By Judy McEuen, Travel Writer
Mt. KAWAGEBO, Tibet, – Not all trips are the same. Some excite the senses, others baffle the mind and there are those that inspire awe and wonder. Trips that inspire do not come often but, when it happens, you’ll be blown away in an extraordinary and wonderful way. One such trip that will make a lasting impression occurs on your way to Mt. Kawagebo.
Mt. Kawagebo is the main peak of the Meili Xueshan or the Meili Snow Mountains located in Deqin, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest of Yunnan Province. It is the highest of the 13 snow-capped peaks of Meili Xue Shan and considered to be the God or Prince of the Snow Mountain.
Still unclimbed
The peaks of Meili Xue Shan remain unclimbed to this day but not for lack of trying. Many attempts have been made and many lives have been lost, yet the peaks remain proud and unconquered.
Buddhist pilgrims from all over China take on the long and arduous trail to the Sacred Waterfall of Mt. Kawagebo to worship and pay homage to this revered site. The devotees believe that a journey to the shrine of the Sacred Waterfall will give them a lifetime of blessings and spiritual well-being.
I followed the same trail that Buddhist pilgrims take every year just before the start of winter. From the provincial capital of Kunming, a short flight took us to the town of Zhongdian where we visited Songzhanlin -the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan with a rich history spanning 300 years.
From Kunming, we headed-off by car to the town of Deqin, driving towards the majestic snow-capped summits of the Snow Mountains. From Deqin, we continued on our journey following the flow of the mighty Mekong River until we reached the trailhead to the magical village of Yubeng.
Time stands still in Yubeng. The villager’s way of life has remained the same for hundreds of years. They still get their water from the glacial stream, plough their fields and take care of their yak the same way that their ancestors did.
Enthralling memories
Although the villagers have very little in life, they glow with a beautiful aura of blissful contentment. My short stay in this village, amidst the ethereal beauty of the surroundings and the serenity of its people, left me in awed enchantment for months and the memory of Yubeng will remain remarkably enthralling for years to come.
From Yubeng, we trekked the trail through the mountain pass and followed the footsteps of the pilgrims to the Sacred Waterfall of Mt. Kawagebo. We arrived at the Tibetan shrine of the Sacred Waterfall and were greeted by thousands of colorful prayer flags and friendly faces of Buddhist devotees. The waterfall plunges 1,000 feet from the towering peak of the mountain and blessed its visitors with a soft shower from its sacred waters.
The view from the shrine was breathtaking. It was surrounded by the soaring white-capped peaks of the Snow Mountains and towering above was the majestic peak of Mt. Kawagebo with the colossal and beautiful tongue of a glacier.
Below was a sweeping panorama of the Mekong River and the small villages dotting along its winding path. You will stand humbly and blessed at the unbelievable beauty and mystical presence of Mt. Kawagebo.
