Detailed Introduction of Daocheng Yading of its attractions and activities. Included are hiking and trekking, photography, middle kora trek. Find useful travel guide and information about Daocheng Yading in details.
Yading Nature Reserve is a big nature park located in Daocheng near the border to Yunnan Province. It is considered to be the heartland of the former Shangri-La, the mythical land on earth. A visit to Daocheng Yading involves days of driving and difficult walking at high altitude but it is worth as it has the very beautiful lakes Milk Lake, Pearl Lake and Wuse Lake as well as the three holy mountains named Chenrezig, Jampayang and Chenadorje.
A middle-Kora Circuit Trek is to retrace the foot trails of Joseph Rock. It is a hard trek from east of Yading Reserve to the center land of Yading with breath-taking views and landscape. It is a multiday trekking with overnight in the tents. This is one of the most difficulty treks and also a less-known trip to all.
Yading Small Kora Trek is a circuit trek around the mountain of Chenrezig, one of the holy mountains in Yading Nature Reserve. Local Tibetan people call the Kora "Zhuanshan" meaning to walk around the mountain.
The best photo season is autumn yet in other seasons such as summer, Yading is also good for photographers. The best locations to take good photos of its lakes and mountains are by the Pearl Lake and by the Milk Lake.
Yading is called the Shambala of Tibet. Shambala means Shangrila, the lost land of the world, indicating the unexplored world on earth and its exotic beauty. In fact the beauty of Yading has attracted lots of visitors but due to its remote location many visitors have to make other plans. Now there is an airport so the trip to Yading will take much shorter time. Hiking at Yading is hiking in the wonderful Tibetan highland where picturesque valleys are dotted with turquoise lakes and surrounded by stunning snow-capped peaks. There are two different ways of hiking at Yading, one is the day hiking that you have a nice day walk in the Yading Nature Reserve and the other one is to have over a week’s serious trekking around Yading. Find more information about Yading hiking below
Golden Fall Color of Daocheng Yading refers to the yellow/golden color of the trees and forest of Daocheng Yading during autumn season mainly in October. Golden Fall Color of Daocheng Yading has been a main drive of its visitors.
Haizishan is also called Haizi Mountain. Haizishan refers to a big area of mountains and lakes between Litang and Daocheng, at some other sources it also include the high mountain ranges around Litang. Haizishan is on the way from Litang to Daocheng, an inevitable place on a ground tour from Chengdu to Daocheng Yading. Haizishan provides beautiful landscape of Tibetan Plateau and it is considered to be one of the underestimated places of the beautiful western Sichuan.
Since there is an airport available, one can fly to Daocheng Yading in 2 hours instead of driving for 2 days. This saves a lot of time getting there. Here we have included some Daocheng Yading-based tours for you to consider your holiday.
Muli Monastery is named after the town of Muli and located in Muli. Muli is at southwest of Sichuan Province next to northern Yunnan. It is home to Tibetans, Yi, Han Chinese, Miao, Mogolians and Nakhi People. It is a beautiful place at the Hengduan Mountain Ranges and a land of many high mountains and river gorges.
Shangri-La Town is located outside of Yading Nature Reserve. It is also called Riwa. Riwa is the entrance of Yading Nature Reserve. Travelers going to Yading nature Reserve will go via Riwa and normally will have one or multiple nights staying at Riwa.
Daocheng is located outside of Yading Park. Daocheng is a different place of Yading. Yading Nature Reserve (Yading Park) is within the precinct of Daocheng Xian but still an 80-km away from the town of Daocheng. The general "Daocheng Yading" refers to Yading Nature Reserve but not Daocheng Xian.
Yading Village is located within the Park of Yading. The village of Yading is 34 kilometers away from the town of Shangri-La (Riwa or Xianggelila Zhen). The Yading Nature Reserve is named after the village. It is known as the “last Shangri-La”. The small village is hidden between the snow-capped mountains and the forest
Resongtso Lake is not within the official Park of Yading. Resongtso is shown on map as Soka Lake. It is a small lake at the southwest of Mt Chenrezig at over the pass of Songduo heading north to Kasi Valley and on the Yading Small Kora Trek.
Langtso is also called Frog Lake. It is the second largest Lake in Yading Nature Reserve. It is located 4km west to Yading Village, a walk of 2 hours can get you there from Yading village. From Langtso you can see the peak of Chenrezig and part of Chenadorje.
Echushan is a mountain pass 25km west to the town of Riwa (Shangti-La Zhen) about 1 hour's drive to get to. It is not a tourist place nor requires any admission fees. It is a mountain ridge where you can see the mountains of Yading from northwest.
Kasi Valley is also called Kasi Hell Valley. It is located on the west to Yading Park, east to Kasi Village, and named after the village. It is the west entrance of Yading Park and the starting point of Yading Camping Trek.
Chonggu Temple is within the park of Yading. Chonggu Temple is by the foot of Mt. Chenrezig and at the end of the tourist bus terminal. The temple itself is small.
Luorong Yak Ranch is at the higher terminal of the golf-car in Yading Park. From Luorong Yak Ranch is where people start to walk to Milk Lake. Luorong Yak Ranch is at 4150 meters above sea level. It is surrounded by three snow-capped mountains.
Mt. Jampayang is within the park of Yading. Mt. Jampayang is one of the 3 holy mountains in Yading Park. It is south to Milk Lake and 5-color Lake, east to Snake Lake and west to Mt. Chenadorje.
Mt. Chenadorje is within the park of Yading. Mt. Chenadorje is one of the 3 holy mountains in Yading Park. It is east to Luorong Yak Ranch.
Mt. Chenrezig is within the park of Yading. Mt. Chenrezig is one of the 3 holy mountains and is the tallest one and the mountain at the north. With Five-color Lake and Milk Lake at its south and Pearl Lake at its north.
Milk Lake is one of the highlights if Yading Park and one of the ultimate reasons people come to visit this place. It is located at the highest place of the park at the foot of Mt. Jampayang and south to Mt. Chenrezig at the altitude of 4500m above sea level.
Leshitso is located outside of official Yading Tourist Park. It is 5km west to over the pass of Milk Lake. Normally visitors to Yading don't go this far. It is not even on the Small Kora Trek of Yading but it is the biggest lake of Yading.
Five-Color Lake is within the park of Yading. Five-Color Lake is located north to Milk Lake and Mt. Yampayang and south to Mt. Chenrezig. It is the highest tourist location of Yading Park.
Pearl Lake is located within the park of Yading.Pearl Lake is also called Zhuoma Lacuo and it is the smallest lake and a green lake located by the foot of Mt. Chenrezig 1km southwest to Chonggu Temple.
Route: Chengdu - Siguniang - Tagong - Yading - Xinduqiao
Route: Daocheng - Yading - Daocheng
Route: Daocheng - Yading - Daocheng
