Two of Asia's great rivers, the Mekong and the Salween, run within a day's walk of each other through the Biluo mountain range, deep in Yunnan's Tibetan borderlands — then flow thousands of kilometres apart, one to the South China Sea, the other to the Indian Ocean. This trek follows the old missionary and Tibetan herder trails between them, crossing two high passes and dropping through a French colonial-era catholic church community on the way, before finishing beneath Kawa Karpo, one of Tibetan Buddhism's most sacred mountains.
Trip Highlights
A still-active French catholic church
Cizhong's church and vineyards are a rare trace of French missionaries who reached this Tibetan valley 150 years ago — still surrounded by grapevines they planted.
Sela Pass, where two rivers part ways
At 4,200m, this pass has been used for centuries by Tibetan herders, travellers and missionaries — the Salween and Mekong are here just a day apart, then flow to opposite oceans.
A night in a mountain hut
After a strenuous 1,200m climb out of Cizhong, the first night is spent in a small hut (or tent beside it) deep in the Biluo range, on the Tibetan edge of Yunnan.
The Salween's First Bend
An afternoon around Bingzhongluo and Wuli villages brings you to the river itself at just 1,550m, with a short hike to the famous "First Bend on the Salween".
Alpine lakes at Peacock Pass
A short circuit near the 3,800m Peacock Pass climbs to 4,050m among lakes and summits, before the drive back over the Mekong to Feilaisi.
Kawa Karpo at sunrise
The trek finishes at Feilaisi with views of Kawa Karpo (6,740m), Yunnan's highest peak and one of Tibetan Buddhism's most sacred mountains, and the whole Meili range on the Tibetan skyline.
Route Overview
Lijiang → Cizhong
Drive to a Mekong-side village with a historic church.Cizhong → Hongxin Hut
1,200m climb through forest to a mountain hut, 3,200m.Hongxin → Sewalongma Camp
Cross Sela Pass (4,200m), Mekong-Salween divide.Sewalongma → Dimaluo
Balagong Pass (4,050m), alpine lakes, guesthouse.Dimaluo → Bingzhongluo
Down to the Salween itself, "First Bend" viewpoint.Dimaluo → Peacock Pass → Feilaisi
Alpine lake circuit, drive to Kawa Karpo viewpoint.Feilaisi → Shangri-La / Lijiang
Sunrise over Kawa Karpo, drive back.Full Itinerary
Lijiang → Cizhong
Drive from Lijiang (or Shangri-La) to Cizhong, a small village on the Mekong shore, famous for its well-preserved and still-active catholic church (extremely rare in Yunnan), as well as for the grapevines left by French missionaries 150 years ago.
Cizhong → Hongxin Hut
Visit Cizhong church, then start the Mekong-Salween hike. After a strenuous 1,200m ascent through forests and rivers, you reach a small hut in the mountains, where you spend the night, in the hut or in a tent next to it.
Hongxin Hut → Sewalongma Camp
Today you cross the high pass of this trek (Sela Pass), at 4,200m elevation, used for centuries by generations of herders, travellers and, more recently, missionaries. At the heart of the Biluo range, it connects the valleys of the upper Salween and the upper Mekong — two rivers here so close, that will then flow completely separately, the Salween towards the Indian Ocean and the Mekong to southern Vietnam and the South China Sea. After the pass, continue down for 2 hours before reaching camp for a night in a large tent.
Sewalongma Camp → Dimaluo
A new pass to cross today, Balagong Pass at 4,050m. You cross it after 2-3 hours of ascent through forest and alpine lakes, then start a 1-2 hour descent towards the village of Baihanluo (2,450m), where a car takes you for a short transfer to the village of Dimaluo, on a tributary of the Salween. Night in a guesthouse.
Dimaluo → Bingzhongluo
Short car transfer before starting the hike and crossing a last pass at 2,700m, then a long descent to finally reach the Salween at just 1,550m elevation. In the afternoon, visit Bingzhongluo and Wuli villages on the river shore, with short hikes again — you'll be able to see the famous "First Bend on the Salween," with very different colours depending on the season.
Dimaluo → Peacock Pass → Shangri-La
You start with a 40-minute drive on the high road connecting the Salween and Mekong valleys, towards Peacock Pass (3,800m). Near the pass, you transfer to a local car for today's hike, a 6km, 3-hour circuit admiring splendid altitude lakes and summits in the Peacock Pass area, up to 4,050m. Cross the Mekong again and drive to Feilaisi, with splendid views over Kawa Karpo, the highest peak in Yunnan at 6,740m, and the whole Meili range.
Feilaisi → Shangri-La → Lijiang
Admire the sunrise on Kawa Karpo, then drive back to Shangri-La, with a possible stop in the Baima mountains and the Yangtze viewpoint (first bend on the Golden Sands River). Finish either in Lijiang or Shangri-La.
What's Included
Booking Terms
- Cancellation terms depend on how close to departure you cancel, and are confirmed in writing when your trip is booked.
- If a visa application is refused, we ask for the official refusal letter from the consulate and refund what we can once any costs already committed on your behalf are deducted.
- A confirmed place can usually be transferred to another eligible traveller.
- If safety conditions or government restrictions force a change, we'll adapt or refund the unused portion of the trip.
Get in Touch
We don't take bookings online — this site is here to show you the treks. Reach out and let's talk through dates, group size and what you're looking for.
