Balang Shan (Balang Mountain) Travel Guide

Balang Shan means Balang Mountains, it is a small range of mountains at the edge of Tibetan Plateau. Balang Shan is called "the top of Panda Kingdom".

Balangshan Pass

Balang Mountain is located at the junction of the three counties of Xiaojin County, Xiaojin, Wenchuan, and Baoxing of Ya'an. It is more than 200 kilometers from Chengdu. The highest altitude of Balang Mountain Range is at 5040 meters, and the original highway goes to the highest point at 4550 meters above sea level. To the east of Balang Mountain is the Wolong Giant Panda Nature Reserve, and to the west of Balang Mountain is the Siguniang Mountain Scenic Area.

Daxuetang Mountains

The upper parts of mountain roads of Balang Mountain have an altitude of more than 4,000 meters with steep mountains and steep slopes, but the scenery is very beautiful, with white clouds like the sea, snow-capped mountains, and meadows rolling. The driving distance here is only 3 hours by car from Chengdu.

The mountains above 4000 meters above sea level are soemtimes covered in snow, without snow they look rocky. Debris slopes and rock piles formed by rock fragments falling under cliffs can be seen everywhere. The winding road is one of the most dangerous roads in eastern Aba Prefecture. The pass through the mountain is 4,523 meters above sea level, and it is one of the famous road passes in China. The 8.8 kilometers Balangshan Tunnel that is now open, so people don't have to go to the 4,500-meter Balangshan Pass, saving a lot of time.

West of Balang is what we call "Highland", where the mountains are drier and plants are fewer. East of Balang is the Wolong Panda Sanctuary and it is very wet and with lots of plants and wild animals. East of Balang is one of the best places in China to watch birds. And many deep valleys that go out towards east from Mount Siguinang are in the east of Balang, but due to reasons to protect the wild animals and forests, people are often not allowed to go in to explore.

Balangshan - Above The Cloud

Balangshan

Balangshan - Sea of Cloud