SICHUAN

Out of Chengdu,
higher day by day

500 to 4,500 metres. The great advantage of this route is how gently it climbs — your body gets time to catch up with the scenery, rather than the other way round.

Plan this route See day-by-day
5–10
days
2–8
private group
Apr–Nov
best window
6,800
RMB from / person
HIGHLIGHTS

Six places this route covers

Ordered low to high by altitude — adaptation matters more than the checklist order.

Jiaju Tibetan village and snow mountains
Danba · 2,100m

Jiaju Tibetan village

You stay with a family inside the village — not looking at it through a window.

Mount Siguniang granite peaks
Xiaojin · 3,200m

Mount Siguniang

The Maobiliang viewpoint faces the summit directly — in clear weather the driver always stops.

Shuangqiaogou valley, dead trees standing in a lake with snow mountain reflection
Xiaojin · 3,500m

Shuangqiaogou valley

Shuttle bus to a boardwalk — no horse, no pack. Older family members can walk the whole valley.

Tagong temple and Mount Yala, Xinduqiao
Kangding · 3,300m

Xinduqiao

Poplars and barley fields in October — the best light anywhere in western Sichuan.

Seda Larung Gar Buddhist Academy
Seda · 4,000m

Seda

Entry is by advance reservation; we lock your slot a week before departure.

Yading Nature Reserve, Mount Yangmaiyong
Daocheng · 4,500m

Yading Nature Reserve

The last 400 metres up to Milk Lake are the hardest — we give them the whole morning.

DAY BY DAY · 8-DAY WESTERN SICHUAN LOOP

Where you sleep and how many metres you gain, written down

The 5-day and 10-day versions add or remove from this; you get a day-by-day PDF before departure.

D1

Chengdu → Mount Siguniang

Via Yingxiu and Wolong, over the Balang pass at 4,480m. Arrive at Rilong in the afternoon; altitude starts to climb.

Rilong · 3,200m · 220 km
D2

Shuangqiaogou valley

Flat boardwalks the whole way, with shuttle buses. Back to town in the afternoon to save energy for tomorrow.

Rilong · 3,200m
D3

Rilong → Jiaju village, Danba

A day of descending. Stay in the Tibetan village and eat with the family in the evening.

Jiaju · 2,100m · 120 km
D4

Danba → Seda

The biggest gain of the trip (2,100 → 4,000m). Oxygen in the vehicle, no evening activity scheduled.

Seda · 4,000m · 340 km
D5

Seda · Larung Gar Academy

The stupa in the morning; sit in on a public teaching in the afternoon if you want. Panorama from the viewpoint at dusk.

Seda · 4,000m
D6

Seda → Xinduqiao

Via Luhuo and Dawu, descending most of the way. Xinduqiao's light and barley fields are the best stretch in Sichuan.

Xinduqiao · 3,300m · 380 km
D7

Xinduqiao → Yading

Over the Ga'er and Jianziwan passes, arriving at Shangri-la Town in the afternoon. Early night — tomorrow is the main event.

Shangri-la Town · 2,900m · 350 km
D8

Yading · Milk Lake & Five-Colour Lake

The last 400 metres from Luorong pasture to Milk Lake are the steepest part of the trip. We give them the whole morning and don't rush.

Shangri-la Town · 2,900m · 10 km on foot
VEHICLES & HOTELS

Comfortably better than the Tibet route

Vehicles

7–9 seat van or 4WD depending on group size. Roads here are better than in Tibet, but we still use high-clearance vehicles in the rainy season.

Hotel standard

Four-star standard in county towns; a character guesthouse in Jiaju village (private bathroom, heated). Seda is the simplest night of the trip — we tell you that in advance rather than apologise on arrival.

ALTITUDE, PERMITS & RISK

The worst case first, in writing

No permit needed

This is the practical advantage of Sichuan: no Tibet Travel Permit, no border permit, no lead time on paperwork. You fly or rail into Chengdu and go. It also means this route works for short holidays.

Altitude sickness

The route tops out around 4,500m, so reactions are less likely than in Tibet — but the night at Seda (4,000m) still deserves attention. Oxygen and an oximeter travel in the vehicle.

Seda access

Entry to the valley is by quota and can't be guaranteed. If we don't get slots, we reroute via Barkam or Guanyinqiao and refund the difference.

Fitness required

The Milk Lake section gains 500 metres — the only genuinely strenuous stretch on the route. Horse hire is available or you can skip it. Nobody is obliged to summit.

PRICE & WHAT'S INCLUDED

Quoted for a group of two — the more travellers, the lower the per-person price

¥6,800 from / person · 5-day version · group of two · approx. US$945
Vehicle and driver for the full route (fuel, tolls included)
Licensed local guide throughout
Accommodation as listed, breakfast included
All entrance fees and shuttle buses
Seda entry reservation handled for you
Plateau travel insurance with medical evacuation
On-board oxygen and pulse oximeter
Village home visit and meal

Not included: flights or rail to and from Chengdu, main meals, personal expenses, single-room supplement, horse hire. You get the itemised list before signing.

Enquire about this route
FAQ

The questions we get most

Is it suitable for older parents?

Yes — of our three routes this is the one we recommend for older family members. We've had 65-year-old travellers complete the full 8 days. The conditions are a normal check-up result and an ascent slow enough to be comfortable.

Which month is best?

October is the peak: autumn colour, clear skies, stable roads. April–May for rhododendron against snow. July–August has higher landslide risk but fewer people. Winter needs snow chains on some sections.

What if I can't manage the Yading climb?

You can hire a horse for the Milk Lake section (extra cost) or wait at Luorong pasture. We never hurry anyone, and "reaching the top" isn't one of our selling points.

Do I need any permits for Sichuan?

None. No Tibet Travel Permit, no border permits — just your passport and Chinese visa. This is the easiest of our three routes to organise at short notice, and the reason it suits travellers with five or six days.

Will my guide speak English?

Yes — an English-speaking guide leads every Sichuan trip. In Tibetan villages your host family may speak only Tibetan or Mandarin; your guide translates throughout.

Tell us your travel month. We'll handle the rest.

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