Vietnamese tourists check in at China's snowy mountains in early winter

Kieu Tu Snow Mountain in Yunnan attracts Vietnamese visitors in winter because of its beautiful scenery and low cost compared to a visit to Ngoc Long Mountain in Lijiang.

Kieu Tu Mountain is about 150 km from Kunming City, attracting Vietnamese tourists at the end of the year because of heavy snowfall. This attraction is located on the Hekou - Kunming tourist route, popular in the past two years due to the price of about 6-7 million VND per person.

Previously, Vietnamese tourists mainly chose to visit Jade Dragon Snow Mountain on the Lijiang - Shangri-La tourist route with a total cost of about 14-19 million VND per person.

In the picture is a group of Vietnamese tourists taking photos at the foot of Kieu Tu Snow Mountain during their trip in November.

Visitors need to prepare shoes to move on snowy terrain to avoid slipping. At Kieu Tu Snow Mountain tourist area, visitors can buy shoes with spikes on the outside to ensure safety.

Most visitors choose to buy a combo ticket for entrance combined with shuttle bus and two round-trip cable car rides to an altitude of 3,500 m, for 138 yuan (about 500,000 VND).

Leaving the cable car, the scene that opens before visitors' eyes is of snow-covered rocks. Some waterfalls are completely frozen, forming sharp ice blocks that can be dangerous if climbers are not careful.

The way to the top is not too difficult because there are wooden stairs leading to the highest point.

The staircase to the top curves in an oval shape, with some branches being one-way roads leading to other attractions such as the glacier (pictured).

The Kieu Tu mountain area has many lakes created by glacial erosion such as Than Lake, Thien Duong Lake, and Man Kieu Lake. The lakes are covered with a thin layer of ice, creating a magnificent winter scene.

Along the way, visitors can stop and take photos of bushes and rocks covered in thick snow, creating many strange shapes. The magnificent scene when clouds seem to hover close to the snow-covered ground also makes visitors admire.

"It's like being lost in a fairyland," said Mr. Hoang, a tourist from Hanoi.

The altitude of nearly 4,000 m causes altitude sickness symptoms for some visitors, such as headaches, dizziness, and more seriously, difficulty breathing and chest pain. Therefore, visitors should consider their personal health or buy spare oxygen tanks sold at the foot of the mountain, priced at 25 yuan (about 90,000 VND). In addition, tour guides also advise visitors to maintain a walking pace and bring food such as biscuits and chocolate to recover quickly.

In the picture is a Vietnamese tourist having to breathe oxygen from a reserve tank after experiencing symptoms of altitude sickness.

The fir forest covering the entire mountain makes this place known as the "natural oxygen bar" of Yunnan Province. Visitors can see this tree anywhere on the way to conquer Kieu Tu.

The best time to explore Mount Kieu Tu is from November to March. In spring, the snowy mountain has its own beauty when the ice melts, revealing crystal clear lakes. The rhododendron season from April to June every year also attracts tourists to visit this mountain.

Source