Best Travel Season: spring,summer and early winter

Weather: The average month temperature from January to December is 4.0℃, 6.6 ℃, 11.0℃, 14.5℃, 17.8℃, 19.4 ℃, 19.0℃, 18.5℃,17.5℃, 12.8℃, 8.0℃ and 5.2℃. During spring,  your trip to Lugu Lake will be covered with peach and apple blossom.  Time your visit during May and June, you will enjoy the lush reed in Grass Wetland which very impressive. Weather is in constant change here and the UV is strong, thus  sunglasses and sunscreen are necessities. 

Accommodation: Da Luo Shui(大洛水) or Lige Village(里格村). Da Luo Shui Village is the earliest developed area and has the best hotels. The cheapest here is 50RMB per room. Cons: some hotels are not so well-equipped. Pros: it has nice dining houses, sightseeing platforms and bars. Smaller in size, Lige Village shelters only 9 hotels, and the standard room is priced from 220 to 1000RMB per night. Cons: No TV, no air-conditioner. Pros: living in the island from the real sense, you can enjoy the nice view, fresh air and sunshine. Yinhedao Hotel, the only five star hotel, sits here.

Transportation: Lugu Lake is 230KM from Lijiang, around 4 hours’ drive. During the rainy season, mudslides may occur. Most scenic spots and local residences concentrate in Luoshui Village(落水村).

Lijiang to Lugu Lake:

1: take the long distance bus from Lijiang to Panzhihua which operates since 9:00am and charges 73RMB per person. 

2: rent a car. It will cost 400-600RMB per day

Lugu Lake’s scenic spots scatter sparsely, and you need to trek long distance along the gravel road along the cliffs

If you want to see Grass Wetland and hot spring as well as Fairy Peak, you have to rent a car which will cost 150RMB to 200RMB per day

Lugu Lake’s water is chilly even in summer. If you swim in it for long time, you will feel cold. Besides, the lake bank’s terrain is unfriendly, thus you are not advised to venture into it.

Prepare enough cash and changes

The roasted pig will cost at least 280RMB each at least, and you need to reserve in advance

Please respect local customs and do not jump into the romantic date with local man or woman and spend the night with them, it could bring you trouble

Local Specialties

Sulima Alcohol (酥理玛酒): This wine is made of barley, wheat, buckwheat, barnyard grass, corn and rice, etc. featuring inviting flavor and low alcohol degrees, it is compared as the Mosuo people’s beer.

Mosuo People’s Bacon(猪膘肉): Mosuo people have developed a special way to prepare the bacon. First, they will discard all the bones of the pig, then they will smear various seasonings on the pig before sewing it and stamping it into the shape of Pipa. This bacon can last for years even decades. Yummy and nutritional, it is ideal present for relatives and friends.

Guangdang Alcohol (咣当酒): To prepare this alcohol, Mosuo people will first cook the corn, wheat and barley, then they will add some medicine into it and store them into sealed ports. Do not drink too much, or you will get drunk easily. 

Roasted dry fish: it is made of the local fish called Bayu. No matter you bake it or boil it, the lingering taste will make your mouth-watering.

Qingnaman’an Alcohol(青娜曼安): it is made of one kind of wild fruit called green thorn fruit. Each early summer, the beautiful Mosuo girls will hang out to pick this fruit. Characterized by crystal golden color and fragrant taste, it enjoys great popularity among tourists. The taste will linger for days.

Pickle Pear(泡梨): Salt, strong alcohol, ginger, garlic, pepper are added to a local pear before put into a pottery pot for a month. Distinguished by sour, sweet, crisp and fragrant taste, it is an ideal appetizer.

Apple: Yuanyuan is the biggest apple base in southwest China. 60% of Sichuan province’s apples are churned out from here. It is organic and sweet.

Entertainment activities in Lugu Lake area

1 Love Song of Flower House (Flower Chamber Love Song)

Flower House is the dwelling place of Mosuo girls. Lavished by large sum of money, this grand performance was created within 3 years and now is open to public in Lige Village near Lugu Lake. In this show, the Mosuo people will dress up, singing and dancing. The Grandma’s House serves as part of the stage and auditorium meanwhile. Two romantic Flowers Houses erect in the main stage area, shedding light on the Mosuo people’s unique culture. Daily costumes, labor equipment and music instruments are applied to present an all-round and authentic vision feast embracing the various aspects of Mosuo people: birth, labor, love, marriage, sacrifice ritual and death. This fantastic show will be a rewarding experience with lingering memories. By enjoying this singing and dancing, you can gain an insight into Mosuo people’s mysterious Walking Marriage custom.

2 Visit the Tribe: If you want to venture into the tranquil primitive villages around and explore the mysterious world hidden among the mountains, it is no longer a dream. 

3 Bonfire Evening Party: In the Mosuo people’s village, the Bonfire Evening Party will be held every evening. Mosuo people can dance 72 kinds of dances. Among them Jiacuo Dance which means “Dance for the beautiful hours”, is the most popular.

4 Have a romantic experience here

Cycling around Lugu Lake: Da Luo Shui Village(大落水)→Lige Village(里格村)→Lige Sightseeing Platform(里格观景台)→尼塞村→Lise Island(里色岛)→Xiao Luo Shui Village(小落水)→Luyuan Cliff(卢源崖)→Big Mouth Village(大嘴村)→Aokua(凹夸)→Grass Wetland(草海)→Da Luo Shui Village(大落水)

   Hiking around Lugu Lake: Lige Island(里格岛)→Nisai Village(尼塞村)→Xiao Luo Shui Village(小落水村)→Da Zui Village(大嘴村)→Guhu Town(沽湖镇). This route will cost 7 hours.