Don't just chase Route 318! The true romance of Litang is hidden in the slowed-down moments

If you think Western Sichuan is only about the hustle of rushing, you must spend 3 days in Litang—this "World’s High City" is never just a stopover on Route 318, but a "Sky City" that requires a calm heart to understand.

🌿 Secret routes to avoid the crowds

Stop squeezing into popular photo spots and try this local hidden route:

• The gaze deep in Genie: Head south from the county town, first visit Ranrika Village to see the smoke from Ding Zhen’s hometown, then go deeper into the Genie Scenic Area. The Eye of Genie is like the pupil of the earth, perfectly reflecting the 6,174-meter snow-capped main peak. Wildflowers bloom around the lake in summer, and the snowline sketches a stunning outline in winter.

• The tranquility of Cuoka Lake: Turn into a small road in Marixiang and you’ll find Cuoka Lake embraced by forest. Cuoka Gongba Temple by the lake hides in the light and shadow, more photogenic than any trendy spot.

• The dusk of Maoya Grassland: Avoid the crowds at noon and visit the grassland in the evening to buy a cup of freshly squeezed yak milk from herders. Watch the cattle and sheep return to the pen under the sunset, with the scent of fresh grass in the wind.

🏮 Dive into the culture of time

• Details of Letong Ancient Town: Don’t just walk the main street, explore the alleys of Renkang Ancient Street. The volcanic stone-paved roads hide 5 niche museums, and for 20 yuan you can see Tibetan opera masks and old Tibetan medical instruments. Climb to the top of East Mountain to overlook the "small town" of over 4,000 Tibetan houses, whose rooftops glow warmly at sunset.

• Early morning at Litang Monastery: Arrive early at the largest Gelugpa monastery in Kham to avoid tour groups, watch monks circumambulate, and discover century-old stories hidden in the Buddhist scriptures and the relics of the Panchen Lama’s throne.

🍲 The taste of the high city

• You must try the breakfast at Yalong Hotel, where the yak milk is so rich it clings to the cup, perfectly paired with freshly baked Tibetan bread.

• Find a small restaurant in an alley and order the yak beef hot pot. The beef brisket and tendons are simmered for 8 hours, making the broth so delicious you can drink three bowls. Pair it with some dried yak beef jerky, which gets more flavorful the more you chew.

• If it’s the season, try the cordyceps chicken stew, a medicinal dish passed down by old Tibetan doctors, warming and nourishing.

💡 Slow travel tips

• Stay at the Cloud Wisdom Guesthouse on Renkang Ancient Street, where modern Tibetan design is very photogenic, and you can fall asleep to the sound of prayer wheels at night.

• Don’t miss the August Bayi Horse Racing Festival! Thousands of tents are set up on the grassland, riders perform handstands on horseback and catch khatas mid-ride. It’s more thrilling than any show, and you can learn Tibetan calligraphy and wear Tibetan clothes to blend in with the crowd.

• Don’t panic about altitude sickness; most hotels have oxygen tanks. Take it slow—Litang’s romance is worth the wait.

Litang is never a "check-in spot," but a place that makes you want to put down your phone and walk to the rhythm of the wind. Don’t rush when you go; leave enough days for the snow mountains, grasslands, and those unexpected moments of tenderness.