Haba Snow Mountain (haba xueshan) boasts glaciers, lakes and waterfalls, and contains one of the best preserved nature reserves in Shangri-la.

The main peak of the Haba Snow Mountain is 5396m above sea level and is capped with snow all year round. On the mountain side, crystal-clear glaciers hang and the valleys on the northern side of the mountain are dotted with numerous lakes, the most beautiful being Heihai Lake. Each year between June and August millions of azaleas come into bloom. One of the most unusual things about this spot is that you can walk on the flowers without crushing them!

There are also many waterfalls here. Tumbling down the northeastern side of the mountain is Haba Waterfall, also known as the "Great Hanging Water", which is more than 200m high and pours down with an amazing momentum.

The mountain is also rich in animal resources. Yunnan gold-haired monkeys, rhesus monkey, wild boar and even snow leopards, pandas and black bears inhabit this wild land. Rare plants and medical herbs also thrive here, including orchids, lily and Chinese caterpillar fungi.

How to get to Haba Snow Mountain : The snow mountain can be seen from the highway linking Zhongdian and Lijiang, but the best place to see the mountain, if you are not a geologist or a botanist, is on a trip to Tiger Leaping Gorge. The mountain is actually on the left side of the gorge.