A highland trip to Lugu Lake

This lake near the Old Town of Lijiang, in southern China, has two-thirds in Sichuan province and a third in Yunnan province and has been called a highland sapphire -- for a very good reason. We'd heard that it had spectacular scenery, so the three of us were eager to get a look at it ourselves and get some insights into its matriarchal history.

So, we packed our bags and started our 3-day trip in the Old Town of Lijiang , in Yunnan, and after five hours of bouncing around in a car, arrived at the Husi Youth Hostel at the lake and dropped our bags in the rooms we'd booked, then wandered around the hostel and dined there for 30 yuan ($4.83) per person. Before going to bed at 11:00 pm, we hung around the lobby, playing some games and watching TV with some new friends.

After a good night's sleep and a simple breakfast, we bought some food to take along and began our tour of the lake on two electric cars that we rented at the hostel for 150 yuan a day. And, although we didn't manage to see every single scenic spot, we did get to most parts of Lugu Lake.

Caohao Lake

This lake covers 10 square kilometers and is home of 37 species of rare aquatic plants, 42 species of birds and 11 species of fish, shellfish, and frogs. Every now and then, we would see girls dressed in traditional Mosuo ethnic group clothing standing on a boat, singing folk songs .

Luoshui Village

This is China's last matriarchal village, with 24 families that continue to live here barely sustaining their traditional form of life using farm animals, growing corn and potatoes, and by fishing. It sits to the north of Lugu Lake nestled in a small valley ringed on three sides by mountains. A 10-minute walk will get you to Lugu Lake from the village.

Cost:

About 700 yuan each for a three-day trip.

Round-trip journey from Lijiang to Lugu -- 220 yuan

Entrance fee -- 50 yuan

Dining -- 30 yuan

Youth hostel -- 100 yuan per night

Electric car -- 80 yuan per day

Other (including snacks) -- 30 yuan

General tips:

1. Check the weather forecast in advance and pick sunnier days for a visit to see the lake at its most beautiful day.

2.Book the hostel room in advance to avoid disappointment, especially during tourist season.

3. It's impossible to walk all the way around the lake in one day so it is better to book an electric car or a bicycle to allow you to get a full lakeside tour in half a day or one whole day.

4. Don't punish yourself by the time you're halfway round the lake – take some food with you because there are not many grocery stores, and that food is rather expensive anyway.