The Lanchang Canyon is located in Deqen County, Yunnan Province, stretching from Foshan Township to Yanmen Township, over 100 kilometers to the south, and has the largest elevation difference in Yunnan.

The river surface in the canyon is 2,006 meters above sea level; on the left bank rises the Kawagebo Summit (6,740 meters) of the Meili Snow Mountain and on the right the Zhalaqueni Summit (5,460 meters) of the Baima Snow Mountain, giving a maximum elevation difference of 4,734 meters, within a slope distance of only 14 kilometers.

When the Lancang River flows from Tibet into the Meili Canyon, is suddenly narrows, causing a violent rushing torrent. It is a key passage between Yunnan and Tibet. The Meili Canyon area, as one of China's largest and most important nature reserves, the main objects of its protection being such rare species as the Yunnan golden monkey, and natural scenery such as typical Hengduan Mountains mountain-forest vertical zone.

The Grand Canyon of the Langcang Rive is famous for not only its deep and long vale, but also the rushing water. The river water is limpid and rushing in winter, but turbid and onrushing in summer. As the river becoming narrow in the Grand Canyon, high waves are striking against the banks and making a sound like thunder. Such steep mountains, deep valley and miraculous geographic structure are seldom seen all over the world.

The internationally renowned Lancang River has been dubbed "the Danube of the East". The Meili Canyon on the Lancang River has an exceptionally wonderful geological structure, with precipitous mountains and vertical valleys.