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Gaoligong Mountain National Nature Reserve

(People's Daily Online)    08:44, August 15, 2013
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(Xinhua/Fan Nandan)

Gaoligong Mountain National Nature Reserve lies at the conjecture of Baoshan City, Tengchong County and Lushui County, west of Yunnan Province. It is to the west side of Nujiang River and at the Sino-Myanmar border. Gaoligong Mountain is a renowned deep fracture longitudinal valley.

Gaoligong Mountain National Nature Reserve covers a total area of 121500 hectares with forest coverage of 85 percent. The reserve is about 9 kilometers from the east to the west, and 135 kilometers long. It is characterized by its natural landscape of biological and climate vertical belts, various types of vegetation, and a great variety of plants and animals. According to incompletely statistics, there are 699 kinds of vertebrates in Gaoligong Mountain. In 2000, the mountain has been listed as a biosphere protection zone by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Among a great variety of animals, there are over 30 species under state protection such as antelopes, Hylobates hoolock leuconedys, Nycticebus coucang bengalensis, clouded leopards and civets. Among them, antelopes that enjoy the same reputation with giant pandas and golden monkeys are indigenous animals of Gaoligong Mountain. There are more than 300 species of birds such as silver pheasants, golden pheasants, peacocks, sunbirds and various Garrulax canorus. (There are over l700 kinds of higher plants, among them, 58 kinds of plants are considered as precious plants which have been in danger of extinction, 258 kinds of economic plants, l077 kinds of medicinal plants, and l33 kinds of mushrooms. And there are 347 kinds of birds, ll7 kinds of beasts, 29 kinds of amphibians, 48 kinds of creepers, l7 kinds of fishes and 844 kinds of insects. Among them, 8l kinds of wild animals are listed in the catalogue of national protection.)

Guidance for accommodations in Yaojiaping

Yaojiaping Forest Tourist Resort has been built in the central area of the natural reserves. It lies at the height of 2,540 meters, 21 kilometers away from the Lushui County, and 42 kilometers away from Pianma Port, enjoying convenient transportation. It is on the have-to-take way from Liuku to Pianma Gaoligong Mountain National Nature Reserves. Due to the diversity of forests in the natural reserves and the vertical distribution of vegetations, tourists can enjoy the climate and beauty of four different seasons of Gaoligong Mountain by staying at Yaojiaping for only one day. The main ridge of Gaoligong Mountain, which looks like an icy Great Wall, can be seen here as well as the Dripping Double Waterfalls, reputed as the “Dart-like water flowing from Yin Mountian”. If you climb the mountain, you will come to the alp glacial erosion lake—Tingming Lake. The resort is capable of receiving around 200 people a day and accommodating 60 people. Song and dance performances by people of all ethnic groups from Nu Jiang and handcraft exhibition can also be seen.

Transportation

If you want to have a convenient trip to Gaoligong Mountain, first you should start from Kunming. After you arrive at Liuku (the capital of Nu Jiang prefecture) you can take a regular bus to Lushui County where you take the scheduled bus heading to Pianma (a border town). Regular bus also runs from Liuku to Pianma. The road is rugged and rough and it goes in endless spiral through the Gaoligong Mountain natural reserves.
he road rises slowly from the Nujiang valley bottom for 2300 metres to the "Wind and Snow pass" at 3153 metres. From there it drops 1190 meters down to Pianma town. Most of the road is smooth tarmac but the highest part through the pass is cobble stone. The pass is often windy and can be covered in clouds. In winter the pass can be snowed in

Tips

It is said the ideal season for sightseeing is May when the Gaoligong Mountain is covered with flowers. During the hot summer in the valley, this place becomes the perfect summer resort. The huge massifs of Gaoligong Mountain block the invasion of northwestern cold front and retain the warm air flow from the Indian Ocean and form a typical subtropical climate in the reserves of low latitude and high elevation. Due to the diversity of forests in the natural reserves and the vertical distribution of vegetations, tourists can enjoy the climate and beauty of four different seasons of Gaoligong Mountain by staying at Yaojiaping for only one day.

(Editor:YeXin、Chen Lidan)

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