8-Day The Wonderland Daocheng & Yading
In Tibetan, Daocheng means “the open land in the mouth of a valley”. Daocheng is located in the south of Garze Tibetan Prefecture, around 800 kilometers from Chengdu.
Daocheng has long enjoyed great fame as the "last Shangri-La" due to its breathtaking natural scenery. It is also the home of many endangered species such as long-tailed leaf monkeys, golden monkeys, white-lipped deer, red deer, water deer, argali, and antelope. These animals all enjoy their lives in this vast beautiful land, untouched by humans.
Daocheng, sitting at an average elevation of 3800 meters, is full of alpine views of expansive blue sky, cold rivers and lakes, broad grasslands, and snowcapped mountains.
Yading National Reserve is one of the most famous places near Daocheng and is great for eco-travel. This reserve is famously known as the “last pure land on our blue planet”. Yading National Reserve is about a 2-hour drive from Daocheng county.
Yading National Reserve, located at the southern edge of Daocheng County, is considered to be the most sacred place in western Sichuan by Tibetan people. It is famous for its unique ecological environment and spiritual significance.
The Three Mountains of God, Gongga Chonggu Temple, Luorong Pasture, the pure lakes, and Yading Tibetan Village are the must-see highlights of Yading.
Tour Highlights:
Stay in Local + International 4+5-star Hotel.
Double entry to Yading Scenic Spot.
Savour local delicacies such as Sichuan, Cantonese, Herbs Cuisine and arranged dining in hotels, except in Chengdu.
Focus on less time on the road and reduce travelling to unnecessary cities,
Enjoy domestic flight from Daocheng to Chengdu, reducing long road journey of 18 hours.
Complimentary a box of Rhodiola Rosea Extract.
ITINERARY WALKTHROUGH
DAY 01 CHENGDU ARRIVAL
Pick up at Chengdu airport and transfer to hotel for rest. Free time.
DAY 02 CHENGDU - (60KM) - DUJIANGYAN - (180KM) - RILONG
Tianfu Square: Located in the heart of Chengdu, Sichuan, its form and status are similar to Beijing's Tiananmen Square. It is the largest city center square in western China.
Chengdu Museum (Closed every Monday, will be replaced to Qingtai Road & Wen Shu Fang).
Mount Siguniang: Mount Siguniang is well-known for its grandness, straightness and forcefulness. It is a natural forest area with abundant forest, thick green grass, and clear flowing rivers.
Shuangqiao Valley with shuttle bus.
DAY 03 RILONG - (140KM) - DANBA COUNTY - (82KM) - BAMEI - (23KM) -
TAGONG - (29KM) - XINDUQIAO
Jiaju Tibetan Village.
Suopo Towers: The watchtowers were used by the villages as both defensive structures and for communication purposes. Inside the towers there are peep holes they used to shoot arrows out of. On the roof, there is an area to light a signal fire. Today, these towers offer the best views of the villages and surrounding mountain valleys.
Bamei Grassland, White Tower, Stone Forest
Tagong Temple: “Tagong” literally means “A place favored by Buddha”. The legend goes that when Princess Wencheng, the Chinese would-be bride of Tibetan king of Songtsen Gampo, was on her way to Lhasa passing by this place.
Xinduqiao Town: A place well known as "The World of Light and Shadow" or "A Photographer's Paradise" with blue sky and white clouds, Lama temples, magical light, vast grasslands, crooked creeks, golden Baiyang Mountains, rolling hills, scattered Tibetan villages. It covers almost all the scenic elements on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
DAY 04 RILONG - (74KM) - YAJIANG - (137KM) - LITANG - (146KM) -
DAOCHENG - (77KM) - SHANGRI-LA TOWN
Gao'Ersi Mountain.
Mount Jianziwan, Mount Kazhila.
Mount Haizi: It is located in the Northern Daxue Shan in the west of Sichuan Province. It is situated approximately 50km north of Kangding at the head of the Yala Valley.
Glacier Ruins.
Changqing Chunke Monastery.
DAY 05 SHANGRI-LA TOWN - (34KM) - YADING - (34KM) - SHANGRI-LA TOWN
Mount Xian Nairi: At an altitude of 6032 meters, kind eyes gaze at the fairyland on earth under the feet. In summer, there are waterfalls in groups under the snow line, and the momentum is magnificent. At the foot of the mountain, there are meadows, forests. The scenery of the perfect combination of forests and lakes is very beautiful. Xian Nairi, which means "Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva" in Tibetan, is the northern peak of the three sacred mountains in Daocheng.
Yading Scenic Spot (with shuttle bus and electric car): Yading Scenic Area is located in the southern of Dao Cheng County in Sichuan Province and is nationally renowned as a hub and a new eco-tourism spot, a provincial ecological protectorate and one of the most important regions of Tibetan Buddhism in south-western China. This ecological preserve was established in 1999 and the remote location has preserved its beauty and untamed wildness. Yading possesses some truly astounding natural land formations, the Three Hue Snow Mountain is one of such example, a mountain that as three distinctive shades of colour from the bottom of the top tourists can marvel how its steely grey base slowly melds into a pure white cap with the backdrop of a vast blue sky, this towering mountain is capped with snow all year round.
Luorong Cattle Farm.
DAY 06 SHANGRI-LA TOWN - (77KM) - DAOCHENG
Enter Yading Scenic Spot the second time today.
Chonggu Monastery: It sits at 4,000 meters. This small monastery is nearly 800 years old and sits at the base of Mt. Chenresig’s north face. Mt. Chenresig, known in Chinese as Xiannairi, is the highest mountain in the reserve rising to 6,032 meters. The views of Chenresig from Chonggu Temple on a clear day are superb.
Gongga Lang Jiling Monastery.
Acres Hu Yang Lin Scenery.
DAY 07 DAOCHENG - CHENGDU
Return to Chengdu by domestic flight today.
Taikoo Li Shopping Street.
Free time.
DAY 08 HOME DEPARTURE
Transfer to airport after breakfast. Home sweet home!