The Most Beautiful Sichuan Trekking Routes in Autumn

Sichuan Province, in Western China, is one of the most popular places for both local and international hikers to follow their dreams of adventure and excitement. Split in two, with the eastern half of the province taking up most of the Sichuan Basin, and the western half sitting on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, the province plays host to a huge number of natural as well as man-made attractions for tourism.

Sichuan Province - The Most Popular Places for Hikers

For hikers and trekkers, the western Sichuan is the home of numerous valleys and mountains that are filled with rich forests, shimmering lakes, and wide expansive prairies, all of which are perfect for people who love to explore new, remote areas. And remote is definitely the right description in many of these stunning places. Often accessed only on foot, with no roads or drivable tracks to get in on, these areas are almost virgin places, and are still as wild and mysterious as they were in the days of the famous explorer of the region, Joseph Rock, back in the 1920s.

Daocheng Yading Trekking Tour – Explore the Last Shangri-la

Yading is located in Daocheng County of the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and consists mainly of three holy Snow Mountains - Xiannairi, Yangmaiyong, and Xianuoduoji - several dozen streams, three sacred shimmering alpine lakes, and some of the most beautiful meadows in China. Often called “the last piece of pure land on the blue planet”, trekking has become popular for visitors from all over the world, which originated with the famous article of Rock, after his trek from Muli to Yading in 1928.

Daocheng Yading

Trekking Routes in Daocheng Yading

Yading has two main trekking routes, one which goes around the three mountains together, the Big Kora, and one which just circles Xiannairi, the Small Kora. The Small Kora is a route of around 30 kilometers, and normally takes two days to complete it. The two day trek is a common choice for visitors to the area, since it is not as challenging or as long as the Big Kora. However, it is great fun, and there is plenty to experience along the route.

The Big kora, which completes a circuit of all three mountains, is a 7-day trek that is both challenging and interesting. More for the experienced trekker, and those with passion for hiking, the outer kora provides some real challenges along its route.

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Best Time to Trek in Daocheng Yading

Autumn is a great time to trek in Daocheng Yading, and from September to November the area is cooler and has very little rain. The plateau climate of the area means that the annual average temperature is normally around four degrees, and in autumn the normal daily temperature is around 10 degrees, meaning that warmer clothes are required, especially at night, as it can snow there even in summer. The weather, although good for trekking in Autumn, can be changeable, so pack for every possibility.

Autumn is a great time to go hiking in the Yading area of Daocheng.

Autumn is also the time of year when the falling leaves and the change of climate signal the time for the forests to sleep through the icy winter, ready to wake again in spring, bringing new life to the region. As the autumn progresses, the trees turn from green to yellow, and orange, and red, and gold, until all the leaves drop, covering the forests and hillsides with a carpet of red and gold. It is almost as if the whole landscape turns from green to gold overnight, making Yading one of the most beautiful places on the planet in autumn.

Jiuzhaigou Hiking Tour – Enjoy the Fairyland of Water

Surrounded by snow-covered mountains and filled with colorful forests, majestic waterfalls, and crystal blue lakes, Jiuzhai Valley is a wonderful place to go and hike. Consisting of three conjoined valleys, which form the shape of a ”Y”, The Jiuzhaigou National Park gives three great locations for the price of one. Many people tend to start with the Rize Valley, and then move on to the other two, Zechawa Valley and Shuzheng Valley to complete the trek of the entire region.

Jiuzhaigou Hiking Tour – Enjoy the Fairyland of Water

Since the hiking in Jiuzhaigou does not require you to be in perfect physical shape, this area is suitable for hikers of all sorts, including young and elderly. The paths are mostly wooden boardwalks, and are easy to navigate and safe to trek on. Each valley has its own trekking routes, and all are spectacular trails with some of the most stupendous scenery and sights along the way.

Trekking Routes in Jiuzhaigou

Rize Valley has some spectacular lakes along its length, which start from the Nuorilang Visitor Center, and end at the huge expanse of primitive forest at the other end of the valley. Key spots to stop at along the length of the valley are; Mirror Lake, Pearl Shoal, Five Flower lake, Panda Lake, Arrow Bamboo Lake, Grass Lake, Swan Lake, and the Primitive Forest.

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Similarly, Shuzheng Valley has a huge number of lakes within its walls, such as Reed Lake, Double Dragon Lake, Sparkle Lake, Sleeping Dragon Lake, Shuzheng Lake and Shuzheng Waterfall, Tiger lake, Rhinoceros Lake, Nuorilang Lake and Falls, and the Bonsai Shoal. Seen as the prime valley to visit within Jiuzhaigou, this is one of the best valleys to trek in China, and has more to offer than anywhere else in one small valley.

Zechawa Valley, on the other hand, has a lot less in the way of lakes, but a lot more in the way of spectacular. With the Upper and Lower Seasonal Lakes, Long Lake, and Five-color Pond, the valley starts with the Nuorilang Waterfall, and just gets progressively more beautiful as you walk along it.

Best Time to Hike in Jiuzhaigou

While the most comfortable time to visit Jiuzhaigou is in summer, around June or July, it can get quite wet at that time of year. Winter and spring are the main dry season, and there is often no water in the Seasonal Lakes at that time, and lake and river levels are low. Autumn is the best time to visit, since the lakes and rivers are still full to overflowing from the rainy season, and the landscape is a lush green from the rains, although just starting to turn a little yellow and red in preparation for the fall of the leaves.

Autumn is the best time to visit in Jiuzhaigou.

Temperature in the autumn is a little chilly, so remember to take some warm sweaters with you, but it is actually perfect for trekking, as it is not too warm, and the mild exercise of hiking will make sure you do not get cold on the trail. Average temperatures in autumn range from three degrees to ten degrees, and there is very little rainfall.

Bipenggou Hiking in Autumn

Almost 200 kilometers north of Chengdu, on the northern face of Mount Siguniang, sits a beautiful, high-altitude valley that is surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 meters above sea level, Bipeng Valley is a lovely place to trek, hiking through the endless virgin forests and around the beautiful plateau lakes and glaciers.

Bipeng Valley is a lovely place to trek.

Officially known as the Bipenggou Scenic Resort, this four kilometer-wide valley is a big ecotourism resort that is famous for the diverse landscapes within its boundaries. Tourists can try their hand at skiing, hiking, adventuring, and climbing, and the sightseeing within the valley is second to none. And everything there is done in a way that maintains the natural environment and eco-system, preventing interference and damage to the beautiful landscape.

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Hiking up the valley is one of the most thrilling experiences, and the increase in elevation along the way makes each step a little harder the higher up you go. Taking the valley in small stages is the best way to avoid altitude sickness as you get higher, and gives you time to acclimatize as you go. Moreover, the hike along the valley takes you past the base of Mount Siguniang, standing tall above you, and allws you to experience some of the culture and hospitality of the local Tibetan people in the area.

Best Time to Hike in Bipenggou Valley

Autumn, or fall, is the most beautiful season in the area, and is the peak season for tourists. The hills and valleys of the whole region are covered in golden yellows, sunburnt oranges and deep reds, as the leaves of the forest trees change color ready to fall. Trekking through the Bipenggou Valley in fall, from September to November, you will experience the colorful vegetation, and it is a great time for those perfect, autumn photos. For the best colors of the leaves, travel there from mid-October, and once the leaves all fall, the ground is a multi-colored carpet along the hiking trails. Temperatures in Autumn are also favorable, and the average across the season ranges from two degrees to around 11 degrees. There is very little rainfall in autumn, averaging around 50 millimeters for the whole season, which is really nothing to worry about.

Autumn - the peak season for tourists in Bipenggou Valley

Changpinggou to Bipenggou Trekking Tour

For those who love trekking, you can take a 3-day trek from Siguniangshan Town to Bipeng Valley, hiking through the scenic Siguniangshan range. It takes three days to climb up the Changping Valley to the mountain pass, at 4,668 meters above sea level, and then descend to the famous Bipeng Valley. On this trek you get to experience the stunning scenery of this Sichuan mountain region as well as the culture and hospitality of the local Tibetan villagers. The area around Bipeng Valley and Siguniang Mountain is the most popular trekking area in Sichuan Province, and very popular with tourists.

Trekking from Changpinggou to Bipenggou

The trek here starts in the Changping Valley, and follows the valley upwards from the Lama temple to Muluozi, which is the first night’s camping, and on to Chazigou, for the second night. One of the highlights is the crossing of the 4,668 meter-high Ya Kou, the pass between the two valleys. On the other side, the route down into Bipenggou is rough and steep, and the challenge is to keep your footing on the way down over the rocks and rough ground. It is a tough trek down to the lower end of the pass, at Sankeshu, where Bipenggou starts.