Top 10 viewing platforms at Mount Gongga, including popular and lesser-known locations
Preface
Lenggacuo, Qumogong, Niubei Mountain, Huajian Mountain Black Stone City, Yaha Pass...
Over the years, numerous viewing platforms have been discovered, bringing the majestic beauty of Mount Gongga ever closer to us. Some have become household names in outdoor photography circles, but the resulting images of Mount Gongga inevitably resemble each other. We've begun searching for more unique camera positions and less-visited viewing platforms, hoping to show you a Mount Gongga you've never seen before.
This article lists some of Gongga's lesser-known and most popular viewing platforms, which can be reached by car. Some of them even allow you to enjoy the beauty of Gongga without hiking or camping.
A very comprehensive and informative review, highly recommended! Feel free to share it with friends who also enjoy traveling.
Small viewing platform
1. Xuerenbu Pass
Same camera position as Yaha Pass
The closure of Yaha Pass is a great pity for many hikers. Fortunately, our itinerary discovered a new camera position that is even better than Yaha Pass - Xuerenbu Pass.
The sacred Xuerenbu Mountain, hidden deep in the Jiagen Dam, has the same camera position as the Yaha Pass and is relatively close to Gongga Mountain in a straight line. When the weather is clear, you can use a telephoto lens to capture the Gongga Snow Peak. The clearly visible pyramid tip is magnificent and holy, which is very shocking.
Tips:
Address: Jiagenba Township, Kangding City, Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan Province
Navigation: No navigation available. Once you reach Jiagenba, you will need to find a local guide and transfer to a local car.
Self-driving: Chengdu - Yakang Expressway - Kangding - Jiagenba - Xuerenbu
2. Qumogong (Caviar West)
The most relaxing viewing platform
Qumogong, also known as Yuzixi, is a Gongga Observation Deck that suddenly became popular this year. The reason for its popularity is simple - you can easily see the snow-capped mountains without having to hike.
Surrounded by 360-degree snow-capped mountains, you can see the Yala Snow Mountain and the Zheduo Mountains nearby, and the Gongga Peak and Yaomei Peak in the distance. You can drive directly to the summit, eliminating the need for arduous hikes or camping. The sacred mountain and the Milky Way are within reach.
There is also the highest-altitude swing here. Swinging on the swing under the starry sky, gazing at the Orion constellation and the distant Gongga Snow Mountain is the highlight of your life.
Tips:
Address: Qumogong Pass, Yuzixi Village, Xinduqiao, Kangding City, Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan Province
Navigation: When you arrive at Xinduqiao, search for "Qumogong". You can drive directly to the viewing platform camp. Cars and commercial vehicles are also allowed. Buses cannot go up the mountain.
Self-driving: Chengdu - Yakang Expressway - Xinduqiao - Qumogong
3. Guandejie Lake
The Mirror of the Unvisited Sacred Mountain
In recent years, more and more hikers have known about Lenggatso, and we finally discovered another mirror of the sacred mountain where we can take pictures of the reflection of the west slope of Gongga, Guandejie Lake.
At the foot of Mount Gongga, there is a row of lakes of various sizes. There are about seven larger ones, like seven offerings to the Buddha. Guandejie Lake occupies three of them. The lake water shines with emerald light under the sunlight, just like the "Maldives" hidden deep in the mountain.
Walk along the long gravel beach, go up to the Daguan Dejie Lake, and wait for a beautiful sunrise on the golden mountain; looking at Gongga from here, it is more like the perfect combination of Zimei Pass and Lengga Co. It is like a tear of Gongga, shining like a diamond under the snow-capped mountains, reflecting the most perfect and symmetrical reflection of Gongga.
Tips:
Address: Shade Town, Kangding City, Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan Province
Navigation: When you arrive at Shade Town, search for "Xiongluo Village" to reach the village, and then take a local motorcycle to Guandejie Lake.
Self-driving: Chengdu - Yakang Expressway - Kangding City - Shade Town
4. Huajian Mountain
"Niu Bei Shan" Observation Deck
Because Niubei Mountain has not yet been opened to the public, its surrounding "relatives" have been continuously discovered, and Huajian Mountain can be said to be the easiest to reach and the viewing platform with the scenery closest to Niubei Mountain. Therefore, it is known as "Little Niubei Mountain".
Huajian Mountain, with an altitude of 3,450 meters, is located on the southeast side of Gongga Snow Mountain, next to Niubei Mountain. It takes about 4-5 hours to hike up the mountain. You can also choose to take a local all-terrain vehicle up the mountain. The view from the camp on the top of the mountain is very wide, and you can see all the snow-capped mountains.
Besides viewing snow-capped mountains, the sun shining on the golden mountain, cloud waterfalls, rosy clouds, starry skies, and the Milky Way... these stunning natural scenery can all be seen here. Huajian Mountain is also known as the "Little Niubei Mountain" for another reason: the cloud waterfalls here are so stunning that they rival those of Niubei Mountain.
At night in Huajian Mountain, walk out of the camp, the Milky Way is shining, and everything is silent. The Geminid meteor shower is coming in December. When the shooting stars streak across the night sky, don't just scream and forget to make a wish~
Tips:
Address: Lengqi Town, Luding County, Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan Province
Navigation: Once you arrive in Luding County, search for "Haiziping". It takes 4-5 hours from the starting point to the summit camp.
Self-driving tour: Chengdu - Luding - Lengqi Town - Huajianshan Campground
After taking stock of the four niche Gongga viewing platforms, here are the top 6 popular snow mountain viewing platforms for everyone. Let’s see how many of them you know?
Popular observation decks
1. Niubei Mountain
The most beautiful and largest observation deck in China
If Gongga is the king of all the sacred mountains in Sichuan, then Niubei Mountain is the undisputed king of Gongga's viewing platforms. Sichuan boasts numerous snow-capped mountain viewing platforms, but Niubei Mountain remains an irreplaceable outdoor sanctuary for hikers, as it's not only the perfect spot for photographing the eastern slopes of Gongga, but also boasts China's most beautiful and largest snow-capped mountain viewing platform.
Here you can find the most magnificent sea of clouds and waterfalls, the brightest starry sky and Milky Way, the most moving Buddha light and sunset, and the most majestic snow-capped mountains.
The Niubei Mountain Scenic Area is currently under careful construction and is expected to open to the public next year, with a starry sky camp, special hotels... By then, Niubei Mountain will return with a more charming look!
2. Red Rock Peak
The best value for money
Hongyanding, located at the junction of Luding and Tianquan counties, is also a 360-degree viewing platform for a close-up view of Gongga.
It is located in the Erlang Mountain Range together with Niubei Mountain, and faces Gongga Mountain across the sea of clouds. The sea of clouds, cloud waterfalls, rosy clouds, starry sky, Milky Way... these magical and epic wonderlands can also be seen here.
It is a 4-hour drive from Chengdu and a 2-3-hour hike. You can go there on weekends. The price of the campsite on the top of the mountain is also cheap. Whether in terms of driving time, hiking time or price, Hongyanding is the first choice for cost-effectiveness.
Accommodation at the Hongyanding Campground is in tents or large bunk beds. Dinner is farm-style food, and the roast chicken with potatoes tastes really good. When you walk out of the camp and look up, you will see the brilliant starry sky.
Tips:
Address: Bieto Village, Luding County, Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan Province
Navigation: When you arrive in Luding County, search for "Bietuo Village" and take the local transfer bus from Bietuo Village to Ganhaizi to start your hike.
Self-drive: Chengdu - Luding - Bieto Village - Hongyanding Campground
3. Lenggacuo
Mirror of the Sacred Mountain + Blue Ice Secret Realm
Lenggacuo, located in Kangding City, Ganzi Prefecture, is one of the alpine lakes closest to the main peak of Gongga Mountain and has the best location. Many of the Gongga masterpieces that have amazed the photography circle were shot here.
Sunrise, sunset, starry sky, Milky Way, snow-capped mountains... When the weather is good, the water of Lenggacuo Lake is like a mirror, and the main peak of Gongga Mountain can be reflected on the lake surface, which is known as the "Mirror of the Sacred Mountain".
From March to May every year, you can see the brilliant Milky Way arch bridge in Lenggacuo.
In addition, every winter there is the fantastic blue ice that is not inferior to Lake Baikal. These world-class natural scenery attracts countless photographers to check in every year.
{tips}
Address: Shangchijixi Village, Kangding City, Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan Province
Navigation: When you arrive in Xinduqiao, search for "Shangchijixi Village", take a local motorcycle to the pass, and walk to the lake.
Self-driving: Chengdu - Yakang Expressway - Kangding - Xinduqiao - Shangchijixi Village - Lenggacuo
4. Black Rock City
The most mysterious observation deck
Black Stone City, located on Gaolusi Mountain, is said to be a mysterious religious site, home to dozens of mani piles over a meter tall. Others claim it's the remains of an ancient battlefield dating back centuries, imbued with a vast and mysterious cultural atmosphere. While the distance to Gongga Peak is over 60 kilometers, the views are incredibly expansive, making it one of the best viewing platforms for photographing the sunset over Gongga, with views of Tianhaizi Mountain and the sacred Yala Mountain in the distance.
Tips:
Address: Xinduqiao Town, Kangding City, Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan Province
Navigation: Search "Gaoersi Black Stone City"
Self-driving: Chengdu - Yakang Expressway - Kangding - Xinduqiao - Black Stone City
5. Zimei Pass
The earliest discovered Gongga camera position
Zimei Pass, as the earliest discovered shooting location of Gongga Mountain, has long been famous in the outdoor circle. If there is a viewing platform that can most intuitively feel the vertical drop of more than 6,000 meters from the main peak of Gongga Mountain to the river valley, Zimei Pass is undoubtedly the one.
The sea of clouds at Zimei Pass is very spectacular, and you can also see the wonder of "Sea of Clouds and Golden Mountain".
From March to May every year, the Milky Way rises slowly from behind Mount Gongga, and you can capture the perfectly symmetrical Milky Way arch bridge over the snow-capped mountains.
Tips:
Address: Meiyakou, Shangmuju Village, Kangding City, Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan Province
Navigation: Search for "Shangmuju Village" and take a local bus to Zimei Pass
Self-driving: Chengdu - Yakang Expressway - Kangding - Shangmuju Village - Zimei Pass
6. Lisohai
The most inaccessible observation deck
Lisuohai, located in Tengzeng Valley southwest of Gongga Mountain, is also an excellent location for photographing the reflection of Gongga Mountain. Lisuohai has two lakes, upper and lower, and is larger in area than Lenggacuo. The lake water is blue and the view is wide, combining the advantages of Lenggacuo and Zimei Pass.
The disadvantage is that it is difficult to reach and has poor accessibility. You need to take a 10-kilometer motorcycle ride, and the road is very bumpy and not very safe. It is recommended to choose Lenggacuo.
Tips:
Address: Lisuohai, Shangmuju Village, Kangding City, Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan Province
Navigation: Search for "Shangmuju Village" and there will be a local guide to take you to Lisuohai. You need to take a motorcycle.
Self-driving: Chengdu - Yakang Expressway - Kangding - Shangmuju Village - Lisuohai
Conclusion
At the foot of Mount Gongga, explore the seldom-visited mirror of the sacred mountain; go deep into the secret realm of Jiagenba to capture the clearest photos of the Gongga Pyramid; face the Gongga peaks and swing on China's highest swing; look up at the starry sky and sea of clouds, and watch the Milky Way arch bridge illuminate the sacred Mount Gongga.
Gongga, the thousand-faced emperor, still has many unknowns waiting for us to explore one by one.
