Lugu Lake is one of China 's most famous and stunning natural destinations , located between Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. The lake covers an area of approximately 48 km² and is notable for its clear, peaceful waters, surrounded by majestic mountains.
Introduction to Lugu Lake, China
Lugu Lake, located on the border between Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in China, is a popular destination for its majestic natural beauty and peaceful atmosphere. The lake covers an area of about 50 km², surrounded by green mountains and its incredibly clear water, reflecting the sky and surrounding landscape like a giant mirror. At an altitude of nearly 2,700 meters above sea level, Lugu Lake is also known as the "green pearl of the plateau".
Lugu Lake, China. Photo: @visityunnanchina
Not only possessing beautiful scenery, Lugu Lake is also home to the Mosuo people, one of the rare ethnic groups that maintain a unique matriarchal system. Here, women play a major role in the family and community with a free marriage custom called "step marriage". This attracts special attention from tourists and cultural researchers.
The scenery here leaves many tourists in awe. Photo: @chencheng618
With a mild climate all year round and a peaceful atmosphere, Lugu Lake is an ideal destination for those who seek tranquility and unique cultural experiences. In addition, visitors can also participate in activities such as boating on the lake, trekking through the lush green hills and enjoying traditional Mosuo dishes, making the journey at Lugu Lake memorable and enjoyable.
Coming here, visitors will have many interesting experiences. Photo: @miaaa_w97How to get to Lugu Lake?
To get to Lugu Lake , visitors can choose from a variety of means of transportation, depending on their starting point. Below are the popular means of transportation to get to Lugu Lake:
Plane: Although Lugu Lake does not have its own airport, visitors can fly to nearby cities such as Lijiang or Chengdu. From Lijiang or Chengdu airports, you can travel by road to Lugu Lake. Lijiang Airport is the most popular option, about 200 km from Lugu Lake.
Bus or coach: From Lijiang City or Yibin City in Sichuan Province, visitors can take long-distance buses to Lugu Lake. From Lijiang, the bus journey takes 5 to 8 hours through mountainous roads with magnificent scenery. If departing from Chengdu or Yibin, the travel time will be longer, about 10-12 hours.
Private Car Rental: If you want more flexibility and comfort, you can rent a private car or taxi from Lijiang or Chengdu to Lugu Lake. This gives you more freedom on your journey, allowing you to stop and enjoy the scenery along the way. However, the rental price will be higher than taking the bus.
The roads to Lugu Lake are quite winding and pass through many mountainous sections but the beautiful and majestic natural scenery along the way will make the trip interesting.
Photo: @mungyiuma
Best time to visit Lugu Lake
Lugu Lake is an amazingly beautiful place that you can visit all year round. Flowers bloom in different seasons, giving you a charming landscape picture. The best time to visit Lugu Lake is from March to November and for photographers, come from March to May and September to October to take stunning photos.
Spring: is a land of poetic beauty, the lake is clear as a mirror, surrounded by peach and pear blossoms in full bloom, mountains reflected on the water, boats gliding gently on the calm lake surface...
Summer: this is a summer resort, the weather is pleasant and cool with gentle breezes blowing, mist hanging in the air after the rain, pink and white rhododendrons blooming on the mountains…
Autumn: this place is a beautiful fairyland like Jiuzhaigou, the surrounding mountains turn into a world of red and yellow with changing leaves, sparkling lakes, bright sunlight, the sound of geese singing in the sky makes you imagine how beautiful the scenery is.
Winter: is the world of waterfowl, many different types of ducks frolic on the water.
If you are interested in the biggest festival of the Mosuo people, come on the 25th day of the 7th lunar month, you will see the Mosuo people wearing traditional costumes to worship the Goddess Gemu Mountain.
Lugu Lake is a year-round tourist destination. Photo: @beiyenaimeiLugu Lake tourist attractions
Three Magic Islands - Lige, Liwubi & Xiwae
Lige Island, Liwubi Island and Xiwae Island (Lock Island) are known as the three magical islands of Lugu Lake . Most visitors consider Lige Island to be the most beautiful island, located at the foot of Gemu Goddess Mountain, surrounded by water on three sides. Climbing to the observation deck, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of Lige Island stretching to Lugu Lake.
Liwubi Island is located in the south-central part of Lugu Lake, where the Mosuo people lived in their early years. There is a Yellow Sect lama temple called Liwubi Monastery here. The Mosuo people will go to Liwubi Island to chant sutras on the 4th day of the 6th lunar month every year.
Xiwae Island, also known as Tusi Island or Lock Island, is located in the northwest of Lugu Lake. Historically, it was an island of high military value because of its excellent location and fences and watchtowers to prevent the attraction of bandits. In the 1920s, Joseph Lock, who wrote "The Ancient Na-Khi Kingdom of Southwest China", came to Xiwae Island and lived there for a long time.
There are several small islands in Lugu Lake. Photo: @yunnanexploration
Gemu Mountain
Gemu Mountain, also known as Lion Mountain, is a sacred mountain for the Mosuo people at an altitude of 3,450 meters. On the 25th day of the 7th lunar month, local Mosuo people gather to worship this sacred mountain that has existed for more than 1,000 years. To get to Gemu Mountain, visitors can hike or take a cable car from Nisai Village. The highlight of Gemu Mountain is the Goddess Cave overlooking Lugu Lake, which offers an observation deck to see the entire Lugu Lake.
Gemu Goddess Mountain. Photo: @yunnanadventure
Caohai Lake and the Walking Marriage Bridge
Caohai Lake, also known as the Sea of Grass, is a jade lake located in the southeast of Lugu Lake . It is a happy land of aquatic plants, waterfowl, fish, shrimp, snails, spiral shells, frogs, etc. Mosuo girls dressed in red and white row their boats through the reeds. And you can hear them singing happily. It is so pleasant to relax on the clear water and under the blue sky.
The Walking Kissing Bridge is a romantic bridge that crosses the Gaohai Lake area. This is where the Mosuo people go on dates. During the day, young men and women express their love through dancing or singing if you like someone. The young men call their loved ones “Axia” and the young women call their loved ones “Azhu”. When night falls, “Azhu” come to the Walking Kissing Bridge to meet their girls. Today, the bridge is 300 meters long, where you can walk hand in hand with your loved ones.
Walking Marriage Bridge. Photo: @yunnanexploration
Famous Mosuo Villages
There are many beautiful villages surrounding the lake. Visitors can visit Luoshui Village with many wooden houses around the lake. Here, you can join the bonfire camp organized by the local Mosuo people. Going north is Lige Village surrounded by water on three sides, this is a great place to watch the sunrise. Next to Lige Village is Nisai Village famous for the Sweetheart Tree. Little Luoshui Village is the last tribe of the Mosuo people with only 24 households. This is the last village in Yunnan Province. It is traditional, primitive and still retains the original lifestyle of the Mosuo people.
Photo: @yunnanexploration
Mosuo Museum
Mosuob Museum is located next to the Mosuo Tusi Palace, facing Lugu Lake with a beautiful environment. It is the only museum in China that introduces the history, culture and folk customs of the Mosuo people. Opened in 2013, the museum displays the Tusi system, lamaism, Mosuo intangible cultural heritage and cultural treasures including stoneware, bronzeware, pottery, Tusi relics and Mosuo folk objects, etc.
Mosuo Museum. Photo: @yunnanexploration
Zhamei Monastery
Zhamei Monastery, 13 kilometers from Lugu Lake , is a Gelugpa Lama monastery built during the Ming Dynasty. It is also the largest Lama monastery of the Mosuo and Pumi groups. The main building consists of the main hall and two side halls made of wood, yellow tiles, and gilded roofs. In the side hall, there is a 12-meter-high Maitreya Buddha statue, a Tibetan-style clay sculpture. There are six murals with delicate lines, bright colors, and vivid patterns.
Zhamei Monastery. Photo: @yunnanexplorationAn experience not to be missed when visiting Lugu Lake
Take a boat to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the lake
It is a pleasure to row the Mosuo canoe (Zhu Cao Chuan in Chinese) on the tranquil Lugu Lake . Whether you want to enjoy the poetic lake scenery or want to seize the last moment to capture the sunrise and sunset, rowing is the best choice for you. Visitors can row the canoe from Lige Village to Lige Bay, Bird Island, Xiwae Island, Little Luoshui Village, Luoshui Village and Dazu Village as well as from Little Luoshui Village to Bowang Island, Liwubi Island. Moreover, there are canoe boats at Caohai Lake to row around. It is a great choice to watch the sunrise at Lige Village and Little Luoshui Village and watch the sunset at Goddess Bay (near Caohai Lake).
Sit down and enjoy the beautiful view. Photo: @visityunnanchina
Family visit at the home of local Mosuo people
To better understand the Mosuo people and their customs, you can visit a local Mosuo home. The house consists of four rectangular structures arranged in a square, around a courtyard. The first floor is where livestock is kept, including water buffalo, horses, geese and poultry. The livestock can roam around the house during the day. The main cooking, dining and visiting areas are also on the first floor. The second floor is often used for storage and as a flower room for women, other family members live in the communal living area. You can visit one of the Mosuo families and get up close with the Mosuo to learn some authentic culture and stories of “marriage visits”.
Photo: @yunnanexploration
Cycling around Lugu Lake
Cycling around Lugu Lake will take you to the mysterious Lugu Lake in all directions. Total distance is about 60km, taking about 7~8 hours. Your cycling trip can be clockwise from Luoshui Village, passing through Lige Village, Nisai Village, Little Luoshui Village, Dazu Village, Lama Temple, Gesa Ancient Village, Zhaojia Bay, Luowa, Nawa, Sanjia Village and back to Luoshui Village. Instead of wasting energy, you can use your own car/truck to cycle around, which will be easy and energy-saving for you.
Cycling around Lugu Lake. Photo: @yunnanexploration
Attend a campfire party at night
It is said that in ancient times, in order to fight against the invading enemy, the Mosuo leader called on the alliance members at the entrance of the village, lit a campfire, stomped their feet and shouted to rally their spirits. When the enemy was finally driven out of the house, the Mosuo gathered around the campfire to celebrate the victory. Thus, the first Jiacuo dance began as a collective activity. Later, the original campfire party was used for young men to meet their ideal women through dancing. When a young man fell in love with a girl, he would scratch the girl's hand to invite her to dance. If the girl also had feelings for the young man, she would respond to the boy by scratching his hand and telling her flower room to meet the boy at night. Nowadays, the campfire party has become a form of entertainment for tourists and local Mosuo people to enjoy together. The bonfire party usually starts at 20:00 at night in Little Luoshui Village and lasts for 1~1.5 hours. Visitors can enjoy the singing and dancing of the Mosuo people and can also join in the dancing and singing happily until the party ends.
Campfire party at night. Photo: @justjamesu
Learn about the Mosuo people and Mosuo culture
The Mosuo, a branch of the Naxi people, have lived in this area for over 1600 years according to Han Dynasty documents. They have their own language but no written language. They have their own indigenous Daba religion and some follow Tibetan Lamaism. The Mosuo still maintain a very harmonious family structure and matriarchal system. The matrilineal family consists only of members of the matrilineal lineage, including grandmother, mother, aunts and uncles (mother's brothers), sisters and brothers, and their own and their sisters' children. The mother is responsible for the family's finances. And in the traditional Mosuo family, they practice "visiting marriages" where both men and women are free to marry each other.
Mosuo people. Photo: @mmstudiesWith the perfect combination of pristine natural landscape and rich indigenous culture, Lugu Lake is not only a famous landmark but also an ideal destination for those who want to seek peace, unique experiences and discover new things in Chinese culture.
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