Lugu Lake

A high-altitude lake straddling the Yunnan-Sichuan border, home to the Mosuo people whose matrilineal society and 'walking marriage' tradition have made the area one of China's most culturally distinctive destinations.

Lugu Lake sits at 2,685 m in the mountains along the border between Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. The lake is approximately 50 km in circumference and known for its extraordinary clarity — visibility in the water can exceed 12 m in calm weather. The surrounding hills are forested with pine and oak, giving way to scrub and grassland at higher elevations.

The lake is most celebrated for the Mosuo people who live on its shores. The Mosuo practise a matrilineal kinship system in which family identity and property pass through the female line, and women manage household affairs. Their traditional marriage arrangement — referred to as 'walking marriage' (zouhun) — is a form of non-cohabiting union in which partners maintain their own household obligations, meeting at night. This practice, while now much modified by economic and cultural change, has made Lugu Lake famous across China and brought ethnographic interest from around the world.

The lake is dotted with small islands reachable by the distinctive Mosuo log dugout canoes. Liwubi Island, in the lake's northern section, has a small Buddhist monastery perched on its hill. The village of Luoshui on the Yunnan shore is the main tourist hub, with Mosuo cultural performances and accommodation ranging from traditional wooden guesthouses to modest resort-style hotels.

Cycling around the lake takes approximately 5–6 hours. The road is partially paved and partially gravel. Motorised three-wheelers can be hired for those who prefer not to cycle.