Cangshan Mountain: Black Dragon Pools and Summit Hike (1 Day)

Cangshan Mountain: Black Dragon Pools and Summit Hike (1 Day)

This hike is only recommended for people who are thoroughly acclimatized and in excellent shape. We don't want to candy-coat it: this is a grueling hike with 2000 metres of elevation gain in a single day, but if you enjoy pushing yourself to the limits, then you'll love it! If you want to enjoy this hike without pushing your limits to the max though, we recommend doing it as a two day camping trip. For the camping trip, the hiking itinerary is the same but instead of hiking to the summit in one day, we camp at 3780 metres the first day, then continue up to the summit at 4030 metres the next morning. The main benefits of the camping trip are that you get to camp in a beautiful, high-altitude alpine meadow and rest for the night before continuing up to the summit the next morning. The other benefit is that you get to spend more time on the summit than you would if you did this hike in just one day. Another variation of the camping itinerary is to add the summit ridge traverse!

Itinerary

This is a long and very challenging one day high-altitude hike to the top of Cangshan Mountain in Dali, Yunnan province. We begin the hike at just over 2000 metres above sea level in a quiet, farming village 9 kilometres north of Dali Old Town and hike far up the mountain to a group of pristine alpine ponds located at 3780 metres (12,300 feet), before continuing up to the summit at 4030 metres! This is a 15 km round-trip hike with a total elevation gain of 2000 metres in a single day, so you must be in very strong physical condition. Serious hikers willing to challenge themselves will be rewarded with spectacular scenery, stunning views and a real sense of accomplishment!

After reaching the 4030 metre summit in the early afternoon, we take a much needed rest while soaking up the amazing views, before beginning our descent, which usually takes between 3 and 4 hours. Our car will be waiting in the village where we began our hike to transfer us back to Dali Old Town sometime between 6 and 7 pm. Lunch and snacks are included.

Stop At:

• Cangshan Mountain, Dali 671000 China