Live Your Best Lives
D1: Sangdui Town → Benbo Temple (Bengpu Temple) → Banghe River and Sela → Rubchaka Hot Spring
D2: Rubchaka Hot Spring → Gongga Langjiling Temple → Yading Nature Reserve → Chonggu Temple → Pearl Lake
D3: Yading Nature Reserve → Chonggu Temple → Xiannairi → Xanaduoji → Luorong Cattle Farm → Five-Colored Lake → Yangmaiyong → Milk Lake
Day 1: After two days of travel, don't wake up too early on your first morning in Daocheng (though if you want to photograph the morning mist at Sela, it's best to get up before 7:00). After breakfast, rent a bicycle (about 25 yuan/day) at one of the mountain resorts, such as Pengsongcuo and Xibore. Then catch a ride to Sangdui. The downhill ride back from Sangdui is relatively easy. The route is dominated by rural scenery, including the red grasslands that represent Daocheng's unique character. You can also visit temples along the way, such as Bangpu Temple.
After lunch, enjoy your own dry food and a short rest before continuing your bike ride back to Daocheng. Don't rush; arrive before dark so you can enjoy the sunset along the river. After dinner, soak in the hot springs in Rubuchaka Village. Every household here has its own hot spring bathhouse, so choose one and soak in it for a relaxing soak. Then, take a leisurely bike ride back to the county seat (or hire a round-trip car for 30 yuan) – a truly unique experience. Stay in Daocheng.
Day 2: After breakfast, we'll continue our journey to the Rubchaka Hot Springs and explore the source. The trickling stream, the scattered riverbanks, and the lush plateau shrubs offer excellent photographic subjects. Here, you can experience authentic Tibetan folk customs and traditions, and even swim barefoot in the hot and cold waters with the fish – a truly unique experience. The round trip takes 1.5 hours.
Afterwards, we'll depart for Longlongba in Yading Village, enjoying the morning views of Banghe and Sela along the way. Crossing Bowa Mountain, we'll encounter enchanting scenery of idyllic Tibetan villages and a vast poplar forest. We'll also visit the 600-year-old Gongga Langjiling Temple (the largest Yellow Sect temple in Daocheng, admission 10 yuan per person), photograph the fluttering prayer flags, circumambulate the thousand-year-old Mani piles, and play with the prayer wheels imbued with Buddhist scriptures.
Arrive at Riwa Township at 12:00 PM, have lunch, and purchase tickets to the Yading Scenic Area (150 RMB/person, student discount 80 RMB/person, available from 7:00 AM to 6:30 PM). Depart for Longlongba in Yading Village at 12:30 PM, arriving at Longlongba at 1:30 PM. After arranging accommodations, hike or ride to Chonggu Temple at 2:00 PM. Arrive at Chonggu Temple at 3:00 PM and proceed to Pearl Lake, a 2.5-hour round trip. Return to Chonggu Temple at 5:30 PM and return to Yading Village at 6:30 PM. For dinner, try the plateau chicken stewed with angelica or cordyceps for 100 RMB/bird. However, all Yading dishes are flavored with ghee, so bring your own food if you're not used to it. Overnight in Yading Village or Longlongba.
Day 3: Arise at 6:30 AM (the horse station opens at 8:00 AM). Today's main activity is to visit the sacred mountains of the Three Protectors (Shannairi, Yangmaiyong, and Xanaduoji), the Milk Lake, and the Five-Colored Lake. Check out. If you charter a car, it's best to agree with the driver on a departure time for the day and leave your main luggage on board. Also, please bring your own dry food for lunch and dinner, so make sure to prepare them in advance.
At 8:00 AM, we'll depart from Longlongba, renting horses (round-trip 180 RMB) and follow the Gongga Silver Valley into Shangri-La. If the weather is good, we'll be able to admire the magnificent golden sun shining on the Xiannairi Mountain. The towering Xiannairi Snow Peak, over 6,000 meters above sea level, gleams in the sun's rays. When the golden light finally engulfs the entire peak, the snow-capped mountain transforms into a single, ethereal golden mountain. At 9:00 AM, we'll arrive at Chonggu Temple. Chonggu Temple is the perfect spot for photographing Xiannairi Snow Mountain and Xana Dorje. The hilltop where the prayer flags are set (ascending from the restroom path) offers the best vantage point for capturing both.
Arrived at Luorong Ranch at 11:00 AM and hiked to the Five-Color Lake and Milk Lake. Over an hour later, we began crossing the first 4,800-meter pass. Beyond the pass, we were near the Five-Color Lake, located on a hillside at an altitude of approximately 5,000 meters, a 30-minute climb. Milk Lake was just below. We reached the Five-Color Lake at 1:00 PM and the Milk Lake at 1:30 PM. Turning right from Milk Lake, we returned to Luorong Ranch and continued around Xiannairi. The mountain slopes steeply downward, and we were actually walking along the hillside of the Xiannairi Mountains, which are over 4,200 meters high. We arrived at Luorong Ranch at 4:00 PM.
After a short rest at Luorong Ranch, we rented horses and returned to Longlongba at 6:00 PM. After a 3-hour drive, we arrived in Daocheng at 9:00 PM.
D1: Chengdu → Danba
D2: Danba → Yajiang
D3: Yajiang → Daocheng
D4: Daocheng → Yading
D5: Visit Yading Scenic Area → Daocheng
D6: Daocheng → Xinduqiao
D7: Xinduqiao → Chengdu
Day 1: 350 km, approximately 9 hours of driving time. Depart Chengdu in the morning, passing the Chengguan Expressway and Wolong Nature Reserve. Cross Balang Mountain (featuring seas of clouds and winding roads), where you can take photos at the pass. Enjoy panoramic views of Mount Siguniang from Maobiliang. After passing Xiaojin, arrive in Danba, the land of thousands of watchtowers. Overnight in Danba (2,000 meters above sea level).
Day 2: A full day of 220 km, approximately 7 hours of driving time. After visiting Suopo (a watchtower) and Jiaju (a Tibetan village) near Danba, we'll follow the Yak River Valley (known as a natural bonsai landscape) and pass through Tagong Grassland (the best spot to see the sacred Yala Mountain). Enjoy some pure, rich yak yogurt (perhaps the best and most fragrant yogurt you'll ever taste). Afterwards, we'll pass through Xinduqiao, a photography paradise, and cross Gao'ersi Mountain to reach Yajiang. We'll spend the night in Yajiang (2,600 meters above sea level).
Day 3: A full day of 290 km, approximately 8 hours of driving time. Leaving Yajiang, we cross Jianziwan Mountain and Kazila Mountain (both over 4,000 meters high). The black yak-hair tents are the homes of the nomads, where you can chat with them and, with luck, drink the freshest yak milk. We then pass by Litang, the world's highest city, and have lunch there. We walk through the Litang grasslands and admire the famous Twin Lakes from the observation deck. We then arrive in Daocheng and spend the night there (3,740 meters above sea level).
Day 4: A full day of 110 km, approximately 3 hours of driving time. In the morning, enjoy the Daocheng morning scenery—Banghe River and Sela Basin (poplar forests, morning glow, small rivers, and villages). Before entering the scenic area, consider following local custom and visiting Gongling Temple (the largest Yellow Sect temple in Daocheng). Arrive at Yading. After lunch, hike to Zhuoma Lacuo Sacred Lake (Pearl Lake), or plan a second morning excursion. Admire the sunset at Xiannairi Sacred Mountain, then acclimate at the Yading Village campsite or explore the surrounding area. Overnight in Yading Village (3,740 meters above sea level).
D5: Visit Yading Scenic Area, please refer to D3 of the three-day tour. Return to Daocheng for overnight stay
Day 6: 360 km, approximately 10 hours of driving time. After enjoying the morning scenery of Daocheng, we'll return home. That evening, we'll arrive in Xinduqiao, known as a photographer's paradise. We'll build a bonfire and enjoy barley wine, butter tea, and tsampa. We'll spend the night in Xinduqiao (3,300 meters above sea level).
Day 7: 390km, approximately 9 hours of driving time. From Xinduqiao, we crossed the last mountain, Zheduo Mountain, which is over 4,000 meters above sea level. We passed Kangding and Luding, crossed Erlang Mountain, and arrived in Ya'an. We then took the Chengya Expressway back to Chengdu. End of the trip
You can travel from Lugu Lake to Yading, or vice versa. Lugu Lake is a little over 2,000 meters above sea level, while Yading's Luorong Cattle Farm is over 4,000 meters above sea level, so most people choose to start from Yading. Although both directions involve constant ascent and descent, the overall altitude decreases by nearly 2,000 meters, making it easier on the body.
Comparison of the Eastern and Western Route: The Eastern Route is longer, taking 8-12 days, and offers relatively beautiful scenery along the way, but it avoids the Kas Hell Valley. The Western Route is shorter, taking 7-9 days. The scenery during the first five days isn't as spectacular, but the scenery from the Kas Hell Valley to Aden is breathtaking. In either case, you should seek a guide, bring sufficient food and medicine, and check your physical condition before setting off.
D1: Daocheng → Yading → Kasi Cowshed
D2: Kasi Cowshed → Kasi Village
D3: Kasi Village → Dongyi District → Eya fellow villagers
D4: Eya fellow villagers → Seku Village → Keku Village
D5: Seku Village → Keku Village → Kawa Village
D6: Kawa Village → Yiji Township
D7: Yiji Township → Hot Springs
The eastern route is full of steep mountains and has many forked roads, so the actual route you take may be slightly different at certain sections, depending on the guide you choose. The following general route is for reference only:
Chonggu Temple → Xialuo Duoji Pass → Galuo Pass → Galuo Pasture → Galuo Village → Gold Mine → Sijia Village → Dulu Village → Dongla Village → Tongtian River → Ludu Village → Qiongyin Village → Queer Mountain → Karl Pasture → Dakeguduo Pass → Sheep Shed → Wujiao Township → Wujiao Village → Lijiazui Village → Hot Spring Township