Live Your Best Lives
As you dream of galloping across the Kalajun grasslands, it feels as if the wind-chasing youth is still here; as you yearn for the Swiss alpine meadows and Alpine countryside, you'll feel like you've landed in a paradise. And as you marvel at the wonders of modern filmmaking, the original "Barrel House" from "The Hobbit" is now open to visitors in its original setting in New Zealand.
Alexander Farm in Matamata, New Zealand, the filming location for The Hobbit
It seems that our imagination of the "green grassland" has never stopped. Starting from elementary school textbooks, there are descriptions of Hulunbuir grassland and Tianshan grassland with great praise. It is estimated that the Ministry of Education did not expect that they had completed the most primitive batch of grass planting.
However, a serious problem looms: an eight-day trip to Xinjiang takes an average of eight hours per day by car, while flights to Switzerland and New Zealand alone can cost over 7,000 yuan. Are there no other affordable grassland destinations within Sichuan Province? This guide will highlight the top ten "hobbit villages" in Sichuan, allowing you to experience stunning, blockbuster scenery without leaving the province.
Here we emphasize a concept: most of the grasslands in Sichuan are alpine meadows, which are different from the grasslands mentioned before.
Grassland is dominated by xerophytic herbs and is a zonal vegetation under semi-humid and semi-arid climatic conditions, while meadows can appear in different vegetation zones and, in humid environments, can appear alongside coniferous or broad-leaved forests.
my country's meadows are mostly distributed in Xinjiang, Northeast China, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and other places, and are of various types. In particular, the large areas of alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are the characteristics of China's vegetation.
Western Sichuan, a landmass bordering the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, boasts a rich tapestry of alpine meadows, representing a prime example of ecological diversity. Let's take a look at the top ten alpine meadows in western Sichuan.
Panda Ping, also known locally as Niu Ping, is located in Gengda Town, Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province. The eastern slope leads to the newly built China Giant Panda Park in Lougou, a research base dedicated to studying and domesticating giant pandas for release back into the wild. This is how Panda Ping got its name. The area is covered in snow in late winter and early spring, and covered in green grass in summer. You can hike up the mountain from the Longtan Village side.
Navigation address: Longtan Village, Gengda Town
Driving time (from Chengdu): 1.5 hours
Hiking distance: 12km
Ticket price: 10/person
Grass index: ★
Bieli Ranch, also known as Shuijingping, is a niche destination that became popular in 2018. It is located on the eastern edge of the Minjiang Grand Canyon. The abundant moisture provides fertile soil on both sides of the river. Every spring, the small floral patterns on the ground are always favored by major clubs.
Bieli Village, a small, unnamed village hidden in Nanxin Town, Maoxian County, remains calm despite the unearthing of ancient Han Dynasty tombs. In these peaceful times, cattle, sheep, and horses roam freely in the pastures, sitting on the earthen fences as if this were their own farm.
Navigation address: Nanxin Town
2.5 hours drive
Hiking distance: 13km
Tickets: None
Grass index: ★★
A natural grassland spanning from 4,200 meters to 2,900 meters above sea level. The huge height difference brings a variety of herbs, giant-leafed herbs, yellow, red, blue and purple wild flowers, scattered shrubs, trees with dense vines and winding paths, and tall trees are fully reflected in the entire route.
Standing at the top of the pass, the sea of clouds of Balan Mountain is also famous in western Sichuan. Going all the way down, at the end of the spring snow season, sometimes a snow will even dye half of the mountain white, forming a clear dividing line between the snow mountain and the meadow.
Navigation address: Balang Mountain Pass
Driving time: 3.5 hours
Hiking distance: 15km
Ticket price: 20/person
Grass index: ★★
The entire valley from Gengda Township to Dengshenggou is known as the Wolong Giant Panda Nature Reserve. After the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, road traffic in Wolong was severely damaged, resulting in serious obstruction of traffic to Xiaojin and Siguniang Mountain.
Today, in addition to the extensive research on panda protection and release, the Panda Avenue also has meadows evenly distributed along the entire canyon on the mountainside at an altitude of 2,400-2,800 meters. The grazing of cattle, sheep and horses by local people is an important source of annual income. Of course, the local tourism industry chain developed based on the meadows also provides us with the convenience of enjoying the pastoral and wild scenery at a closer distance.
Navigation address: Zhuanjinglou Village/Wolongguan Village
Driving time: 2 hours
Hiking distance: 5km-12km
Ticket price: 20/person
Grass Index: ★★★
When talking about Mosca, we have to mention the state of self-entertainment and natural harmony in Mosca, which is like the unity of man and nature. Marmots are commonly known as "snow pigs". There are many of them in the western Sichuan Plateau, especially in the meadow areas. Local people regard them as mythical animals. Local villagers in Mosca Village bring some steamed buns to feed them on the meadow.
Nestled between the mountains and the water, the few houses are like vibrant dots amidst the meadows. In summer, the lush green meadows stretch northward all the way to Akoli Township, and further north to Guanyinqiao Town on the northern Sichuan-Tibet Highway. Have you already imagined yourself surrounded by a circle of snow pigs, crying out for food?
Navigation address: Mosca
Driving time: 2 days
Hiking distance: 5km-20km
Tickets: None
Grass Index: ★★☆
Sichuan is home to many immortal mountains, with Jiuding, a mountain known for its unique beauty, and Jizhaopeng (Chicken Claw Shed) is nestled among them. Not only is the area covered in vast meadows, but the Black Dragon Pond, a 40-minute hike away, is also known as the Pearl of the Plateau. Descending on the other side of the Black Dragon Pond, you can reach Bailong Pond, a route that weaves through alpine rhododendron forests, creating a rich ecological environment.
During the azalea bloom period in May and June every year, hiking in the one-meter-tall azalea forest is like walking through a field of flowers, which is breathtakingly beautiful.
Navigation address: Taiziling Ski Resort
Driving time: 4 hours
Hiking distance: 15km
Ticket price: 70/person
Grass Index: ★★★☆
Image from: tourists4you
The beauty of Emutang complements the distant mountains. In June, the Hongyuan Sea of Flowers must be the most beautiful in Sichuan. The endless green grass on the plain has attracted many internet celebrities to check in here.
Everyone spread out mats, brought out rice dumplings and salted eggs, and shared the beauty of this dense and vast sea of flowers. At night, staying in a high-end tent hotel or setting up a small tent on the meadow and gazing at the stars is another kind of enjoyment.
Navigation address: Hongyuan Flower Sea Scenic Area
Driving time: 7 hours
Hiking distance: 3km
Ticket price: 160/person
Grass Index: ★★★★
Image from: touristscar
Tagong Grassland is a favorite place of Bodhisattva. The most amazing thing is that the Yala Sacred Mountain suddenly rises from the ground on the west side of Tagong, combing one side of the grassland like an eternal fire.
The locals graze on the grasslands year after year. Their awe of the sacred mountain and their reverence for the Muya Golden Pagoda of the Muya Grand Temple at the foot of the sacred mountain are as tenacious as a raging fire that cannot be extinguished and will spring back to life with the spring breeze.
Navigation address: Xinduqiao, Tagong Grassland
Driving time: 7-8 hours
Hiking distance: 2km
Tickets: None
Grass Index: ★★★★
Image from: tourists snail
Karajun in Sichuan is known as the Little Switzerland of the East. The meadows of Genyen are never inferior to any other place in the world. Every summer, in the place where King Gersa once fought, green grass and green land are set against Genyen, the third highest peak in Sichuan and the main peak of the Shaluli Mountains.
A small lake known as the Eye of Genyen is surrounded by flowers, while the undulating mountains in the distance resemble the most beautiful curves of the human body. Snow-capped mountains appear and disappear amidst this endless expanse of greenery, adding a touch of fairyland charm.
Navigation address: Genyen Scenic Area, Litang
Driving time: 12 hours
Hiking distance: 10km
Genyen: 20/person
Grass Index: ★★★★★
Ruoergai is undoubtedly the most beautiful meadow in western Sichuan. Its vastness and longevity of greenery rival those of top meadows like Hailar and Tianshan, and it even has a touch of religious piety.
At an altitude of over 3,000 meters, the swirling moisture from the Hengduan Mountains provides ample support for the local soil's fertility. From Zhagana in Gannan to Nianbao Yuze in Golog, the silhouettes of snow-capped mountains loom in the sea of clouds. Beyond the undulating grasslands, a diverse array of vegetation, from 2,700 to 4,000 meters above sea level, is so dense it rivals the film "The Hobbit."
Navigation address: Ruoergai County
Driving time: 12 hours
Hiking distance: Depends on the route
Ticket price: Depends on the attractions
Grass Index: ★★★★★
Sichuan, the land of abundance, embodies the millennial essence of China, with breathtaking scenery crisscrossing the Great Hengduan Mountains. As the only Chinese destination to make the 2018 Lonely Planet list of Asia's top ten destinations, Sichuan is more than just a quickie, a place to visit after a visit to Jiuzhaigou, a visit to Niubei, or a visit to Yading. The snow-covered alpine meadows offer a whole new world of scenery to discover.
