Day 1 Across the country → → Chengdu
All day
We will gather at the designated hotel in Chengdu. Please keep your phone open. The team leader will contact all team members that evening to hold a pre-trip meeting and sign a paper contract. The specific hotel and transportation method will be notified via text message at 5:00 am on the meeting day.
Recommended places to visit: Jinli Ancient Street, Wuhou Temple, Kuanzhai Alley, and Chunxi Road, one of the top ten commercial streets in China.
If you need to check in to the meeting hotel in advance, please click the link below:
[Hotel Booking - Chengdu] Chengdu, Sichuan, China - TravelNote provides hotel booking services. Arrive a few days in advance and stay a few days longer on your return trip. All with one click, saving you the hassle of carrying your luggage!
Day 2 Chengdu → Xinduqiao → Yajiang
All day
After breakfast, we boarded the bus on time and set off. We took the Chengya Expressway to Ya'an, the rain city, and then took the Yakang Expressway to Kangding, the hometown of love songs. We then crossed the first pass of Khamba [Zheduo Mountain] and arrived at the Zheduo Mountain Pass (4298 meters above sea level) after about an hour. We stopped for a short rest and photos, then continued westward, passed Xinduqiao, and arrived in Yajiang.
Day 3 Yajiang → Litang → Tiejiangshan Pass → Lama Pass → Ranrika Village
All day
After breakfast, we will set out through the Eighteen Bends of the Sky Road and the Jianziwan Mountain Tunnel, then continue up the winding path, passing the Kangba Grassland and the Xiongzongka Viewing Platform, and arrive at the Kazila Mountain Viewing Platform (4716 meters above sea level).
The scenery along the way was breathtaking: blue skies, white clouds, alpine meadows, eagles soaring, horses galloping... every breathtaking sight was breathtaking. We arrived at Litang County (4,014 meters), the world's highest city, at noon. After lunch in Litang County, we officially began our journey to Genyen.
Drive along the Wuliang River to admire the lush Maoya grassland, cross the Tiejiangshan Pass (4,770 meters), pass through Lama Ya Township, and cross the Laze Pass. Here you can see three huge snow-capped mountains rising from the horizon. Several sacred mountains such as Genyen, Xiaozha, Cameroon, and Kurigang are lined up from left to right. The white peaks appear and disappear in the clouds, which is shocking.
We arrived at Ranrika Village, our first stop on our Genyen journey. Surrounded by rolling snow-capped mountains, the towering Mount Cameroon loomed before us. Smoke curled from the village chimneys, and cattle and sheep roamed at dusk. Here, you'll escape the hustle and bustle of the city and fully immerse yourself in this plateau. Enjoy Tibetan hot pot, butter tea, and leisurely conversations in front of the stove, immersing yourself in the rich Khampa culture.
4th Natural Rika Village → Cameroon Co → Ranrika Village
All day
Before breakfast, visit the massive white pagoda at Rongshu Temple, west of the village. Follow a Tibetan woman as she circumambulates three times clockwise, silently reciting the six-character mantra. This is both a blessing and a morning exercise. Then, admire the white pagoda reflecting the golden mountain (the sun in Cameroon illuminates the golden mountain in the early morning), then return for breakfast.
After lunch, pack your belongings, prepare your lunch, and follow your guide on a journey through Ding Zhen's childhood. Set off along the stream behind the village toward Yingge Ranch, stopping and starting frequently. It's an estimated two-hour journey to Yingge Ranch, where Ding Zhen spent his childhood grazing. The pastures are flat, the river flows freely, and from June to September, the mountain flowers are in full bloom, with cattle and horses roaming leisurely, occasionally gazing at each other leisurely.
Afterwards, we ascend the eastern slope for about an hour to reach Cameroon Tso (also known as the Cameroon Bowl, transliterated from Tibetan as Cameroon Sag), a lake at the foot of Mount Cameroon, boasting a breathtakingly azure waters. Find a suitable spot for lunch, then join the group on the return hike. After a tiring day, we'll reward ourselves with a visit to the natural hot springs.
5th Natural Day Pass → Eye of Genyen → Tiger Skin Dam → Lao Leng Ancient Temple → Xin Leng Ancient Temple
All day
I woke up to the sound of cows and horses shaking their neck bells, and a new view opened up. I drove along the village dirt road to the grassland where Ding Zhen shot many photos and videos in 2020. Today's first stop is the Eye of Genyen.
The Eye of Genyen, the eye of the earth, is a small lake surrounded by clusters of flowers and plants, dancing in the wind. In the center of the puddle, a circle of light water plants grows, like a huge eye gazing at the sky, and around the eye, a circle of blue skylight is shaded, like a blue eye that can see through the world. This is also the viewing point of the Seven Peaks and Eight Valleys in the Genyen Scenic Area. Here we can pose for photos or sit quietly by the lake, waiting for the wind to blow.
After the fun, we'll take a bus to Lenggu Monastery for a brief rest before preparing for the round-trip hike to Lao Lenggu Monastery. We'll then continue up the Lenggu Monastery Gorge for approximately 5 kilometers to Lao Lenggu Monastery. The old temple is nestled in the Snow Peak Valley, at the foot of Mount Genyen. Lao Lenggu Monastery is significantly smaller than many other monasteries in Kham. Outside the monastery, there are wooden huts housing practitioners, piled high with firewood for winter heating. The temple hall is dim, with no electric lights and few oil lamps. Portraits of the Panchen Lama and others hang from the pillars. As the birthplace of the White Sect, many eminent monks have made pilgrimages here, seeking perfection and seeking the Dharma. After visiting Lao Lenggu Monastery, we'll continue our hike further into the canyon, enjoying the beautiful scenery of the river and forest at the foot of the snow-capped mountains. We plan to return at 4:00 PM.
Day 6: Tianleng Ancient Temple → Genyen South Slope Key Section → Zeba Village
All day
After enjoying the morning glow of Genyen's sunrise and breakfast, today's journey begins at Lenggu Monastery, where we'll explore three rare treasures: a doe antler, an inverted conch shell, and the "Heart of Genyen." Having hiked along the southeastern edge of Mount Genyen for the previous two days, today we'll get even closer to Mount Genyen and its South Glacier, walking along the southern ridge of the Genyen Glacier and capturing stunning photographs.
Afterwards, we left Lenggu Temple, crossed a primeval forest, and went up to a grassland. On one side was a vast grassland full of countless wild flowers, and on the other side was the sacred mountain of Genyen, with crystal glaciers just within reach. We crossed the grassland all the way, gazing at the snow-capped mountains and glaciers, and arrived at today's camp [Handa Camp] around 4 pm. The camp is located on the south side of the main peak of Genyen. It is a camp relatively close to the sacred mountain of Genyen. Here, you can open the tent and watch the snow-capped mountains and glaciers up close. It looks even more magnificent in the sunset. It is a good location for taking photos of the golden mountain in the sun and the starry sky of Genyen Snow Mountain.
Day 7: Handa Camp → Redi Grassland → Tiejiangshan Pass → Yajiang
All day
After breakfast this morning, I'll take a bus to Redi Grassland and begin my hike through the Daodao River Valley, a typical U-shaped river valley with forest and meadow scenery. I'll return in time to pack up my gear and head back to Yajiang County. After dinner, I'll have some rest and relaxation.
Day 8 Yajiang → Chengdu
All day
After breakfast, we'll depart for Chengdu by bus. Taking National Highway 318, we'll pass Kazila Mountain, Jianziwan Mountain, Gao'er Temple, and the Zheduo Mountain's Yakou Pass. In the evening, we'll arrive in Kangding, the hometown of love songs, via Xinduqiao, a photography paradise. We'll then return to Chengdu via Luding and Ya'an. We'll disband at our hotel (on the day of our meeting), concluding our enjoyable journey.
