Haizi Valley Travel Guide – The Base for Siguniang Mountain Climbing

Overlooking the small town Rilong is the humungous Mt. Siguniang, the highest peak in Qionglai Mountains. At the foot of this mountain are the three famous valleys - Shuangqiao Valley, Changping Valley, and Haizi Valley. Mt. Siguniang or the Four Girls Mountains is ultimate destination for hard core hikers and climbers. These three valleys are the ultimate destinations for all travellers i.e. irrespective of their experience in climbing. A certain amount of experience is needed to climb Mount Siguniang. But that is not the case for valleys. These valleys are the perfect destinations for normal tourists and hikers to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Mount Siguniang with forests, snow mountains, rivers and grasslands.

Haizi Valley – The Base for Siguniang Mountain Climbing

Where is Haizi Valley

Haizi Valley is 2km east of Rilong Town. It is not as developed as Shuangqiao Valley and Changping Valley. From the town you can probably hitch hike a ride or go by walk to the valley. A 10-minute journey from the Changping Valley Park will lead you to the ticket counter of Haizi valley, which is also the entrance of the valley. There is no sightseeing-bus serviced. You can either hike or ride on a horse back. There is a boardwalk and horse trail available for about 19km in this valley. The ticket for entry costs CNY 60 from April to November and CNY 40 from December to March.

Haizi Valley is 2km east of Rilong Town.

Why to Visit Haizi Valley

One of the main reasons to visit Haizi Valley is that this valley is the pathway to climb up to the Dafeng and the Erfeng peaks of Mount Siguniang. It is also in Haizi Valley where the local Tibetans celebrate the Chaoshanhui Worshipping Festival and pay respect to the Four Sisters Mountains every year on 5th of May according to the Lunar calendar.

Chaoshanhui Worshipping Festival

Another reason to visit Haizi valley is to see the numerous beautiful lakes it has. The lakes with the background of snow-capped mountains make the experience a lot more beautiful. The waters reflecting the mighty mountains and the bluest of the blue skies are sight that must not be missed. There is a point in this valley where you can see the full view of the Four Sisters Mountains.

Explore Haizi Valley by Hike

One of the options to explore Haizi valley is by walk. There is no tourist bus in this valley. A 2-3 hour walk from the ticket counter will land you in Chaoshan ping from where you can see the full view of the mighty Four Sisters Mountains which is also called as the Siguniangshan Mountains also known as the Eastern Alps of China. To walk beyond requires a bit of effort than just walking.

Explore Haizi Valley by Hike

Explore Haizi Valley by Horseback Riding

A lot of local people make their living through this service. You can find horses and the guides right after the ticket counter. It is a good way to explore and mingle with the locals to know more about their culture. You can make stops in between to take photograph. The cost for renting the horse ranges from CNY 50 to CNY 150 depending on the distance and number of hours you wish to rent. If you are planning on camping in the valley the rent for the horse are CNY 150 which includes carrying your gear too.

Explore Haizi Valley by Horseback Riding

Climb from Haizi Valley to Dafeng Summit

The base camp for the Dafeng summit is at an altitude of 4300m. From the entrance it is about 16km to reach the base camp. This would usually take about 6-7hrs while going via Guozhuangping. Guozhuangping is 7km from the start and is one of the attractions in the valley. From here you can catch the full view of Mt. Siguniang. If you happen to be here during summer you can see thousands of bloomed colourful flowers in this area. After a lot of narrow valley areas, you will start climbing the mountain area around noon. Once you reach the base camp rest for the day.

Climb from Haizi Valley to Dafeng Summit

Next morning you can start early to climb up to the summit. The peak is at an altitude of 5, 035m. The summit climb is a physically demanding 8km uphill hike in the rocky mountain. After spending some time you can hike back down and return to the town by late afternoon.

Climb from Haizi Valley to Erfeng Summit

The Erfeng summit is at an altitude of 5, 276m. This summit definitely requires basic mountain climbing skills and some experience. It is about 24kms from the entrance. This will also be a 2-day trek. After passing the flags and Pagodas, you will exit the valley after a while and start climbing the mountains. Late in the afternoon you will the reach the base camp which is at an altitude of 4, 200m. You will rest up for the day.

Climb from Haizi Valley to Erfeng Summit

Next morning you will find yourself climbing a very rocky and uphill path. You will reach the summit at around 11 am. You can enjoy the views and hike back down.

How to Get to Haizi Valley from Chengdu

Haizi valley is at the foot of Mount Siguniang and the town closest to the valley is Rilong Town. Rilong is about 220kms from Chengdu. You can go by bus or rent a car with a local driver. It takes about 5 hours from Chengdu to Rilong. The bus starts from Chandianzi Bus Station from Chengdu at 6:00am. The last destination of this bus is Xiaojin County, but you can get down at Rilong. From Rilong to the entrance of Haizi Valley is only about 2km. You can stay in a hotel in Rilong Town. Or, you can camp inside the valley if you want to climb to the summit of Dafeng and Erfeng of Mount Siguniang.