Haunting Beauty of Western Sichuan! -- 9-Day Daocheng and Yading Grand Loop Tour for National Day 2016

Number of days：9 days
Time: September
Average cost: 6,000 yuan
With whom: and friends
Tour types: Photography, Self-driving, Humanities, Independent Travel, Semi-independent Travel, Group Tour
The author went to these places： Siguniang Mountain Daocheng Hongcaodi Yangmaiyong Kushutan Daocheng Yading
Updated: 2021.02.02

Departure Date: September 26, 2016

Number of Days: 9

Travelers: Group Tour

Expense Per Person: 6,000 RMB

Snow-capped peaks, glaciers, autumn colors, lakes, grasslands, mountains, plateaus, and Tibetan dwellings—western Sichuan paints a poetic landscape, majestic and magnificent, magnificent and vast, vibrant and pure. Its breathtaking beauty is deeply moving, refreshing, and captivating!
This National Day holiday, I was finally able to embark on this journey, fulfilling a long-cherished wish. Although it wasn't the best season, western Sichuan's innate beauty still captivated our eyes, leaving a lasting impression. :

Table of Contents
I. Itinerary Overview
II. Itinerary and Photo Sharing
1. Mount Siguniang
2. Danba Tibetan Village
3. Tagong Grassland
4. Xinduqiao
5. Along the Litang Line
6. Daocheng
7. Yading
8. Hailuogou
III. Flowers, Birds and Small Animals (with Video)
IV. Altitude Sickness

Share a few pictures first:
Daocheng:

Daocheng Red Grassland:

Red Stone Beach:

Yangmaiyong Main Peak of Yading:

Litang:

Hailuogou:

Mt. Gongga at dusk:

Yading Scenic Area:

Shuangqiaogou Valley of Mount Siguniang:

Yading Dolma Lacuo:

Tagong Temple and Yala Sacred Mountain: src="https://dimg04.c-ctrip.com/images/01003120008erqdgvD5AD_W_671_0_Q90.jpg?proc=autoorient" />

Danba Tibetan Village:

I. Itinerary Overview

We departed Chengdu on September 26th, passing through Siguniang Mountain, Danba Tibetan Village, Tagong Grassland, Xinduqiao, Litang, Daocheng, Yading, and Hailuogou, returning to Chengdu on October 4th, a total of 9 days.
We joined a 6-person all-experience tour group for 4,500 yuan, which included accommodation, transportation, entrance fees to scenic spots, and insurance. Meals, electric vehicles for scenic spots, and other expenses are not included.
It's rare to travel with a tour group, but this one was excellent. The tour operator was incredibly knowledgeable about the road conditions along the route, including road closures, traffic restrictions, road repairs, traffic jams, and even whether the lighting at scenic spots was best in the morning or afternoon. They were very thoughtful and helped us avoid unnecessary time wasting on our own.
We even stopped to take photos as needed.

The entire itinerary was well-organized and well-paced.

II. Itinerary and Photo Sharing

1. Mount Siguniang:

The best viewpoint of Mount Siguniang:

src="https://dimg04.c-ctrip.com/images/0102w120008erqbltA307_W_671_0_Q90.jpg?proc=autoorient" />

Shuangqiaogou in Siguniang Mountain:

Changping Valley in Siguniang Mountain:

The withered tree beach in Changping Valley in Siguniang Mountain has a unique charm:

The photo of Shuangqiaogou taken on a rainy day is dark and the effect is not good. It is better to process it into a negative:

2. Danba Tibetan Village:

3. Tagong Grassland:

4. Xinduqiao:
In the film era, Xinduqiao was known as the "film killer", meaning that no matter how much film you had, it would not be enough to capture its beautiful scenery.
The scenery itself isn't particularly remarkable, but the golden autumn landscape, combined with the rustic countryside, is breathtakingly beautiful.
It's a shame we went half a month too early and missed out on the stunning scenery. The best time to visit is mid- to late October.

5. Along the Litang Route:
From Xinduqiao to Litang, the scenery along the way is endless, allowing you to fully appreciate the charm of the plateau.

The endless barren rocky beach looks like something from another planet:

Tuer Mountain, do you see the rabbit ears? ：

Highland Swamp:

6. Daocheng:
Red Grassland:

7. Yading:

The core scenic area of Daocheng Yading:

Yangmaiyong main peak:

Red Stone Beach in Hailuogou:

Third, flowers, birds and small animals:

Does anyone know the name of the wild pheasants living in the Yading Scenic Area? ：

Fourth, Altitude Sickness

Daocheng Yading is located on a plateau. Most people will have altitude sickness, but most people can adapt after a few days.
However, I experienced an adventure!
Before departure, my throat was hoarse from talking too much, but I didn't think it was anything serious, so I set off without any hesitation.
After departure, I gradually developed a slight cough and cold. At the time, I simply thought I had caught it from the driver, and since the altitude was not very high, I didn't take it seriously.
Only when I arrived in Daocheng, I accidentally told a classmate about it on WeChat, and only then did I realize the dangers of catching a cold in the plateau, and some people have died from it (ignorance is terrible)!
But we had already reached the foot of Mount Yading, and I couldn't give up!
So I climbed the mountain with my eyes closed. When we arrived in Yading, it was already five days after departure. I didn't feel well, so I didn't enter the scenic area (about 4,200 meters above sea level) and stayed in the hotel, which was about 3,800 meters above sea level, to rest. When I woke up from my nap, not only was my hoarseness and cough still going, but I also felt chills, a splitting headache, and purple lips. I donned warm clothes and went to the infirmary, where the doctor tested me and found I was severely hypoxic. A normal blood oxygen level should be 90%, but mine was only 50%! I also had a fever! I immediately started oxygen therapy for an hour, which was incredibly effective. My headache eased significantly, but other symptoms didn't seem to improve significantly. Crucially, my blood oxygen level didn't rise much. Seeing such a low blood oxygen level, I began to waver. No one had previously convinced me to leave the mountain, but now the data was compelling. What else could I say? Let's go! Giving up the main attraction of this trip is better than looking like a fool! But when I asked, I found out the last shuttle had already left! I had to stay the night. Thanks to that one night, I was able to do what I wanted. Seeing how low my blood oxygen level was, my group members suggested I use oxygen for the entire night. So I rented an oxygen machine and used it all night. The next day, a miracle happened. I slept so soundly that I couldn't even hear my roommate snoring, washing himself, or calling me. He had to push me to wake me up! Even better, all my symptoms disappeared: cough, cold, chills, headache, fever—everything was gone. I felt completely normal! Of course, we went up the mountain! For added safety, I carried an oxygen bag. I felt like a desperate person! Interestingly, I felt completely normal throughout the entire ascent and descent. But once I got back to the hotel, my headache returned, and I didn't feel back to normal until the next morning in Daocheng. A group member with a cold also used oxygen therapy overnight, but the next day, his cold didn't improve much, so he gave up the climb. What a shame. The following is a detailed explanation of the altitude sickness: 1. The cough before departure wasn't a cold, but it was an infection. This increased oxygen consumption. 2. The lack of oxygen at high altitude reduces blood oxygen levels.
3. Lack of oxygen in the plateau caused poor sleep. I woke up after 3 a.m. every day and could hardly fall asleep in the second half of the night, which led to a decrease in the body's immunity.
4. Snoring during the same room also caused poor sleep, which led to a decrease in the body's immunity.
5. Coughing and catching a cold started on the third day. The sick body further increased the body's oxygen consumption.
6. Arriving in Yading on the fifth day, the blood oxygen level reached its lowest value. If I had gone up the mountain that day, the consequences would have been disastrous!
So, all of this ultimately comes down to oxygen consumption and blood oxygen content!
Friends who go to the plateau, altitude sickness is not mysterious or scary. Keeping your blood oxygen level under control is the key.

This article ends here.
By the way, an advertisement for my hometown: If you don't go to western Sichuan, you are not a hero. Don't lament the regrets in your old age!