Meet the 900-year-old secret Gatuo Temple, a winter adventure in Western Sichuan.

On the vast land of Western Sichuan, countless treasures are hidden, and Gatuo Temple is like a pearl hidden in the snow-capped mountains and sea of clouds, quietly exuding its unique light. When the car drives along the winding National Highway 215 from Batang to Baiyu County, the scenery outside the window gradually changes from open meadows to towering snow-capped mountains and deep and quiet canyons. This unknown journey is destined to be extraordinary.

Originally, I was going to stay in Baiyu County for one night, but I decided to go to Gatuo Temple temporarily. As the altitude rises to 4,800 meters, the thin air is filled with a sacred atmosphere, and a magnificent and shocking pure land of Buddhism suddenly appears in front of you - this is Gatuo Temple, which has been baptized by wind and rain for 900 years! In this remote mountain, the construction of such a large-scale temple is beyond imagination. The halls made of stones and the golden roofs and red walls shine in the sunlight, and the solemn feeling hits the soul directly.

Compared with the famous Potala Palace, Gatuo Temple has fewer tourists and more tranquility. Most of the people I met were locals who came to offer incense with prayer wheels and chanting scriptures. Their pious faces and firm steps were full of simple beliefs in the incense. Here, the restless heart unconsciously calms down, as if time has slowed down.

📌Practical information:
📍Detailed address: Doni Mountain, Bailonggou, Hepo District, Baiyu County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province
🚗Transportation: Self-driving is the most convenient. It takes about an hour to drive from Baiyu County. The road conditions are generally stable, but the mountain road near the temple has many curves, so be sure to drive carefully and put safety first.

Post by DZ. Ray 28 | Dec 4, 2024