Deqin | iGuide

Practicalities

Getting In & Out

Buses between Zhongdian and Deqin cost 38元. The trip takes seven hours and buses stop in the beautifully set little town of Nixi for lunch. Most buses stop to allow photo opportunities along the spectacular route, and drivers may stop on request. The route includes scaling a 4200 metre mountain pass and offers some great views of the edge of the Himalayas.

A seat on a local bus to Lhasa costs 500元 and will have you sitting for three days, as no sleeper buses are yet available. Non-Chinese visitors without permits for travel to Tibet may be able to buy a ticket and board a bus, but travelling to the region is illegal and you are likely to be fined and sent back to Yunnan (or even asked to leave the country) if caught entering Tibet without a permit.

The third road out of town runs down the Mekong river towards the small town of Weixi, the larger towns of Baoshan and Liuku on the upper Salween or Nujiang river.

Bicycle

Only die-hard bicycle enthusiasts on their way to Tibet tend to make it up as far as Deqin. There are no bicycle shops in the town, and you are unlikely to see one during your stay. There are steep hills in every direction, with the easiest route out being down the Mekong river towards Weixi. This is quite a ride. The first few hours heading south begin with solid downhill, after which you must climb. The views here are nothing short of spectacular. During this section, you make repeated descents in to valleys then climb back out. Tibetan stupas are visible near the roadside, and small farming communities dot the mostly barren landscape. The final climb ends at a tunnel through a karst outcrop. Passing through reveals a clear view of the Mekong beneath and marks the beginning of the long and final descent to Yunling. Thereafter it's basically flat, paved roads almost all the way to Weixi, though southerly headwinds may be present so don't expect too easy a ride!

Getting About

While Deqin is small enough to get around on foot, the elevation combined with the fact that the town is set on a steep slope may be enough to convince some visitors to take a taxi. Local taxis are generally unmetered, with prices discussed before departure.

Accomodation

Overall, accomodation here is slightly more expensive than in neighbouring Zhongdian. Though a range of die-hard budget options are available, most travellers at this altitude will prefer the comfort of a private room and a hot shower. Our pick was the Tibetan Hotel, with comfortable standard rooms with two single beds for 60 - 80 yuan - perhaps less if you bargain.

Food

One of the major forces in the local economy is a rare mushroom known as the Songrong (松茸), for which the Japanese market seems to have an insatiable appetite. Prices for the mushrooms have remained high due to the difficulty of growing them in artificial conditions - they belong to a rare breed of truffle-like mushrooms that depend upon proximity to living pine tree roots in order to grow. If you arrive during mushroom season (late summer) you might like to try some.