate rhododendrons), sea of clouds viewing platform, Tibetan plateau pastures. 🎫Entry Management: Registration is required before entering the mountain. Local villagers charge a fee of 💰40 RMB per person. 【🚶🏻‍♂️Hiking Routes】 ✔️Classic Laoyaoshan South Slope Loop: A single-day small loop route, approximately 6 kilometers in total, elevation range: 3,300m-3,650m, total elevation gain about 350 meters, requires some experience in high-altitude hiking. ⛅️Best Season: Mid-May to late June, peak rhododendron bloom, lush green meadows. Late September to mid-October, autumn colors paint the forests. ✔️Segmented Route: Starting from Shangri-La Yunji Luxury Wild Guesthouse. 1⃣ First segment from Lianhe Village → No.1 Pasture (3km, 1.5 hours) elevation gain from 3,150m to 3,450m, all on gravel and dirt roads, passing through pristine fir forests. 2⃣ Second segment from No.1 Pasture → Rhododendron Sea Pass (4km, 2.5 hours) elevation gain from 3,450m to 3,950m, steep gravel slopes plus alpine meadows. In May-June, the flower sea blankets the hillside. Trekking poles are recommended. 3⃣ Third segment from Rhododendron Pass → Laoyaoshan Main Peak (2km, 1.5 hours) elevation gain from 3,950m to 4,200m, terrain consists of exposed rock faces and weathered gravel, requiring use of hands and feet (anti-slip gloves recommended). From the main peak, you can look east to Haba Snow Mountain and west down to Pudacuo Valley. 4⃣ Fourth segment from Main Peak → Sea of Clouds Camp → Lianhe Village (6km, 3 hours) terrain is gentle sloping meadows and forest descent paths. Sea of Clouds Camp (elevation 3,800m) is available for camping (reservation required). 【🚗Transportation】 🚙 From Shangri-La City to Laoyaoshan hiking start point, Shangri-La Yunji Luxury Wild Guesthouse, about 2 hours. The first part is on National Highway 214, the latter part after exiting the highway is a cement mountain road with many bends, narrow and steep slopes. Drive cautiously; not recommended for beginners. 🅿️ Parking: Free parking at Shangri-La Yunji Luxury Wild Guesthouse parking lot. 【🎒Gear】 🚩 Waterproof hiking boots, windproof jacket and pants, trekking poles, headlamp, insulated water bottle, sunscreen (SPF50+), sunglasses. Glucose powder, ibuprofen (for headache relief). 📷 Photography Tips: 70-200mm telephoto lens (to capture distant snow mountains). 【🌧️Weather Warning】 During the rainy season, afternoon thunderstorms are common. Be sure to pass the pass area above 4,000 meters before 13:00. 【Nearby Route References】 Multi-day deep exploration: D1: Shangri-La → Laoyaoshan Shangri-La Yunji Luxury Wild Guesthouse D2: Laoyaoshan Main Peak → Pudacuo Bitahai Lake (hiking crossing requires a guide) D3: Pudacuo → Songzanlin Monastery

Laoyaoshan Day Tour departs every day|||Laoyaoshan, the back garden of Shangri-La, departs every day. Depart from Shangri-La and return, about 2.5 hours one way. The starting point of the hike is about 3,200 meters above sea level, and the highest altitude is about 3,800 meters. Haba Snow Mountain is on the left and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is on the right. There is grassland. Primitive forest and niche attractions with few people, a paradise on earth, depart at 8:30 every morning. Arrive at around 10:30 and return at around 3:00 pm. Return to Dukezong Ancient Town in Shangri-La at around 5:30. Both the elderly and children can go. As long as it is not high imitation. As long as you have legs. The mountain road is winding. Wish you a pleasant journey and have fun. Tashi Delek! Laoyaoshan

🚗 Transportation: Self-driving is recommended. Use a navigation app for directions. 🏨 Accommodation: 1. You can stay in nearby towns or villages, where there are some simple homestays and inns. 2. Bringing your own tent for camping is also a good choice, but be sure to choose a safe and suitable location. 🌟 Attractions: 1. Rich vegetation: Laoyaoshan has a variety of plant resources, making it a paradise for plant lovers. 2. Mountains and canyons: Enjoy the magnificent natural scenery and marvel at the wonders of nature. 💡 Things to do: 1. Hiking: Walk along the mountain road, breathe in the fresh air, and enjoy the scenery along the way. 2. Observe flora and fauna: Bring binoculars and a camera to capture precious moments. 🍱 Food recommendations: 1. Local farmhouse dishes: Taste fresh vegetables and authentic farmhouse flavors. 2. Specialty mountain products: Such as wild mushrooms, but make sure you can identify them correctly. 💡 Reminders: 1. The terrain of Laoyaoshan is complex, so plan your route in advance to avoid getting lost. 2. The temperature on the mountain varies greatly, so bring enough warm clothing. 3. Respect nature, do not damage the environment, and do not pick protected plants.

This route is not very high in altitude, with an average altitude of over 3,000 and a maximum altitude of 3,700. It is safer and very friendly to novices. The overall difficulty is not high, but you can see Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Haba Snow Mountain, Laoyao Mountain, Tiger Leaping Gorge and Jinsha River Grand Canyon. The scenery is amazing! Now you can see the golden mountain in the sun every day! 📍Starting point of the hike: Manxing Island Snow Sea Forest 【Hiking route】 There are two hiking routes, C1 and C2, which are divided into 2 days and you can stay in the camp for one night. 👉 Route C1: Start from the campsite ➡️End at Yanzi Cliff 🉑️A close look at the 13 peaks of Yulong Snow Mountain and the vertical drop of the Jinsha River in Tiger Leaping Gorge —————————— Hiking distance: 6-8 km (including taking photos along the way) Duration: 5-6 hours Climbing: 300 meters 👉 Route C2: Start from the campsite ➡️End at Habaxi Slope and Baicao Slope 🉑️See Laoyao Mountain, Haba Snow Mountain, and travel through the primeval forest —————————— Hiking distance: 13-15 km (including taking photos along the way) Duration: 7-8 hours Climb: 400m ⚠️It is recommended to hike C2 on the first day and C1 on the second day C2 is a long route. After hiking on the first day, you can stay in the camp and rest. On the second day, you can hike C1. The route is short and you can come back early, which is convenient for going home. 【Itinerary】 Depart from Lijiang and navigate directly to Manxing Island Snow Sea Forest ⚠️New drivers should not drive by themselves, as the mountain roads are narrow and steep, and it is difficult to miss other cars. They also provide a round trip through bus, departing from Lijiang Ancient Town, round trip 100/person. 【Camp environment】 The camp is on the top of the mountain, where you can see the Thirteen Peaks of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the Jinsha River Grand Canyon, and the Haba Snow Mountain. Now you can see the sunset over Jinshan Mountain at around 6pm every night, it’s very beautiful! 【Dressing Guide】 For daytime hiking, bring a quick-drying wool base layer, a soft shell jacket, and long pants. Bring a light down jacket in your backpack to keep warm in case you get down the mountain too late. Also bring trekking poles and knee pads. 🌟The ultraviolet rays on the plateau are strong, so take good sun protection! Sunscreen, hat, gloves, sunglasses. The accommodation is the Starry Sky Bubble House, a 360-degree viewing room. But it's still a bit sunburned if you stay in the bubbles all day long.

☘️☘️Laoyao Mountain is located on the east slope of Hutiaoxia Town, Shangri-La City, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, between Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain. It is not only a place of magnificent snow mountains, but also a place of rich ecology with meadows, forests, and pastures. It is a paradise for hiking enthusiasts and an ideal place for photography and nature exploration. You can come here to breathe fresh air and feel the tranquility of nature✨. It is like a fairy tale place🥰!

This should be the most stunning place I've visited this year! No wonder they say Laoya Mountain is the Dolomites of China! It's exhausting but really worth it! An undeveloped niche spot, a paradise for those seeking to escape⛰️ All the above are live photos taken with the original camera of 🍎12, no filters, and the original pictures are already so beautiful~ Hiking & self-driving guide will be added later.

One-day tour of Laoyao Mountain Today, I recommend a very rare hiking spot in Shangri-La: Laoyao Mountain, known as the Little Switzerland of Shangri-La, starts at 7:20 to pick up people from Lijiang or Shangri-La, and departs at 7:40 to reach Tiger Leaping Gorge Town in about 2 hours. Then it takes 50 minutes to go up the winding mountain road, about 16 kilometers, and you can reach Laoyao Mountain around 11 o'clock to start hiking... It is a continuous uphill from Tiger Leaping Gorge Town to Laoyao Mountain. If you drive by yourself, it is recommended to hire a car or find a designated driver. The road here is narrow and winding, and many of them are dangerous. The highest altitude of Laoyao Mountain is about 3,700 meters. Hiking from 3,300 meters to 3,700 meters is not difficult as long as you don't have altitude sickness. , Hiking time: The hike takes about two hours. You need to prepare a meal on the way. Since it is a small place with few people, there is no restaurant on it, only one hotel. You can basically return to Lijiang at 14:00 in the afternoon, or you can stay at Naxi Yage and start the two-day tour of Tiger Leaping Gorge, or stay at the Tea Horse Inn and start hiking the next day. The temperature is about 17 degrees. Keep warm and prepare clothes. Priority is given to chartering, and 4 people can carpool! Regarding the car model, there are two options: 5-seat SUV and 7-seat business car. The hike is not difficult, with alpine grass mats. As long as you don't have altitude sickness and have good legs, you'll be fine!

|I just went to Laoyao Mountain and shared my hiking tips. 📍Location: Shangri-La Laoyaoshan 🚕 Driving distance: 97 kilometers from Lijiang, 80 kilometers on the highway, 17 kilometers on the winding mountain road (requires driving skills), navigate to "Yunji Wild Luxury Hotel" directly to the starting point of the hike, there is a parking lot at the door 🚶🏻‍♂️Hiking: 3 kilometers round trip about 3 hours, starting point - Laoyaoshan Ranch - Internet celebrity tree (return the original route or go around to the ranch), the overall difficulty is not too high and suitable for beginners, Lijiang Shangri-La can be round-trip in one day ⛰️ Altitude: 3300-3700 🐛 Horse yellow: It is easy to appear on rainy days and near water sources. Be sure to wear long pants or bring snow covers to cover your ankles and shoes. The solution is to sprinkle salt on the place where it comes into contact with the skin, or burn the tail of the 🐛 with fire, and it will usually fall off naturally. 🐴 Horse riding: You can ride horses at the entrance, round trip 150, one way 75 🎫 Tickets: 20/person 💡Nearby hiking routes: carpooling is available🚗Go to Tiger Leaping Gorge, Lanhuaping Black Lake 👟 Equipment recommendations: raincoat, long sun-proof clothes and pants, quick-drying underwear, trekking poles, hiking shoes, salt/🔥 dispenser, water, meals on the way