A Date with Sichuan After the Pandemic: A Record of a 7-Day Chartered Tour in Western Sichuan, a 1-Day Food Tour in Leshan, and a 1-Day Exploration in Chengdu
Finally, finally, three years have passed, spring has bloomed, and the toughest year of 2022 has been weathered. With the pandemic fully opened up, my best friend and I absolutely couldn't contain our restless hearts, hehe. After five years, our two-person date has started again!
Spring arrived, and I initially wanted to go to Jiangxi to see rapeseed flowers, but then I thought that the rapeseed flower season is so short, and there would probably be a lot of people and traffic jams. Jiangxi was a pass. How about Fujian? But the 'Blue Tears' wasn't in its peak season yet, so Fujian was a pass. Or maybe Guangdong Chaoshan? But the New Year flavor and traditional atmosphere there are stronger, so it feels more suitable for going during the Chinese New Year. Guangdong was a pass. What about the originally planned Gannan? We could go now, but then I thought Gannan is better in the summer of July and August, so Gannan was also a pass.
So, Western Sichuan came back to my mind again. Originally, I planned to go in autumn, because before, Daocheng Yading was always in my mind as the most beautiful golden autumn scenery. But after choosing this time, I found that in March, Western Sichuan has snow-capped mountains, and the Four Sisters Mountain has spring snow. Western Sichuan is suitable for every season. So, we instantly agreed and decided on Sichuan. Determined to include the four places I most wanted to visit on the Western Sichuan route—Danba Tibetan Village, Seda Buddhist Academy, Dingzhen's hometown, the Sky City Litang, and Daocheng Yading—I searched through many Ctrip itineraries, most of which were missing one of the four. Finally, perseverance paid off, and I found a chartered tour from Chengdu offered by Dajiao Inn that included all four places I wanted to visit. Thus, the 7-day Western Sichuan chartered tour was born, hehe. I thought I could take five days off plus two weekends for a total of nine days. With two extra days, I decided I had to stay in Sichuan for the full nine days. So, I thought, how could I come to Sichuan and not go to Wang Hedi's hometown, Leshan, to eat his family's fried skewers? Thus, the Leshan food tour day was born. For the last day, determined not to waste a single second and to stay in Sichuan for the full nine days, I decided to see giant pandas in Chengdu in the morning, return to the city center at noon to continue eating, and finally, the Chengdu one-day tour was born! So the nine days were packed full, hehe...^_^
【Itinerary】
Day 0 (2023/3/17): Departure day, Tianjin—Chengdu (rushed to Tianjin Airport after work for the late flight). Hotel: Buding Hotel Chengdu Chunxi Road Metro Station Taikoo Li Center Branch.
Day 1 (2023/3/18): Chengdu—Xiaojin County (visit Four Sisters Mountain Double Bridge Valley)—Danba County. Hotel: Danba Jimei Grand Hotel (Dinner: Danba County - Back Home to Eat - Beef Noodles).
Day 2 (2023/3/19): Danba County (Jiaju Tibetan Village)—Daofu County (Moshi Park)—Seda County. Hotel: Lifeng Hotel Seda Jinma Avenue Branch (Dinner: Seda County - Baiwei Tibetan Cuisine - Beef Pancake + Beef Powder Soup + Butter Tea).
Day 3 (2023/3/20): Seda County (Wuming Buddhist Academy)—Ganzi County. Hotel: Ganzi Xiya Hotel (Afternoon Dinner: Ganzi County - Lamu Tibetan Cuisine - Covered Beef with Flatbread + Milk Tea).
Day 4 (2023/3/21): Ganzi County—Litang County (Letong Ancient Town · Thousand-Household Tibetan Village)—Daocheng County Shangri-La Town. Hotel: Daocheng Yading Ramada Encore Hotel (Afternoon Dinner: Litang County - Cangyang Pavilion Tibetan Cuisine - Beef Bun + Potato Bun + Yogurt; The Story of Tsampa and Butter Tea - Cow Dung Bread + Black Highland Barley Bread + Highland Barley Wheat Bread).
Day 5 (2023/3/22): Daocheng County (Daocheng Yading Scenic Area). Hotel: Daocheng Yading Ramada Encore Hotel (Dinner: Daocheng County Shangri-La Town - Daocheng County Sisters Tibetan Restaurant - Tibetan Wheat Dough Pieces + Yak Yogurt + Butter Yogurt + Milk Cake Mixed with Shredded Radish; Adiao Tibetan-style New Tea - Lamu Lacuo + Gesang Meiduo).
Day 6 (2023/3/23): Daocheng County (Daocheng White Pagoda)—Ganzi Prefecture Kangding City Xinduqiao Town. Hotel: Kangding Yunding Starry Sky Hotel (Dinner: Kangding City Xinduqiao Town - Shangpin Beef Soup Hot Pot BBQ Restaurant - Beef and Offal Hot Pot Set Meal).
Day 7 (2023/3/24): Xinduqiao Town—Luding County (Luding Bridge)—Chengdu—Leshan. Hotel: Moju River View Hotel (Dinner: Granny Ye's B.B.Q. Chicken in Pot - Red Oil B.B.Q. Chicken + Handmade Thin Pancake + Brown Sugar Ice Jelly; Fourth Lady Lei's Egg Pancake - Cream Oreo + Cream Pork Floss; Haihuiyuan Old Siomai Shop - Fresh Meat Siomai).
Day 8 (2023/3/25): Leshan (Sujie Ancient Town & Leshan Giant Buddha)—Chengdu. Hotel: Buding Hotel Chengdu Chunxi Road Metro Station Taikoo Li Center Branch (Brunch: Uncle Zhang's Seven Brown Sugar Crispy Pancake - Brown Sugar Crispy Pancake + Beef Kaba Pancake; Uncle Lei's Five Tofu Pudding - Mandarin Duck Tofu Pudding with Beef and Crispy Pork; Xiao Yang's Over-the-Shoulder Beef - Tender Beef + Fatty Beef + Cabbage + Blood Curd + Steamed Rice Flour Beef; Xu's Cold Rice Cake - Traditional Rice Cold Cake. Afternoon Dinner: Didi's Fried - Fried Skewers).
Day 9 (2023/3/26): Chengdu (Giant Panda Breeding Base)—Tianjin (Lunch: West Moon City Tan's Bean Flower - Sweet Noodles + Dan Dan Noodles + Red Oil Dumplings + Brown Sugar Glutinous Rice Cake; Liu's One String Sugar Oil Fruit - Sugar Oil Fruit; Lai's Tangyuan - Lai Tangyuan + Fresh Meat Tangyuan).
【Cost Details】
Round-trip airfare Tianjin-Chengdu: 1570 yuan/person
Three nights hotel in Chengdu/Leshan: about 260 yuan/person
7-day chartered tour in Western Sichuan plus 6 nights accommodation: about 4700 yuan/person
Round-trip high-speed rail Leshan-Chengdu: 105 yuan/person
Entrance fees (including scenic area transportation, shopping, and photo shoot costs): about 1100 yuan/person
Transportation costs (taxis, airport transfers, airport buses, public buses, subway): about 230 yuan/person
Food: about 550 yuan/person
Other (souvenirs, etc.): about 1100 yuan/person
Total per person: about 10,000 yuan
【Altitude Sickness Tips】
Altitude sickness varies from person to person, but most people will experience some mild or severe reactions. Mild symptoms may include dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, chills, fever, etc. Severe cases may involve pulmonary or cerebral edema. However, if you travel by car or train where the altitude rises gradually and your body has time to adapt, severe altitude sickness is less likely!
So, preparations before going to the plateau: you can take Rhodiola rosea as a preventive measure, but there's no guarantee it will prevent altitude sickness completely (I didn't take it, but I felt okay on the plateau). Bring ibuprofen, cold medicine, and gastrointestinal medicine (I only brought ibuprofen and digestive medicine; ibuprofen is really a panacea—it worked well when I felt dizzy or a bit chilly. On the plateau, vegetables and fruits might be scarce, so I took digestive medicine every night). If you can't adapt well on the plateau, you can buy Gaoyuan'an (a local remedy) at local pharmacies; the price is similar to JD.com (my silly friend bought two boxes and said it seemed effective after taking it).
Remember! Stop high-oxygen-consuming exercises half a month to one month before departure (I stopped dancing two weeks before and still had mild reactions on the plateau. Next time, I'll try stopping a month in advance). Generally, it's recommended not to wash your hair or take a shower in the first two days on the plateau (but we washed our hair and bathed every day on the plateau and managed to adapt). Also, you must wear a hat on the plateau; wind can easily cause altitude sickness. Eat three meals on time; it turns out hunger can also trigger altitude sickness because you need enough energy on the plateau. Bring a water bottle and drink plenty of water; drinking hot water helps alleviate altitude sickness. You can also prepare glucose and chocolate for energy. You can bring a portable oxygen tank; if you're really uncomfortable, you can use it, but it's still not recommended to use it immediately, as it might create dependency.
Finally, regardless of the season, bring a thick coat. The weather on the plateau is unpredictable; it changes constantly, and the temperature difference is huge. Most importantly, the feeling of 10°C on the plateau is very different from 10°C on the plains...
【Detailed Itinerary】
Ding dong... I booked the entire trip a month in advance. As time got closer, March 17, 2023, finally arrived. I was super excited when I woke up. I packed all my luggage, just waiting to get off work, go home, grab my luggage, and head straight to the airport.
Not wanting to waste a single moment, I chose Lucky Air's Friday flight, departing at 20:50 and arriving at Tianfu Airport at midnight. 90% of the beauty of Sichuan is in Western Sichuan. Here we come, Sichuan, hehe~
Two little girls, with one 26-inch suitcase, one 24-inch suitcase, two 18-inch travel bags, and two backpacks, set off on their nine-day Sichuan adventure, haha~
Arriving at Tianfu Airport at midnight, we waited for our luggage. Everything went smoothly. Following the signs, we found the night airport bus (PS: Although Tianfu Airport is far, luckily they have a dedicated night bus to the city; it takes about an hour). We bought tickets via a mini-program for 25 yuan each, ending at Chunxi Road IFS, under the panda's butt. We booked the Buding Hotel on Ctrip (link: https://hotels.ctrip.com/hotels/detail?hotelid=2954276&cityid=28&checkin=2023-03-17&checkout=2023-03-18).
It's less than a ten-minute walk from the airport bus drop-off point, very convenient. The hotel has a 24-hour front desk. Since we arrived on a midnight flight, took the airport bus (departed around 1 am after everyone was there), and arrived at Chunxi Road around 2 am, the front desk guy was still waiting for us. Thumbs up! We tidied up a bit, rested, and slept for a while. Tomorrow will officially be our first high-altitude experience, hehe...^_^
Since it's a chartered tour, I contacted the driver the day before about the departure time and pickup location. We got up early, packed up, and set off at 7:30 sharp. The morning air in Chengdu was so refreshing.
Today's itinerary: first, go to the Maobiliang Viewing Platform to see the full view of the Four Sisters Mountain, then head to Shuangqiao Valley of Four Sisters Mountain for sightseeing.
Starting from Chengdu, we passed through Dujiangyan, then Wenchuan County in Aba Prefecture, crossed Balang Mountain, and arrived at Maobiliang Viewing Platform in Xiaojin County. It takes about three and a half hours from downtown Chengdu to Maobiliang. The scenery along the way was beautiful. When we reached Balang Mountain, it was shrouded in thick fog, almost invisible, as if we had fallen into a fairyland. But my phone really had no signal... Ahhh...
While crossing the mountain in the fog, the driver said that after passing Balang Mountain, it should be clear and sunny. And when we really saw the clear sky after passing through, all we could say was 'Wow!' It was truly stunning.
We arrived at Maobiliang Viewing Platform at 11 am. Although we saw many buses and people when we got off, we still took a bunch of photos—beautiful scenery and beautiful people, hahaha...
Hehe, me in all white, fluffy and cute~
My silly best friend, hehehe—let me formally introduce her: she's also the photographer this time, hehe~
My plan was to arrive at Shuangqiao Valley ahead of the tour buses. After about half an hour of taking pictures, we hurried to the highlight of the day: Four Sisters Mountain Shuangqiao Valley Scenic Area.
We reached Shuangqiao Valley around noon. Since we still had to get to Danba County for the night, we agreed with the driver to leave the scenic area by 4 pm at the latest. To save time, we skipped lunch, carrying only sausages and bread into the scenic area. Tickets were bought online the day before. At this time, Aba Prefecture had a promotion: buy one get one free for Shuangqiao Valley tickets, though the scenic area shuttle ticket wasn't free, but it was still a good deal~
My bestie and me~
After entering Shuangqiao Valley, we first took the scenic shuttle to the highest point, Hongshanlin (Redwood Forest, altitude 3810m), then visited from top to bottom. We regretted not bringing the oxygen canister provided by the travel agency; we overestimated ourselves. As soon as we got off the shuttle, I felt dizzy and groggy. I quickly bought a can of oxygen but didn't open it. After sitting in the rest area and having some snacks, I suddenly felt revived. Maybe the reaction was just hunger, haha...
So, at Hongshanlin, the two of us took photos until 1:30 pm, finishing our first photo stop. Then we took the shuttle to the second stop.
The second stop in Shuangqiao Valley is Potala Peak, named because the mountain resembles the Potala Palace. Here, with blue sky and white clouds, a wide road, and Potala Peak, it was a beautiful scene... plus a beautiful woman, hehe.
We saw a donation box and made a donation, praying for the health, peace, and good fortune of our family and close friends.
We took photos until 2:30 pm, then headed to the third stop.
The third stop in Shuangqiao Valley is Sigunacuo. A scene of emerald water and blue sky—'beautiful' alone cannot describe it. The water was incredibly clear. We don't see such scenery in the north. I envy the people of Sichuan so much ^_^
After some photos, we took the shuttle to exit the scenic area around 3 pm. We'd read that among the remaining three stops, Nianyu Dam was closed for summer rafting, so we didn't need to get off. Longzhucuo and Sigunacuo are similar, so we skipped one. Finally, we passed by Renshenguoping but didn't get off because, from the shuttle, we could see the grass hadn't grown green yet. It probably looks better for photos in summer with green grass. Besides, we'd see white pagodas and prayer flags on our upcoming Western Sichuan route, so we went straight out.
After exiting, we saw a sign saying 'Must-visit spot in Xiaojin County, Aba Prefecture,' so we took more pouty photos, hehe. The weather was great today, and the photos came out well.
After taking photos, I called the driver. Around 3:30 pm, we set off to Danba County for check-in. On the way, we passed through Xiaojin County town, a lively town in a valley—my kind of vibe, hehe.
Around 5 pm, we passed a group of temples built on a hillside, with a stream nearby. It felt very peaceful. The driver stopped to let us take photos and breathe fresh air. It was very quiet.
Then we continued. We passed a section where a mudslide and landslide had occurred. This section was difficult due to road repairs and wasn't fully fixed yet. After driving out of this section, we soon reached Danba County and checked into the Danba Jimei Grand Hotel, the highest-grade hotel in the county. It was fully booked because of the opening ceremony of the Jinchuan Pear Blossom Festival. After checking in, we went out to find food, hehe.
I had done my research beforehand. Our first Western Sichuan meal would be yak meat! We chose a small shop called 'Back Home to Eat' and ordered two small bowls of beef noodles. The small portion was quite generous, and it was delicious. The beef was very tender, the noodles were chewy, and the soup was tasty—absolutely perfect. I fell in love with Western Sichuan on the first day, hehe.
After eating and drinking our fill, we strolled through the county streets, enjoying the breeze. We were very satisfied. There was a square dancing group in front of the hotel, so we decided to join in and immerse ourselves, hehe... The first day ended happily. Time to rest and prepare for tomorrow's itinerary~
Today's itinerary: visit Danba Jiaju Tibetan Village and Daofu Moshi Park in the morning; then we need to travel and enjoy the scenery along the way to Seda County for check-in in the afternoon.
We had breakfast at Jimei Hotel at 7 am and departed at 7:30, driving to Jiaju Tibetan Village (tickets can be bought on-site; chartered cars don't need to buy scenic area transport tickets and can drive directly). First, we went to the top No. 3 viewing platform, took photos, and enjoyed the scenery. The air was fresh, but the sun wasn't out, so the scenery was more beautiful than us. We just took pictures of the views.
After the No. 3 viewing platform, we went directly down to the No. 1 viewing platform, skipping No. 2 because it was covered with trees, completely blocking the most beautiful village. So from No. 3, we went straight to No. 1. It was still early, without sun, but the scenery was truly beautiful—no wonder it's one of China's most beautiful villages.
After visiting both platforms, we went down to the scenic area entrance, where there's a photo spot for '318 Must Drive in This Life.' We were early enough that there weren't many people at the spot, so we got a picture of the sign without anyone else, and took a souvenir photo, hehe.
Around 9 am, we set off for an alien-looking planet on Earth—Daofu County Bamei Town Moshi Park. We planned to take great photos there, haha. After an hour and a half drive, we arrived at the park entrance at 10:30 am. The sun was out, so we set up for some awesome shots. We bought tickets at the main gate, then took a sightseeing car for a few minutes to the core area, overlooking the entire alien planet. From the sightseeing car, we walked along the boardwalk. Whenever we saw a beautiful spot, we stopped for photos. We chose several spots, all great for stunning shots.
Walking along the boardwalk, after going downhill, we saw the '318 Must Drive in This Life' photo spot with astronaut models—another great spot for photos.
Since we needed to rush to Seda County, we only allocated a bit over an hour for this scenic area, but that was enough. The park is not too big. We walked without backtracking, heading downhill toward the museum to exit. The exit is at the parking lot, where the driver was waiting. By noon, we set off for the crucial Seda County. Because we hurried through Moshi Park, we didn't have lunch; we just wanted to lie down in the car and ate some snacks we brought. Then we headed straight to Seda.
Seda County is at a high altitude—our hotel's altitude was nearly 4,000 meters, and the rooms had oxygen generators. I was both excited and nervous because the first two days we had almost no severe altitude reactions. The driver told us to be prepared; we might experience some altitude sickness when sleeping at night.
The drive took about five hours. Along the way, crossing mountains, we saw different styles of Tibetan architecture. Before, I only knew the style in Lhasa, Tibet. Seeing different Tibetan architecture on this Western Sichuan trip was a great experience.
From Bamei to Seda County, we crossed mountains and saw many indispensable yaks in the Tibetan areas.
And then there were 'Monkey Brothers' blocking the road—lots of them. We didn't feed them. A car ahead fed them, and the monkeys kept chasing the car, some even climbing onto the windows and refusing to leave. I guess the monkeys on the mountain were really hungry this season, coming down to forage. It was quite something...
We arrived in Seda around 5:30 pm. From the road, we could already see the red houses of the Buddhist Academy in the distance. We also saw a new creature called a 'pika' (mouse hare), and it was eating dirt, haha.
After watching the pika eat dirt, we got hungry, too. We checked into the hotel around 6 pm and went out for food soon after. The streets in Seda County were eerily quiet, unlike the lively Danba. Plus, there were armed police at the intersection—truth be told, I was a bit scared. But hunger overcame fear, so we went out to eat. After walking about 800 meters, we found 'Baiwei Tibetan Cuisine.' We ordered beef pancakes, beef powder soup, and a pot of butter tea to alleviate altitude sickness. The beef pancakes were crispy and the filling tender—delicious, totally worth it. After eating and drinking, we felt energized again, hehe.
It gets dark late on the plateau. At 7:30 pm when we ate, it was still light. It started getting dark after 8 pm, so we strolled back to the hotel along the quiet streets, preparing to get up early tomorrow for the Buddhist Academy I had been longing for.
As expected, I hardly slept that night. At an altitude of 4,000 meters, lying down made me feel breathless, even with the oxygen generator running and inhaling oxygen. Plus, I had arranged a car to enter the Buddhist Academy, agreeing to be picked up at 4:30 am, so I couldn't sleep well. I dozed off and on for about two hours, then gave up and got out of bed before 3 am. Sitting or standing felt better for breathing. I packed up and went downstairs around 4 am, leaving my luggage at the front desk. At 4:30, our Tibetan driver picked us up and drove toward the Academy, about half an hour away. When we got out of the car at the entrance, we saw a sky full of stars, as if we could pluck them. After enjoying the stars, we embarked on a thrilling experience that rivaled an escape room. Ahhh! The Tibetan brother first scouted the area in the dark, then told us to climb a slope and walk along the side of the mountain. After about 15 minutes, someone from inside changed our vehicle and drove us toward the area above the Mandala. They dropped us off near a long, steep staircase leading to the Mandala. That's when our day's itinerary officially began. Climbing those stairs at 4,000 meters was exhausting, but the moment I reached the Mandala and saw it brightly lit, I knew everything was worth it.
From the Mandala westward along the mountain, there's a viewing platform. The road was dimly lit. We met a couple and walked together. We arrived at the platform around 6:15 am. On the plateau, it gets light late—still dark at 6 am, so we saw the night view. Then, at an altitude of over 4,000 meters, I took off all my down jacket and windbreaker and put on the dress I had carefully prepared to start taking photos—style over warmth. In this place lacking oxygen but not faith, I fulfilled my dream in Seda. I guess only I would work so hard in such cold, haha.
After a quick photo session, I quickly put on all my layers again and waited for dawn at the platform. From 6 am to 8 am, I stood there overlooking the full view of the Buddhist Academy, from night to day. Truly, after Seda, there is no other Seda. It's a celestial Buddhist kingdom on earth, a world without worldly noise—words cannot describe its beauty.
At around 8 am, when it got light, the duty officers came to work. They came to the viewing platform to shoo people down, but they weren't too strict—they just said to take a few more photos and then go down. So we obediently went down. Then we dispersed into the alleys and continued exploring for a while longer. We went down the stairs. By then, it was after 8, and the lamas and nuns were heading to class. Watching them walk along the road, heading to school, I felt a tranquility I had never experienced. The Buddhist Academy truly is a refuge for the lost and a utopia for escapists. I can't describe it too much; you have to be there to feel that rare peace. My whole heart calmed down.
Walking down the stairs, we reached a fence where we could look up at the red houses.
We took souvenir photos again, shedding our coats for pictures. A ray of sunlight fell on the red houses, truly 'that touch of red is a sacred symbol and a place of belonging for the soul.' This time, I climbed a mountain, fulfilled a dream, and found a faith.
After taking photos, we thought about wandering into the monks' living quarters but were afraid to disturb them. Despite our hesitation, we went in anyway. Since we had just taken photos, it was still a bit cold without the sun, and we hadn't properly adjusted our coats. As we walked and shivered, two nuns passed by. They saw us and kindly asked if we were cold. They even offered us their hand warmers and told us where to get hot food. At that moment, I was deeply moved. Even now, writing this travelogue and recalling that moment, I still feel very touched. We also asked the nuns if we could walk around inside, and they said yes. That made me feel even more at ease. The Buddhist Academy is truly pure.
This experience was unique and unforgettable. Watching a sunrise on the observation deck of the Buddhist Academy, feeling the morning quiet in front of the red houses, seeing the first rays of sunlight shine on them, and meeting such kind nuns—at that moment, I suddenly felt no fear. I think I will remember this day forever.
Around 10 am, we took the Buddhist Academy's bus down to the exit. I called the driver; he picked us up after a short wait, we collected our luggage from the hotel, and headed to Ganzi County for check-in. Today's schedule was relatively relaxed; the drive wasn't too long, and we could reach the hotel around 2 pm.
But we hadn't eaten breakfast or lunch, and had hardly slept the night before. While inside the Academy for five hours, I had no reactions. But once we got in the car and started driving, I began to feel uncomfortable—weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath—all kinds of altitude sickness. At my worst, traffic police stopped us for a check. The police officer asked the driver to turn off the engine. I almost collapsed; without the wind from the car moving, I felt my oxygen decrease instantly. I was miserable. Then several officers split up to ask questions, taking the driver aside to check all documents. Another officer came to ask us questions. My brain was oxygen-deprived; I couldn't understand what the officer said. He was Tibetan, and I couldn't understand his questions. At that moment, I just wanted to hit someone, curse, lose my temper. I asked the officer to open the door and window to let some air in, but he didn't understand me. Just as I was about to explode, the driver returned. The check was clear; we could proceed. The car started, air came in, and I regained some sense. I later learned that the police were checking because our 7-seater van only had two tourists, and the Ganzi tourism bureau was worried about private cars operating illegally, which could harm the area's reputation. Well, we were a legitimate chartered tour with proper documents, so nothing to fear. We arrived in Ganzi County smoothly.
After checking in, I still felt a bit chilly and was afraid I might have a fever. But it was sunny outside—the warmest time of day around 2 pm—and I hadn't eaten all day, so I rested briefly and went out to find food.
I had searched for the top-rated restaurant in Ganzi County, called 'Lamu Tibetan Cuisine.' Following the navigation, we walked through the county, stopping to take photos, and arrived at the restaurant. Since it was off-peak, there were few people. The owner, a lady, was very welcoming and ran the place herself. We ordered a portion of 'Covered Beef with Flatbread' and a pot of milk tea. I was about to order more, but the kind owner said that should be enough for two of us. If we were still hungry after finishing, we could order more. For now, just these two items were fine. I experienced the purity and kindness of Tibetan people once again. When the beef dish arrived, the portion was huge. The beef was tender, the potato slices fried and dipped in chili were very fragrant, and the 'cover'—a thin pancake made from highland barley—was crispy and delicious. We ate to our heart's content. After the meal, we chatted with the owner for a while. She recommended nearby attractions and local customs. I promised to bring my beloved back to Ganzi in the future. Before we left, she reminded us to be careful on our way back to the hotel. Such a kind owner! When I have the chance to visit Ganzi again, I will definitely eat at Lamu Tibetan Cuisine.
After eating, we returned to the hotel. Today, we rest early to prepare for tomorrow's journey to Litang for a photo shoot, then to Daocheng County's Shangri-La Town.
After a good meal and sound sleep, I woke up refreshed. I was alive again! Today was mostly travel: four hours from Ganzi to Litang, then another four hours from Litang to Shangri-La Town in Daocheng County. Since we had a long drive, we agreed with the driver to set off at 7:30 am.
Dingzhen, I'm coming! We set off for the Letong Ancient Town · Thousand-Household Tibetan Village in Litang. After crossing mountains, we arrived at National Highway 227 in Litang County around 11 am. The view was very open. We stopped for photos—the sky was blue, the clouds were white, very beautiful.
Beyond Highway 227, we were not far from the Sky City of Litang, a must-pass on the 318 National Highway. Indeed, there were many more big trucks in Litang. At noon, we entered Litang County town, which has an altitude of 4,014 meters. This is the Sky City, the hometown of Dingzhen, and the second hometown of Tsangyang Gyatso.
In the place closest to the sky, wearing a sky-blue Tibetan costume, I became a Khampa Tibetan girl for a day. We chose 'Heaven Photography' on Rengang Ancient Street for a photo shoot, fulfilling a Tibetan dream, hehe. After getting my makeup done, I felt a little dizzy, but as we took photos on Rengang Ancient Street, I gradually adapted. Maybe I lived here in a past life, hehe.
Around 2 pm, after the shoot, we quickly explored Rengang Ancient Street and the Tsangyang Gyatso Museum. Here, there are poems and distant places~
At Cangyang Pavilion Tibetan Cuisine, we bought beef buns, potato buns, and yogurt to take away. We planned to eat them on the road, but my friend was a bit dizzy, so we ate them at the hotel in the evening. We also bought three breads from 'The Story of Tsampa and Butter Tea' (highland barley wheat bread, black highland barley bread, and cow dung bread) to take into the Yading scenic area the next day for lunch.
At 2:30 pm, we set off for Shangri-La Town in Daocheng County. I must give a big thumbs-up to our driver. Even though we took longer in Litang for the photo shoot, he never rushed us and was very friendly. (The chartered tour link from the travel agency is at the end of the article; I highly recommend Dajiao Inn's chartered tours. If you can choose your driver, choose Master Wu; you can call him Third Brother. He's a nice guy, and most importantly, even though I dawdle every day, he never urges me, haha.)
After leaving Litang, we took a very classic stretch of road, perfect for photos. The videos we made turned out great, especially with Xu Wei's 'The You Once Were' as background music—absolutely perfect.
In the afternoon, we passed Rabbit Mountain and Haizi Mountain. We stopped at the viewing platform for photos, but at altitudes of 4,600-4,700 meters, the wind was too strong for people photos—only scenery. But the landscape photos were truly beautiful.
After crossing Haizi Mountain, we first passed through Daocheng County town, but since the town's altitude is high and far from the Yading scenic area, we didn't stay there. After passing the town, we crossed another mountain and drove a bit more to reach Shangri-La Town.
The town had a lively atmosphere—Mixue Ice Cream & Tea, Chabaido, everything. It's a good place. We checked into the Ramada Encore around 7 pm, ate the food we brought from Litang, tidied up, and went to sleep. Ready to 'Pass Through Your World' tomorrow, hehe~
Today's schedule was relaxed—no traveling, no changing hotels with luggage. We agreed to have breakfast at 7:30 am. Breakfast was at the top-tier Yading Rinsongongbu Crowne Plaza Hotel opposite the Encore Hotel. The breakfast was really delicious—buffet style. I had a bowl of rice noodles, a siomai, a small fried dough stick, a slice of bacon, a fried egg, some fruit, vegetables, milk, and I mixed myself a bowl of tsampa, hehe. After a hearty meal, we prepared to climb the Yading scenic area.
It took about ten minutes from the hotel to the Yading scenic area. We arrived a little after 8 am, but the gate wasn't open yet—off-peak season, indeed, everyone starts work late.
After entering the visitor center, we first took a one-hour bus ride. Along the way, we passed Yading Village and Longtongba, finally arriving at Zhaguengbeng, the starting point of our hike.
From Zhaguengbeng, we walked about 20 minutes uphill to Chonggu Temple. We walked and took photos, passing many mani piles. I added one, praying for the health of my family and the smooth running of the company.
Chonggu Temple is the divide between the long and short routes. The long route goes from Chonggu Temple by electric car to Luorong Niu Chang, then hikes to Milk Lake and Five-Color Lake. The short route is a direct hike from Chonggu Temple to Zhuomala Lake (also known as Pearl Lake).
Since it's the off-season, Milk Lake and Five-Color Lake were closed, so we could only take the electric car to Luorong Niu Chang. We were among the first batch of tourists to enter the scenic area. We arrived at Luorong Niu Chang at 10:30 am and took photos around the meadow for two hours. To see Yangmaiyong peak clearly, we had to walk a bit along the boardwalk from the meadow to the observation point.
From Luorong Niu Chang, we could also see Xiannairi, but it was covered by clouds today—too shy—so we'll meet another time.
We took the electric car back down to Chonggu Temple at around 1:00 pm and started our real hike for the day: the short route to Pearl Lake to see Xiannairi peak.
After Chonggu Temple, we had to take a path behind the temple to reach the real hiking boardwalk. The entire path was uphill steps, a constant high-knee exercise. Due to the high altitude, we had to stop frequently to catch our breath.
Then, on our way up, we were attacked by a monkey! It scared me to death. I was carrying a bag from Xueji Roasted Snacks with an oxygen can inside, and the monkey mistook it for food and tried to snatch it. It was terrifying; the bag was torn. Dear readers, never carry a bag—you will be robbed by monkeys!
Compared to monkeys, little squirrels are much cuter ^_^
After walking the longest 800 meters in the world (the navigation said it's only 800 meters from Chonggu Temple to Pearl Lake), it took us a full hour and a half to reach the first Xiannairi observation point and Pearl Lake. But when we saw Pearl Lake and the sacred Xiannairi mountain, I felt it was worth the fatigue. It started snowing! The emerald Pearl Lake, the pure white snowy mountain, and the falling snow created an incredibly beautiful scene. I immediately stopped feeling cold and started taking photos.
We took photos for over half an hour, reluctant to leave. But we had to go back. The descent was faster; it took about half an hour to return to Chonggu Temple. Then we went to Chonggu Grassland to see the yaks and headed back.
We retraced our steps: a ten-minute walk back to Zhaguengbeng, then a one-hour bus ride to the visitor center. The day at Yading ended successfully. 'Passing Through Your World'—I want to bring my beloved to see the blue sky, white snow mountain, and golden grassland, hehe...
After coming out, I called the driver to pick us up and take us back to the hotel. We dropped off our things, freshened up, and went out to find food. We strolled around the town and saw Adiao Tibetan-style New Tea. We decided to try the local milk tea. I ordered a cup of Lamu Lacuo (which means 'fairy' in Tibetan, hehe), and my friend ordered a cup of Gesang Meiduo.
With our milk tea in hand, we walked further and arrived at the restaurant we had chosen for dinner: 'Daocheng County Sisters Tibetan Restaurant.' We ordered Tibetan wheat dough pieces, a bowl of yak yogurt, a bowl of butter yogurt, and a portion of milk cake mixed with shredded radish. We ate until we were very satisfied.
After eating, we strolled around a bit and went back to the hotel to rest early.
Tomorrow, we'll start the journey back to Chengdu. This Western Sichuan trip is basically coming to an end. The overall nine-day trip is more than halfway through—a little reluctant.
Today, since there were no major attractions and we'd mostly be on the road, we had breakfast at 7:30 again. This time, I swapped rice noodles for noodles, had a tea egg, a meat bun, some fruit, vegetables, milk, and my standard bowl of tsampa, hehe.
After eating, we hit the road. Today's destination: Xinduqiao Town, Kangding City.
We first retraced our route from Daocheng to Litang. Along the way, we passed the Daocheng White Pagoda. We hadn't stopped when we passed it two days ago, so today we stopped to take photos and leave a memento.
It was a large, impressive white pagoda. The locals come here to circle it three times in the morning and evening to pray for blessings. After taking photos, we also circled it three times, praying for the health, peace, and smoothness of our loved ones.
After taking photos at the White Pagoda, we continued driving. We reached Litang County around noon. Next, we would officially take the 318 National Highway. Hehe, I was a bit excited—this is the true '318 Must Drive in This Life,' hehe.
After passing Litang County, we first had lunch at a roadside home-style restaurant. After so many days, I finally had my beloved rice! I ordered egg fried rice with chili mixed in. I must say, the egg fried rice was really delicious. While waiting for it, I even swung on a swing at an altitude of 4,200 meters—what a ride! Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo because it was too tasty.
After lunch, we continued. Around 2 pm, we arrived at Kazila Mountain, a large viewing platform on a flat grassland. We even ran around at 4,700 meters altitude for a bit, haha.
Continuing on, around 3:30 pm, we arrived at the 'Heavenly Road Eighteen Turns' viewing platform. From there, we could see the Heavenly Road Eighteen Turns and also the Gongga Snow Mountains. But it was a bit cloudy, so we didn't catch the golden sunset over the snow mountain. Maybe next time.
After another three hours' drive, we arrived at our last accommodation in Western Sichuan: Kangding City Xinduqiao Town, Yunding Starry Sky Hotel. The room had a nice view, and the hotel was well-located. The room had a large window, so we could sit on the windowsill and enjoy the scenery outside.
After settling in, we went to the restaurant opposite for our last dinner in Western Sichuan. We chose the 'Shangpin Beef Soup Hot Pot BBQ' restaurant and ordered a set meal of beef and offal hot pot. After eating our fill, we went back to pack and cherish our last night in Western Sichuan. A bit sad, boohoo.
After packing, around 10 pm, I opened the curtains and saw that it was snowing outside! Oh dear, I was both happy and unhappy. Happy because maybe the sky didn't want me to leave Western Sichuan, hehe. Unhappy because I had to return to Chengdu tomorrow to catch the high-speed train to Leshan for eating. But, following the principle of 'take things as they come,' whether we could return or be stranded was fine. So I went to sleep, leaving tomorrow's matters to tomorrow.
Finally, the last day of this Western Sichuan trip arrived. I opened the curtains to a vast expanse of white snow, with horses either eating snow or grass. We had breakfast at the hotel at 8 am: eggs, congee, pickles. After eating, we quickly met up with the driver. No news of being stranded meant we could probably go. All good.
Today's main task: cross the snowy Zheduo Mountain.
Fortunately, our driver was experienced. We only had to enjoy the scenery; we didn't need to worry about the road conditions. We successfully climbed Zheduo Mountain without major issues—just a bit slower, and we had to put on tire chains for a short stretch—but we definitely made it over and returned to Chengdu. Luckily, in the off-season, there weren't too many cars, and maybe the police were controlling traffic; many large trucks hadn't climbed Zheduo yet.
We stopped at the Zheduo Mountain viewing platform, took photos of the snow-covered mountain, but didn't climb up due to the heavy snow and slippery conditions. Zheduo Mountain, I'll come again another time. Leaving it unclimbed gives me a reason to return when I take the 318 Sichuan-Tibet route in the future.
This time, we also skipped the Muyashengdi scenic area because the temptation of Leshan food was stronger. It was more important to keep moving, hehe. I'll wait for another chance to watch the sunset at Yuzixi on this route.
After descending from the viewing platform, we drove to the last stop: Luding Bridge. Along the way, we crossed snowy mountains and passed through a sea of clouds. At first, we were above the clouds at the mountain top; then, as we descended, we gradually went below the clouds.
Around noon, we arrived at Luding Bridge. After buying tickets, we crossed the bridge. I couldn't help but feel how tough the Red Army soldiers must have been back then. The current bridge has wooden planks and side cables, but it still sways violently and is very difficult to walk on. Crossing it once was very arduous. At that moment, I thought: without the Communist Party, there would be no New China, and without the Communist Party, there would be no happy life today!
