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The true glacier tour of the Hailuogou Scenic Area begins at Camp 3. Leaving Camp 2, you pass Shuihaizi, Hailuogou's only ancient moraine lake, before reaching Camp 3, located at an altitude of 2,940 meters. This is also an excellent vantage point for appreciating the golden mountain in the sun.
"Sunlight Shining on the Golden Mountain" is one of the five wonders of Hailuogou. On clear days, the morning glow shines on the snow-capped peaks of Mount Gongga's south side, including the Three Lian Peaks, the Gold and Silver Mountains, and the Nameless Peak, all over 6,300 meters above sea level. The silvery white peaks are instantly bathed in a dazzling golden glow, creating a magnificent spectacle. To witness this spectacle, don't overdo it. The best time to see it is around 6:40 PM in spring and summer, and 7:20 PM in autumn and winter.
The scenic area's sightseeing bus terminal is Camp 3. The glacier is approximately 3 kilometers from the Camp 3 sightseeing station, and the round-trip journey takes over 2.5 hours. Therefore, to reach Camp 4, you must take a cable car (150 yuan) across the icefall to Camp 4 for a panoramic view and beautiful glacier photos. Alternatively, for a more affordable option, a plank road through a black pine forest at the dry river dam near Camp 3 leads to the glacier viewing platform, offering equally breathtaking views of the glacier.
Attraction Location: Hailuogou Glacier Scenic Area, Luding County, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China (中国四川省甘孜藏族自治州泸定县海螺沟风景区)
History: The No.3 Camp is a higher-altitude base within the Hailuogou Glacier area, designed for trekkers who aim to get closer to the glacier tongue and surrounding snow-capped peaks. Developed alongside the growth of eco-tourism, it allows visitors to experience the high-altitude glacier environment safely.
Architecture: Simple wooden lodges and stone structures, designed to withstand alpine conditions. Observation platforms and safety railings are provided to facilitate viewing the glacier and surrounding moraine landscapes. Minimalistic design keeps human impact low.
Cultural Value: The area showcases Tibetan and local Sichuan mountain culture. Visitors can see prayer flags (经幡) and small shrines, reflecting spiritual practices intertwined with nature. The camp is also a symbol of responsible high-altitude tourism development in the region.
Other Information: No.3 Camp serves as a staging area for higher-altitude exploration, including the glacier tongue and glacier caves. It is generally reached via a moderate to challenging trek from No.2 Camp.
Opening Hours: 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Ticket Price: General Scenic Area Ticket: ¥160
Shuttle Bus to No.3 Camp: ¥80
Glacier Tongue Viewing: ¥50
Best Photo Spots: Glacier tongue, ice cliffs, moraine ridges, sunrise over the snow peaks, prayer flags with glacier backdrop
Time Reference: 2–4 hours for basic observation at No.3 Camp; full-day trek recommended if exploring glacier tongue and surroundings
From Camp 3, you will have to choose between taking the cable car to see the glacier or hiking in the Black Forest. The tour bus stops at Camp 3 and you will also take the bus there on the way back.
Camp No. 3 is a transit station, and this is where you get off to Chengmendong. If the weather is clear, you can look up at the parking lot at Camp No. 3 and see Mount Gongga directly.
It really depends on luck. If the weather is good, the scenery is very beautiful.
The Hailuogou tourist bus stop is a hotel, which is said to be a good place to watch the sunrise over the Golden Mountain. Of course, the price of staying there is not cheap.
Camp No. 3 is about 2,800 meters above sea level. Although you won’t experience altitude sickness, walking there is still quite tiring. It is recommended to bring some dry food such as chocolate, biscuits, beef jerky, etc.
If the weather is bad, I recommend visiting Camp 3 to see the Chengmendong Glacier. After all, this is where you can get up close and personal with the glacier. Even if the weather is bad and you can't see the distant view clearly, you can still touch the glacier up close, which is a great deal. So there's no need to waste money on Camp 4!
After missing my flight by two hours, I drove for over four hours in the misty rain to reach Hailuogou Camp No. 3. It was already 11:30 pm, and a steaming hot stew of chicken with matsutake mushrooms and a hearty but not greasy stir-fried pork with green peppers soothed my tired heart after a long day of hard work. Theme hotels are themed everywhere, from the overall environment to the details. A light raindrop fell outside. Will I be able to see the sunrise from Jinshan tomorrow morning? Looking forward to it!
If you want to see the glacier tongue and the City Gate Cave from Camp 3, you'll need to take the scenic area's electric car, which requires a separate ticket. Avoid visiting Hailuogou in the summer, as there's no glacier tongue or gate, only a stone riverbed and flowing water. There's also Moon Lake, which can be seen from the cable car, but the scenery is so-so. If you do visit, you'll need a round-trip ticket for the electric car, which is a bit long, so don't waste your energy. There's also a route that allows close contact with the glacier, but this isn't recommended in the summer, as only the stone riverbed remains.
A scenic spot in Hailuogou National Forest Park
A scenic spot in Hailuogou National Forest Park
In order to see the sunrise over Jinshan Mountain, we decided to stay one night on the mountain. The only hotel on the mountain was the Jinshan Photography Theme Hotel located in Camp 3. Of course, this is also the best place to see the sunrise over Jinshan Mountain.
Dining area, transfer to cable car at Camp 3 to Camp 4.
The water for washing hands in the scenic area is hot, which is very considerate. From this camp, you can hike through the primeval forest to Camp 4. We chose to take the cable car up from here and then hike down. I didn’t expect to see so many beautiful views at Camp 4, so I didn’t walk through the primeval forest at Camp 3.
Camp No. 3 is actually the camp where you walk up to the glacier, passing through the primeval forest all the way to the viewing platform.
In addition to commercial sales, Camp No. 3 also has a hotel where visitors can stay and enjoy the most primitive atmosphere of the snow-capped mountains and glaciers.
Hailuogou Camp 3 offers three options: 1. Hike into the primeval forest, slowly following the winding mountain trail, where you'll discover a rich variety of flora. 2. Hike to the glacier for a close encounter. 3. Take the cable car to Camp 4 and enjoy a panoramic view of the 1,100-meter icefall, as well as a panoramic view of Mount Gongga, the 7,000-meter-high peak.
The most beautiful viewing angle of Rizhao Jinshan, but I didn't stay here because of the price. It's a very beautiful house. The hiking route is a little far, I only walked a short distance from Gongga Temple to Caohaizi
Hailuogou Camp No. 3, at an altitude of 2,940 meters, offers an ideal location for viewing the "Sun Shining over the Golden Mountain." This is one of Hailuogou's five wonders. On clear days, the morning glow casts a dazzling golden glow over the snow-capped peaks of Mount Gongga's southern flank, including the Three Lian Peaks, the Gold and Silver Mountains, and the Wuming Peak, rising above 6,300 meters. To witness this spectacular sight, be sure not to overdo it. The best times to see the Sun Shining over the Golden Mountain are around 6:40 a.m. in spring and summer, and around 7:20 a.m. in autumn and winter. Entry to the gorge is by designated eco-friendly vehicles; no outside vehicles are allowed. These vehicles operate in a circular pattern, stopping at all three campsites. The journey from the gorge entrance to Camp No. 3 takes 50 minutes. The number of buses departing depends on the number of visitors, especially at Camps 2 and 3, depending on the number of people traveling down or up the mountain.
At the end of the sightseeing bus, there is not much good scenery, and you can't see the glacier. You have to take the cable car to Camp No. 4~
Everyone knows that the weather in the mountains is sometimes cloudy and sometimes sunny.
This is a great place to admire the snow-capped peaks. You can look out or climb up the glacier for a closer look.
Camp 3 is located at an altitude of 2,940 meters, approximately 7.5 kilometers from Camp 2. Major hotels include the Yinshan Hotel and the Jinshan Hotel. Camp 3 offers one of the best views of Mount Gongga's main peak, and with luck, you can even see the sunrise over the Golden Mountain. From here, there are two options for viewing the glaciers: one is to hike to the old viewing platform to see the tongue of Glacier 1, which also allows you to walk directly onto the glacier for up-close encounters. The other is to take the cable car to the new viewing platform at Camp 4 (which is still under construction as of August 2016, but will not affect your visit). From there, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the glaciers, and from the cable car, you can also see Glaciers 2 and 3.
When I stayed here before, it was very convenient to see the sunrise over Jinshan Mountain.
The cable car was a bit scary. There was nothing in the middle for a long time. The distance was a bit far. It was surrounded by clouds and fog and I couldn't see anything. My little heart. After a while, it was fine again. The weather was super good at the foot of the mountain. I didn't expect the weather up to be different from the weather down there. It was cloudy and rainy, and there were clouds from time to time.
We took a car ride and then walked through the forest. In the car, we kept wanting to sing "Eighteen Bends on the Mountain Road". But our phones had no data 😄 and we didn't know how to sing. So we just kept humming that line. Haha, the road in the primeval forest was still very touching, especially some of the trees were very touching. Recommended
Camp No. 3 is actually a transit station or a parking lot.
I personally think this place would be more beautiful if it snowed
You have to take a sightseeing bus to get to the scenic spot, which is a bit tricky. Then you have to walk on the plank road. It’s a pity that you can’t see the snow-capped mountains and glaciers up close.
At Camp No. 3, you can go down to the ancient glacier and overlook Gongga. It is a must-see place.
This photo was taken in front of Camp 3. This is the end point of the shuttle bus. You have to walk up the road yourself. It's a beautiful view. When I went there in winter, the snow was still quite thick. Camp 2 was closed due to scenic reasons.
The view of the sunrise over Jinshan Mountain from Camp No. 3 is very nice, but it is not high enough to block the view for taking photos.
It is a blessing in life to be able to have such close contact with the glacier, thanks to the majestic and magical Mount Gongga. The guys in the Tibetan area are very handsome and the girls are very beautiful. Let's go play snowballs with them.
Camp No. 3 is the starting point of the Hailuogou cable car. The cable car opens at 8 am and closes at 4 pm. There are more tourists on holidays, and most tourists go up the mountain between 9 and 10 am. This is also the farthest place a car can drive to in the Hailuogou Scenic Area, so there is a parking lot that can accommodate hundreds of cars, and there are toilets, which are relatively clean. There are also some small shops around that sell some tourist products and mountaineering anti-skid chains. Personally, I don’t think it is necessary to buy anti-skid chains. The mountain is full of wooden plank roads, and you won’t slip if you walk slowly. There are also some small shops selling beef and radish soup, 15 yuan per bowl. Although it is relatively expensive, there is no restaurant in Camp No. 3. It is also a good idea to come down from the mountain and drink steaming hot beef soup in the snowy weather.
Still great!! I even met a little squirrel on the way! Hahahaha!
٩(❛ัᴗ❛ั⁎)Y(^_^)Y
I took a bus directly from the main entrance of Hailuogou to Camp 3. It used to be possible to stay here and watch the sun rise over the Golden and Silver Mountains, but now it's gone. I heard that in order to apply for 5A scenic status, all the accommodations in the area were moved outside. There are two options: one is to hike to Glacier 1, and the other is to take the cable car up to Camp 4 to see Glaciers 1, 2, and 3, and even enjoy the beautiful views of Mount Gongga!
Camp No. 3 in Hailuogou is the terminus of the scenic area's sightseeing bus. From here, you can choose to walk or take the cable car to explore. Camp No. 3 has many places selling things, which is equivalent to the function of a supply station.
The Hailuogou Scenic Area shuttle bus terminates at Camp No. 3, where trees tower over the mountains and lush greenery. Here you can choose to take the cable car to the Great Icefall or hike up the mountain.
When the car reaches Camp No. 3, you can see the snow-capped mountains. It's a pity that the weather is average, otherwise it would definitely be a beautiful view.
It started snowing at Camp 3. The thick snow was so thick that I walked through the Black Forest. The monkeys were so cute and ate faster than me.
There are four campsites in Hailuogou Scenic Area, from near to far. Camp 1 and Camp 2 both have hot spring hotels. Camp 3 is near the best spot for viewing Mount Gongga Snow Mountain. Camp 4 is where you can take the cable car to the glacier.
When I went there, Camp 3 was in full bloom with autumn colors, and the leaves of various colors were brilliant and beautiful. It is really worth going in autumn.
When you arrive at Camp III, you can already see Gongga. The scenery is also very beautiful. You can decide whether to go to Camp IV by cable car based on the weather. If the weather is good, you must go up without a doubt. If the weather is bad, don't take the cable car. It would be a pity to spend 150 yuan to go up alone and not see the true face of Gongga. It would be better to choose to hike. Our luck is really good. We checked the weather forecast before going out. It will rain for the next week. It may be sunny all the time during this trip, so we took the cable car.
Primeval forest, ten thousand year old glacier, walking on the glacier is a rare experience
Camp 3 is the terminal for the Hailuogou bus. Starting from Camp 3, you can take the cable car directly to Camp 4 to visit the entire Gongga Snow Mountain or walk up to the glacier.
There is a primeval forest at Camp 3. You can ask the sightseeing bus to drop you off at the entrance of the primeval forest. Walk along the forest road for about 40 minutes and reach a dividing point. On the right is the parking lot for the sightseeing bus of Camp 3. You can take the sightseeing bus to the cable car ticket purchase area. Go in from the left and walk for an hour and a half to reach the old viewing platform. If the weather is good and there is no fog, it is recommended to go up and take a look.
When I saw the top of the snow-capped mountain, I couldn't help but take selfies. Later I found that the 150m cable car could see the whole view, so I took it up.
I can't quite remember the differences between the camps, after all, I went there a few years ago. But I went with a tour group at that time, and I went to every camp. They all felt similar. I don't really like Hailuogou, mainly because the scenery is really average.
Climbing up and looking far, we are not far from Camp 4. Keep going, the scenery is even better up there.
The scenic area's sightseeing bus terminal is Camp 3. The glacier is approximately 3 kilometers from the Camp 3 sightseeing station, and the round trip takes over 2.5 hours. Therefore, to reach Camp 4, you must take a cable car (150 yuan) across the icefall to Camp 4 for a panoramic view and beautiful glacier photos.
Of course, if you don't want to spend money, there is a plank road at the dry river dam next to Camp No. 3, which goes through the black pine forest and leads to the glacier viewing platform, where you can also enjoy the beautiful glacier scenery.
After chatting with the security guard here, I learned that this was originally a resort hotel, but due to the policy of the scenic area, it has been closed for more than a year. The scenic area completely prohibits tourists from staying overnight in areas above Camp No. 1.
However, there is a small shop here. I had a bowl of instant noodles here and then took the sightseeing bus to Camp No. 4.
Go to the cable car station at Camp 4 and you can see the snow-capped mountains in the distance.
It seems that Hailuogou really doesn't have a thousand-year-old glacier. There is indeed thick ice, but it is all sand and rocks on top, so it is not very visible. In addition, the weather is bad, so I can't see the snow-capped mountains. I feel like dying~
Camp No. 3 in Hailuogou has a great view. It is very beautiful. This is the magical beauty of nature. It is a highly recommended attraction.
Standing on the highest peak! d=====(￣▽￣*)bWatching the sunlight shining on the golden mountain is simply beautiful. Nature is so magical. However, you must pay attention to safety when walking on the glacier. You must take safety precautions to make your trip safe and happy.
The main purpose of going to Camp No. 3 was to see the beautiful scenery of the golden mountain in the sun. The weather was great.
Here you can take a break and enjoy the pleasant scenery surrounded by mountains.
It's spectacular, you can see the whole picture of Hailuogou Canyon here
Snowy and misty winter is shrouded in a white mist
There is nothing fun to do in Hailuogou. It is very boring. The only thing that is slightly better is to look at the foot of the glacier.
The mountain we visited in winter was covered in snow, and the scenery was super beautiful as we climbed up from Camp No. 3.
I came here by tour bus, so it didn't affect me much.
It's really cool to take off all your clothes on the mountain and show off your body bravely
Camp No. 3 is also just a road name. The Jinshan and Yinshan hotels both fell under the mudslide. In the future, only a museum will be built here. So, don’t count on your dream of watching the sunrise on the Golden Mountain here.
I visited Hailuogou in late February 2013, which was probably the off-season. I woke up at 4:00 a.m. and walked to the glacier viewing point to watch the sunrise. I climbed up and down the glacier by myself, and no one else came until after 9:00 a.m. It was a unique experience. I love snow-capped mountains!
A good place to watch the sunrise over Jinshan Mountain and suitable for a stay.
I live here just to watch the sunrise, but the price/performance ratio is not high
Camp 3 is the centerpiece of Hailuogou, offering stunning views of the glacier. While taking the cable car would have allowed for a closer view, the long wait for the cable car during holidays meant we took the hiking trail instead. The sun was shining brightly, and the air in the woods was incredibly fresh. However, the slightly higher altitude might cause some altitude sickness, so it's up to you. While hiking isn't as easy or as close as taking the cable car, it's still a truly unique experience. Those with more stamina can continue down the steps from the Camp 3 sign to the foot of the glacier. While I didn't make it there, I still felt the sheer spectacle and awe. PS: There are slides along the trail for those with less stamina.
Jinshan Mountain in the Rizhao is very beautiful! I am lucky to have seen it!
Camp 3 is located at an altitude of 2,940 meters. Because it's close to Camp 4, it's often the destination for visitors hoping to see the Golden Mountain. The best time to see the "Golden Mountain" is around 6:40 PM in spring and summer, and around 7:20 PM in autumn and winter. Camp 3 offers direct access to Camp 4 via a cable car, or you can walk the wooden plank path below for a close encounter with the glacier. If the weather is good and you have plenty of time, we recommend taking the cable car to Camp 4, returning to Camp 3, and then hiking the wooden plank path, allowing you to experience two different ways to experience the glacier.
In the morning, take a scenic sightseeing bus into the primeval forest. From Moxi Town, at an altitude of over 1,600 meters, to Camp No. 3, at an altitude of over 2,900 meters, you'll experience different climates and scenery along the way. Admire the towering mountains, the ancient and verdant towering trees, and the swaying silk of lichen.
When I went there during the National Day holiday this year, there was a lot of construction going on. Since then, the commercialization has become more and more intense, and the natural beauty has become less and less. I feel it is just average.
It is very close to the Gold and Silver Mountain. If you want to see the spectacular sight of the sun shining on the Golden Mountain, you need to stay in Camp No. 3 the day before and get up early the next day.
Staying at the Yinshan Hotel here in early April, it was very cold, but there were electric blankets for sleeping. This place is a good place to watch the sun shining on the Golden Mountain.
Camp 3, looking at the glacier. Very spectacular...
From the Black Pine Forest to Camp 3, we had to take a scenic bus. After getting off, we switched to a small electric shuttle to reach the glacier's viewing platform. The glacier, as seen from a distance, was relatively small, a small consolation for us who hadn't seen anything else. At least we got to see a little bit of the glacier. The entire glacier looked like it was on fire, shrouded in mist. I really regretted being able to get here yesterday. I would have definitely seen such beautiful scenery. After all, yesterday was blue sky and white clouds, but today it's overcast and rainy.