Camping and Campsites in Siguniang

Usually trekking trips in Siguniang will involve camping.

There are total three valleys that are within the official Siguniang Parks. There are also places outside of Siguniang Parks including Mu’erzhai Valley and Jiesi Valley, both also have beautiful views yet wild and don’t need any signing up or obligated porter required. For any camping trips in official park of Siguniang (the parks of Shuangqiao, Changping and Haizi) you will need to sign up at the Siguniang Outdoor Activity Administration Office and pay an extra fee for camping and fee for environment protection. This signing up is a super complicated process and usually takes up to 1 hour’s time by the office. The signing up involves using apps on your phone, and it is at present (2023) all in Chinese language. For arranged trekking tours this will be sorted by your guide. At present if any hiker wants to go to the summits of Dafeng or Erfeng on their own, or wish to do camping inside the park of Changping, Haiz and Shuangqiao on their own, it is not possible due to the regulation made by local Siguniang park that the signing up and a local guide are obligated on anyone who wishes to spend a night inside the parks.

About The Campsites

There are plenty places you can camp in the valleys of Mount Siguniang. In Haizi and Changping valleys when you are beyond the usual tourist part it becomes open, quiet and you can basically choose anywhere to set up a tent as you like since it is overall flat and with water sources. The general point beyond the busy tourist part in Changping is at Muluozi and in Haizi is at Dajianbao. Listed below are the usual campsites we use in the valleys/parks of Siguniang.

Campsites in Changping Valley

Changping Valley usually has two campsites one is at Muluozi, there are now new huts for hikers by Muluozi although sometimes these huts are unavailable. You will still need your sleeping bad and mat inside the hut because it is just a shelter without beds or blankets. But normally people set up their own tents by Muluozi. Muluozi is a very beautiful campsite in Siguniang. It is located by the foot of west face of Mt. Siguniang itself, it provides excellent views of mountains. A shop is available by the camp of Muluozi and there is one convenient water pipe that the local ranger uses to get water for drinking and cooking. Water in the big river is also okay to use but recommended to use the water from the pipe becasue it’s from higher part of the mountain. There used to be a designated toilet by Muluozi but sometimes it’s not available so people often use toilet in the bushes behind the huts.

Muluozi Camp

The other usually used campsite is called Kazigou. It is also one of the most beautiful campsites in Siguniang. Some people believe it is the most beautiful campsite in Siguniang due to its far and secluded location while enjoying the views mountains and beautiful valley. There is not hut available by Kazigou and you can use the water from the big river. The river water is good because it is on the upper stream. People have to use the water from the river in dry season when the small streams dried up. Hikers usually use toilet in the bushes around the camp away from the water source. It is a very flat camp with trees.

Near Kazigou Camp

Campsites in Haizi Valley

For trips to Dafeng and Erfeng, people go to Haizi Valley of Siguniang. The Dafeng base camp is generally a very good campsite with lots of huts and big tents for hikers to sleep overnight. Please read more on Dafeng Base Camp.

While in other campsites in Haizi and Changping Valley you need to set up your own tents. The other campsites include Laoniu Yuanzi, Dahaizi Camp, Huahaizi Camp, Zhongliangzi Camp. These campsites have basic huts but these huts are not for hikers but rather set up for former herders, although you can still use as shelters or for cooking. If you want to get rid of the yaks/horses that may make noises by night you are recommended to camp further from the huts. Laoniu Yuanzi and Dahaizi Camp are not very big and usually see other people camping there in busy travel seasons. Campsites of Huahaizi and Zhongliangzi are bigger and with more open views and since these are further into the valley so fewer people usually. Water source is not an issue while camping in Haizi Valley.

Laoniu Yuanzi Camp

Dahaizi Camp

Huahaizi Camp

Camping in Shuangqiao Valley

Shuangqiao Valley has a road that takes tourists up everyday along the river, making most part of Shuangqiao not so perfect as camping place, although it is still very pleasant and with good camping views in Shuangqiao if you don’t mind there maybe people looking.

Camping - Safety and Risks

Campsites in Siguniang that are often used by hikers are basically safe and with no risk of landslide, flood.

High Elevation

The elevation of campsites in Siguniang are in general very high. In Changping Valley, Muluozi Camp is at 3800m, Kazigou Camp is at 3900m. In Haizi Valley the base camp of Dafeng is at about 4300 meters, Erfeng Base Camp is at 4200m, Laoniu Yuanzi Camp is at 3700m, Dahaizi and Huahaizi Camp are both at around 3800m, Zhongliangzi is at around 3900m. We recommend you to sleep by the base of Siguniang Park in Rilong (at 3100m) for at least one night before doing camping in either Changping or Haizi due to the high altitude for better acclimating.

Possibly Busy Dafeng and Erfeng BC

Dafeng and Erfeng Base Camp provide huts and big tents for hikers to sleep overnight. They are shared bunks and usually you are not the only hikers sleeping there. Therefore, it can be crowded and noisy all night. Noises made by the wind on the huts or big tents is one thing, noises made by other hikers during night is another bigger issue usually. You will usually not have a good sleep by Dafeng/Erfeng base camp because of this. If you are hiking in a busy season, you also need to be aware of your gears and always keep them in check by the base camps. To have privacy and to have a relatively quiet environment to sleep you can always set up a tent and sleep further from the crowd by base camps of Dafeng and Erfeng.

Extreme Weather

Fog can be an issue. Please remember to turn on the light in your tent while you go to toilet during nighttime because the fog can come very quick and you may get lost in the fog even though it is just meters away. In the monsoon season, sometimes the fog is very thick that you won’t be able to see outside 5 meters in the dark. Please make sure you use a lamp while using toilet in the dark. Heavy snow is another issue for sleeping in a tent. Although this usually happens in Spring time and you are recommended to keep an eye on the weather forecast for any possible major snowfall. Normally the snow is not a big issue if your camp is not super high in Siguniang. In winter days the snow stays so you are always recommended to have a local guide with you especially after winter snow when trails are all covered up.

Animal-related Hazard

There are no dangerous animals around the campsites in Siguniang. Horses and yaks make noises by night but normally acceptable. Although in spring time the campsites (usually around the huts) can be covered with a lot of yak dungs and horse dungs.

Camp Fire

Making a camp fire is not allowed in Siguniang while camping.

To Rent/Buy Camping Gears in Mt. Siguniang

There are gear shops available n the town of Rilong that you can find basic gears including stoves, gas canisters, lighters, raincoat, warm and down jackets, hats, gloves etc. Tents and sleeping bags are also available to buy. You can also rent gears from us in Chengdu, please read our Gear Rental details.