Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
sambar deer are good. In fact, recent surveys put the number of deer in the area at a
whopping 70 to 80 per square kilometre.
You only need a mountain permit for the hike which can be picked up at the police sta-
tion near the
visitor centre
( 0912-103 367; 8.30am-4.30pm)
on the day of the hike.
However, you must prebook your cabin beds in advance (difficult without reading
The 10.9km trail to the lake from Siangyang is clear and well marked, though fog at
higher altitudes can make navigating difficult. The route begins in a pine and hemlock
forest, but once you ascend the ridgeline it's all rolling hills of dwarf bamboo dotted with
rhododendron bushes and wind-twisted alpine juniper.
Depending on the time you arrive at Siangyang and arrange permits, you can hike two
to three hours up a very steep trail to the spacious wood
Siangyang Cabin
(
Xiàngyáng
Gōngliáo
), which has water and basic toilet facilities, or five to seven hours to the well-
worn
Jiaming Lake Cabin
(
Jiāmíng Hú Bìnàn Shānwū; 3350m
). Note the water supply here
is unreliable.
From Jiaming Lake Cabin, the trail runs along the lower edge of a ridge skirting a
chain of rugged peaks. The lake itself is down from
Mt Sancha
(
Sānchā Shān; 3496m
) in a
wide hollow carpeted in soft dwarf bamboo. Camping is permitted but be sure to make
your latrine on the other side of the watershed. Lake water can be drunk after purifying
it.
From Jiaming Lake Cabin to the lake and back takes six to eight hours. It's another
four to five hours back to the visitor centre.
