Gemu Holy Mountain, Lugu Lake, Ninglang

The best way to capture the panoramic view of the entire Lugu Lake in one shot is from Gemu Holy Mountain. This is the only place you can get to enjoy this privilege and also get the spectacular view of the entire lake acting like a mirror to the sky. The Gemu Holy Mountain is at the north of Ligu Village which is about 15 minutes bicycle ride.  Once you reach there, you have the option to walk by yourself to the cable car station or enjoy a Toboggan ride. The Toboggan ride will cost you CNY70 for a return trip. Since I have save some money for cycling, it is time to enjoy myself for this ride which you can watch it in the video below.

The cable car which is more known as a chairlift has a very minimum security feature to get you to the top of the mountain. It is not cheap too which is at CNY110 for a return trip. You can watch the video below to know how you hop on and hop off of that so called chairlift. Gemu Mountain, also known as the Lion Mountain, is a well- known holy mountain of Mosuo people located at Lugu Lake. The mountain is very majestic with the peak almost sticking in the sky. The local people believed that this mountain is the physical transformation of the goddess Gemu. Every 25th of July of the lunar calendar, there will be a Mountain-Circling festival in this place where the locals also come to worship the goddess Gemu. Stepping on the mountain top, tourists can overlook Lige Island stretching from the northeast into the lake, which is like a golden otters fishing, or a dragon chasing pearl in the lake.

If you are not afraid of height, there should be no problem at all. Otherwise, just keep your eyes straight or just give up from visiting Gemu Holy Mountain. Another suggestion is just closing your eyes for 20 minutes. 

Once you have arrived at the cable car station on the top of the mountain, you will still need to do a little exercise to climb a little more. It more than a thousand steps. You will definitely feel difficult breathing because the oxygen level at the mountain is very low. American scholar Joseph Rock, in his book Southwest China Ancient Naxi Kingdom, he once described: “Lion Rock is the most significant in Yongning sceneries. This mountain is actually like a sleeping lion with his head facing the lake, his claws tilting the transverse ridge. He is resting in the green lake.”

So take a few stops if you have to, there is no rush. It is not bad either to stop a while for a photo like this. Gemu Mountain is high in the north and low in the south. It is distinct in the gray color, but when covered with the vegetation, it appears green. Gemu Mountain has been worshipped by the locals of Lugu Lake for thousands of years, and the Lugu Lake is a highlight of Lugu lake tourism.

The stairs is built around the mountain all the way to the top. It is with roof with the main purpose of dealing of the falling rocks. Overlooking Lugu Lake from the mountain, visitors can enjoy the amazing scenery of Lige Island, the Snake Island as well as the enchanting view of the well-arranged small villages at the foot of the mountain. In the distance, the mountain ranges in the mist are dressing on the cloth of misty cloud, and displaying its graceful charm.

Once you have reached the top, you will see there are net with rock debris on it. So you can imagine that occasionally there will be rock falling. It can be very dangerous if there is bigger rock. 

At the top of the mountain, there is a small temple for you to pray and make a wish. Your wishes will be written on the wooden block and hang on the net.

The Gemu cave is located at “the neck of the Lion”, with an altitude of 3,450 meters. Entering into the cave, visitors can see the grotesque and gaudy stone stalactites reflected in the colored dim lights. After climbing a few steps, travelers can view the whole appearance of Gemu Mountain. Gemu Goddess not only lives in the heart of the Mosuo people, but also in the cave vividly.There are some offerings provided by the local people to Gemu Goddess at the entrance of the cave. The entrance is composed of very narrow stone crevices, only big enough for one to crawl into, as if it were preventing some unqualified people from entering. After the entrance, visitors can see that the cave is big enough to accommodate at least thousands of people unexpectedly. Within sit several natural statues of the “goddess”. 

Time to go all the way back down. The best part is enjoying the large mirror lake in front of you for the whole 20 minutes. I am grateful that there is nothing there to block my view from enjoying this breathtaking scenery. You can experience it with me by watching the video below. However, my advice is to experience yourself here is still the best choice.

You will need about a minimum of 2 hours for the whole trip. If you have extra time and money, you should visit this mountain. Otherwise, you can just skip it. It is not a MUST but it is also something you will not regret after visiting it.

Ticket Price: CNY110 + CNY70 (Toboggan)
Operating Hours: 8.30am - 5.30pm
Recommended?: 3/5