Yading Middle Kora Trek

Introduction

This is a multi-day hard trek around the big mountains of Yading Nature Reserve. It goes either from east at Muli Xian or from north entrance and hike to south and then west then into Yading Nature Reserve. It is considered to be one of the most difficult yet beautiful treks in China. The trek goes from river gorges to forests and onto grassland and alpine valleys and wild nature. Yading Middle Kora Trek is a camping trek and involves walking at high elevations up to 4800 meters. This is truly an adventure trip of a life time!

Best Time to go

The best time to do a Yading Middle Kora is from June to the October when it is warm and less or no snow blocking the passes. Other than this season, it is also doable in May and November when it is also warm. Possibly rains can be seen in the trekking seasons and seems inevitable. Winter is not a good season to do this trek. Yading Travel Season >>

What to see

Holy mountains

Three holy mountains including Chenrezig, Jampayang and Chenadorje are the forbidden mountains in Yading and with unique shapes. These three mountains are very stunning and covered in snow throughout the year. All three mountains are about 6000 meters tall above sea level. These mountains are not allowed to climb as they are “holy mountains” to local Tibetan people. The mountains provide different views in different seasons.

Turquoise Lakes

Milk Lake, Five-colored Lake (Wuse Lake) , Snake Lake, Pearl Lake and several other lakes are beautiful and turquoise lakes by the foot of the mountains. The reflections in the water of lake are a big thing for travelers and a major highlight of this park. These lakes are inside the Yading Nature Park, unlike the mountains which can be seen from afar and from different locations. Milk Lake is a small and bluish-greenish lake by the foot of Jampayang. Five-colored Lake is by the foot of Chenrezig at its east face, also the biggest lake there. Pearl Lake is the small lake located by the foot of north face of Chenrezig in the valley north to five-colored lake. By the south of Chenrezig there is also a Snake Lake, that has a larger size as the five-colored lake, it is the lake that you can only see while doing this Yading Middle Kora Trek.

Nomads Pastures

Zambie Ranch at south face of Peak Chenadorje is a flat meadow of pasturing yaks and rustling streams. Scubs and flowers scatter everywhere. Stunning mountain views of Chenadorje and the other peaks in the Yading Holy Mountain Massif.

Xado Ranch is another campsite at a very high altitude after Xinggo Ranch. At the campsite, there is a giant rock in the resemblance of a butterfly thus it has a name of Butterfly Stone. Clear view of Jampayang and Chenrezig in a sunny day.

Black Lake, named Yumdalatso in Tibetan, is a small alpine pool at the southwest corner of this Yading Kora. At the altitude of over 4000 meters, this lake is merely in the middle of rocks and mountains. Black is from its color that looks black which is different from the other several lake in the Yading Reserve. Other lakes may have the bluish or turquois color.

How to Plan

To Plan a Yading Middle Kora Trek, you will need proper physical training and acclimating before hand as this trek is very difficult: walking for consecutive days for over 60km over 4000 meters and camp over 4000 meters above sea level. It is a challenge to inexperienced hikers.To get to the hiking start point one needs to get to places that is very far from any major international airport. A total of 3 days of car ride or acclimating is required and recommended. After the trek, you will end up in the Yading Nature Reserve where transfers of cars are available. And it is normally another 2 days of car ride back to Chengdu although you can use the flight out at Yading Airport. Porter and local guide are very useful yet you can do a self-supported trek as well but will need to do enough home work or hire just a guide to take you on the trek.

Time required:7-10 days

Read our hiking guide's travel journal of Yading Middle Kora Trek 2016 >>