Autumn in Daocheng Yading is a brief dream

In autumn, Daocheng combines snow-capped mountains🏔️, lakes, colorful forests, and meadows all in one place. At the place closest to heaven, I witnessed a miracle of colors. The snow peak of Yangmaiyong pierces the blue sky☁️. The colorful forests embraced by Xianuoduo resemble spilled oil paint on a canvas🎨. Milk Lake and Five Color Lake shift between the purest blues and greens under the autumn sun. Every glance takes your breath away! 📖 Detailed guide! 🚦 Transportation Nationwide → Daocheng Yading Airport✈️ → carpool to Shangri-La Town, or take a bus or carpool directly from Chengdu. 🎫 Ticket details ▫️ Peak season ticket 146 RMB (valid for 2 days!) + scenic area shuttle bus 120 RMB (mandatory, 1-hour winding mountain road) ▫️ Electric cart: Chonggu Temple → Luorong Pasture round trip 70 RMB Fun fact: On the second day, re-entry to the scenic area only requires paying the shuttle bus fee of 60 RMB. 📅 Itinerary ✨ Day 1: Long route challenge (snow mountains and lakes hiking mode) ▪️ Arrive at the scenic area before 7:30 (avoid crowds!) → take the shuttle bus to [Zhaguangbeng] → switch to electric cart directly to [Luorong Pasture] → 5 km hike → Milk Lake and Five Color Lake ⚠️ ① No summit climbs allowed after 14:30; must reach Luorong Pasture before 12:00 ③ Horse riding only on flat roads for 2 km (300 RMB/person) ✨ Day 2: Short and relaxed route (easy shots of snow mountain reflections) ▪️ Visitor center → shuttle bus to [Zhaguangbeng] → 15 min hike to [Chonggu Temple] → 40 min to [Pearl Lake] → reflections of Xianuoduo sacred mountain + secret colorful forest, return in the afternoon with a stop to shoot the golden sunlight on Chonggu meadow 📸 Hidden photo spots: 1️⃣ Hiking trail from Holy Water Lake station to Luorong Pasture, stunning scenery all the way 2️⃣ Corner of the wooden plank trail at Luorong Pasture: snow mountains + streams + golden meadows (morning light!) 3️⃣ East slope of Milk Lake: aerial shots of the water droplets + Yangmaiyong pyramid snow peak 4️⃣ Viewing platform after Chonggu Temple station: capture Chonggu Temple and Xianuoduo in the same frame 🛏️ Accommodation recommendations You can choose to stay outside or inside the scenic area. ✅ Outside the scenic area: stay near the "Visitor Center entrance," Ren Village is very close and walkable, or Shangri-La Town is a bit farther but has convenient dining options. It’s a 10-minute drive to the scenic area gate, with high cost-performance and many options. ✅ Inside the scenic area: stay in Yading Village at 4000 meters altitude, where you can see the sunset on the snow mountains and enjoy a stunning starry sky at night. However, accommodation and dining options are limited, but you won’t need to pay the extra 60 RMB shuttle bus fee the next day. 🧥 Clothing 🔥 Average autumn temperature: -5℃ to 15℃ (windy!) ▪️ Onion layering method: quick-dry shirt + fleece + windbreaker ▪️ Must-have gear: trekking poles (save 30% effort), wool hat, sunglasses, oxygen tank, glucose (very useful for altitude sickness)