Road trip in Western Sichuan with kids and dogs, 3 days and 2 nights so beautiful you don’t want to go home

Last weekend, I took the kids and dogs on a self-driving trip to Western Sichuan, checking in at Jiagenba and Gunong Village for 3 days and 2 nights.
Moved to tears by the flowers, meadows, and snow-capped mountains! Turns out there’s a fairy-tale secret spot right at our doorstep～
📅 Itinerary:
D1 Chengdu → Jiagenba Nati Village (6-7h)
D2 Nati Village → Xinduqiao → Gunong Village
D3 Gunong Village → Chengdu
✅ The outbound route is on the highway plus the winding 318 National Road through the mountains; the return route via 434 is even more beautiful, super relaxing to stop and take photos along the way!
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📍 Must-visit spots:
▫️ Jiagenba Nati Village, a fairy-tale village
The villages in Jiagenba are all beautiful; we chose Nati Village because there are no traffic restrictions!
🧭 The creek next to Luobulin Love Homestay is perfect for photos
We stayed at Zhabucang Homestay, right next to a natural photo studio～
⚠️ Tips: The village roads are okay but narrow, making passing difficult; we experienced traffic jams both ways.
It’s recommended to stay in Xinduqiao for more convenient dining and lodging!
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▫️ Gunong Village: a snow mountain camping paradise!
We stayed at Jianshan Banshan Homestay, with rooms that have views of the snow mountains.
We also visited Gangridawa Café, which is perfect for shooting epic snow mountain photos.
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💡 Practical Tips:
❶ Altitude sickness mystery!
Although in Chengdu, worried about altitude sickness for the kids, this was our first time taking her to Western Sichuan.
However, the kid was lively and jumping around, while I had a mild headache (altitude sickness varies greatly by individual, so no advice given).
I prepared an oxygen bottle and lollipops in advance, plus self-driving means we can retreat anytime if needed!
Accommodation altitude is 3500-3800m, choose carefully!
❷ After all, it’s a plateau, don’t let the dog run wild!
❸ Bring enough snacks! Food options along the way are average, picnics make for better photos～
❹ Weather changes a lot, big temperature difference between morning and night, down jackets/softshell jackets are a must!
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Xinjiang too far? Summer in Western Sichuan is the real eternal classic! The kid played so much she didn’t want to leave, already planning to take her mushroom picking next time～🍄