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Travel enthusiasts and outdoor photographers are no strangers to Niubei Mountain. It's named for the large rock protruding from one side of the mountaintop, resembling a bull's head, and the slender ridge that resembles an ox's back. Known as "China's largest 360-degree viewing platform," Niubei Mountain is currently undergoing internal testing, with its imminent opening date expected to be announced by the official scenic area. For those who haven't planned a trip for the holiday, this is a great opportunity to check it out.
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Niubei Mountain, located at the junction of Yingjing County, Ya'an City, Sichuan Province, and Luding County, Ganzi Prefecture, is a branch of the Erlang Mountain Range and forms the natural geographical boundary between the Sichuan Basin and the western Sichuan Plateau. Nestled against the western Sichuan plain, Niubei Mountain faces Gongga Snow Mountain, the King of Sichuan Mountains, across the Dadu River, a mere 50 kilometers away. It offers the best viewpoint from the eastern slopes of Gongga Snow Mountain, offering stunning views of its main peak. Promoted by China National Geographic magazine and Lü Linglong's photo albums, Niubei Mountain has been dubbed "China's largest 360-degree viewing platform." From Niubei Mountain, one can admire the sunrise and sea of clouds to the east, with distant views of Mount Emei, Wawu Mountain, and other famous Sichuan peaks. To the west, panoramic views of the central section of the Great Snow Mountain Range, with Mount Gongga as its main peak, are offered. To the south, the southern Sichuan Basin ranges, including the Daxiangling (Nibashan) and Xiaoxiangling, can be seen. To the north, Siguniang Mountain and Jiajin Mountain are faintly visible.
Recommended months: October to May
4214 recommendations, 2571 visits
Niubei Mountain, located at the border of Yingjing County and Luding County in Ya'an, Sichuan, stands at an altitude of 3,666 meters. Known as China's largest "360-degree panoramic viewing platform," it overlooks Mount Gongga and overlooks a sea of clouds. From the ox's back, one can enjoy a panoramic view of nearly all the famous mountains of the Land of Abundance. This alone attracts countless outdoor enthusiasts and photography enthusiasts.
However, Niubei Mountain is high in altitude and undeveloped. After being featured in China National Geographic magazine, it became famous and received more than 1,000 tourists every holiday. For safety reasons, the government decided to close Niubei Mountain for renovation. This closure lasted for 6 years!
Finally, good news! It's expected to open to the public in 2022! The scenic area is currently undergoing final adjustments and finishing touches, so let's take a look at Niubei Mountain right now. Staying in a tent and gazing at the sea of clouds up close is like living in heaven! Isn't it exciting?
You can fully capture the moment when the sunrise rises from the sea level, the vast golden sky, and the beautiful picture.
The sea of clouds on the top of the mountain rolls and flows like a waterfall, which is so beautiful and spectacular that it seems like you are living in a fairyland.
Reach out and touch the stars, with nothing obstructing you, making it a great location for photographing star trails and the starry sky in summer.
The 360-degree viewing platform is well-deserved of its name, allowing you to enjoy the panoramic view of Gongga Snow Mountain, Siguniang Mountain and other famous mountains in western Sichuan.
You need to be lucky to see it. There are two common types of Buddha's light: one in the direction of sunrise and the other in the direction of snow-capped mountains. The three-layer Buddha's light is something you can only encounter by chance.
Unlike the fiery and bright sunrise, the sunset is softer and more healing. The mountains are reflected in red, which is gentle and beautiful.
This is a seasonal spectacle. Starting in May and June each year, the mountainside to the summit is blanketed in vast expanses of pink azaleas, complementing the sea of clouds and creating a breathtaking display of beauty atop the high mountains.
The campground offers triangular tents, ball tents, container hotels, and holiday cabins. No more sleeping in drafty bunk beds with several people squeezed into one. Washing facilities are complete and there's ample electricity.
The scenic area has also built environmentally friendly toilets and internet-famous viewing restaurants, and there are more internet-famous check-in spots waiting for you to unlock!
Niubei Mountain has also built a new winding mountain road, so you no longer have to walk up the mountain, but you cannot drive up the mountain by yourself. You can only take the transfer bus in the scenic area to the camp, which takes about 1 hour.
Niubei Mountain is suitable for visiting all year round, and you can see different landscapes in different seasons.
Tips:
Spring and Summer:
Watch the sunrise over the sea of clouds and the Buddha's light and rainbow (hidden Easter egg: the Perseid meteor shower)
The sea of clouds can be seen year-round, but it appears more vibrant and vibrant in spring and summer. Rainbows, halos, and meteor showers can appear from time to time after rain or on clear nights.
Tips:
Autumn and winter:
Watch the sun shining on the golden mountain and the starry sky and the Milky Way (hidden easter egg: extremely cold light column)
Autumn and winter may seem a bit more bleak due to seasonal factors, but the scenery is no less beautiful. The sunset shines on the mountains, shining golden like a richly colored oil painting. On clear nights, you can also see the stars and the Milky Way!
Tips:
DAY1 Chengdu - Lenqi Town - Niubei Mountain
DAY2 Niubei Mountain - Lengqi Town - Chengdu
Driving distance: 250km, about 4 hours
Driving from Chengdu to Niubei Mountain takes about 4-5 hours, covering a distance of about 250km. After the renovation of the scenic area, although you can drive up the mountain to the camp, you cannot drive into the scenic area. You can only take a special transfer bus up the mountain, which takes about an hour.
Tips:
Autumn clothes and long johns (essential), jacket (essential), thin down jacket (optional), sweatpants, casual shoes, hiking shoes, hat, thin gloves, sunglasses, etc.
The temperature in the mountains is still relatively low in winter, so you must keep warm and remember to bring thick clothes.
Tips:
Sleeping bag (optional, for tents), sunscreen (essential), lip balm, power bank, heat pack (the campsite is also equipped with heaters), ID card, altitude sickness medicine, motion sickness medicine, Band-Aid, water bottle, cash, etc.
The sun's rays are intense at high altitudes, so sunscreen and lip balm are essential. Those staying in tents should bring their own sleeping bags. Also essential are medication for altitude sickness, motion sickness, and bandages.
Tips:
Mobile phone (with wide-angle lens), camera, camera battery, tripod, stabilizer
Shooting Tips: Bring a telephoto lens to shoot the sea of clouds and sunrise, and a medium-wide angle is recommended for the starry sky
You can take pictures of the sea of clouds during the day, the sunset at 7-8 pm, the starry sky and the Milky Way at night, and the sunrise with the Buddha's light shining on Mount Gongga at 5-6 am.
Hailuogou is the closest destination to Mount Gongga, the King of Sichuan Mountains. It's also home to the tallest icefall ever discovered in China. Here, you can soak in hot springs, admire glaciers, and fully experience the charm of the snow-capped mountains.
The world's largest red stone wonder, red stone is one of the six wonders of Hailuogou. The red stone resources are very rich, and many photography enthusiasts like to go here to take pictures.
One of the Gongga Snow Mountain viewing platforms that has become popular in recent years, it is surrounded by 360° snow-capped mountains and has the popular swing, which is a must-see for taking photos and checking in.
The Red Army's Long March site of the "Luding Bridge" in the textbooks is a place where the Red Army took over. Only by coming here in person and taking a walk here can you experience the danger of Luding Bridge.
Located in Ya'an, Sichuan, known as the "No. 1 Sandpot Village in China," the local Yingjing sandware is a local specialty with a firing history of over 2,000 years, making it as famous as Jiangsu's "Yixing Zisha."
The king is coming back after six years! Are you ready to play?
