Things to do in Yajiang

The Eighteen Bends of the Sky Road is located on the Jianziwan Mountain on National Highway 318. The Tibetan name of Jianziwan Mountain is "Remanaza", which means Sheep Pass. The pass is about 4,659 meters above sea level. Although it does not exceed 5,000 meters, it is also the highest pass on National Highway 318 through the Kangba area. In order to facilitate tourists to rest and view the scenery here, an observation deck is built on the pass. When a drone is raised to overlook, the Eighteen Bends of the Sky Road has a shocking curvaceous beauty. The winding mountain road is like a giant dragon hovering in the mountains, giving people a sense of panoramic view of thousands of mountains and valleys.

This is the Yajiang River Valley. The scenery along the plateau is infinitely beautiful! The magic of nature. The beauty of the Yajiang River is already amazing, and the sapphire blue of Yanghu Lake is simply breathtaking. Plus the black rocks here, the scenery is still superb. Although the journey is difficult, it is worth it.

The trip was fulfilling: early rising was required; the hotel was well-located, clean, and comfortable; the hotel breakfast was good; the driver was skilled and punctual; there was no shopping; it was great value for money; the scenery was superb; the itinerary was well-planned; the driver was very professional; and the travel experience was excellent.

Light and shadow + snow-capped mountains + Tibetan villages + yak hot pot: capture the essence of Western Sichuan in one trip! 📍Xinduqiao is not a tourist attraction, but a small town in western Ganzi and Kangding, at the intersection of G318 and G248 highways, a must-stop station on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway. It's renowned: 📸A photographer's paradise, ✨A world of light and shadow. Beauty lies in its 10+ kilometer scenic corridor: golden poplars, streams, Tibetan villages, and snow-capped mountains, like a flowing oil painting. The essence of the trip: Treat it as Western Sichuan base camp, explore during the day, and return to the town at an altitude of approximately 3300 meters to sleep at night, without carrying any luggage. 🗓️When to go? 🍂Late September to early November: Golden season, mid-to-late October when the poplars turn golden, peak photography time. 🌱May-June: Grasslands turn green again, wildflowers bloom everywhere. ☀️July-August: Summer retreat, stargazing, mushroom picking, matsutake season, but be mindful of the weather during the rainy season. ❄️December-February: Like an ink painting, less crowded, tranquil golden sunrise over the mountains. 🎮Core Activities 📸Chasing the Light 🌅7:00-9:00: Photographing the crepuscular rays: 3km poplar forest in Waze Township or Qumogong. 🌇16:00-18:30: Photographing the warm light of Tibetan villages, backlit silhouettes at the Gongga viewing platform. 🛣️Ten-Mile Gallery: Approximately 15km of the most scenic section of G318/G248. Secret code: Photograph the poplar shadows in the early morning, photograph the golden sunrise over the mountains in the evening. 🏔️Mountain Watch Yuzixi: Altitude approximately 4200 meters, 360° views of Gongga, Yala, and Qingrao. Panoramic views in the afternoon, golden sunrise over the mountains in the evening, Milky Way at night. Strong winds, wear a thick coat! SUVs are recommended for gravel roads. Gongga Viewpoint: 5 km from town, offering panoramic views of snow-capped mountains, villages, and rivers with a telephoto lens. Gaersi Sacred Mountain: Within 1 hour, free and less crowded. 🗺️Northern Route Yuzixi → Gedilam → Tagong Grassland → Gunong Village → Moshi Park. Take photos of Yala Snow Mountain and Muya Golden Pagoda at Tagong, and circumambulate the pagoda; take photos of otherworldly landscapes at Moshi. 🗺️Southern Route Juli Temple Pass → Jiagenba → Lenggacuo. Jiagenba is a pristine Tibetan village with few tourists; the E'se flowers bloom in July. Lenggacuo offers views of Gongga Mountain's reflection; a clear day is ideal. 🍄Local Experience In July and August, go mushroom picking with a guide. Open blind boxes of porcini and oak mushrooms, and cook fresh mushroom soup back at your guesthouse. ⚠️Don't eat anything you don't recognize! 🐎 Horse riding in Tagong; 🏠 Ask permission before visiting a Tibetan village and drinking butter tea; 🛏️ Tibetan-style guesthouses have oxygen-filled underfloor heating, and snow-capped mountains visible from the windows. 🍲 Highland Flavors · 🍲 Yak meat hot pot: The soul of the meal! Warms the body and combats altitude sickness. Recommended at Axi Pottery and Black Barley Estate. · 🍵 Butter tea: Salty and fragrant, relieves altitude sickness; sweet tea is an alternative if you don't like it. · 🥛 Yak yogurt: Thick and tangy, even better with sugar. · 🫓 Barley cakes + Tibetan buns: Authentic breakfast. · 🍄 Wild mushroom soup: A must-try in summer and autumn; red pine mushrooms are harvested from July to September. Restaurants on the main street cost 30-70 RMB per person. Tip: Ask the owner of the guesthouse where you're staying; Tibetan food at guesthouses is often a pleasant surprise. 🚗Transportation + 🛏️Accommodation 🚗Driving: Chengdu → Kangding → Highway 318 (crossing Zheduo Mountain), approximately 5-6 hours; High-speed rail to Kangding, then share a car, approximately 35-50 RMB/person; Charter a car in Chengdu, approximately 800-1000 RMB/day. 🛏️Boutique Tibetan-style guesthouses with snow-capped mountain views from the window; Guesthouses in town, approximately 200-350 RMB/night. ⚠️Tips 🏔️Altitude 3300 meters: Move slowly, start on the first day...

We were very fortunate to have celebrity teacher Du Gang as our guide, and we avoided the peak admission period, so it wasn't crowded at all. Without a teacher's explanation, it's easy to miss the main points and rush through the exhibits. Teacher Du's explanation was very easy to understand, humorous, and focused. There were so many exhibits that we felt like we didn't have enough time. I hope to have the opportunity to hear Teacher Du's explanation again after the Sichuan Museum finishes setting up the exhibits from the Song Dynasty onwards.

Perfect for a leisurely stroll, sampling street snacks, and experiencing Chengdu’s culture. We bought some of the tea pastry and tea leaves and shop for some panda souvenirs there. We have our lunch in one of the Sichuan cuisine restaurant in the narrow alley which the food is pretty good. There is a cat souvenir shop named Mao Mao Yao which sells lovely handmade ceramic cat product. We bought some fridge magnets before going back to our hotel.

We were picked up by a private car, and the place felt like a self-entertaining hot pot restaurant; it was packed. There were local performances to watch, and the host was quite humorous. They gave us hada (ceremonial scarves) at the entrance, and the recommended butter tea was delicious.

I was lucky enough to see a rainbow. There are surprises everywhere in life. Behind the dark clouds is the sun, and behind the sun is the rainbow. I still believe that the sun always comes after the wind and rain. Only by climbing to the top of the mountain can you see more beautiful scenery.

This hot pot restaurant is pretty good; the spiciness is just right, I especially like it 😍 The environment is also nice, and it's very conveniently located on the third floor of Champagne Plaza. Overall, I highly recommend it.

Taking the cable car up the mountain saves energy, while the toboggan ride down adds to the fun. From the top, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Qionghai Lake – the scenery is beautiful. There are many monkeys on the mountain, and feeding them is quite fun, just be careful.