Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Lijiang's sacred snow peak — glacier-park boardwalks climb toward the snowline above wide alpine meadows.
Called Ohlu — Heaven Mountain — in Naxi, this is the Naxi people's sacred peak. The range runs 75 km across thirteen summits; the main peak, Shanzidou, reaches 5,596 m, making it Yunnan's second highest. The snowline sits between 4,800 and 5,000 m, and the massif holds 19 modern glaciers — the southernmost monsoon maritime glaciers in Eurasia. It lies about 15 km north of Lijiang. Several cable-car areas serve it: the Glacier Park (big cableway) reaches 4,506–4,680 m, Yunshanping (small cableway) about 3,240 m, plus Yakmeadow and Ganhaizi. Blue Moon Valley lies at the eastern foot.
- Best season
- Visible year-round, with the heaviest snow in winter and spring. In the rainy season (Jun–Aug) cloud often hides the summit entirely.
- Tickets (approx.)
- Park entry about ¥100 (stamped tickets allow re-entry the next day); cableways are extra, and the Blue Moon Valley shuttle about ¥20. These are 2025-era reference prices, and cableway slots often need booking ahead in high season.
- Time to allow
- A full day — the big cableway plus Blue Moon Valley fills it.
- Altitude
- 5596 m
Know before you go
The big cableway lifts you straight above 4,500 m — the fastest altitude gain anywhere on a Yunnan trip, and worth thinking about carefully if you are travelling with parents or small children. Outside vehicles can only reach the visitor centre, so there is a transfer either way. The water in Blue Moon Valley contains copper ions: beautiful, not drinkable.