Lugu Lake, Ninglang, Lijiang

- July 24, 2018

Lugu Lake, located between Yunnan Province and Sichuan Province, is the mysterious land for Mosuo people. A visit to Lugu Lake takes you explore matriarchal society, its architecture, food, “visiting marriage” customs, religion, festivals, natural scenery, etc. Diverse experience and fun are waiting for you in the “Kingdom of Women”.

How to get to Lugu Lake? You can either by flight or by bus. I have to inform you first that if you are prone to car sick, please do take a pill 2 hours before you ride on a bus. I am not kidding as the route is very curvy and bumpy since it is a mountainous area. The new road is still under construction and now the bus may run along the steep cliff which is a little dangerous. However, when you reached here, you do not want to leave. Everything is worthwhile. Here are the details on how to get here:

By Bus

From Lijiang Bus Station, Yunnan Province to Lugu Lake

Departure Time: 9.00am, 10.00am, 3.00pm
Ticket Price: CNY 66/ 80
Duration: around 7 hours
Description: This is the cheapest and most direct way to get to the destination. Bus is very limited every day and usually stops at Luoshui Village. I am really curious why such a famous place with such a limited bus.

From Lijiang Bus Station, Yunnan Province to Ninglang county

Description: There are more buses to Ninglang and you need to transfer in a private car to Lugu Lake. The private car is easily being recognized as it is in light blue color. They will usually wait for more passengers until their car is full before they depart. The price is CNY100/pax and this is include the entrance fee to Lugu Lake.

From Xichang Central Bus Station, Sichuan Province to Lugu Lake

Departure Time: 8.10am, 8.50am, 9.10am, 9.30am
Ticket Price: CNY 95
Duration: 7 to 8 hours
Description: Bus will stops at Zuosuo Town. Buses only available in the early morning so you might need to overnight at Xichang if you have missed it. There are more buses during high season which is from May - October.

From Xichang Central Bus Station, Sichuan Province to Yanyuan

Description: There are more buses to Yanyuan and you will need to transit by taking another bus or private car to Zuosuo Town. After Zuosuo Town, you still need to pay CNY20-40 for a taxi to your hotel. If your hotel provide free transfer, you can save this money.

By Air

From Kunming

Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Airlines: Lucky Air, China Eastern Airlines
Departure time from Kunming: 8.45am, 11.45am
Departure time from Lugu Lake: 10.30am, 5.55pm
Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes
Description: The Lugu Lake airport is actually at Ninglang and it is only service flight coming from Kunming (what a waste of an airport). You still need to take a private car to Lugu Lake which is 25km away and it is about 1 hour journey.

No matter how you get to Lugu Lake, you need to pay CNY100 for the entrance fee. The government will use this fee for the local to protect the environment. There are some private cars will help you to get pass this so you will only need to pay CNY100 inclusive of the car ride and the entrance fee to the driver. This fee is not applicable to people from Lugu Lake only.

Lugu Lake is in the shape of a horse's hoof - long from north to south, and narrower from east to west. The vista of the lake changes constantly throughout the day. The morning mist mixed with the light of the rising sun gives it an orange glow covered by mist. When the light of sun causes the hills to throw their shadows onto the water, the Lugu Lake has a jade green color. The lake is calm and dark green in the evening when the sun sinks, and is peaceful when night comes. Gentle wind blows and water ripples.

Lugu Lake is surprising beautiful place which can be visited all year round. Flowers are blossom in different season, presenting you a charming painting scenery. The best time to visit Lugu Lake is from March to November and as for photographers, come from March to May and September to October that you will shoot brilliant pictures.

Spring: it is a land of idyllic beauty - emerald lake like a clear mirror with the surrounding peach flowers and pear flowers blossom happily, mountains reflecting in water, boats sailing quietly on the tranquil lake…
Summer: it is a summer resort – pleasant and cool weather with gentle breezes blowing, mist floating in the midair after rainy, azalea in pink and white blossom in the mountain…
Autumn: it is a fairyland as beautiful as Jiuzhaigou – the surrounded mountains turn into a red and golden world with leaves changing, the glittering lake, the gorgeous sunglow, geese chirping in the sky that you can image how beautiful the scene is.
Winter: it is a world of waterfowl – different kinds of wild ducks playing on the water.

If you interested in the grandest festival of Mosuo people, come to the lunar July 25 that you can see Mosuo people dressed in traditional festival to pay a worship to Gemu Goddess Mountain.

The lake area is home to various minority groups, such as the Yi, Tibetan, and Mosuo (a subgroup of the Naxi). The most populous in the area are the Mosuo people, who are unique for their matriarchal society and "walking marriage". Known as the "Kingdom of Women", Mosuo society is ruled by women. Mosuo women wield power in the families and control household finances. They take care of the crops, the house and children. Mosuo men take care of the livestock. Houses and property are passed down through the women.

Perhaps the strangest feature of Mosuo society is their mating habits, referred to as "walking marriage". Most couples do not actually marry. They live instead under the roof of their extended families during the day; and at night the men walk to the houses of the women (if given permission) and return to their own homes in the morning. Women may have multiple partners over the course of their lives. Children are raised by their mother, and the mother's brothers take on the responsibility of father. The children often don’t know who their real father is.

However, I feel it is all just a part of the touristy publicity. Just to make the tourists to gain curiosity to come over to visit this place to witness themselves. I have asked the locals here and they said the custom was long time ago and not many people is practicing it now. Now everyone wants to be modernized. You can actually pay a family visit to a local Mosuo People's Home. The price is CNY20/pax. It consists of four rectangular structures arranged in a square, around a central courtyard. The first floor houses livestock, including water buffalo, horses, geese and poultry. Livestock may wander through the house during the day. The main cooking, eating and visiting areas are also on the first floor. The second floor is commonly used for storage and for the woman’s flowers room, other family members live in communal quarters. You can pay a visit to one of Mosuo’s family and have close contact with Mosuo people to know some authentic culture and “walking marriage” stories, and you can taste the local specialty and food (Preserved Pork, Sumali Wine, Guang Dang Wine, Buttered Tea).

Do not miss the Bonfire Party at night. It costs CNY30/pax. I didn't attend because I was tired every night. I had too much exercise in the morning which is cycling. However, I do recommend you to join one in one of your nights. It is said that in ancient times, in order to fight the invading enemies, the chieftain of Mosuo people called on members to ally at the entrance of the village, setting alight a bonfire, stamping and yelling to muster morale. When the enemies were eventually driven out of their home, Mosuo people again gathered around bonfires to celebrate the triumphs. Thereby, the earliest Jiacuo Dance began as a collective activity. Later, the bonfire party is originally used for young man to meet his ideal lady through dance. When a young man falls in love with a girl, he will scratch the girl’s hand to invite her dance together. If the girl also has good feeling towards the young guy, the girl will response the man by scratch his hand back and tell her flower chamber to the guy to meet her at night. Nowadays, the bonfire party becomes a kind of entertainment for travelers and local Mosuo people to have fun together. The bonfire party usually begins at 8.00pm at night at Little Luoshui Village and lasts for 1~1.5 hours. Travelers can enjoy the sing and dance performed by Mosuo people. And also, join the dance and sing happily till the party ends.

A minimum of 2 nights is required to explore Lugu Lake. However, I do recommend 3 nights stay because one of the night you might be too tired because of the land transfer. Once you started to stay here, you wish to stay longer than 3 nights. If I was allowed to, I wish to stay here for a month. This place is like heaven. The water is so pure and clean. The air is so fresh and breezing cool. You will never regret to visit this place. Do enjoy a few of my panoramic view of this lake below. Please do click to enlarge the picture.