Journey 01 · Day 05 — Shangri-La to Deqen | Towards Meili Snow Mountain

Day 5 takes us from Shangri-La to Deqen, continuing north towards the Tibetan border and deeper into the mountains of northwestern Yunnan. Leaving Shangri-La, we ride past Napa Lake before following spectacular mountain roads towards the Jinsha River Great Bend, where the river makes a dramatic turn through the deep valleys below. The journey then climbs across the high country around Baima Snow Mountain, bringing us through some of the highest terrain we have encountered so far. Our destination is Deqen, with the day ending at Feilai Temple, overlooking the magnificent Meili Snow Mountain (梅里雪山). As evening approaches, we wait for the clouds to clear and the last light to fall across the mountains. With Tibet now just beyond the horizon, this feels like the final chapter of our journey through Yunnan. Tomorrow, we cross into Tibet. Journey 01 | Day 05 📍 Shangri-La → Deqen 🏍️ Approx. 160 km 🏔️ Destination altitude: approx. 3,300 m 🌊 Napa Lake 🏞️ Jinsha River Great Bend 🏔️ Baima Snow Mountain 🙏 Feilai Temple 🏔️ Meili Snow Mountain Untitled Journeys Explore. Experience. Relive.