Lugu Lake 泸沽湖Lúgū Hú

Why go to Lugu Lake

Lugu Lake is a deep, clear alpine lake at about 2,700 m, ringed by forested mountains and dotted with small islands, with its western shore in Yunnan and its eastern shore in Sichuan. Stay in Luoshui village or on the slender Lige peninsula, then paddle out in a dugout 'pig-trough' canoe to Liwubi Island and its small temple, or ride the chairlift up Gemu Goddess Mountain for views over the whole lake. On the Sichuan side, a long bridge and boardwalks cross the reed beds of the Grass Sea.

The story

The lakeshore is home to the Mosuo, whose families are traditionally organised around the mother's line: several generations share one household, usually run by a senior woman, and children are raised in their mother's home. Couples traditionally keep separate homes, with the man visiting at night, a custom known as 'walking marriage' (zouhun). Gemu Goddess Mountain is revered as the lake's protector, and on the 25th day of the seventh lunar month Mosuo families walk around it in festival dress.

What to see at Lugu Lake

• Lige Peninsula 里格半岛: A long, thin spit of land running into the lake, only about 15 m wide at its narrowest point. Guesthouses and village lanes line it, and it is a favoured spot for mist and sunrise over the water.
• Liwubi Island 里务比岛: The largest of the lake's small islands, about 400 m long, with a small Tibetan Buddhist temple built by the Mosuo. Boats cross to it from the shore.
• Gemu Goddess Mountain 格姆女神山: The sacred Mosuo mountain on the north shore near Nisai village, and the highest peak around the lake. A climb or the chairlift rewards you with a view over the whole horseshoe-shaped lake.
• Grass Sea 草海: The reed and wetland arm at the lake's south-eastern end, where the outflow begins. In summer it is dotted with the white flowers of a prized water plant, and black-necked cranes visit in winter.

How to visit Lugu Lake

The shoreline is about 48 km long and shared between Yunnan and Sichuan, so most visitors make a slow circuit by car, bike or minibus, stopping at the villages, viewpoints and islands. Allow a day for the lake itself (Lige, Liwubi and the Grass Sea) and another to add Gemu Mountain and a lazy afternoon on the water. Swimming in the lake is considered taboo locally, so enjoy it from the shore or a boat.

How to get to Lugu Lake

Buses and shared cars from Lijiang take about four hours on winding mountain roads to Luoshui, on the Yunnan shore. Ninglang Lugu Lake Airport is about an hour's drive away, but its flights were suspended in the second half of 2025, so check schedules before relying on it.

Where to stay

Stay in Luoshui village on the Yunnan shore for the easiest access to boats and restaurants, or on the slender Lige peninsula for quieter lakeside rooms and sunrise views.

What to eat

• Pig-fat 'pipa' ham 猪膘肉: A whole pig cured and air-dried into a flat slab, a Mosuo hospitality food that is sliced thinly and steamed.
• Steamed lake fish in a stone pot 蒸汽石锅鱼: Local lake fish steamed with herbs in a stone pot, a dish recommended in many lakeside restaurants.
• Sulima liquor 苏里玛酒: A low-strength, slightly sweet grain wine made from highland barley, often called 'Mosuo beer'.

Tips for visiting Lugu Lake

• One entry ticket, checked at road gates around the lake, covers both the Yunnan and Sichuan shores; boat trips and the Gemu chairlift are paid separately.
• At about 2,700 m the sun is strong and nights are cold even in summer, so bring warm layers, and avoid driving the mountain roads after dark.
• Mosuo homes are family spaces, not exhibits: ask before photographing people or stepping into a courtyard, and treat walking marriage as a family custom rather than a curiosity.

Nearby

• Baishuitai 白水台 80 km
  Milk-white travertine terraces below Haba Snow Mountain, sacred to the Naxi Dongba faith
• Tiger Leaping Gorge 虎跳峡 90 km
  A classic two-day trail high above one of the world's deepest gorges
• Daocheng Yading 稻城亚丁 90 km
  Three sacred snow peaks, glacial lakes and Tibetan meadows high on the plateau
• Jade Dragon Snow Mountain 玉龙雪山 90 km
  A glacier-hung massif on Lijiang's doorstep, with a cable car to over 4,500 metres
• Shangri-La & Songzanlin Monastery 香格里拉松赞林寺 100 km
  A golden-roofed Tibetan monastery stacked up a hillside, nicknamed 'Little Potala'
• Lijiang Old Town 丽江古城 110 km
  Cobbled lanes, rushing canals and Naxi courtyards beneath a snow-capped peak

On the map

Open Lugu Lake on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it, what else is close, and to add it to a trip and plan the days.

Learn more

• Wikipedia
• Wikipedia (Chinese)