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The Three Parallel Rivers area is reputed to be the "Biological Gene Bank of the World." Because it was not covered by the Quaternary glaciers and most mountains lie from north to south, the area has become a main passage and sanctuary for biological species of the Eurasian Continent.

Although the area covers no more than 0.4% of Chinese territory, it contains more than 20% of higher plants and 25% of animal species of the country, including 77 species of endangered animals like the Yunnan golden monkey, the antelope, the snow leopard, the Bengali tiger, and the black-necked crane. There are 34 species of rare plants under state-class protection, including the Chinese fir, the spinulose tree fern, and the yew. Wild flowers bloom on carpet-like meadows, amid tranquil forests and near clear lakes in Spring.

In July 2003, the Three Parallel Rivers Reserve was enrolled on the World Heritage List.

This is one of the most outstanding treks in Yunnan, through the 3 Parallel Rivers (Yangtze / Nujiang / Mekong) UNESCO World Heritage Protected Area. Autumn is the best time of year to visit.

Day 1: Fly to Lijiang. We will relax here for a day, soaking up the atmosphere in this 400-year old town and making final preparations for the start of our trek.

Day 2-3: Van to LaoJunShan National Park, the starting point for our trek. We will head north to LanPing, and continue onward to Biluo Snow Mountain, in the northern end of the Gaoligong range. We will pitch our tents on the mountainside, and enjoy the brilliant views and starry night sky.

Day 4-5: Hike up to Laomudeng village, the Nu ethnic village at the foot of BiluoSnow Mountain. We will stay in a local Nu ethnic guesthouse run by a local family. Enjoy a hot shower, and sample some of the local Lisu quisine, the staples of which are rice, vegetables, and beef. Just don’t drink too much of the local wine…

Day 6-7: Travel to the remote town of Gongshan by private van, and begin hiking to Dimaluo, a quiet Tibetan village. We will try some warm Tibetan dishes and stay one night in a local guesthouse.

Day 8-9: Hik from Dimaluo to Cizhong, site of a famous Catholic church, established over 100 years ago by a group of French missionaries.  It was very well protected by the local village people even during the Cultural Revolution, when similar buildings were destroyed en masse throughout China. We will stay in a local guesthouse, offering hot showers and some nice food.

Day 10-11: Continue hiking over the mountains, first to Yunling, and then to Benzilan. From there we will head to Shangri-la, an important trading post on the road that links Yunnan with Tibet, that has since bloomed into an established tourist destination. There we will stay at a wonderful guesthouse and try the delicious local yak meat, “hot pot” style.

Day 12: In the morning, fly from Shangri-la to Kunming. This concludes our trip.