Just back from Gongga, hear my real experience

🌄【Gongga Mountain May Travel Guide】 This May, go experience the magnificence of the "King of Sichuan Mountains" at Gongga Mountain! Located in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan, Gongga Mountain stands at 7,556 meters and is the main peak of the Hengduan Mountain Range, known as "the place closest to the sky." In May, Gongga Mountain has moderate temperatures (15-20°C during the day, -5 to 5°C at night), less cloud cover, high visibility, and stunning views of snow-capped mountains, glaciers, forests, and meadows—every photo you take looks like a screensaver! 📅 Detailed 5-Day 4-Night Itinerary Day 1: Arrive at Moxi Ancient Town Morning: Take a bus from Chengdu Xinnanmen Station to Moxi Town (about 4 hours, 119 yuan), enjoying views of the Dadu River Gorge along the way. Noon: Eat yak meat hot pot at "Zang Xiang Ge" in the ancient town—the broth is so delicious your eyebrows might fall off! Evening: Explore Moxi Old Street, see the century-old Tea Horse Road relics, and photograph Tibetan wooden houses under the starry sky 🏮. Day 2: Hailuogou Glacier + Yanzi Valley Morning: Take the scenic shuttle to Camp 3 (entrance fee + shuttle: 160 yuan), hike to the glacier viewing platform to see blue ice and ice waterfalls ❄️. Noon: Slurp a bowl of wild vegetable noodles at "Old Street Noodle House" in Moxi Town, add a fried egg for extra satisfaction! Evening: Soak in Hailuogou hot springs (98 yuan/person), enjoying reflections of snow mountains while bathing—absolutely amazing! Day 3: Zimei Pass + Lengga Lake Morning: Hire a car (about 300 yuan) to drive the winding "Heavenly Road" to Zimei Pass, wait for the golden sunrise on the mountain (around 7:30 AM)—you'll be awestruck when golden light bathes the snow peaks! Noon: Eat tsampa and butter tea with dried yak meat at a local Tibetan home near the pass—your taste buds will be transported to the plateau! Evening: Stay in a tent by Lengga Lake (200 yuan/night), with the Milky Way hanging above snow mountains—your phone camera can't capture even 1% of its beauty ✨. Day 4: Gongga Monastery + Yaha Pass Morning: Hike 2 hours to Gongga Monastery (entrance fee: 20 yuan), a Tibetan Buddhist holy site—make wishes at the prayer wheels for amazing results! Noon: Eat Tibetan noodles at "Tashi's Place" outside the temple, with herbal broth that instantly revitalizes you! Evening: Photograph the starry sky at Yaha Pass (4WD vehicle required)—the wind is fierce but the stars are breathtaking! Day 5: Return Journey + Xinduqiao Colorful Forest Morning: Return to Kangding, visit Xinduqiao ("Photographer's Paradise") along the way—the May poplar forests are as green as an oil painting 🎨. Noon: Satisfy your cravings with yak meat hot pot in Xinduqiao—the meat is so tender it melts in your mouth! Evening: Eat hot pot in Chengdu's Jinli, reviewing your sacred mountain journey while enjoying tripe! 🌟 Must-Visit Spots/Food/Streets 1️⃣ Hailuogou Glacier Features: Asia's lowest-altitude glacier, with a 1,080-meter ice waterfall, plus hot springs! Activities: Take the cable car to the viewing platform, hike the primeval forest boardwalk, find glacier "footprints" 🚶♂️. Free areas: Moxi Ancient Town Old Street (no entrance fee, open all day). 2️⃣ Zimei Pass Features: The closest viewing platform to the main peak, where the snow mountain looks like a burning pyramid at sunrise 🔥. Activities: Climb up in the dark before dawn, bring a tripod for time-lapse photography—even phone photos look amazing without beauty filters! 3️⃣ Lengga Lake Features: Known as Gongga Mountain's "tears," with lake reflections more magical than the actual scenery! Activities: Ride horses (120 yuan) through primeval forest to the lakeside—the water is freezing but worth it! 4️⃣ Gongga Monastery Features: One of the three major holy temples in Tibetan areas, with ever-burning butter lamps and prayer wheels that bring good luck 🍀. Activities: Follow Tibetan pilgrims in prostrations, learn to say "Tashi Delek" (good fortune). 5️⃣ Moxi Ancient Town Features: An important post on the Tea Horse Road, with a unique mix of Tibetan wooden houses and Catholic church architecture! Free activities: Take cultural photos in the corners of the old street, pose with elderly Tibetan women in traditional dress. 🏨 Accommodation Recommendations Largest hotel: Kangding Love Song Hotel (Tibetan style, floor heating + scenic terrace) Unique lodging: Lengga Lake lakeside tents (snow mountain views from your window, but you'll need to bundle up like a dumpling at night 🧣). Money-saving tip: Book rooms 1 month in advance—peak season prices triple! 🚌 Transportation Guide Recommended route: Chengdu → Kangding (3 hours by bus) → Moxi Town (2 hours by private car). Public transit: Take Bus No. 1 from Kangding Bus Station to Moxi Town (15 yuan), but services are limited—hiring a car is recommended! Self-driving: Chengya Expressway → Yakang Expressway → National Highway 318, good road conditions but many tunnels—beginners beware! Challenging experience: The gravel road to Zimei Pass will make your backside ache—wear shock-absorbing shoes! 💡 Friendly Tips 1️⃣ Altitude sickness warning: Don't shower on the first day, bring oxygen bottles (60 yuan/canister at scenic spots), oral glucose solution works better than rhodiola! 2️⃣ Clothing advice: Windbreaker + thermal underwear + sunglasses—the UV rays are so strong you can barely open your eyes! 3️⃣ Environmental principles: Carry your trash down the mountain to keep Gongga pristine! 4️⃣ Anti-scam guide: Bargain horseback riding down to 80 yuan/hour—don't be shy! 5️⃣ Photography secrets: Arrive at the pass 1 hour before sunrise, use a telephoto lens to capture the mountain's layers! 🍜 5 Must-Try Foods 1️⃣ Yak meat hot pot: Firm texture, dip in chili powder—so delicious you'll lick the plate! 2️⃣ Butter tea: Rich and savory, helps dispel altitude sickness. 3️⃣ Highland barley cakes: Crispy outside, chewy inside, perfect with butter tea! 4️⃣ Tibetan jelly: Sour and spicy, filling for just 5 yuan a bowl! 5️⃣ Homemade yogurt: Made by local herders, so thick it stretches! 💰 Expense Breakdown (per person) Transportation: Bus + private car ≈ 600 yuan Entrance fees: Hailuogou 160 + Gongga Monastery 20 ≈ 180 yuan Accommodation: 3 nights ≈ 600 yuan (guesthouses + hotel) Food: Yak meat hot pot + snacks ≈ 200 yuan Other: Oxygen bottles + horseback riding ≈ 200 yuan Total: About 1,780 yuan—even budget travelers can enjoy it! 🌈 Why You Must Visit Gongga Here you'll find snow mountains closest to heaven 🏔️, butter tea creamier than milk 🥛, starry skies that glow ✨, and the devout faith of Tibetan people. May in Gongga is an adventurer's playground, a photographer's paradise, and a secret refuge from urban noise. Put on your best windbreaker, bring your 256GB stomach and memory card, and go feel the heartbeat of the "King of Sichuan Mountains"! 💖