Deqin County

One of the most remote and dramatically beautiful corners of Yunnan, Deqin County contains the Meili Snow Mountain (Kawagebo), a range of seventeen peaks considered the most sacred mountain in Tibetan Buddhism. The main peak, Kawagebo, stands at 6,740 m and has never been summited — by government decree since 1990, respecting Tibetan religious traditions. Pilgrims from across the Tibetan world walk the ritual kora circuit over many days. The county also lies along the "Three Parallel Rivers" UNESCO World Heritage landscape where the Salween, Mekong and Yangtze gorges converge within 70 km of each other.