The Chinese language has plenty of names for mountains, peaks and ridges. But Yunnan has still more mountains, making it difficult to present them all: they cover 85% of the region.
Below, among the most renowned, you will find: MeiLi XueShan (xueshan means ‘snow mountain’; in other words, the mountain is blanketed in snow year-round), YuLong XueShan, HaBa XueShan, JiZuShan, CangShan, WeiBaoShan, GaoLiGongShan, etc.  You may have noticed that shān (山) means mountain; it was originally a pictogram of three mountain peaks.
For a fuller list (though not exhaustive), take a glance at the bottom of the page.


Located at Yunnan’s northernmost border with Tibet in DeQin county, these sacred Tibetan mountains include some 13 peaks of more than 6000 metres and are dominated by the Kawakarpo (KaWaGeBo in Mandarin, 6740 metres), which has never been surmounted. Various Sino-Japanese expeditions have ended in disastrous, fatal failures that are deeply ingrained in the region’s collective memory.
It is, however, possible to reach the MingYong glacier (damaged by global warming) or to circumambulate the mountain along the Buddhist pilgrimage trail (called the kora) over a period of nearly two weeks.

In the autonomous Naxi county in Lijiang Prefecture, the range of the Jade Dragon mountains extends 35 kilometres north to south and 25 kilometres east to west and is dominated by the ShanZiDou peak (扇子陡), which towers 5596 metres. At the Yangtze, the Jade Dragon range meets the HaBa to form the famous Tiger Leaping Gorge (which many locals will tell you is the deepest gorge in the world...). The snow-covered peak of the HaBa on the river’s east bank dominates the other half of the region at over 5000 metres.
The hiking trail in this gorge (departing from QiaoTou toward Walnut Garden or DaJu) may be the most walked in China after those around the Great Wall north of Beijing.  Don’t be surprised to meet dozens of reckless tourists (in shorts and sandals) during the tourist season. Amiwa would love to introduce you to this gorge and HaBa mountain by less well-travelled trails (ones that have been completely ignored, to be honest) far from the maddening crowd and from where you can truly appreciate these majestic mountains and explore villages of Yi people. Photos here...


Named by some as one of the four great Chinese Taoist mountains (though this should be taken with a grain of salt as HuangShan, WuDang, QingCheng, LaoShan, WuYi and LongHuShan, none of which is located in Yunnan, are all very significant mountains), JiZuShan is a no less beautiful climb on the eastern banks of ErHai Lake.
Its peak towers some 3250 metres and offers a panoramic view on the region, especially ErHai Lake and the glorious CangShan mountains.
The Taoist temple-monastery at the summit provides shelter for hikers passing through.
Closer to home, Amiwa also offers expeditions departing from the fishing village of DaJiangPan (connected to the village of ShuangLang) through diverse landscapes (rocks, trees, plains, etc.).


The preferred mountains of the Amiwa team (some of our offices are located in the mountains at the Higherland Inn), CangShan, lush with rich and diverse landscapes and a great number of native species of flora and fauna, is worth the trip for nature-lovers and mountain-climbers.
Dominated by several peaks, including the MaLong (马龙峰) at 4122 metres and also the summit of the YunLing range (云岭山脉), the ZhongHe (中和峰) at 4092 metres and the YuJu (玉局峰) at 4089 metres, the Dali plain and ErHai Lake are bordered by another 18 peaks each of which is over 3500 metres. These last two summits are not particularly difficult to ascend and they provide an unobstructed view of the entire region; in fine weather, it’s possible to see as far as Myanmar’s mountain ranges to the west and the snow-capped peaks of the Jade Dragon to the north (more than 200 kilometres away).
The valley of flowers, black dragon pool, the path of clouds...there are endless places to discover! For inexperienced hikers heading out on your own, note that the trail leading to YuJu peak (and the high-altitude lake XiMaTan, 洗马滩, at 3900 metres) is signposted, a rare thing in Yunnan.
Amiwa organise régulièrement des virées de plus ou moins longue haleine, dont vous pouvez trouvez des photos dans les photos classées par lieux.


Formerly known as WeiShan, WeiBaoShan is located in WeiShan county where the ancestral founder of the Kingdom of NanZhao, was interred. The mountain towers 2500 metres and was classified as a national forest park in 1992. You will doubtless enjoy a walk through these flower-filled woods that have been particularly well-protected.
Taoism was established in the region during the Tang Dynasty with the construction of a temple and has since prospered over the course of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. WeiBaoShan is one of China’s 13 sacred Taoist mountains.
The temple’s annual festival is held during the first two weeks of the second lunar month and is a perfect occasion to hear Taoist music and listen to the Yi singers practice their melodies.


Another of Yunnan’s nature preserves, GaoLiGongShan mountain is located west of the NuJiang River and extends 135 kilometres north to south and 9 kilometres east to west; it covers 120,000 hectares with exceptional forest cover (85%) that stretch between 1600 and 2800 metres above sea level.
In LuShui county and 42 kilometres from the border town of PianMa (the crossing point into Myanmar), GaoLiGongShan is a first-rate trekking area for those who prefer to remain out of the clouds.


A non-exhaustive list of Yunnan’s mountains: Ailao Shan, Baicaoling, Biluo Xueshan, Dabaicaoling, Dahei Shan, Daxueguo Shan, Daxueshan, Diancang Shan, Finchuiyanou, Gaoligong Shan, Gongwangshan, Guangmao Shan, Haba Xueshan, Hengduan Shan, Hunhua Shan, Jizu Shan, Kawa Karpo, Laobie Shan, Laocun Shan, Laojun Shan, Li Shan, Lian Feng, Liangwang Shan, Liuzhao Shan, chaîne Lopula, Luohualin, Manmian Shan, Maotou Shan, Nanchi Shan, Chaîne Nu Shan, Paishuishan, Pan Shan, Pangma Shan, Phu Si Lung, Qingshuilang Shan, Santai Shan, Shengjingguan, Tagong Shan, Taying Shan, Wozhang Shan, Wuliang Shan, Wulien Shan, Wumeng Shan, Xuebang Shan, Xuepan Shan, Xueshan, Xuezhulin Dashan, Yao Shan, Yulong Shan, Yulong Xueshan, Yunling.