2019 Daocheng Aden Travel Diary | A perfect encounter with Shenshan Mountain and Haizi

"Night fell, and I sat in front of the tent, facing the huge mountain called Shanuo Dorje by the Tibetans. At this time, the clouds dispersed, and the glory of the God of Thunder appeared in front of me. It was a pyramid-shaped mountain with the spire cut off. The mountain peak. Its wings extend with broad ridges, like a magical chair in Tibetan mythology... Against the clear sky in front of me, there stands the unparalleled Yangmaiyong Snow Peak. It is what I have seen. The most beautiful snow-capped mountains I have ever experienced…”

—Joseph Locke

 

👇The most beautiful place in Western Sichuan, worthy of the theme song of my favorite movie🎵~

Travel time: 2019.10.13-18, 6 days and 5 nights

Number of people traveling: 2 people

Per capita expenditure: 2,200 yuan

Travel mode: self-driving

Daocheng is a place I have always wanted to visit since college, but due to various reasons, I have never been able to do so. Taking advantage of this opportunity to change jobs, and the few days of annual leave left by my boyfriend, I finally had the opportunity to go to the "last pure land in the world" that I had longed for. I have to say that this was a perfect trip. Because of the heavy snowfall the first night, we encountered unprecedented good weather. We drove all the way from winter to autumn on the 318 National Highway on the Sichuan-Tibet Line, experiencing new things and feeling different. The scenery changes, and we use our cameras and eyes to record everything we see and feel

Benjamin FrankLin said: "The closest thing toreliving one's life again is to recall that life and record it in words to make this memory last as long as possible." Back In the more than ten days since I arrived home, Daocheng’s majestic snow-capped mountains, dazzling Haizi Lake, and golden poplar forests are still lingering in my mind, so I still want to record them in words. One is to leave it to myself to recall slowly in the future, and the other is to provide a reference for friends who have asked me for strategies before. In fact, I rarely read guides when I go out. I only search for general attractions and accommodation. The rest of the transportation and meals are very casual. Therefore, this travelogue only briefly records some of the scenic spots and food that impressed us, as well as specific routes and other information. Interested friends can also leave a message/private message to me directly.

(Off-topic: Forgive me for my poor editing skills. I don’t know why some punctuation marks suddenly go to the beginning of the sentence when I read the article edited on my computer. I tried it more than a dozen times, but it still didn’t work, so I gave up. If you have any tips, please tell me )

D1 Chengdu—Kangding—Xinduqiao—Yajiang—Litang

It takes about 8 hours to drive

🏡 Litang

In the morning, Maomao got off work, went home to get his things and we set off. I drove to Kangding. Because it was a highway and there were not many people on Sunday, the journey was smooth. 1 We arrived in Kangding around 10:00. At present, Yakang Expressway is still in the trial operation stage, and there is no toll, which saves a lot of tolls. After a simple lunch, Maomao said that he would drive, so we continued on the road. Not long after we got to Zheduo Mountain, I was lying in the front seat taking a nap when I was “ boom ” A loud noise woke me up. …. Three pillow-packed Lays potato chips exploded at the same time in the back seat. … Last time I went to Moss and drove to the Balangshan Tunnel in Siguniang Mountain, and the potato chips also exploded because of the low air pressure. 💥 Be … So next time you bring snacks to the plateau, you should tear a hole in it to let out the air. … Otherwise, I don't know when I will scare myself. 😳 Be …

It was very foggy in Zheduo Mountain and the weather was not good at all, so there wasn’t much to see. When we arrived at Xindu Bridge the fallen leaves on both sides had begun to turn yellow. There were people walking with cameras along the way, and we could already feel the " Photography Paradise " coming of the golden season. . But because we were on our way, we didn’t stop too much. We took a picture of a rainbow in the sun and rain in the car 🌈, turned around and continued walking towards Yajiang, unlocking a new map that I have never been to.

Rainbow in Xinduqiao

Arriving at YajiangEighteen Bends of Tianlu, the sky gradually turned dark. I drove a section, and when I arrived near Kazila Mountain with an altitude4700 meters, the sky became completely dark, and it started to get dark. Down! Snow! Got it! Oh my god, Maomao said this mountain road was too dangerous, with many large cars and no street lights, so he switched to driving again. Next came the most painful two hours of driving in our entire journey: there was heavy snow all the way, there were no street lights, there might be a cliff outside the fence, the visibility was only about 3 meters, it was almost impossible to move, and the car could only go 30 At the speed of multiple codes, it is almost like walking in the dark. In addition, the mobile phone signal was not good, so I turned on the navigation and didn’t know how long it would take to reach the destination. Plus, the two of us hadn’t had lunch yet, so this section of the road to Litang was really hard to drive. I originally said I would drive to Daocheng in one go, but forget it, safety first, take your time.

Eighteen bends of Yajiangtian Road

At nearly 9 o'clock, when we exited the Litang Tunnel and saw the county lights, we finally breathed a sigh of relief and finally arrived in Litang County safely! Because the accommodation was found temporarily, the conditions were very average, and there was no dinner. We just bought instant noodles (well, we started producing garbage on the first night) and ate whatever we wanted. After eating and almost washing up, we went to bed, ending the first day of hard driving.

D2 Litang County - Tiejiang Mountain Pass - Litang - Tu'er Mountain - Haizi Mountain - Daocheng Ten Thousand Mu Green Poplar Forest - Rubchaka Hot Spring Village

🏡 Rubchaka Hot Spring Village

Because of the high altitude, actually didn't sleep well on the first night. I still woke up in the middle of the night and early in the morning, unable to fall asleep. As soon as I opened the curtains, my mother, was heard rustling outside! big! Snow! Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh❄️❄️❄️⛄️! There is a thick layer of snow on the surrounding roofs, green belts on the roads, and on top of cars! I am so happy and excited to see such heavy snow in October! ! While having breakfast, the landlady said that it started to snow last night for the first time since autumn. Looking back later, we were lucky. Although driving was very hard on the first night, due to the heavy snow, the weather was extremely good in the next few days.

After the car drove out of Litang County, it was surrounded by snow, with scattered snowflakes floating in the sky. The nearby houses and grasslands, and the distant hillsides were all covered in snow! ! Driving in this snow-white fairy tale world, it feels so unreal. I feel like it was worth driving so long yesterday, even if I only saw this piece of snow-covered land. With the snow falling like this, Maoya Grassland wasn’t much to see. We weren’t too interested in the Ker Temple and the Tibetan village in Litang County. It happened that a friend in the circle of friends recommended to go to the Blacksmith Mountain Pass to see the Genie Mountain. It was relatively close, so we set off.

Go to Blacksmith Pass to register your personal information and car information, but entering the mountain is free. When registering, the staff also recommended a Haizi to us and asked us to drive slowly, saying that we might be able to see Genie Holy Mountain when the sun comes out at noon. Then the two of us continued driving in the vast white mountains. The feeling of desolation and silence with no one around, no mobile phone signal, and a white snow all around, with only a black asphalt road in front of you, is really great. It's like being in Iceland, driving in a cold wonderland at the end of the world. Genie Mountain seems to welcome you in a special way, slowly wrapping you into this snow-white world.

At a sharp intersection, we finally saw a person standing on an overturned truck. It felt like the truck had just overturned. There was another person next to me. I stopped and asked the two drivers if they needed help. The driver smiled and said: The car has been overturned for a while. It's okay, one of his younger brothers has already gone to the village ahead to find someone for help. Let's drive slowly. Seeing the heavy cargo overturned behind the car, I felt that we really couldn't help much, so we said goodbye to the master and continued to drive forward. He wanted to give his brother a ride if he met him, but he didn't see anyone until he reached the Blacksmith Mountain pass. Maomao said that the master should have walked on the mountain road to find someone for help.

After reaching the Blacksmith Mountain Pass, the surroundings were still covered in white. The sky had not cleared up yet, and we could not see Mount Genyen. The car that passed by told us that the road ahead was difficult to drive, so we should not go there. So the two of us turned around and walked back slowly. When we walked back, we saw the two masters were still there. It was so cold, they must have been standing in the snow for a long time and it was very cold. There was no signal on their phones, so they couldn’t call for help. Maomao and I asked them if they wanted to pour some hot water for them. They said it was okay, mineral water would be fine. So we went to the trunk and took out two bottles of water for them. They thanked us quickly and said that they would probably be out in the afternoon. 2 , 3 We had to wait until we got to the point before someone came to help. But they still reminded us: "Take your time and be safe."

As we were about to go down the mountain, a blue hole opened up in the sky above our heads, and the peaks in the distance began to shine. The weather gradually turned sunny !

Then we turned the corner and soon saw Litang County in the distance. Maomao and I were stunned by that scene, it was so beautiful. This world-high city is called " City in the Sky " because of its high altitude. The surrounding clouds and fog have not completely dispersed, and it feels very similar to the surrounding snow-capped mountains. In "The Hobbit" , Long Lake Town at the foot of the Lonely Mountain is dreamlike like a world in a painting. This scene can be included in the album of wonderful scenery I have seen.

We returned to Litang, refueled, and started walking towards Daocheng. We were still experiencing the snowy winter in Litang in the morning, but on the way to Daocheng, we felt like we were driving into autumn. The colorful forest on the mountain shines brightly under the sunlight, and the gurgling stream and cows grazing beside it look as unreal as a fairy tale.

After crossing a small plain, we started to climb up the mountain again. Rabbit Mountain should be the first attraction. When you really see the two rocks on the top of the mountain standing up like rabbit ears, you can't help but sigh at the uncanny craftsmanship of nature, which is quite playful sometimeslol. The more I look at it, the cuter it becomes, and the more I look at it, the more I want to eat the rabbit head🐰Hahaha.

After checking in and taking photos, continue towards Haizi Mountain . Although the weather was very good that day, with blue sky and white clouds, the wind was very strong, so it was difficult to take beautiful reflections on these plateau seas.

Haizi Mountain

There is a viewing platform in Haizi Mountain with a good view. You can clearly see the heavy rain in the villages in the distance. There are many piles of nymphs on the observation deck, and the large round stones on the cliff reminded me of "Pride and Prejudice" , the filming location - of the British Peak District.

"Pride and Prejudice" stills, filmed in the Peak District of England

After passing Haizi Mountain, it’s not far to Daocheng. It’s when the sunset light is at its best. Maomao first drove me to the 10,000-mu Qingyang Forest. The right side of the road was full of bright yellow poplars. The forest glows warmly under the setting sun. There are green poplar forests for several kilometers along the way, which is quite spectacular. We drove directly to the red observation deck at the end and prepared to overlook the

I didn’t expect that the design of this observation deck is so anti-human. It is extremely difficult to climb. The steepest section of the ladder can only accommodate half of a foot, and the entire ladder is made of hollow steel. It is too difficult to go up the mountain, and even more difficult to come down. I want to curse. However, you can still see some scenery when you climb up. The green poplar forest under the sunset is also very beautiful and gentle.

When we got back to the car, it was almost dark. Xiao Huang and I haven't found accommodation yet, and he wants to take me to the hot spring that locals frequented where he went 3 years ago. But it would be too late to find a place to stay after bathing in the hot springs, and I was worried that it would be inconvenient to change after bathing in the hot springs. But if you are looking for a local hot spring hotel in Daocheng, the number one one is an internet celebrity hot spring B&B. The price is a bit expensive and we don’t really want to go.

Me: Isn’t there any accommodation where you go to the hot springs?

Maomao: I can’t remember clearly, probably not.

Me: How about this, we drive to Rubchaka Village first, if there is really no place to stay, we can go back to the county town, anyway, the village is close to the county town. 2 , 3 kilometer.

So we drove through the county again and went to the village of Rubchaka. I quickly found the hot spring that Maomao came to bathe in alone 3 years ago. It was called " Rubuchaka Village Hot Spring " . The key is that this hot spring provides accommodation. When we went there, there were only two rooms left, and the sanitary conditions were adequate. 180 yuan/ night, you can soak in the hot spring, which is much cheaper than the Internet celebrity hotels in the town. Moreover, this place is very quiet, there is no light pollution, and maybe you can watch the stars at night, so we quickly decided to stay here at night.

Tibetan pure natural hot spring room

The hot springs in the village are really purely natural. The hotel is not listed on the Internet. Few foreign tourists know about it, and tour groups will not come here, but it is a place I love to come to. This hot spring is different from the hot springs I visited before. It consists of small rooms, and each small room has a pool. Up to 4 people can bathe together. Many locals like to come here to take a bath. To put it bluntly, it is equivalent to a local bathhouse. But in fact, there is no need to worry about hygiene issues. After the guests in each room have soaked, the water in the pool will be drained and refilled.

Moreover, the temperature of the hot spring water here is very comfortable, there is no sulfur smell, and the body is smooth after soaking. Of course, for girls, perhaps the most enjoyable part about soaking in a hot spring is that you can apply a facial mask while soaking and feel that your pores are opened and all the essence is absorbed, haha. To be honest, in a place like this where the temperature immediately drops to a few degrees as soon as the sun goes down. After driving for a day, it is really refreshing to soak in a hot spring. After soaking in the fatigue of the day, the whole body is warm, so good rest.

And there are only two people in the whole room, so you can hang out for as long as you want without anyone disturbing you. It is worth mentioning that when you bathe in a hot spring, you enter the room with your clothes on and then change into a swimsuit in the room (of course you can also soak naked without any clothes 👌 !), Remember to bring a bath towel/towel. After soaking, wipe off the water and change clothes before coming out. There is also a high-power hair dryer at the door, so you don't have to worry about your hair getting wet and catching a cold.

After bathing in the hot spring, it was almost 8:30. Before bathing in the hot spring, I ordered a soup pot dinner for two people from the boss (RMB120 for two people) and it was almost ready. The boss brought over a hot yak meat soup pot, which contained: yak meat, plateau potatoes, cabbage leaves, and highland barley cakes as the staple food ( At first, the boss even told me that there were matsutake mushrooms, but I ate until the end I didn't see ...) At this time, the temperature outside the glass window was only about 1 degrees, the wind was biting, and the moon on 16 of the lunar calendar hung on the top of the mountain, giving The hillside is covered with silver. We were eating hot yak soup pot inside the house, and the feeling of happiness was enough to make us happy for one night.

Halfway through the meal, the boss brought us half a pot of homemade Teriyaki Chicken and Butter Milk Tea Let us try it for free. To be honest, the chicken is better than yak. The boss said that the chicken is from the plateau. Running pheasant , which is also a pure natural organic ingredient. In addition to pickled cabbage and peppers, there are also Tangerine peel and konjac , the flavor is rich and different from the braised chicken I have eaten before. 40 The 20-year-old boss was really honest and enthusiastic. He chatted with us and said that he had been running this hot spring for a long time. 20 For many years, at first 2.5 Yuan / Then the price of goods gradually increased, and the increase was nearly 10 times, 30 yuan/ Of course, if you stay at the hotel, the hot spring is free. Locals still like to come here to bathe. The boss said that he plans to build a large open-air hot spring next year, just like the one you usually bathe in. On snowy days, you can bathe in the hot spring while watching the snow. Just thinking about it makes me happy.

D3 Daocheng—Gonggar Langjiling Temple—Yading Scenic Area—Short Hike

🏡 Yading Village Station No. 1, Daocheng Yading Rock Cultural Theme Hotel

After having breakfast in Daocheng County, it was still an extremely clear day with no clouds in sight. Of course, the ultraviolet rays were also extremely strong. Even if you apply a thick layer of sunscreen and keep reapplying sunscreen spray, you can still feel ultraviolet rays from all directions when sitting in the car, baking your skin through the glass windows. So in this weather, we were still fully equipped in the car, with hats, sunglasses, and silk scarves covering our entire faces , and we drove all the way to the Aden scenic spot, which took less than 2 hours.

Bawa Mountain overlooking Ranwu Temple

Passing through 4600 meters above sea level Bawa Mountain, Ranwu Temple and Gonggar Langjiling Temple , you can get off the bus to take photos, check in and rest. The buildings around Jiling Temple are all pure white. The gates of the temple are beautifully built. I especially like the Tibetan door frames. The colorful colors are very bold but not tacky. The crochet patterns and lines are also very good. Exquisite, really beautiful, I love it.

Gonggar Langjiling Temple

Ornate door frame of temple

It was noon when we arrived at the Yading Scenic Area. We planned to stay there, brought a mountaineering bag with a change of supplies and snacks and electronic equipment, and parked the car in the scenic parking lot , 20 yuan/days. Buy the tickets online, and then go to the Burger King 🍔 at the entrance of the scenic spot for lunch, that’s right ! At such a high altitude, there is the Burger King that Maomao’s classmates love most. It’s simply Like a savior! And the taste is no different from the Burger King I usually eat. I’m really happy.

After lunch, we started to enter the scenic area. 266 Yuan / It should be noted that it usually takes two days to visit Daocheng Scenic Area. So if you live outside the scenic area and want to go back in the next day, you need to buy a new ticket. 60 Yuan / The sightseeing bus ticket is available for one-way trip to Yading Village. 80 It's about 1,000 kilometers long, all winding mountain roads, and it takes nearly 200 kilometers to drive. 1 Hours, Maomao and I had to take a long walk the next day, and didn’t want to queue up outside the scenic spot and sit 1 Hour car, so we chose Live in the scenic area . It turns out that this choice is very wise.

The sightseeing bus drove for about half an hour. Once we turned a hilltop, the two sacred mountains of Xiannairi and Shanuoduoji stood in front of us with an unobstructed view. Maomao exclaimed repeatedly. He felt like he had visited a fake Daocheng 3 years ago. It was difficult to see the two snow-capped mountains clearly due to the clouds and mist. I am very lucky. Almost every time I go out to play, whether it is Hailuogou, Dagu Glacier, Siguniang Mountain, Mengtun River, Balang Mountain, Xiling Snow Mountain, Shenmulei, I can meet Weather✌️

The car quickly arrived at station 1. When we got off the bus, we were at the place where we stayed: Daocheng Yading Rock Cultural Theme Hotel.

Maybe it's God's blessing. The inn we originally liked last night was fully booked this morning, so we chose this slightly more popular one 449yuan/ with evening mountain view. Maybe it was because we arrived early, but the front desk actually upgraded us for free to a king bed room with snow mountain view for 659 yuan / night! This is what I posted on Moments before. As soon as I entered the room and lay on the bed, I could see Shanuo Duoji and Xian Nairi's room. The room was very clean and the conditions were much better than those we stayed in the previous two nights. The entire 1 station is almost like this hotel. The location is really good, because as you go down, you may not have such a good view of the snow-capped mountains. Moreover, the room also has electric blankets, blood protein measuring machines, oxygenation equipment, etc. It is very user-friendly. Maomao and I both like this hotel so much.

Stars, Shanuoduoji and Xiannairi taken in the inn room at night

Simply pack your luggage, change your clothes, get on the sightseeing bus, and get ready to visit the scenic spot. Since we only had half a day left, we naturally took the short route. Mainly visit Chonggu Temple, Xiannairi and Pearl Sea. The short tour is very easy and can be completed in about two hours. The sunshine was so beautiful that afternoon, shining on the yellow leaves and piles of nymphs, it was very artistic. Directly above the head is the majestic, dignified and auspicious Xiannairi Snow Mountain. It is the first of the three peaks in the Aden Scenic Area , with an altitude of 6032 meters. The name of the peak means "Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva" is mostly surrounded by glaciated peak forest landforms, glaciers and glacier relics, and mountain lakes.

Shanuoduoji

Xiannai

Keep walking along the plank road, and you will see the viewing point at the foot of Xiannairi Mountain and the Pearl Sea. The Pearl Sea reflects the magnificent Xiannairi Snow Mountain, making it a popular spot for photographers and scarf ladies. The entire short route was actually completed very quickly. When we reached the visitor center, there was no light at the foot of the mountain and it was super cold when the wind blew. Quickly take the sightseeing bus back to the hotel.

My classmate Maomao specially brought me the veil props, but it was too cold...I couldn't create a concave shape...

When we returned to the inn, we just caught up with the sunset. The location of our hotel is really the perfect location to take photos of Rizhao Jinshan Mountain. There is already a camera and a tripod in the rest area at the entrance to take photos and videos. This is the first time to see Rizhao Jinshan so closely and clearly. It is really beautiful.

For dinner, we decided to go to the barbecue at station 2! Yes, it’s the one we saw on the way back from the sightseeing bus! It looks really, really good! The proprietress is from Deyang and is very enthusiastic. We ordered chicken wings, pork belly, green pepper ribs, beef, and Zhangzhongbao…….The taste was really overpowering. It’s much better than the barbecue in the center of Chengdu! (I have discovered a rule, that is, the barbecue in Tibetan areas is generally more delicious than the barbecue in Chengdu. The same goes for the roasted lamb chops I ate in Siguniang Mountain last time. It is the best roasted lamb I have ever eaten so far. , oily lamb dipped in sea pepper noodles and chopped green onions, awsl…..

We returned to the hotel contentedly. Full Starry sky I took a break at the hotel front desk. I found a lot of Joseph on the wall. · Photo image of Locke. Locke is an Austrian American Explorer, Botanist, Geographer and Linguist On behalf of National Geographic, he conducted a long 20 After many years of scientific investigation and exploration, he was the first person to discover Daocheng Yading. Later, the British best-selling author James · Hilton Lost Horizon 》 Locke's Dian Tibetan Adventure Stories The inspiration from the novel made Daocheng Yading famous in the Western world.

There are many interesting photos of Locke's life on the photo wall, including his daily life with the local Tibetans. There are also travel-related books on the bookshelf next to it. I asked the boss why there was no "Lost Horizon". The boss said that he had been looking for this book, but it was no longer reprinted because it was 80 This book was published many years ago.

I found this book on the bookshelf of the inn. I really like the cover.

D4 Aden Long Term Line: Five Color Sea + Milk Sea

🏡Aden Village Station No. 1, Daocheng Aden Locke Cultural Theme Hotel

Because I live in a scenic area, I can sleep a little longer and don't have to rush for a sightseeing bus. But actually we woke up at 7 o'clock, packed up our things, brought dry food, had breakfast and set off. After arriving at the visitor center, we had to walk a short distance before a small sightseeing car took us to the starting point of the mountain climbing, which is also at the foot of Yangmaiyong Mountain. The sightseeing bus costs 80 yuan for a round trip and 50 yuan for a one-way trip. At that time, the two of us naively bought the one-way ticket, thinking of walking back. Later I found out that I was really out of my mind at that time, it was so stupid .

I met a 3-month-old milk cat by chance at breakfast and was carried by its owner to climb the milk sea.

When you reach the foot of Yangmaiyong Mountain, there will be a plank road that passes through Luorong Cattle Farm . The plank road is actually built on a meadow. There is also a frozen river in the meadow, reflecting the extraordinary scenery of Yangmaiyong. Spectacular. Regarding Yang Maiyong, Joseph · Locke once described it this way: " Night fell, and I sat in front of the tent, facing the huge mountain called Shanuo Dorje by the Tibetans. Here When the clouds dispersed, the brilliance of the God of Thunder appeared in front of us. It was a pyramid-shaped mountain with its spire cut off. Its two wings stretched out with broad ridges, like a magical chair in Tibetan mythology ... ... Against the clear sky in front of me, below, stands the unparalleled Yangmaiyong Snow Peak. It is the most beautiful snow mountain I have ever seen ..."

Yang Maiyong

Yangmaiyong is indeed so majestic. It is as majestic as Shanuoduoji, no less than the snow-capped mountains in Switzerland.

When you see the sacred mountain, you really can’t help but want to make a wish lol

The Five-Colored Sea and the Milky Sea are actually next to each other, but the Five-Colored Sea is at a higher altitude. According to Maomao, the road to these two seas has been repaired much better than the last time he came. The first half of the journey is relatively easy to walk. Of course, some people choose to finish 2/3 on horseback to save their energy for the final and most difficult 1/3. When Maomao and I walked to nearly 2/3, we felt that it was still okay. After the caravan ends, everyone can only hike up the mountain and climb the most difficult last section, because it is really steep and the key point is that the altitude here is already more than 4200 meters , so walking is very tiring. After finally climbing up this section. I thought we were there.

Unexpectedly, after turning the corner, there is still a short section to reach the Five Color Sea. The uncle next to me who was returning from the Five Color Sea said: It’s too difficult to get up to the Five Color Sea. It takes 40 minutes to get there. Looking at the last section of the stone road, although it is relatively steep, it is only 200 meters long. It takes 40 minutes? Maomao and I didn't believe it. We went up there in half an hour at most. I didn’t expect …. The two of us climbed for nearly 1 hours, not as good as the old man 😂… Firstly, because of myself It is very steep. Secondly, because this place already has an altitude of 4500m , so every two steps I climb makes me feel exhausted. Almost every time we climb 10 steps, we have to rest for 5 minutes. Moreover, it was almost 1 o'clock, we hadn't eaten yet, and our physical strength was not enough.

After another hour of tossing, we finally arrived at the Five Colored Sea! Quickly find a grassy slope to sit down and start eating. After eating, I lay down and used my backpack as a pillow. I squinted for a while, basking in the sun and feeling the breeze in my ears. When I opened my eyes and saw the mountains in front of me and the sea beneath my feet, I suddenly had an idea: It would be so cool to be buried here after death. Sleeping with the mountains, rivers and lakes, watching the clouds roll and relax, and at night, there are thousands of stars overhead. mango.

The ideal "burial place"

After resting for more than half an hour, I got up and set off to the Milk Sea. The Milk Sea is under the Five Color Sea, so it’s relatively easy to walk there. It’s just that the weather is not as good as before, the sun comes and goes, and the wind in Milk Sea is cold and strong! I originally brought a skirt and veil and wanted to take photos. Forget it, I just want to hide in my big cotton hat and never want to take it off for a moment.

The Milk Lake and the Five-Colored Lake are really beautiful. The Five-Colored Lake will show different colors under the sun. : Light green, mint green, emerald green, azure blue, dark blue…. The Milk Sea is surrounded by a milky white skirt, and the center is Tiffany Blue With the help of the drone's God's perspective, these two high mountain lakes are really beautiful, like two Brilliant Gemstones Nestled between snow-capped mountains

Milk Sea (left) and Five Color Sea (right)

Tiffany blue milk sea

Visible blue glacier

After the tour, we almost passed 2 and started going down the mountain. I thought it would be much easier going down the mountain, but my legs were just a little weak at most. I never expected that I would be out of breath when going down the mountain. I also have to rest for a few minutes after walking. My heartbeat was always over 100 when I looked at my bracelet, which was very fast. Going down the mountain has never been so difficult, and I was close to the edge of collapse. Even after walking to the flat plank road at Luorong Cattle Farm, I still felt very tired. So when we spent more than 3 hours and finally reached the sightseeing station, we decisively spent 50 yuan to buy a return ticket. The moment I got back on the sightseeing bus, I felt saved. Then I thought about how stupid I was this morning, why did Honey Confidence think that I could walk back to the Visitor Center ...

Collapsed downhill tourist…

Returning to the inn, I lay on the window for a while before recovering. Dinner at the inn was very expensive, so we decided to go to the "ShanHai Kitchen" near station 2 for some snacks, and ordered egg-filled pancakes, eight-treasure porridge, and yak rice noodles. , Roujiamo, and write postcards while eating. Next door to Shanhai Kitchen is a small cultural and creative store that sells milk tea, postcards and refrigerator magnets. But opening a milk tea shop in such a remote place as Yading Village will give people the illusion of returning to big city life.

After dinner, I walked back to the hotel. I felt like I had exhausted all my energy for the day. I lay on the bed and didn’t want to move at all. I didn’t take off my makeup or wash up. It wasn’t even 10 o’clock and we were already on the warm electric blanket. I fell asleep tiredly under the covers.

D5: Yading Village—Daocheng—Hongcaochang—Zhenzhen Fish Village—Litang—Kazila Mountain—Tagong Grassland

🏡 Tagong Grassland

I packed up my things early in the morning and started to leave the scenic spot by car. After arriving at the entrance of the scenic spot, we realized that it was really wise for us to choose to stay in the scenic spot, because it was the peak time to enter the mountain in the morning, and the tour groups waiting to take the sightseeing bus at the entrance of the scenic spot had almost blocked the entrance. After picking up the car, Maomao and I were still debating whether to go shopping in the countryside near Daocheng. Firstly, in 9, I heard @ designer Yin Jiulong’s talk about I like a piece shared by Happy Community Xiangcheng. Secondly, I recently watched one or two episodes of @The Man in the Wilderness about Rural Shambhala , which was quite interesting. Although it is very close to Daocheng, it takes almost 4 hours to go to Xiangcheng and back. We also planned to stay in Xinduqiao at night, so we didn't have enough time. In the end, I decided to let the journey take it easy and not be in such a rush.

I don’t want to take advantage of my cows

When we drove to Daocheng, we went to Red Grassland to check in. The main reason why the red grass is red is that there is a plant in Haizi that turns red after autumn. Each plant is red from its rhizome to its leaves. Against the background of the red or green poplar trees, the large area looks slightly spectacular. After checking in and taking photos, I walked back and saw a Tibetan milk tea shop. Maomao said she wanted to try it and bought walnut milk tea. It tasted like milk powder ...

It was almost 3 o'clock when we arrived in Litang, and we hadn't even had lunch yet. After eating yak meat for a few days on the plateau, I got tired of it, so I randomly searched on Dianping.com and happened to find this Zhenzhen Fish House . I ordered the red pot fish for two people, and it tasted surprisingly good!

The fish is Schizothorax 🐟 unique to the plateau area (also called snowfish/cold water fish ) because the snow water melts and flows into the lake. The fish is long and slender, not a big one, but the meat is very, very tender, and has a completely different texture from yellow spicy diced fish. When paired with the soup made by the boss, a spoonful of soup and a spoonful of oil, the taste is instantly better than the ones near my house. Hot pot fish

Moreover, this kind of fish can only be eaten on the plateau. The boss said that even if he wanted to take it back to his mother-in-law and grandfather to try it, it would be difficult to provide oxygen to the fish and to maintain a low water temperature. Some people also use refrigerated trucks to sell them in Chengdu, charging 3 or 400 per pound. It only costs 60yuan/ for the two of us to eat locally. It’s almost the same size as a loaf, and it’s a very reasonable price. (The code is starting to drool again at this point 🤤…

The reason why I want to take a photo while eating is probably because it’s really delicious!

When I saw Litang County from a distance again, the snow had melted and the scenery was more like autumn. The winding and open asphalt road, the black cattle on both sides and the mountains in the distance, coupled with the not-so-glaring sunlight, gave people a very comfortable feeling. The few photos I took were all road photos. BTW, there were almost no cars when we took the photos, so I took a few photos. It is still not recommended to take photos in the middle of the road because it is really dangerous.) I posted it on WeChat Moments and my friend said it felt like Iceland. So Litang in the distance is quite like Reykjavik, Winding asphalt road Also very similar "white Daydreamer The road where the male protagonist skates back and forth on.

Scenery along the way: )

Like the road scenery in "Daydreamer"

After passing Litang, the road to Yajiang should be the most beautiful section of the whole journey. Because we are driving on the ridge, we have a clear view of the surrounding peaks. When I came there, it was snowing heavily at night, so I couldn’t appreciate its beauty. Now when we go back, it is sunset, there is still no cloud in the sky, and the scenery on both sides is really beautiful and makes people cry. No kidding, Maomao said that he recalled that three years ago, when he was passing through this section on a bus, he saw a mountain wind turbine somewhere on the open grassland, and suddenly burst into tears (What a Sensual boy2333).

Arriving at Kazila Mountain at an altitude of 4,700 meters, I got off the car and felt the warm sunshine shining on the hillside. I was surrounded by mountains and the setting sun. Under my feet, I was still stepping on white crushed ice that was slowly melting. The sky Only a few birds passed by, and the whole scene was too quiet and gentle. Finally, I realized that the scenery everyone mentioned is all on Sichuan-Tibet Line 318 National Highway .

Not long after we continued driving, we were pleasantly surprised to see Yala Snow Mountain! It is really unique. Other mountains are towering there, but Yala Snow Mountain has several peaks close together, like bergamot, which looks very Q from a distance. Maomao said that we are very lucky. He has been to western Sichuan so many times, but every time he failed to see the Yala Snow Mountain because of the clouds and fog. So originally we decided to stay in Xinduqiao, but considering the good weather, we decided to stay in Tagong Grassland tonight.

The car continued to drive forward, and as soon as it exited the Jianzishan Tunnel,

Me: Look at those clouds, they’re so funny

Maomao: ......? ? Brother, then ... Is that Gongga? ! !

As he was talking, he pulled over and took out his camera with great excitement: Wow, what kind of luck is it today? On the 318 national highway, I not only saw the Yala Snow Mountain, but also the unobstructed view of Gonggar. It was better than last time in Zi Meiyakou could see clearly. This trip is so worth it!

Overlooking Gonggar

On the way from Yajiang to Tagong Grassland, there is no light pollution, so you can see the sky full of stars when you open the sunroof of the car! And it's extremely clear. Silently thankful that the weather will be nice again tomorrow.

The hotel we stayed at in Tagong Grassland was called " Kangding Tagongduwang Hotel " and we made a reservation by phone only 2 hours before arriving at Tagong. I originally wanted to stay at the "Mandala Hotel" recommended by my sister, but there was no room available. Unexpectedly, these two hotels are right next to each other, and you can see the Yala Snow Mountain as soon as you open the curtains. I asked the boss for a hotel room of more than 30 square meters over the phone and negotiated the price to 300 yuan/room including breakfast.

Unexpectedly, the room exceeded our expectations. It should be the best room we stayed in during this trip! The room is large and you can directly see the snow-capped mountains. It is very clean and tidy. king size bed There are electric blankets, hot water, Xiaomi kettles, and electric Radiator This means you can take time-lapse photos of snow-capped mountains without having to go out and endure the biting cold wind.

"Home"Snowy mountains at the door

The key is that this is a Tibetan-style inn. The room decoration, hanging paintings, including the door key pendant, are all colorful Tibetan elements. I really like how clean and well combined the local humanistic style is. Characteristic inn. The fatigue of a day's journey was eliminated the moment I lay down on this big bed.

D6 Tagong Grassland—Kangding Airport—Mugecuo Scenic Area (passing by)—Kangding—Chengdu

🏡Cozy home

As soon as you open the curtains in the morning, you will see the Yala Snow Mountain standing in front of you so clearly and three-dimensionally. Well, it doesn't look like bergamot anymore. It is the most beautiful and magnificent sacred mountain on Tagong Grassland!

To be honest, Maomao and I love the courtyard of this inn so much. If my house had a backyard where we could see the snow-capped mountains, we would probably wake up laughing even in our sleep. And the tea room on the third floor is the kind of Floor-to-ceiling windows , the sunlight shines in, and I can drink hot tea in the house while admiring the Yala Snow Mountain. Wow ~ the boss is really good at design.

The tea room on the third floor of the inn

Tagong Temple

After checking out of the room, we walked for 10 minutes to Tagong Temple behind the inn. Standing on the hillside, we had a panoramic view of the temple with gold tiles and red walls and the magnificent Yala Snow Mountain. We felt an indescribable sense of sacredness! I can also understand those couples who choose to take wedding photos here. This place is so beautiful and worth it!

After the tour, around 11 o'clock, we started driving back. I am used to Zheduo Mountain, so I chose the route recommended by my boss this time, taking Kangding Airport and Mugecuo Scenic Area and returning to Kangding. In fact, the road to Kangding Airport is not bad. Although it is a bit bad, the scenery is very good. It is surrounded by the Snowy Mountains (yes, the Snowy Mountains are still never tired of), and there are few cars on this road, so it is not It will be like a mountain with many twists and turns and traffic jams easily.

Scenery along the road

After arriving at Kangding Airport, there was actually a road that could go up Zheduo Mountain, but Maomao still chose to take the road he had never traveled before. We went around the Mugecuo Scenic Area, which was full of winding mountain roads. The roads were in bad condition and were still being repaired. There was no signal, and it felt like we were still going in circles after driving for a long time. I woke up after a good sleep and found that we were still in a certain mountain kaka. There was no signal on the mobile phone and I didn’t know how far we were from Kangding. I didn’t have lunch and the road was bumpy. I felt like losing my temper and regretted why. It's not easy to take this road and it will take so long... We all know when we can return to Chengdu. Hey, maybe this is the unavoidable noise during a couple's trip.

I bought a bottle of mountain honey on the way back.

It was already past 8:30 when we got home, and my mother had prepared it for us. Hot meal The dishes, boiled beef and carrot soup. When we ate the hot meal and told us about our travel experiences, I felt that I was really Back home , this trip ended successfully.

Tips:

 

1. Daocheng Scenic Area is divided into 6 stations, numbered 1~6. Station numbered 1 is at the top, with the best view, and stations 1, 2, and 3 are It is relatively close. There is a small supermarket and it is more convenient to eat. Platform No. 56 is at the foot of the mountain, which is also the closest place to Chonggu Temple.

    

2. If you are traveling for more than 2 days, it is recommended to stay in the scenic area and remember to have barbecue! There is still time on the third day to go to Frog Sea, which is also a good hiking route.

    

3. The plateau has large temperature differences and strong ultraviolet rays. Girls can bring a sunscreen spray to replenish their sunscreen. Of course, the best effect is to wrap your entire face.

    

4. When traveling on the plateau, act according to your ability. Students who are not in good physical condition should remember to bring an oxygen bottle, drink more hot water, and do abdominal breathing to relieve high reflexes. You can also drink it with butter tea. Locals say it has a good relieving effect.

    

5. No matter what, please take away your own rubbish! Don't litter.

    

 

That’s all, thank you for seeing this~

See you next time!