Wild Sichuan Hiking Tour - 6 Days

Start from Chengdu we drive for one day to get into the mountains. Long hours of necessary driving involved today. After around 7 hours of driving via Yakang Highway and through the Dadu Rivver Gorge we arrive the village of Zhonglu above the town of Danba and check in hotel.

Remember to prepare some snacks and bottled water for yourself before driving up to the village since there are basically no shops available in Zhonglu. You can find shops and restaurants in the town of Danba, which is also a very interesting place to see: it is built in a tight gorge with vertical mountains around. 4 rivers merge together here to form Dadu River, one of the main tributory rivers of Yangtze.

Zhonglu Tibetan Village is located on side of the mountain above the town that requires driving for another 20 minutes. The road up to Zhonglu village is winding. Zhonglu Village is an authentic local Galrong Tibetan Village in Danba and not spoiled by mas tourism. Its authentic way of living is kept and its unique houses and buildings are loved by photographers.

Overnight at holte at 2300m

This is a full day hike from Zhonglu Tibetan Village to Suopo Watchtower village of Danba. It is a less-walked trail and not a usual tourist hike. Walking from the beautiful Zhonglu Village to the kingdom of watchtowers in Suopo for 15km in 7 hours with highest altitude by 3000m. The hiking starts by the beautiful Zhonglu by its village track and ascend to the photos spot before walk into the forest and over the pass by 3000m and then into Suopo Village to see its many towers. The walking up is on both small village track and after end of the village when we ascend to the forest the smaller trail begins. As we go higher the view gets better. We can stop to take photos of the villages and gorges below. After a short break by the top we start to descend to Suopo Village. When it's clear we can see some 5000+ meters snow-capped mountains above the river gorges. Soon we will hit road of Suopo from there we will be waling through the wathtower villages down all the way to base of the village. It covers the best views of both Suopo and Zhonglu Villages. This is a medium to challenging-paced hiking with elevation gain at 800m and elevation loss around 1000m. You will also have chance to see mountains from far away above the deep river gorges of Danba as well as local authentic Galrong Tibetan people. After the hiking be picked up and send to hotel in Zhonglu.

This is overall a challenging hiking despite its elevation is not very high but because the ascent is big in one day and by near the pass it's very steep this hiking is considered challenging. During certain seasons the trail by near the pass can be covered in thick bushes. Depending on the season and accessibilty, alternatively ywe will change this to a relaxed walking inside the park of Zhonglu between the photo spots within the village without walking on steep terrain and through bushes.

Remember to have a day pack with you to take necessary items for the day hikings, including packed lunch by yourself, drinking water recommended 1L minimum, sunglasses, rainproof, warm-keeping clothes and hat, sun block and lip oil, your important possesions etc. Note the warm-clothing and rainproof (for both yourself and your pack) may not be used while hiking but since weather changes quickly and hard to predict in the mountains, it's wise to bring these items with you all the time.

Total 15km in 8h, medium to challenging pace

Overnight at hotel at 2300m

Wake up in the morning mist and breath the fresh countryside air. After breakfast we start from Danba and drive for around 1.5 hours before arrive in Yala Mountain Park.

Today's visit and hiking is mainly in the park of Mt. Yala. Mt. Yala is a recently built up park that is with good road leads to the base of the mountain. After we get tickets from the tourist center we will first use a small park bus to go to the base of the mountain. The bus ride is around 40 minutes. After we arrive the base we can walk up to the lakes by the foot of Mt. Yala where we can see the stunning glacier and the beautiful lake Yala Yumtso. From the base we can also hire a horse to ride up to the lake since the walking up 3km is very steep. We will walk or use a horse from the base by 3750m to Yala Yumtso Lake by 4050m. Yala Yumtso is just located by the base of Mt. Yala, a holy mountain worshiped by local people that is 5820m above sea level. We can see some thick glaciers by its north face. If time allowes we can walk up further to explore two more lakes above Yala Yumtso Lake at 4200m for extra 2.5km by a pass. We gain more open views by the two lakes.

After the visit come back the same way and use park bus to the car park and continue drive to Tagong for another 1h. En route visit Huiyuan Temple if time allows. After arrive in Tagong check in to hotel and have dinner.

Total 6km+ , challenging pace

Overnight at hotel at 3800m

Tagong is home to one of the most widely-worshiped Sakya sect monasteries called Tagong monastery. It has an elevation of 3750 meters above the sea level. There is only one 500 meters street goes across this town. At the end of this street is the Tagong monastery and Tagong Grassland. Tagong is an important place for the Tibetan Buddhism. Monastery and religion are fundamentally rooted in people's lives here. In the morning you are free to explore the small town of Tagong including Tagong Monastery.

After breakfast we will start by a short car ride to Anigongma Village. The drive usually takes around 10-15 minutes. Hiking starts by visits to the workshop of Mani Stones, Great Pile of Mani Stones, Nunnery and Muya Grand Temple. Piles of Mani stones are another form of prayer in Tibetan Buddhism. At Anigongma there sits the second largest Mani Stone pile in eastern Tibet. The stones are piled up by local devoted Buddhists by hand. It is an amazing site of Tagong. We will also go to have a look of the working nunnery in Anigongma, one of the largest nunneries in Tibetan Sichuan.

After the visits, walk into the valley and elevation rises gradually to over 4000 meters and views become more stunning as the big mountains emerges from afar. On Tagong Grassland we will see Mt. Yala and Mt. Yamu in close range and possibly grazing yaks and nomads tents. Today's hiking is a very pleasant hiking because we will be walking on open grassland with views all around.

Walk on 4000m for the rest of the day before drop down to Dola Gamo to the road and be picked up by your driver and send to your hotel in Kangding. The drive takes around 2 hours from Dola Gamu to Kangding. We shall finish hiking no late than 4pm in order to arrive Kangding before dark. After check in to hotel, go eat dinner and if time allows you are free to explore the town of Kangding.

Total 15km , medium pace

Overnight at hotel at 2600m

In the morning you will also start by a short car ride to Laoyulin Village for around 15 minutes and switch to local transfer for another 30 minutes drive to road head. The loca transfer is necessary as the lst bit of road is not a good road that is usually muddy and bumpy. Local drivers know the road well. Hiking starts by road end at Gexi Camp at around 3600m.

We have great views of Lamoshe mountain behind us from Gexi. The valley we walk is called Riuqi Valley that extends to around 25km southwards. Today we will cover the first 6 to 10km and come back. The walking starts by gradual ascent by the riverside with pine forest and mountains around us. After cross the river we will pass by a red rock slide before we ascend a small section of steep part and then we get more open views of the valley and mountains around us. Today's walking is rather medium and flexible. Riuqi is a wild and beautiful valley with views of snow mountains and flowing river. Flexible medium walking distance between 8km to 20km for around 5-8 hours. Today;s walking will be total mountain trail that is safe and easy to navigate. Unlike many other well-maintained parks this place is a total wild land of nature. Since the valley goes on for over 20km we will return at the furthest at the 10km place by Liangcha, making total walking to 20km, which is considered a lot of walking for one day at such altitude. Although this hiking is set to be flexible so we can turn back at any point of the hiking. We recommend to at least walk the first 3km.

Total 6-20km , medium pace

Overnight at hotel at 2600m

In the morning you are free to explore the town of Kangding if you want. We'll start by around 9-10am in the morning and drive back to Chengdu. Kangding is a very interesting Khampa town in Tibetan Sichuan with a long history. On the way back to Chengdu you will have a chance to have a short hike by the tea plantations in Yaan. After arrive in Chengdu check in to your hotel. Tour ends.