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The snow-covered east face of Mt. Yamu rising above the grassland plateau near Tagong

Mountaineering / Yamu expedition

Private expedition · guided

The Yamu expedition.

Five days to a 5,374-metre summit on the west face of Mt. Yamu — hotel nights at 3,400 and 3,800 metres to start, a road-end camp at 4,200 metres, and roped climbing on the exposed upper face.

  • Duration5 days
  • Nights4
  • Highest pointYamu summit, 5,374 m
  • Starts & endsChengdu
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Mt. Yamu · 5,374 metres above the Tagong grassland

Highest point5,374 m

Yamu summit — the top section is exposed and roped

Climbing stylePrivate only

your own dates and group, from one climber upward

ApproachRoad to 4,200 m

the shortest walk-in of the 5,000ers here — around 5 km to the snowline

Season20 May – 26 Nov

the longest window of the set — the approach holds snow most of the season

Why this route

The shortest way to a real face.

Yamu is the quick-access mountain of this set: the road itself reaches around 4,200 metres, and from there the walk to the snowline is about five kilometres. What it saves on approach it spends on the climb — the usual line is the west face, with multiple routes to choose between, and the top section before the summit is exposed ground that demands roped climbing.

The five days are shaped as a climbing progression rather than a march: two hotel nights on the Tagong grassland at 3,400 and 3,800 metres to start the acclimatisation properly, camps at 4,200 and 4,600 metres, then the face. Harder than it looks, as the guidebook says — and a genuine step up for anyone who has done a walk-up 5,000er.

Route Briefing

West from Chengdu to the Tagong grassland, two hotel nights of acclimatisation, then camps at 4,200 and 4,600 metres before the west face.

  1. Days 01–02Chengdu → Xinduqiao → Tagonghotel acclimatisation at 3,400 m and 3,800 m
  2. Days 03–04Road end → 4,600 m campcamp at 4,200 m, then the high camp below the face
  3. Day 05Summit → Chengduroped climbing on the upper face, 5,374 m, and the drive home

Along the way

Grassland, monastery, then the face.

Yamu's approach crosses some of the most photographed country on the plateau — and the two hotel nights put you in it at walking pace.

The mountain

Tagong grassland · the road end · the west face

Tagong at 3,800 m
Monastery country: the grassland, the chortens and the range — the acclimatisation days you would otherwise spend in a tent.
The face at dawn
The west face catches the early light on summit morning; the roped upper section is the part you will remember.

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Day by day

Grassland first, face second.

The two hotel nights at the start are not a soft opening — they are the acclimatisation that makes a five-day 5,374-metre climb realistic.

  1. Day 01

    West over the passes

    Chengdu → Xinduqiao, 3,400 m

    The long drive west from Chengdu to Xinduqiao, the photographic town on the edge of the plateau at 3,400 metres. Settle into the hotel, walk gently, sleep low-ish and well.

    Overnight in a hotel.

  2. Day 02

    Onto the grassland

    Xinduqiao → Tagong, 3,800 m

    A short move across the grassland to Tagong at 3,800 metres, with its monastery and its views of the range. A slow afternoon at altitude — the second acclimatisation night before any camp.

    Overnight in a hotel.

  3. Day 03

    Up the road to camp

    Tagong → road end, 4,200 m

    From Tagong the road climbs to its end at around 4,200 metres — in good snow conditions higher still — where the first camp waits. From here the walk to the snowline is only about five kilometres.

    Overnight in tents.

  4. Day 04

    Below the face

    Road end → camp, 4,600 m

    A short, deliberate move to the 4,600-metre camp below the west face. The afternoon belongs to preparation: the guide checks the group on roped-ground skills while there is daylight to do it in.

    Overnight in tents.

  5. Day 05

    The face, and home

    Summit, 5,374 m → Chengdu

    An early start on the west face. The terrain varies by line; the top section before the summit is exposed and climbed roped. Summit, descend past both camps, and the drive back to Chengdu the same day.

Private departures

Your dates, your group.

This expedition runs privately between 20 May and 26 November — no fixed join-in dates. The price per person falls as the group grows; every departure is guided end to end.

Prices per person for the full 5-day expedition, by group size. Season: 20 May – 26 Nov.
Group sizePer personBooking type
1 climber CNY 33,600per person Private only
2 climbers CNY 21,800per person Private only
3 climbers CNY 17,200per person Private only
4 or more CNY 14,800per person Private only
Deposit
20% of the trip cost confirms your booking.
Cancellation
60+ days before departure: full refund. 30–60 days: 50%. Within 30 days: no refund.

The gear carrying, permits and medical support are all in the price — see the breakdown below.

What's included

What the price covers, and what it does not.

A guided private expedition: leadership, permits and the mountain logistics are in the price.

Included

Arranged and paid for before you arrive.

  • A mountain guide

    Private guiding from Chengdu to Chengdu, including the summit day.

  • Camps and camp food

    Lodging and tents at the campsites; breakfasts and dinners while camping, basic mountain food.

  • Shared climbing gear

    Ropes and group technical equipment for the roped sections.

  • Gear carrying

    Up to 10 kg of personal gear carried for each climber before base camp.

  • Permits and support

    Climbing permits, logistics and medical support, and every transfer on the plan.

Not included

Yours to arrange, or ask us about.

  • Chengdu lodging and meals

    And lunches throughout; flights and trains.

  • Personal gear

    Including crampons, harness, helmet, boots and ice axe — these can be arranged.

  • Summit certificate

    And optional porter service above base camp, horse-riding, and tips.

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Enquiry

Ask us about this one.

Tell us your dates, group size and climbing background. We will come back with availability, the route notes and a written outline.

Response time
One business day
Booking
20% deposit confirms
Format
Private, your dates

Trip details

Fields marked are required. This enquiry is filed against this itinerary, so you do not need to repeat the outline. This is a private expedition — tell us your dates and group size and we build around them.

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