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Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Attractions

Daocheng

Daocheng is located in the south of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, 800 kilometers from Chengdu. Daocheng and Yading Nature Reserve has an area of 56,000 hectares. 

with beautiful glaciers, snow-capped mountains, forests and lakes, Daocheng displays a charming landscape. Th...

Daocheng is located in the south of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, 800 kilometers from Chengdu. Daocheng and Yading Nature Reserve has an area of 56,000 hectares. 

with beautiful glaciers, snow-capped mountains, forests and lakes, Daocheng displays a charming landscape. The glaciated rock knobs and fault basins are scattered in the highland, which witnesses the biggest glacial vestige in China. The Yading Natural Reserve ,with its 3 snow-scapped peaks towering proudly into the sky, is a famous Buddhist holy land, which is inspired by the local religion and exotic customs. almost isolated from the outside world, the quiet mountains and limpid rivers lie in Daocheng and make it known as an unearthly heaven of peace. far away from the hustle and bustle of the world, therefore it is called "the last Shangri-la", a peace of rare and pure land in the world. 

Daocheng is know as  Shangri-la 

    in 1928, Joseph Rock, an American missionary, reached Daocheng from Lijiang of Yunnan Province. He found this was a peaceful and beautiful land, which was far awar from the turmoil of the world. he published his photos  taken here in the American magazine National Geographic, and aroused people's interest. The place he reached, he believed, was Zhongdian of Yunnan, but later, experts proved it was Daocheng of Sichuan Province. 

     in  1934, the American writer Hilton, based on Joseph Rock's experience and his imagination, wrote a novel entitled the Lost Horizon, in which a place as peaceful as a fairyland was vividly described. in the story,Conway and three other westerners were hijacked by a mysterious man. The plane crashed in a place named " Shangri-la", where the  Tibetans and the Hans got along well, lived a long life, and different religions of Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam coexisted harmoniously. The book caused a great sensation in the west, for the people disliked war and longed for a happy life in Shangri-la. The name of the place contributed a new word to the English language, "Shangri-la" , a synonym for "the Garden of Eden" . later, it was adopted as a brand name for hotels and restaurants . 

Danba Tibetan Village

This superb adventure in remote China combines the experience of real Tibetan culture with a spectacular trek through the beautiful valleys of Riwoche and Moxi to the Monastery below the ice-fluted shark's fin of Minya Konka (7556m), the world's third highest peak outside the Himalaya. Situated o...

This superb adventure in remote China combines the experience of real Tibetan culture with a spectacular trek through the beautiful valleys of Riwoche and Moxi to the Monastery below the ice-fluted shark's fin of Minya Konka (7556m), the world's third highest peak outside the Himalaya. Situated on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, Minya Konka is also one of the most sacred mountains to Tibetan Buddhists, equal in status to Mount Kailas in Western Tibet. Impressive mountain panoramas and austere glaciers, babbling brooks and river torrents, azure blue lakes, enchanting mixed woodland, grazing yaks and their nomadic herders, chortens, mani walls, prayer flags and elaborately decorated Gompas can all be found here.

Our week long trek begins just south of Kangding. the 'Gateway to Tibet'. We make a steady ascent of the Riwoche valley with its soaring cliffs and fast river torrents. At the head of this valley we enter a high grazing area where we will encounter the temporary settlements of the nomadic yak herders. Climbing to cross the 4900 metre Bhuchu La, we then descend the beautiful Moxi valley eventually entering forests of rhododendron, juniper, birch and oak which in October become a riot of Autumnal colours. We stay overnight in the Konka monastery and the climax of our trek is the climb to the ridge above for unrivalled views of Minya Konka and the Daxue range of 6000-metre snowy peaks. Although Minya Konka is the undoubted centre-piece of this great trekking holiday to a little visited mountain region of Sichuan, there is much more to the holiday than this, admittedly, superbly photogenic mountain.

If you want to see real Tibetan culture, this is where you should come. This holiday will give you an insight into the rural life of the Kham region and also of the Minyak people who are an ethnic group distinct again from their Khampa neighbours. Combined with a fascinating journey through Sichuan province, with its many spectacular monasteries, gigantic 'hill paintings' and the great Mani Pile of Tagong, and sightseeing in the city of Chengdu, including the Pandas at the world famous breeding centre. This is a world class trekking holiday and also a real adventure and travel experience in an area visited by very few Westerners.

Daocheng Yading travel tips

The best season to visit Daocheng Yading is in late September to early Novemember which is Sichuan 's autumn . all trees become colorful . after the season tree leaves are all gone . 

the first night while you arrive here , you'd better stay the night in Shangrila town , altitude is 29...

The best season to visit Daocheng Yading is in late September to early Novemember which is Sichuan 's autumn . all trees become colorful . after the season tree leaves are all gone . 

the first night while you arrive here , you'd better stay the night in Shangrila town , altitude is 2900 m. make the body to acclimate the altitude slowly . 

for Yading Nature Reserve ,2 days are quite enough to visit . 

day 1(easier routine ) : take the sightseeing bus from the entrance to Zhaguanbeng. (3800 m ) 

              walk 0.5km to Chongqu Temple 

              walk up to Zhenzhu Lake ( pearl lake ) (3950M ) ,view the Xiannari Holy Mountain 

day 2: ( difficult routine ) :

             take the bus to Zhaguanbeng . walk 0.5m to Chonggu Temple ,take the e-bus to Nuorong Pasture . view the mountains 

             walk to-----5km ------ Niunai Lake ( Milk Lake ) (3km are easier , 2km is upward slope . very hard to walk . walk according to your ability cause it's too high . most people can walk 1km upway . 

same way back .

the entrance ticekts can be used for two days  . but it requires you to take photos inside . 150 rmb /per 

the bus ticekts can also be used for two days , while next day you need to pay half 120 rmb /per 

Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Articles

Top Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Tours

$300 Per Day

10 Days Explore Chengdu-Kham(Yading)—Shangri-La—Lijiang Tours

Day 1 Chengdu / Kangding (376km, 6-7hrs)
Hotel pick up. Morning drive to Kangding, go through Er'lang Tunnel, along Da-Chu river. Upon arrival at Kangding, explore this town, enjoy the mountain scenery and visit the local people. After dinner, enjoy a soak in the hot springs at Erdaoqiao. Overnight.
Day 2 Kangding / Tagong / Yajiang / Litang (306km, 5-6hrs)
In the early morning, visit Anjue monastery and enjoy a rare chance to see their morning ceremony! Drive on to Litang. Today's journey from Kangding to Litang will take you approximately 5 hours (306km). En route have a stop at Xinduqiao ' heaven for photography' and Tagong Monastery. Litang with over 3000m high altitude is one of the highest towns in the world. Afternoon visit the large Litang Chode Monastery, which is built for the third Dalai Lama. The monastery here is now home to 1400 Yellow Hat sect monks. Overnight at Litang Gaocheng Hotel .
Day 3 Litang / Daocheng / Yading (250Km, 6-7hrs)
Today we will reach the highlight of this journey - Yading Nature Reserve, home to three sacred Tibetan mountains. Tibetan Buddhists believe that making a kora around these mountains brings them favor with the gods. The scenery here easily rivals that of national parks of the west such as Yellowstone and Yosemite in terms of spectacular, pristine mountain scenery. Overnight at tent hotel.
Day 4 Yading Nature Reserve
Horse-riding to Chonggu Temple, see the scenery of Chonggu Temple and holy peak Xiannairi. From Chonggu Temple trekking up to Drolma-la tso ( Pearl Lake) or ride a horse about 15minutes. Pearl Lake is the best place to view the holy peak Xiannairi. You can still choose the local sightseeing bus to explore around. Late afternoon drive back to Daocheng. Overnight at Yading Hotel or same level other hotels.
Hike 2 hours (4km) from Longtongba to Chonggu Temple, then take a 30 minute ride in an electric buggy to arrive at Luorong Pasture (4180m). From here you will hike or horseride up to Milk Lake and Five-Color Lake for breathtaking views of the three sacred peaks: Mt. Jampelyang (5958m), Mt. Chanadorje (5958m) and Mt. Chenresig (6032m). Return to Longtongba and transfer to Riwa by green bus for Today we take the green bus to Longlongba, then hike for 2.5 hours to Pearl Lake enjoying grand views of snow-covered mountains,glaciers and rivers. Pearl Lake is nestled in the beautiful upper valley of Chenresig’s north face and lies at about 4000m above sea level. Return to Longtongba for overnight.
Day 5 :-Yading- Xiangcheng- (190km) (B, L, D)
Spend a full day driving from Xiangcheng to Yading (approx. 8 hours). Along the way, you will enjoy wonderful panoramas of barley fields, rushing rivers, expansive grasslands and snow-covered peaks.
 
Day 6:  Xiangcheng-Zhongdian-- (300km) (L, D)
Spend a full day driving from  Xiangcheng, stopping for a hike in Birang Gorge on the way. Overnight in Shangri-La
Day 7 : Shangri-La Day Tour
pick up hotel to visit Songzanlin monastery and Local Tibetan family(test local foods, Yak butter tea, Yak cheese, Tsangba). Na park lake and Tibetan vallige(Overnight Shangri-La)
 
Day 8: Shangri-La to Lijiang(185km)
Pick up from hotel to take 2hours car to Tiger Leaping Gorge,First bend of Yangtze River,Shigu Town.(Overnight Lijiang)
Day 9: Lijiang Day Tour
Morning visit local famer market,Lijiang old town, Mu palace,Black dragon pool,Dongba museum,Baisha Naxi village
Day 10: Morning drop to Lijiang airport and Departure Lijiang.
$2227 Per Day

Into the Kham Tibet for a Photography Expedition Trip

Description:

Travel towards west Sichuan Province,only about 200km away from Chengdu.The Chengdu Basin disappears, which is replaced by towering mountain ranges, deep gorges and massive rivers, together with Tibetan people living there. Life is hard here, but the views and rich traditions are incredible. Travel into the west of Sichuan's Province on off beaten tracks.This a rewarding trip for people who are eager to explore some of the most dreamlike views and Tibetan culture in China.

Tour Itinerary:

Day 1 Arrive in Chengdu
You will be greeted by your guide and driver at the airport and driven to your hotel. After a short rest at the hotel, pay a visit to People’s Park and Kuanzhai Alleys.

Day 2 Leshan Giant Buddha, Shangli Ancient Town & Ya’an
We will drive about 2 hours to visit the Leshan Giant Buddha in the morning, the largest single Buddha Statue in China. After that we move to Ya’an, and pay a visit to Shangli ancient town, which used to be a stopping point for the Tea and Horse Ancient Road.Then go to hotel to check in.

Day 3 Bifengxia Panda Base & Hailuogou Glacier
Bifengxia Panda Base is the place you can visit the “Black and White” Chinese giant Pandas. You may interact and play with the young pandas, a reservation is required beforehand. After our short stay at the Panda Base, We will drive to Hailuogou in the afternoon.

Day 4 Hailuoguo National Park
Today we will spend whole day visiting Hailuogou. Early in the morning we will take the shuttle bus and cable car to the top of the mountain to view the snow mountain and the glacier. Next we will take a short walk through the forest where there is a well paved track. After that we will visit an old town called Moxi.

Day 5 Yanzigou Valley, Kangding
Today we will drive to Kangding city, the home of Tibetans. En route, we will visit Yanzigou valley, where you will see the low-altitude glaciers, the mountain peaks, the hot and cold springs,some forests as well as rare plants and animals.

Day 6 Kangding to Danba, En route visit Tagong Grassland
Today we will make two stops on our way to Danba Jiaju Tibetan village.The stops are: Xinduqiao, the best place for photography, and Tagong Grassland, a vast expanse of meadow lying beneath the sacred Yallah Mountain, and is landmarked by the famous Tagong Lamasery.

Day 7 Danba Jiaju Tibetan Village, Rilong Town
Jiaju Tibetan Village nests in the high mountain, with more than 100 household Tibetan families living there. In the morning we will walk up to a high platform to overlook the village, the deep valleys and the river.
After our leisure walking tour in this traditional Tibetan village. We will hit the road again to Mt. Siguniang,the so—called “Queen of the Mountains”, famous for its steep and imposing ridges.

Day 8 Day Walk in Mt. Four Ladies
The unusual shapes of Mt. Four Ladies are rarely seen anywhere else in the world.The blue skies,snow peaks,ancient cypress forests, rushing waterfalls, and alpine meadows make this area a nature lovers dream.
In the morning we will drive to Changpinggou valley for a day walk,where you will be able to see the four peaks of Mt. Siguniang and virgin forests.You should prepare your food beforehand.

Day 9 Mt. Four Ladies to Maerkang
We will spend the whole morning walking in another valley in Mt. Four Ladies. If the weather is clear we may be lucky enough to see the Peaks of the Mt. Four Ladies. And after our walking tour in Mt. Four Ladies, we will continue to head in the direction of Maerkang, which means, “The Place Lightened by Butter Lamps” in Tibetan.

Day 10 Maerkang to Dujiangyan City
Before saying good-bye to the Tibetan people and culture, we will have a chance to visit Zuokeji Offical Mansion and Taoping Qiang Village. Finally we will head back to a modern city called Dujiangyan,where the famous Dujiangyan Irrigation Project was built over 2000 years ago.

Day 11 Dujiangyan to Chengdu
In the morning,we will go visit the Irrigation Project and Dujiangyan city, after that we will drive about 1.5 hours to get back to Chengdu.Free evening for you to walk around and explore.

Day 12 Chengdu/Home
Fly out, the end of trip.
 

$1200 Per Day

Daocheng Yading Driving Tour - 8 Days

Daocheng Yading is one of the Lost Horizons on earth. It is a beautiful fairyland hidden in the far west of Sichuan. It is not for the heart-fainted. To aspire the holy mountains include Yangmaiyong, Xiannairi and Xianuoduoji on a week-long bus tour from Chengdu. Embrace the stunning views of Milk Lake, Wuse Lake and Pearl Lake in the park will bring you an experience of lifetime. This 8-day adventure will also bring you to places including Mt. Siguniang, Tagong and Danba, etc.

Day 1 Chengdu – Mt. Siguniang
Start from your hotel by 8:00 passing the former earthquake center in Yingxiu and the natural habitat of pandas at Wolong. The drive is about 4-5 hours before arrive at the base of Mt. Siguniang at Rilong. After lunch, go hike the ridge at Haizigou to see the mountains of Siguniang. The walking is about 4-5km in total. It can be strenuous as you will be walking up but not steep. Catch the clear views of Mt. Siguniang if the weather is good. After worth go back the same way and check in hotel. Be careful when taking shower as the temperature drops dramatically at night. Also when you are sleep, try leave your window open a little bit to get airflow.
Day 2 Mt. Siguniang - Tagong via Danba
Start by 8:30 in the morning and start to drive to Danba for about 3 hours. Arrive in Jiaju Village and have a visit to this beautiful tibetan village built in the mountain. There is a short walking you can do if the weather is good. You can try to eat lunch in the village to try the local flavor, the Jiarong Food. After the visit, keep driving towards Tagong for another 3 hours and en route have a look of Huiyuan Temple in Bamei, the birthplace of the 11th Dalai Lama. Arrive in Tagong and check in hotel. Today's hotel is the most basic one, you are recommended not to take shower as it is quite cold and the water is not always reliable even if it is the best hotel here. Tagong is a remote and authentic place where local tibetan people still kept their original way of living compare to other tibetan places.
Day 3 Tagong - Litang
Today get up early to see the monastery of Tagong. In the early morning there are often local Tibetan people walking around the monastery, turning the prayer wheels. After simple breakfast, driving to Litang via the 318 National Highway passing over several road passes over 4000 meters. Today you will have several chances to walk out of the car to walk a bit at over 4000 meters before you arrive in Litang. Litang is a very high altitude place, it is called "the high town of China" at 3950 meters above sea level.
Day 4 Litang – Riwa (Shangri-La Zhen)
Start by 8 am and go visit Litang Monastery before drive to the base of Yading for about 6-7 hours. Litang Monastery is one of the most important monasteries around this area and Litang has been a very nomadic place and home to many cowboys and herders. The drive will pass the highland Haizi Shan and Tu'er Shan and then Bowa Shan, all are over 4500 meters. Today you will enter the deep land of Tibet. After arrive in the base of Yading, called Riwa, check in hotel and prepare for the next day's hiking. There is no food option in Yading park so it is better to buy something in advance and carry them with you, good places to buy these are Chengdu on the day you arrive, something that can last more than a few days, or to try it in Litang if you want it to be simple.
Day 5 Yading Hiking 01
Wake up before 7 and prepare for your first day hike in Yading. Leave your hotel by 7:00. First take the bus for about 1 hour from the entrance to Chonggu Temple where you will switch to electricity cars to ride further for another 20 minutes to Luorong Ranch. After arrive there you can see the peaks of Yangmaiyong and Xiaruoduoji . At Luorong Ranch you can either choose to walk to Milk lake and Wuse Lake have a horse-riding there. Need to get there early to book the horses if needed. In October often the horses are booked out after 9.00. Note that the horse ride can only take you to the first flat 2km and the rest 2km going up you need to do it on your own. Milk Lake is at its best by around 1.00 pm of the day in a good weather day. Wuse lake is also very beautiful but its higher. For people who are fit enough you can walk all the way up to the Songduo Pass which is another 30 minutes from Wuse lake and at the elevation of 4600 meters. The walking takes about 3 hours single way so it is from Luorong Ranch forth and back will need 6 hours of walking, consider you will need time to shoot photos, it is going to be a long day. Come back to Luorong Ranch where we take the golf car by the latest at 5.30pm and then use the bus to go back to the base of Yading and go back to the same hotel and rest.
Day 6 Yading Hiking 02 - Daocheng
Today start from your hotel and use the public bus again by the entrance of the Yading Nature Reserve. Today you don’t have to use horse nor electricity car. The visit is to Pearl Lake by Chonggu Temple after your tourist bus ride. The Pearl Lake is by the foot of Xiannairi. It is a stunning lake with beautiful reflection of mountains around it. Xiannairi is considered by local people a Buddha with significance of religious sacredness. The walk is around half an hour to get there. After your photo and walking around there, come back the same way and ride to Daocheng. Overnight in Daocheng.
Day 7 Daocheng - Kangding
Daocheng is a small city with an elevation of 3800 meters. With your walking on over 4000 meters in Yading Park, this height won’t be a challenge for you anymore. Daocheng is a nice city with colorful forest around it in fall. Today you will start to drive back to Chengdu using the same road. This is when you realize how far Yading is. But only the most beautiful view hides far and remote. Isn’t it? Another town is arranged for an overnight stay going back instead of Xinduqiao so you will have chance to see different places. Kangding is a historical town between the traditional Tibet and Chine and one of the important towns where ancient people do business on the Southern Silk Road. After around 8 hours of driving, arrive and check in hotel. Overnight in Kangding.
Day 8 Kangding - Chengdu
Drive back to Chengdu full day and have a good rest on your bus/car. This is the day you start to recover from the stress of traveling and simmering the aftertaste of Yading. Maybe you can start to plan your visits to Chengdu or around. After a day’s drive arrive in Chengdu and you will be dropped off at your hotel. Your Yading Adventure tour ends.