Just pack and go! This Western Sichuan guide is simple and clear!
Pre-trip Preparation
👀 Documents: Bring your ID card and other possible documents such as student ID, military officer ID, etc.
🎽 Clothing: Western Sichuan has high altitude, low and changeable temperatures. Even in summer, bring down jackets, windbreakers, thermal underwear, hats, scarves, gloves, sunglasses, sunscreen, etc.
🤔 Medicine: Prepare altitude sickness medicine like Rhodiola, as well as cold medicine, fever reducers, stomach medicine, motion sickness pills, etc.
✨✨ Other items: Backpack, thermos, rain gear, camera, power bank, etc.
Recommended Attractions
🥳 Daocheng Yading: Known as the "Last Shangri-La," it features a stunning landscape of snow-capped mountains, meadows, alpine lakes, and Tibetan beliefs.
🤗 Sertar: The "Red Buddhist Kingdom," with red monastic houses covering the mountainsides, creating a visually striking and spiritually awe-inspiring scene against the blue sky.
😊 Mount Siguniang: Known as the "Queen of Sichuan Mountains," it consists of four snow-capped peaks, with Shuangqiao Valley, Changping Valley, and Haizi Valley offering diverse scenery.
🤩 Xinduqiao: The "Photographer's Paradise," where grasslands, streams, poplar trees, mountains, Tibetan villages, and livestock form picturesque views.
☺️😉 Moxi Park: Unique metamorphic rock formations resembling an "alien planet," perfect for photography.
Food Recommendations
🥰 Tibetan Cuisine: Such as butter tea🥗, barley wine, yak meat hotpot🍲, Tibetan dumplings, etc., available at local Tibetan restaurants.
🥳✌️ Sichuan Cuisine: Some areas of Western Sichuan are influenced by Sichuan cuisine, featuring classics like twice-cooked pork, mapo tofu, and boiled fish.
❤️ Local Snacks: Kangding yak jerky🥓, Litang Tibetan cold noodles, Barkam butter pastries🌮, etc.
Accommodation Suggestions
👉 Chengdu: As the departure or return point,🤗 offers diverse lodging options, including hotels and homestays of all levels.
🎉 Near Scenic Areas: Around attractions like Mount Siguniang, Xinduqiao, and Daocheng Yading, there are local-style inns, homestays, and star-rated hotels for convenient stays.
😇🤓 Towns Along the Way: Such as Danba, Kangding, and Litang, where accommodations are better and ideal for restocking supplies and taking breaks.
Transportation Guide
👉 External Transport: Usually start in Chengdu, accessible by flight to Shuangliu Airport or Tianfu Airport✈️, or by train or high-speed rail🚄.
✨ Internal Transport: Road conditions in Western Sichuan are complex, so self-driving is not recommended for beginners. Options include chartered cars, ride-sharing🚗, and some scenic area shuttle buses. If time allows, long-distance buses🚘 are available, but schedules are limited.
Itinerary Planning
🥳 3-Day Short Loop: Day 1: Chengdu - Mount Siguniang; Day 2: Mount Siguniang - Danba - Tagong Grassland - Xinduqiao; Day 3: Xinduqiao - Moxi Park - Kangding - Chengdu.
⛳🤗 5-7 Day Grand Loop: Extend the short loop to include Daocheng Yading, Sertar, etc., such as Chengdu - Mount Siguniang - Danba - Xinduqiao - Tagong Grassland - Daocheng Yading - Sertar - Barkam - Chengdu.