Things to do in Ganzi Prefecture

The trip was fulfilling: early rising was required; the hotel was well-located, clean, and comfortable; the hotel breakfast was good; the driver was skilled and punctual; there was no shopping; it was great value for money; the scenery was superb; the itinerary was well-planned; the driver was very professional; and the travel experience was excellent.

The guesthouse is beautifully designed and very comfortable. It's clean, hygienic, and has a pleasant environment. The owners are very welcoming and will help with your luggage up and down the stairs. It's great value for money and I would recommend it to my friends.

It's worth a visit. After seeing so many high-altitude forests and snow-capped mountains in western Sichuan, the scenery here is quite breathtaking. After getting off the shuttle bus, it will probably take about an hour to walk around, stopping to take photos. There's a shuttle bus at the exit to take you back to the entrance. There's not much shade inside the scenic area, so be sure to wear sunscreen.

Hailuogou Scenic Area is mainly for viewing snow-capped mountains. Whether you can take good photos depends largely on the weather. Due to continuous rain, I waited for 4 days before entering the scenic area. The service was very good, after all, it is a 5A scenic area. The ticket prices for the shuttle bus and cable car are relatively high.

The moment the sun came out, it was all worth it. The scenic area still has room for further development; compared to other attractions in western Sichuan, it's relatively simple. Driving in is a pleasant experience, and on a sunny day, it's a place worth passing through.

Light and shadow + snow-capped mountains + Tibetan villages + yak hot pot: capture the essence of Western Sichuan in one trip! 📍Xinduqiao is not a tourist attraction, but a small town in western Ganzi and Kangding, at the intersection of G318 and G248 highways, a must-stop station on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway. It's renowned: 📸A photographer's paradise, ✨A world of light and shadow. Beauty lies in its 10+ kilometer scenic corridor: golden poplars, streams, Tibetan villages, and snow-capped mountains, like a flowing oil painting. The essence of the trip: Treat it as Western Sichuan base camp, explore during the day, and return to the town at an altitude of approximately 3300 meters to sleep at night, without carrying any luggage. 🗓️When to go? 🍂Late September to early November: Golden season, mid-to-late October when the poplars turn golden, peak photography time. 🌱May-June: Grasslands turn green again, wildflowers bloom everywhere. ☀️July-August: Summer retreat, stargazing, mushroom picking, matsutake season, but be mindful of the weather during the rainy season. ❄️December-February: Like an ink painting, less crowded, tranquil golden sunrise over the mountains. 🎮Core Activities 📸Chasing the Light 🌅7:00-9:00: Photographing the crepuscular rays: 3km poplar forest in Waze Township or Qumogong. 🌇16:00-18:30: Photographing the warm light of Tibetan villages, backlit silhouettes at the Gongga viewing platform. 🛣️Ten-Mile Gallery: Approximately 15km of the most scenic section of G318/G248. Secret code: Photograph the poplar shadows in the early morning, photograph the golden sunrise over the mountains in the evening. 🏔️Mountain Watch Yuzixi: Altitude approximately 4200 meters, 360° views of Gongga, Yala, and Qingrao. Panoramic views in the afternoon, golden sunrise over the mountains in the evening, Milky Way at night. Strong winds, wear a thick coat! SUVs are recommended for gravel roads. Gongga Viewpoint: 5 km from town, offering panoramic views of snow-capped mountains, villages, and rivers with a telephoto lens. Gaersi Sacred Mountain: Within 1 hour, free and less crowded. 🗺️Northern Route Yuzixi → Gedilam → Tagong Grassland → Gunong Village → Moshi Park. Take photos of Yala Snow Mountain and Muya Golden Pagoda at Tagong, and circumambulate the pagoda; take photos of otherworldly landscapes at Moshi. 🗺️Southern Route Juli Temple Pass → Jiagenba → Lenggacuo. Jiagenba is a pristine Tibetan village with few tourists; the E'se flowers bloom in July. Lenggacuo offers views of Gongga Mountain's reflection; a clear day is ideal. 🍄Local Experience In July and August, go mushroom picking with a guide. Open blind boxes of porcini and oak mushrooms, and cook fresh mushroom soup back at your guesthouse. ⚠️Don't eat anything you don't recognize! 🐎 Horse riding in Tagong; 🏠 Ask permission before visiting a Tibetan village and drinking butter tea; 🛏️ Tibetan-style guesthouses have oxygen-filled underfloor heating, and snow-capped mountains visible from the windows. 🍲 Highland Flavors · 🍲 Yak meat hot pot: The soul of the meal! Warms the body and combats altitude sickness. Recommended at Axi Pottery and Black Barley Estate. · 🍵 Butter tea: Salty and fragrant, relieves altitude sickness; sweet tea is an alternative if you don't like it. · 🥛 Yak yogurt: Thick and tangy, even better with sugar. · 🫓 Barley cakes + Tibetan buns: Authentic breakfast. · 🍄 Wild mushroom soup: A must-try in summer and autumn; red pine mushrooms are harvested from July to September. Restaurants on the main street cost 30-70 RMB per person. Tip: Ask the owner of the guesthouse where you're staying; Tibetan food at guesthouses is often a pleasant surprise. 🚗Transportation + 🛏️Accommodation 🚗Driving: Chengdu → Kangding → Highway 318 (crossing Zheduo Mountain), approximately 5-6 hours; High-speed rail to Kangding, then share a car, approximately 35-50 RMB/person; Charter a car in Chengdu, approximately 800-1000 RMB/day. 🛏️Boutique Tibetan-style guesthouses with snow-capped mountain views from the window; Guesthouses in town, approximately 200-350 RMB/night. ⚠️Tips 🏔️Altitude 3300 meters: Move slowly, start on the first day...

From the moment you enter the village gate, your driving skills will be put to the test. It's all winding mountain roads with sharp S-shaped uphill turns, so drive carefully. There's a guesthouse parking lot at viewing platform number 5; it costs 10 yuan to enter and overlook the entire village. The view is quite good, so it's worth the visit.

The scenery in Daocheng Yading is amazing. This is my second time visiting. The buses and shuttle buses are very convenient. There are service personnel everywhere, and there are many hot water and oxygen supply stations. Staff at the supply stations can help measure blood oxygen levels.

We went on a rainy day, so there were fewer people. The snow-capped mountains were shrouded in fog. We entered the scenic area with the mindset that since we were already there, the air was very fresh. The scenery on a rainy day had a unique charm. After climbing for a while, it started raining heavily, and the kids didn't want to go any further, so we went back down. But then the rain stopped, the weather cleared up, and the snow-capped mountains appeared. It was absolutely amazing.

To be honest, if you're just watching the sunset, it's not necessary. I didn't see the stars at night because I was worried about the return trip. The road back is difficult to travel and there are traffic jams. The road is narrow and has gravel. It would be 10 o'clock by the time I got back to Xinduqiao.