10 Days West Sichuan Autumn Tour: Siguniangshan Danba Daocheng Yading Gongga

Changping Ravine

Danba

Getting up early in the morning, we will head to Changping Valley, one of the three major valleys in Mount Siguniang. Changping Valley is 29km long, covering more than 100 square kilometer. The Four Girls Mountain is just located 16km to the entrance of Changping Valley. Since only part of the valley is opened to cars, you need to hike or ride a horse for the rest journey in the Valley. After visiting Changping Valley, we will move on to Danba via Xiaojin County. Today, you will live in Danba or Jiaju Tibetan Village.

Stay overnight in Danba

Danba Autumn

Xinduqiao

After breakfast, we will drive from Danba County to visit Jiaju Tibetan Village, which was selected the most beautiful village in China by the Chinese National Geographic Magazine. The village has more than 140 families. Over 200 colorful Tibetan buildings spread over the colorful mountains with all kinds of maple trees, yellow birch trees, golden poplar trees and green pine trees, presenting a magnificent palette against blue sky and white clouds.

After visiting Jiaju Tibetan Village, we will drive to Tagong via Bamei Grassland. Look far from the Bamei Grassland and enjoy the marvelous natural beauty of the plateau aside the Sichuan-Tibet Highway on the way to Tagong. The rivers, grassland, with Tibetan monasteries and local Tibetan houses form the unique scenery that you can just see in the western Sichuan. The holy Yala Kamiyama is at the back. When autumn comes, the magnificent golden needle pine trees are very photogenic. At last, we will drive to Yajiang or Xinduqiao for today’s accommodation.

Stay overnight at Xinduqiao

Litang

Daocheng

As the paradise for photographers, Xinduqiao, with combination of boundless meadows, winding streams, golden poplar trees and undulating mountains dotted by Tibetan villages, are presenting its best appearance in autumn. Getting up early to enjoy the tranquil morning here. Then we’ll drive to Daochen via Litang, the highest town in the world at 4,014 meters above the sea level. We arrive in Daocheng at later afternoon.

Stay overnight in Daocheng or Shangri-La Town (Riwa Township).

Please Note:
1. You will live in Daocheng or Shangri-La town (Riwa Township) that depending on the weather and road condition.
2. Sangdui Red Grassland can be only seen in autumn, especially from late September to late October.
3. On the next day, when tourists will enjoy a trip in Yading Scenic Area and stay overnight in Yading Village, they can only travelled by the official eco-bus managed by the scenic spot. So please take your toiletries and valuables with you. You can leave other luggage in the hotel in Daocheng. 
4. If we arrive in Daocheng early and will live in Daocheng for the night, you can visit Rukuchaka Hot Spring at your own expense. It is 3km southeast to Daocheng County. You can rent a local car or share the car with other tourists to get to the hot spring. The transportation fee is about 30RMB, and the ticket price for the hot spring is from 30RMB.
5. Since Rubuchaka Hot Spring is not included in our itinerary, if you want to go to the hot spring, the cost and safety issues should be borne by yourself.

Shangri-la

Yading

Today, we will have a full day tour in Yading Scenic Area. After breakfast, we will get to Shangri-La Town (Riwa Township) to take the eco-bus to Yading Village (Eco-bus ticket is 120RMB per person, need to be paid by yourself). During the one-hour journey to your guesthouse in Yading Village（Aden Village), you will appreciate the scenery of Mt.Xiannairi. After taking a little break at your guesthouse, we will keep our journey to the holy lake - the Pearl Lake.

Stay overnight at Yading Village

Please Note:
1. You will live in Daocheng or Shangri-La town (Riwa Township) that depending on the weather and road condition.
2. Today, you will take the eco-bus to visit Yading Scenic Area. Pleas take your toiletries and valuables with you for you will stay overnight in Yading village.
3. The accommodation in Yading Village is quite basic, even poor. It is inevitable to meet seasonal water cut and power cut. Please prepare the flashlight or headlight in advance.
4. If you would like to visit Luorong Pasture on Day 5, then you will visit the Pearl Lake on Day 6. 
5. It is suggested to bring some food by yourself, because there are few restaurants in Yading Village, and most of the time, tourists need to have a meal in the guesthouse. Since all the living materials in the scenic spot need to be brought in from the outside, choices are quite limit. You need to make some preparation in advance.

Mountain and Man

Rock Mountain

Try to get up early in the morning for sunrise. After breakfast, we will take the eco-bus to Zhaguanbeng, and then hike to Chonggu Temple Service Center. You will enjoy the landscape around Chonggu Temple with the holy Mountain Xiannairi at the background. Then you can take the local Battery Car to Luorong Pasture (The ticket price for a round-trip is 80 RMB per person, and need to be paid by yourself). You will appreciate the breathtaking views of the three sacred peaks: Mt. Yangmaiyong (5,958m), Mt. Xianuoduoji (5,958m) and Mt.Xiannairi (6,032m), experience the harmonious relationship between local people and the natural wonders.

After today’s tour, we will drive back to Daocheng County and stay overnight in a local hotel.

Please Note:
1. You will live in Daocheng or Shangri-La town (Riwa Township) that depending on the weather and road condition.
2. If you would like to visit Luorong Pasture on Day 5, then you will visit the Pearl Lake on Day 6.
3. The Milk Lake and the Five-color Lake are not included in our itinerary. If you want to visit these two attractions, the cost and safety issues should be borne by yourself.
4. You can get from Luorong Paster to the Milk Lake and the Five-color Lake by hiking or by horseback riding. It takes 6-7 hours by hiking, and about 4 hours by horseback riding. The horseback riding fee is 500 RMB per horse. And you can only buy for a round-trip yourself, for a single trip is not acceptable.

Today, you need to get up early for today we will have a long journey back to Xinduqiao. After driving over Mount Kazila, Mount Jianziwan Tunnel, and Mount Gao’ersi Tunnel, we will finally arrive at the paradise for phogoraphers – Xinduqiao.

Stay overnight in Xinduqiao

Hailuogou in Autumn

Red Stone Beach

In the morning, we will drive to Hailuogou Valley after breakfast. The ticket for sightseeing-bus is 70RMB per person, and it should be paid by yourself. You will take the sightseeing-bus through the No.1 Campsite, No.2 Campsite and cross the primary forest to No.3 Campsite. You will enjoy the landscape of valleys, forest, and snow-capped mountains.

Upon you arrive at No.3 Campsite, there are two ways for you to go up to see the glaciers.

On the east slope of Gongga Mountain is the charming Conch Ravine with 14.3km long glaciers. Swallow Ravine is located over 10km to the northwest of Conch Ravine, circled by 15 peaks at the sea-level of over 5,000m. The ravines are heavily covered with forests with colorful leaves in autumn against the backdrop of snow mountains, glaciers, sometime accompanied with thin fogs, a stunning autumn hues.

By Cable Car
You can take a cable car from No.3 Campsite to No.4 Campsite, which is the highest point in this tour. On the way, you can see the panorama view of the forest with glaciers. If the weather permits, you can also see the Mount Gongga, the King of Mountains in Sichuan. The cost of a round-trip cable car is 150RMB per person, and need to be paid by yourself.

By Hiking
Firstly, you need to take the sightseeing bus from No.3 Campsite to the Cable Car Ticket Office. Then, you can hike up to the No.4 Campsite through the sightseeing trail. It takes about one and a half hours to reach the top and another one and a half hours to get back. You will hiking through the forest and closely see the glacier from the observation deck.

Stay overnight in Moxi Town or Haluogou Valley.

Kangding

Minya Konka

After breakfast, we will drive back to Chengdu from Hailuogou Valley. Before arriving in Chengdu, we will pass by Ya’an, the rain city. Then, keep driving for 2 hours to reach Chengdu.

Stay overnight in Chengdu

Our tour guide will transfer you to the airport/train station. Tour ends.