Trekking in Sichuan in Spring: The Ultimate Guide for Sichuan Trekking Tours from March to May

Sichuan is a province located in the southwest of China, which occupies most of the Sichuan Basin, as well as the easternmost part of the Tibetan plateau. As one of the largest provinces in China, the terrain slopes downwards from west to east, and includes plains, hills, mountains, and plateau areas. As one of the main gateways to Tibet, the western part of Sichuan is mainly inhabited by Tibetans and Han Chinese, and was once a part of the ancient kingdom of Tibet. As one of the birthplaces of the Chinese nation, Sichuan has been civilized for more than 25,000 years.

Sichuan is ideal for trekking and mountain climbing.

With half of the province sitting on the edge of the Tibetan plateau and made up of high mountains and beautiful, isolated valleys, Sichuan is ideal for trekking and mountain climbing, and is visited by thousands of tourists every year.

Weather Condition in Spring

While spring in the eastern part of Sichuan comes in early, normally any time from the end of February, in the western part of Sichuan it comes a little later, mainly due to the increased elevation. Starting around the middle of March, spring in western Sichuan brings the start of new life for plants, and the spring blossoms fill the trees. Mountains are still covered in snow, while the valleys and gorges are green with new growth after the depths of winter.

Spring in western Sichuan brings the start of new life for plants.

As part of the transitional zone between the eastern plains and the Tibetan plateau, the climate in Sichuan is diverse and complex, with obvious regional differences as well as vertical changes. Spring in the western part of the province, which is the main area for hiking and trekking, is mainly characterized by drier air and less rainfall, as well as clear skies dotted with white clouds. Temperatures in the western region run from around four degrees in March to as high as 10 degrees by the end of May, and hats and sun screen are essential items of packing, as are warm clothes, since it gets much colder at night.

Recommended Trekking Routes in Spring

Late spring is one of the best times for trekking in western Sichuan, as the weather is starting to warm up and the skies are mostly clear. Once the snow has melted from the lower hills, the valleys return to their green color, as new growth appears with the spring sunlight.

Daocheng Yading Trekking Tour

April to June is a good time to visit Daocheng Yading, as the colorful new blooms flourish, and the unmelted snow on the peaks give them a majestic, grandiose character. One of the lost horizons of the planet, Yading is a beautiful, hidden fairyland, and spring is the perfect time to trek in Yading. Known as the “last pure land on this blue planet”, the area around Yading, a small village in Riwa Town of Daocheng County, is the home to three holy Snow Mountains.

Daocheng Yading

Yading has two main trekking routes, the shorter trek around Mt. Xiannairi, which covers around 30 kilometers, and the long trekking route, which encircles all three mountains, and takes around 7-8 days to complete. Known as the inner and outer kora in Yading, a traditional trekking route around holy sites for Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims, both have their own attractions, although the outer kora is much more challenging. The inner kora normally takes 2 days to complete, and includes stops at Chonggu Temple, Luorong Pasture, Five-color Lake, Pearl Lake, and Longtongba. The hardest part of the trek is the steep climb up to the pass, from which you get a great view of all three peaks, before a gentle hike down again into the valley below.

8 Days Chengdu Daocheng Yading Tagong Danba Loop Tour

For those with a passion for trekking, the outer kora is something of a challenge, and covers 120 kilometers in 7 days. Starting at Kanggu Village, there are horses available to hire to carry packs and make the hiking less harsh. The route goes around all three mountains and incorporates a total of six mountain passes, the highest being at 4,880 meters above sea level.

Mount Gongga / Minya Konkan Trekking Tour

As the most famous mountain in Sichuan Province, and a clear favorite for mountaineering fans, Mount Gongga, or Minya Konka in Tibetan, is a perfect place to spend a spring break in Sichuan. April and May in the area are the warmest months, with the most sun, which means a great view of the majestic peak, which stands at 7,556 meters above sea level. Gongga is Tibetan for “snow white”, and the mountain is just that, and has earned the title of “King of the Mountains” in Sichuan Province”.

Mount Gongga

The treks in Mount Gongga mirror the journey of Joseph Rock, the famous National Geographic explorer of the 1920s, who came to the area in 1928. The treks in this area are physically demanding, but it is worth it to view the shark-fin-like peak of Minya Konka, and visit the famous, 750-year-old Gongga Monastery, the highlight of the trek, which sits in a narrow valley enclosed by snow-covered mountains.

Yala Snow Mountain Trekking Tour

Spring in Yala Kamiyama runs from March to May, and is when the weather starts to warm up and the spring flowers start to fill the valleys. Sitting at the convergence of three counties, Kangding, Danba, and Daofu, the peak of the holy Yala Snow Mountain sits 5,884 meters above sea level, and is covered in snow all year round. Listed as an ecotourism zone, there is no traffic allowed in the area around the mountain, and the only way in is to walk or ride horses.

Yala Snow Mountain

The climate in Yala Snow Mountain area is harsh for most of the year, with only a slightly milder change in the spring and fall, which makes spring the perfect time to trek in the area. For those who love to climb, there are many climbing activities in the area in May, before the rains come to make it too dangerous to climb.

4 Days Sichuan Mount Yala Trekking and Camping Tour

Tips for Trekking in Spring

Spring is when the weather gets warmer, and many people mistake that for being a time when it is warm. The change in temperature is not as much as in lower altitude areas, and often gets no higher than around seven degrees, which is quite cold for most people. Make sure you have warm clothing to put on when it does get colder, and to keep your temperature up in the evening after a long day hiking. While the area of the west is still part of Sichuan Province, it is also part of the Tibetan Plateau, which means it is all at high elevations. Altitude sickness can still be a problem, and you should time your ascents to allow for the increase in altitude and your acclimatization.

Make sure you have warm clothing to put on when it does get colder.

Guides are a good idea when trekking in these remote mountain areas. There are still some areas of these mountains that have not been fully explored, and in some areas it can be easy to get lost. Otherwise, stick to the trails that are normally clearly marked, and take a local map and compass.

Some of the areas in western Sichuan do not allow camping in the parks around the mountains, such as Jiuzhaigou. However, there are lodges and places to stay for the multi-day treks, so plan your route accordingly.

Local Festivals during this period

Great Prayer Festival (Monlam)

The Great Prayer Festival, or Monlam, was first established in Tibet in the early 15th century by Tsong Khapa, the founder of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism. This almost two-week long event starts on the fourth day of the Tibetan year, and ends with the Butter Lantern Festival, almost two weeks later. During Monlam, Buddhists spend a lot of time praying and commemorating the miraculous feats of Buddha, which have been celebrated in Buddhist scriptures for almost 2,500 years. Originating in India, Monlam has been a very popular time for Buddhists for more than a thousand years, and in Tibet for half of that time. The aim of the festival is to remember the Buddha nad his ancient activities, and to pray for long life for all the holy gurus from all traditions of Buddhiam and Hinduism.

Great Prayer Festival

Butter Lantern Festival

At the end of the Tibetan New Year, which is also celebrated by majority of the people in Garze Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, people go to the temples to burn incense and worship Buddha. As the day ends and darkness falls, they put up a multitude of stands on which they place lighted butter lanterns. The lanterns are made in the form of gods, figurines, flowers, birds, beasts, and just about any form you can imagine, and are a spectacle of color and design. The lamps make the streets as bright as daylight, and people sing and dance in the streets while they enjoy the festival.

Butter Lantern Festival

Saga Dawa Festival

The Saga Dawa festival is celebrated for a whole month, and is dedicated to the birth of Sakyamuni, his attainment of enlightenment, and the time he stepped into Parinirvana, his death. Tibetan Buddhists believe that by giving generously during that month they would accumulate more merits on their own journeys to enlightenment, and stop killing animals and eating meat.

Saga Dawa Festival