Sinong Galcier of Meili Snow Mountain in Diqing
English Name: Sinong Glacier
Chinese Name: 斯农冰川
Attraction Type: Glacier, trekking
Best Time to Visit: Summer
Recommended Visiting Time: 2 Days
Open Hours: All Day
Admission Fee: Free
Altitude: 2,300 meters
Location: Deqin County, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province
Why is Sinong Glacier So Special?
The Sinong Glacier(斯农冰川) is in behind of Sinong Village. It is a glacier in the mountains of Meili Snow Mountain. Undeveloped Sungong Glacier attracts a lot of tourists to trek.
Where is Sinong Glacier?
Sinong Glacier is located in Deqin County, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province. It is on the Meili Snow Mountain and behind of Sinong Village.
How to Get to Sinong Glacier?
First, you should get to Feilai Temple, then hiking to the Sinong Glacier.
►By plane: Fly directly to Shangri-la city (Zhongdian), and then take a local bus to Feilai Temple in Deqin County.
►By scheduled bus: There are regular bus routes to Feilai Temple from a number of nearby destinations: Kunming, Dali, Lijiang (albeit, via Shangri-la), and Shangri-la itself.
►By charter bus: One of the easiest ways to get to Feilai Temple is to take a charter bus. A number of even easier ways to get to Feilai Temple is to hire a minibus, a car, or a cross-country jeep – they are available everywhere.
What to See at Sinong Glacier?
The splendid glacier is worth to visit.
Best Time to Visit Sinong Glacier
The best time to visit Sinong Glacier is in summer。 At that time, the weather is not so cold and tourists can spend the night in the mountain.
Accommodate at Sinong Glacier
There is no accommodation around Sinong Glacier. But there are several guesthouses and hostels with basic condition around Sinong Village.
Overview of Snong Glacier
Location and Background
Snong Glacier is located in Deqin County, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, bordering Tibet. It is one of the glaciers in the Meili Snow Mountain range, the foremost of the Eight Sacred Peaks of Tibet, on the northern slope of Kawagebo. In 1991, a Sino-Japanese joint expedition attempted to climb Snong Glacier but failed and later shifted to the Yubeng route. Snong Glacier remains undeveloped and is hidden behind the village of Snong, a natural Tibetan village that has preserved its original purity for thousands of years.
Exploration Experience
Upon learning that our expedition was assigned to Snong Glacier, I searched extensively for information but found very little, which only heightened my longing to visit. Despite the difficulty in adjusting my schedule, I managed to allocate time for Snong Glacier. On November 8, after returning from Niuba Glacier, I spent a day adjusting in Feilai Temple, resupplied, and arrived in Snong village with my team in the evening, ready to experience the mystique of this ancient village.
Journey and Experience
Route
We traveled along National Road 214, passing through Yubeng and Mingyong Glaciers. Mingyong Glacier is now a developed tourist site with paved roads, but the road to Snong is only half-constructed and unpaved due to a project that was abandoned when the contractor ran away. Snong village currently has over 70 households, with buildings in traditional Tibetan style. At the village entrance, a prayer wheel turns as Tibetan elderly ladies spin it devoutly and greet us warmly.
Accommodation and Cultural Exchange
We stayed at the village chief’s house. We bought yak meat and eggs in Deqin and cooked a meal at the chief’s house, making it the most luxurious meal of our trip. We enjoyed drinking and chatting with the village chief, experiencing his joy and concerns. After a few rounds of drinks and various dishes, the village chief’s song “Legend of Kawagebo” deeply moved us. What charm does this snow mountain hold that has made pilgrims circle it for over eight hundred years?
November 9
Morning
At 7:00 AM, while it was still dark, our guide, Lurong Nima, a cheerful Tibetan young man, arrived at the chief’s house. The motorcycle team transported our luggage to the pass because the road to the pass is treacherous, a narrow, rugged path with deep ravines on one side and sheer cliffs on the other. We slowly ascended the winding path to the pass, where the motorcycle team picked us up and took us to Shui Tou (the source of mountain spring water, the life-giving spring for Snong village). Once at Shui Tou, we strapped on our heavy gear and began our trek to Snong Glacier.
Hiking Process
We followed a narrow path north, climbing from an altitude of 2364 meters through deep valleys, past fields of barley, highland barley, walnuts, and rare tree species like yew and tofu dregs trees. Nima introduced the animals of Snong Glacier, including snow leopards, bears, wolves, wild goats, and monkeys, as well as valuable medicinal herbs like ginseng, fritillary bulbs, and caterpillar fungus. He explained various plant characteristics, which was very informative.
At an altitude of 3000 meters, we crossed the pass and finally saw the majestic Snong Glacier. The glacier at the base was adorned with prayer flags. Nima explained that a large avalanche in April of this year had destroyed the original wooden bridge, and all the men from the village volunteered to rebuild it, covering it with prayer flags to offer blessings to the sacred mountain.
Reaching the Camp
We continued our ascent, resting at an altitude of 3446 meters. “Standing on the slope, leisurely looking down, my greatest wish at this moment is to find a bed.” After adjusting, we proceeded along the river valley, passing through a debris area from the April avalanche. The snow had not completely melted, and the fallen trees lay chaotically on the snow, which was quite alarming. We left the valley and moved onto the right ridge at an altitude of 3761 meters, where Snong Glacier appeared before us. The ice towers sparkled with a blue light against the blue sky—a rare natural spectacle! Our team leader set up the drone to capture this vibrant scene.
On November 9, at 3:45 PM, we arrived at the campsite at an altitude of 4000 meters, where three small wooden huts offered a 360-degree view of the snowy landscape. The terrain varied from valleys and pastures to primitive forests and ancient glaciers, with an altitude increase of 1600 meters from 2400 meters to the base camp, marking the limit for high-altitude, heavy-load trekking. All team members were in good condition with no altitude sickness or delays.
The weather was not ideal, with light rain falling, raising concerns about completing the filming the next day. The team leader decided to fly the drone within manageable limits to capture the footage. At 4:40 PM, we set up camp, and a campfire was lit in the wooden hut, creating a beautiful scene of snow-capped mountains, forests, wooden huts, and rising smoke.
Features and History of Snong Glacier
Snong Glacier’s icefall is a distinctive feature, a rare low-latitude, low-altitude modern monsoon mountain glacier with enormous ice masses hanging on high mountains, frequently breaking due to high temperatures and intense sun exposure. The active nature of Snong Glacier makes it suitable for long-term time-lapse photography to record glacier movement. The Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have not yet established a glacier monitoring station here. Currently, only informal monitoring stations can be set up. Establishing a glacier observation point is crucial for recording climate changes, snow and glacier interactions, and calculating annual glacier movement speed to provide valuable data for glacier research.
Past Stories
Chatting with Nima in the wooden hut, he shared stories about the construction of the hut, the villagers of Snong, and the 1991 plane crash. Nima recalled that when the Sino-Japanese expedition first arrived, the villagers were unaware of their plan to climb the sacred mountain. Initially, they helped transport supplies at a low price, only later realizing the expedition’s goal was to climb Kawagebo. The villagers prayed for snow every day.
As we sat quietly, immersed in the serene, primeval forest and the slightly bluish glacier, we set aside fatigue and fear to simply enjoy the moment. The next morning, after a night of rain and snowfall, visibility was too poor for filming. Nima warned that if we didn’t descend soon, heavy snow would soon block the mountain, making descent more difficult. After discussion, we decided to retreat, leaving many regrets behind.
Descent and Conclusion
The descent was quick, and by 2:20 PM, we returned to Snong village. There was no rain or snow at the base. On the way down, I saw extensive vineyards, which have been cultivating and brewing grapes for over 100 years, introduced by European missionaries in the 19th century. Wild fruits and pomegranates grew along the roadside, and everything in Snong village was so beautiful!
Nearby Attractions
Feilai Temple Viewing Platform
It’s the perfect place to take a panoramic view of 13 peaks and enjoy the sunrise and sunset view, which is always the first stop for travellers to the snow mountains.
This deck is located 15 kilometers south of Deqen County seat on the G214. There are 13 white towers and an open valley against the backdrop of the snow mountains.
Yubeng Village in Deqin County, Shangrila
Yubeng is a secluded small Tibetan village tucked away at the foot of Meili Snow Mountain in Deqin county, the northwestern corner of Yunnan Province. It is only accessible by foot or horse/mule. But the trip, however arduous, is worth it.
Useful Travel Tips
► Check with the hotel or guesthouse whether there is water for shower before checking in it for its lack of water in this area.
► Please keep in mind that in the mountains, do not yell or shout, that would offend the God of the Mountains. Tibetans there is always very quiet and respectful. Believe it or not, at least we do as the Romans do or show the courtesy.
► The trekking road is very dangerous, so bring enough equipment and be careful.
