2 Days 1 Night at Longhua Mountain, Encounter the Gongga Sacred Mountain, Sea of Clouds, and Starry River!

Longhua Mountain in Sichuan is located in Yanzigou Town, Luding County, Garze Prefecture. It is a hiking secret spot where you can get close views of Gongga Snow Mountain. Transportation Guide • Self-driving: Depart from Chengdu, navigate to "Luding Nimatou," about 280 km in total, driving 4-5 hours. The last section of the small road may be under construction, so consult locals in advance for detour routes. Parking fee upon arrival is 20 RMB per car. • Public Transport: Take a bus from Chengdu Xinnanmen Bus Station to Luding County, about 4 hours, then charter a car from Luding County to the foot of Longhua Mountain, about 1 hour. This method is less convenient; self-driving or carpooling is recommended. Hiking Guide • Route: Start hiking from the foot of Longhua Mountain (about 2000m elevation), round trip about 6-7 km, with a total ascent of around 1000m, reaching the summit camp (about 3000m elevation). The first 1.5-2 km is a cement road; you can choose to take a shuttle vehicle for 20 RMB per person one way. After that, it’s a dirt road, with some sections muddy and slippery. • Time: It takes 2-3 hours to hike up with normal fitness, and 1.5-2 hours to descend. To see the sunrise, it is recommended to start from the foot of the mountain at 4-5 AM; for a more relaxed trip, you can go up in the afternoon the day before and stay overnight at the camp. Itinerary • Day 1: Depart from Chengdu in the morning, arrive at Moxi Ancient Town in the afternoon, check in, stroll around the ancient town, visit the Catholic Church, enjoy Tibetan yak meat hotpot and other delicacies at night, and you can also soak in hot springs. • Day 2: Depart from Moxi Ancient Town at 4-5 AM to the foot of Longhua Mountain, take the shuttle vehicle, then start hiking up. Arrive at the summit around 6-7 AM to watch the sunrise and the golden sunlight on the mountain, explore and take photos around the camp, start descending at 1-2 PM, and return to Chengdu. Accommodation Recommendations • Longhua Mountain Camp: If you bring your own tent, a site fee of 50 RMB per person is required. The camp has flat areas for pitching tents. There are also "Hobbit" style dormitory rooms for 200 RMB per person, providing breakfast and dinner, with relatively simple accommodation conditions. • Moxi Ancient Town Hotels: There are many hotels and guesthouses in the ancient town, such as Ji Ye Hot Spring Guesthouse, where you can enjoy hot springs in your room; Demba Youth Hostel, with beds around 40 RMB per person, offering great value. Notes • Check the weather in advance and try to choose sunny days to go. Download offline maps as some areas at the summit have no signal. • The temperature difference at the summit is large between morning and evening. Bring down jackets, windbreakers, and other warm clothing, as well as rain gear and crampons. • There are no supply points on the mountain, so bring enough food and water, and pay attention to protecting the ecological environment by taking your trash with you.