In October 2019, self-driving travel guides in western Yunnan and western Sichuan (5) Ganzi Prefecture in western Sichuan-Xinlong, Seda, Quanhuatan

Sichuan - Daofu - Moshi Park

Sichuan-Kangding-Quanhuatan

Sichuan-Dege-Xinluhai

Sichuan-Xinlong-Tsoka Lake

Sichuan-Garze-Snow Road Section-Scenery along the way

Sichuan-Kangding-Zimei Pass Observation Deck-Gongga Mountain

Continued from the previous article "Self-driving tour strategy in western Yunnan and western Sichuan in October 2019 (4) Ganzi Prefecture in western Sichuan - Daocheng, Yading, "Three God Mountains""

D20 October 24th (cloudy, 3-12 degrees) Litang-Cuoka Lake (Xinlong)-Xinlong (140+40 total 180 kilometers)

Before leaving Litang in the morning, we visited Baita Park, Changchunqingkeer Temple (Litang Temple) in Gaocheng Town (4014 meters above sea level), the county seat of Litang.

Changchunqingkeer Temple is the largest temple of the Gelug Sect in the Kangba area. It is located on the north hillside of Litang County, covering an area of more than 500 mu. There is a common saying in Tibetan Buddhism: there are three major temples in Lhasa on the top, Anduo Pagoda Temple on the bottom, and Changchun Keer Temple in Litang in the middle, which shows its status. There are 5 main halls in the temple, each of which is very interesting and worth seeing. No tickets are required, and parking is convenient and free of charge.

Sichuan-Litang-Changqingqing Keer Temple

Sichuan - Litang - scenery along the way

Walk along Provincial Highway 217 to Ganzi not far, passing through an unknown mountain pass. It just snowed last night, and the mountains are as beautiful as ink paintings. The condition of the road in this section of 217 provinces is so-so, and it takes more than 4 hours to walk from Litang to Cuoka Lake in Xinlong.

Tsoka Lake is in the mountains in Mari Township, Xinlong County. Turn left from Provincial Highway 217 and enter a winding mountain road about 10 kilometers away. There are many sharp bends, and many road sections have only one lane.

Tsoka Lake (3,900 meters above sea level), a new popular scenic spot, is known as "a fairyland on earth and a fairyland in nine days". The water of the lake is translucent and the blue waves are crystal clear, like an emerald inlaid next to the Cuoka Temple. This is Tsoka Lake, a secret place hidden in Ganzi Prefecture; it is a quiet corner, but it has stunning scenery; it is low-key and simple, but it has attractive charm; This lake is actually very small. It only takes one hour to walk slowly around the lake in the lake area, and enjoy the lake view from different directions. This is a rare place with beautiful scenery and few people. When you stand by the lake as if you are in a fairyland, you want to be in a daze here and don't want to leave.

At night, I was staying in a resort hotel in the scenic spot, but after returning to the hotel at 5:00 p.m., the entire mountain village suddenly had a power outage, and I didn’t know when I would be able to call. Without electricity, not only can’t do anything, but it’s very cold in the mountains at night, and it’s impossible to sleep without electric blankets. There was no other way. After discussing with the shopkeeper, I temporarily decided to go down the mountain before it was completely dark and go to Xinlong County, 40 kilometers away, to stay. In this way, I lost the opportunity to go to the lake to watch the morning fog tomorrow morning, which is very regrettable. When you are away from home, sometimes things change faster than planned, so go with the flow.

I stayed at the Xinlong Yalongwan Theme Hotel at No. 280, North Section of Yanjiang East Road, Xinlong County for the night. I found a temporary hotel and left early the next morning.

Sichuan-Xinlong-Tsoka Lake

Sichuan-Xinlong-Cuoka Lake-Scenery along the way

D21 October 25th (cloudy to sunny, 6-22 degrees) Xinlong-Xinluhai (Dege)-Garze (210+100, a total of 310 kilometers)

Starting from Xinlong today, continue to walk along the 217 Provincial Highway to Ganzi County. During the period, there are several kilometers of road construction. The road is very bad and it is not easy to pass cars. After Ganzi, turn to National Highway 317 and go to Xinluhai (Yulong Lacuo) scenic spot in Dege County, which borders Tibet.

Along the way, we visited the Yalong River Canyon, Yalong Bay Observation Deck, Baili Highland Barley Gallery, Queer Mountain Glacier Observation Deck, Queer Mountain, etc., all of which are free attractions. National Highway 317 from Ganzi to Queershan is about 100 kilometers away. The road condition is good, but there are many vehicles, so pay attention to speed control. The scenery along the way is infinite. When parking for viewing, remember to park in a place that does not hinder traffic. Safety is the most important thing.

The Xinluhai (Yulong Lacuo) Scenic Area, known as "West Heaven Yaochi, Heavenly Lake on Earth", is 4,040 meters above sea level. It is the largest glacial terminal moraine barrier lake in my country and the largest glacier-eroded lake in Ganzi Prefecture. It is at the foot of Queer Mountain in Ganzi Prefecture, next to National Highway 317 of the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, and you will arrive when you get off the highway.

The lake in Xinlu Seaview Scenic Area is surrounded by snow-capped mountains, glaciers, forests and alpine meadows. The beautiful blue water of the lake changes colors with the seasons, blue sky and white clouds, snow-capped peaks, glacier flickering, green mountains and green grass. , Sparkling, really can be described as a fairyland on earth.

Sichuan-Dege-Xinluhai

What's even more rare is that such a beautiful scenery is easy to reach just beside the main road, and there are not many tourists. At present, there are no big companies here to invest in the construction of tourist facilities on a large scale. Everything is relatively primitive. The local villagers are responsible for the management. The ticket is 30 yuan, which is not expensive.

Today's weather is fine, another sunny day. In the scenic spot, the blue sky and white clouds are set against the sparkling lake water and the surrounding beautiful mountains, which is extremely spectacular. This is a visual feast, which makes people forget their troubles, linger infatuated, and linger.

Today's Xinlu Haiyou made a special trip to run more than 200 kilometers back and forth from Ganzi. Not only is this scenic spot worth a visit, but the scenery along the road such as Queer Mountain is also very beautiful, it is worth the trip.

Back to Ganzi in the evening, stay at Ganzi Haotai Hotel, No. 209, Chuanzang Road, Ganzi County, a chain hotel that has just opened, and everything is very good.

Sichuan-Dege-Xinluhai

Sichuan-Dege-317 National Highway-Scenery along the way

D22 October 26 (light rain to snow, -2-8 degrees) Ganzi-Seda (160 kilometers)

Last night, there was light snow in Ganzi County, which turned into light rain in the morning. When I went out in the morning, the cold wind was blowing, and the temperature was only around 0 degrees, which felt a bit cold.

To go from Ganzi to Seda today, there is no need to detour through Luhuo and Wengda as before. Take a newly built road to enter, the distance is more than 90 kilometers shorter, the road condition is good and there are few vehicles, but during the process, you have to cross the Nailong Mountain Pass at an altitude of 4,580 meters. This trip was very lucky. I walked a lot of newly built roads. The road conditions were good and the distances were short. This also shows that these places attach great importance to tourism and economic development, and have accelerated the construction of local road transportation.

Starting from Ganzi, we first arrived at Ganzi Ancient Street (3390 meters above sea level). I wanted to go to Ganzi Temple, but I didn't know that the navigation guide went to another place. It's raining lightly, let's forget about the inconvenient to play, turn around and walk in the direction of Seda. Take the 317 National Highway for a while, and then turn to the 455 Provincial Highway heading to Ganzi Sitongda Township, which is the new road from Ganzi to Seda.

Soon after turning into Provincial Highway 455, due to the low temperature in the mountains, the rain turned into snow. The continuous tens of kilometers of mountain roads are all going forward in the vast snow sea, and they have to cross the Nailong Mountain Pass at an altitude of 4,850 meters. Of course, it is more dangerous to walk on mountain roads in snowy days, so we have to spend more time walking slowly and driving carefully.

Sichuan-Ganzi-Nailong Mountain Pass-Snow Section

Sichuan-Garze-Snow Road Section-Scenery along the way

After passing through the Seda Grassland (Jinma Grassland), it was covered by snow, leaving only a vast expanse of whiteness. When we arrived at Sertar, the snow continued to fall. After completing the hotel check-in procedures, hurry to see the Buddhist Academy and Mandala in the snow scene. It's a pity that the weather when it snows is misty and the scenery is not clear, but it can be regarded as another kind of scenery.

Stay overnight at Seda Red Coral Hotel, No. 24, Nanjie Avenue, Seda County.

Sichuan-Seda-Scenery along the way

D23 October 27th (cloudy to cloudy to sunny - 3-8 degrees) Seda

Seda is located on the southeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, in the northwest of Ganzi Prefecture, and borders Qinghai Province. A few years ago, this place was still very unfamiliar to people, and it was also a place where few tourists set foot. In recent years, it has become famous because it is surrounded by mountains and along the slopes on all sides, densely built for several kilometers with thousands of crimson cabins. For a while, it was sought after by travel enthusiasts, especially photography enthusiasts, and in a relatively short period of time, it became a popular scenic spot that is not a scenic spot.

Sichuan-Seda-Scenery along the way

According to the original itinerary plan, we will leave Seda Xindu Bridge today. Although I watched the snow scene yesterday afternoon, I still felt that it was not enjoyable enough. It's not easy to come to Seda! One is that it is a corner here, so you have to make a special trip here; the other is that this is a plateau area with an altitude of about 4,000 meters, and it is difficult to adapt to it for a while. The weather forecast said that the weather will gradually improve in the afternoon. After discussion, it was decided to compress the following itinerary and stay here for one more day. After the weather improves in the afternoon, go shopping around.

In the morning, the clouds were still thick and the weather was cold. We arrived at Jinma Square (3,880 meters above sea level) and the Gesar Culture Museum in the county seat. I hope that the weather will get better in the afternoon and I can see the beautiful scenery of Seda.

In the afternoon, go to Shanshang College. The car is parked in the paid parking lot at the gate, and then you only need to spend 3 yuan to take the bus up the mountain. The best way is to take a bus to the terminal on the mountain, and then walk down slowly, strolling while walking, so that you can go everywhere to see and save energy. When we came to the mountain, the sun was just showing a little bit, but it was suddenly covered by the drifting dark clouds, and snowflakes fell in the sky again. Fortunately, it was only for a short while, and the sun showed a smiling face again. We finally waited for better weather and better light, and everyone felt sincerely happy, so we hurried around to have a look and take pictures. Originally, I wanted to hike to the viewing platform on the opposite mountain and wait for the sunset to watch the night view, but it was windy and cold, and I was really afraid that I would catch a cold if I caught a cold on the plateau. It’s no joke. Just like this, we walked all the way down the mountain, arrived at the parking lot and drove back to the hotel.

In the evening, continue to stay at the Red Coral Hotel in Seda.

Sichuan - Seda

D24 October 28th (clear, -7-12 degrees) Seda - Luhuo - Daofu - Xinduqiao (Kangding) (140+70+150 total 360 kilometers)

Although the weather is sunny today, the temperature is only minus 7 degrees, which is the coldest day of this trip. Depart from Seda in the morning, take National Highway 317 to Luhuo via Wengda, turn to Provincial Highway 303 to Daofu, and then take Provincial Highway 215 to Xinduqiao.

Along the route, visit Luhuo Xianshui River Wetland Park, Daofu Residential Houses, Longdeng Grassland, China Moshi Park Scenic Spot (3,500 meters above sea level), Bamei Grassland, Tagong Grassland (3,780 meters above sea level), Yala Snow Mountain Observation Deck, Tagong Temples and other scenic spots. Among them, the China Moshi Park Scenic Spot is located in Bamei Town, Daofu, just beside the highway. It is a natural landscape of Moshi stretching on the Xianshui River fault zone. It is very magnificent and there are not many tourists. It feels good to walk around and see.

Sichuan-Luhuo-Xianshuihe Wetland Park

Sichuan-Daofu-Daofu Residential Houses

Sichuan - Daofu - Moshi Park

The 140-kilometer road from Seda to Luhuo is newly renovated, and the road condition is good; the road condition from Luhuo to Daofu is worse; the road condition from Daofu to Xinduqiao is also good. There are many vehicles on this road, especially large trucks, so you must drive carefully at all times.

Stay overnight at Xinduqiao Meiyu Hotel in Xinyi Village, Xinduqiao Town (next to National Highway 318). I stayed here when I went to Tibet last year, and I stayed here again this time when I passed by.

Sichuan - Kangding - Yala Snow Mountain Observation Deck - Yala Snow Mountain

Sichuan-Kangding-Yala Snow Mountain Observation Deck

Sichuan-Kangding-Tagong Grassland

Sichuan - Daofu - scenery along the way

D25 October 29th (clear to cloudy, -4-14 degrees) Xinduqiao (Kangding) - Quanhuatan (Kangding) - Xinduqiao (Kangding) - Kangding (110+130+60 total 300 kilometers)

The main destination of today's tour is Quanhuatan and Zimeikou Observation Deck located in Yulong Village, Gongga Township, Kangding. The distance is not too far but there are many unpaved and bad roads to walk. In order to catch up with time, I got up at 6:00 am and set off at 7:00 am. Turn from National Highway 318 to Provincial Highway 215 in the direction of Jiulong, arrive at Jiagenba Township in Kangding (there are signs on the side of the road) and turn to the country road to Calcification Slope, Yaha Pass Observation Deck and Quanhua Beach.
It's late autumn, and the Xindu Bridge (3630 meters above sea level) in the morning is quiet and beautiful, but I couldn't stop to enjoy it because I was eager to drive. About half of the 30-kilometer journey from Jiagenba Township to Yaha Pass Observation Deck is unpaved and bad roads, so slow down and drive carefully. When I came to the calcified slope, the landscape was so-so, so I stopped to take a photo and left; the view of Gongga Mountain from the Yaha Pass Observation Deck at an altitude of 4558 meters is very spectacular, but it is a pity that it is backlit and it is not easy to take good photos.

Sichuan - Kangding - Xindu Bridge

Sichuan - Kangding - Calcification slope

Sichuan - Kangding - Yaha Pass Observation Deck - Gongga Mountain

Sichuan-Kangding-Quanhuatan-Scenery along the way

Known as the King of Shu Mountains, Gongga Mountain is the main peak of Daxue Mountain, with an altitude of 7,556 meters, surrounded by many ice peaks with an altitude of 5,000 to 6,000 meters, forming a magnificent scene surrounded by peaks and connected by snow mountains. I saw Gongga Mountain at the pass, and there was a worse road to go on. It took more than 3 hours to come to Quanhua Beach.

Quanhuatan is about 4,000 meters above sea level. It belongs to the alpine valley meadow landform. It is formed by chemical precipitation on the surface of a spring water containing a large amount of chemical substances. It is more than 900 meters long and more than 100 meters wide. Several spring terraces are formed along the mountain. There are more than a dozen five-color pools of different sizes and shapes on each terrace. It is suspected that the fairyland has descended to the world.

Sichuan-Kangding-Quanhuatan

The current Quanhua Beach is still in its original state, no one manages it, and there is no charge; there is a parking lot, and the charge is 20 yuan; you can spend money to ride a horse or take a motorcycle up the mountain. We walked up by ourselves, and it took more than two hours to walk more than half of it, and the time relationship did not stay longer. At this time, it was already past lunch time, so I found an inn (although this area is very remote, but there are still many inns) and got noodles to satisfy my hunger, and hurried to the observation deck at Zimei Pass, more than 30 kilometers away.

Sichuan-Kangding-Quanhuatan

Zimeikou Observation Deck at an altitude of 4558 meters is an excellent place to watch Gongga Mountain at close range, because the straight-line distance from Gongga Mountain is only 5 kilometers. There is a large viewing platform above the pass, where many cars can be parked. Because the road is being built, about 10 kilometers away from the pass, it is blocked by guarded railings, preventing cars from going. If you want to go to the pass, you can spend money to take a villager's motorcycle to go up. The dilapidated mountain road with such a long distance, the weather is cold and windy, and it is really unreliable to ride a motorcycle. After a lot of talk and talk, we finally let us pass, but unfortunately, when we got to the mountain, the weather had turned bad. At noon at Quanhuatan, the sun was shining brightly, but now it is covered with dark clouds and the wind is very strong. The weather in the mountains is like this, changing rapidly. I went down the mountain after looking at Gongga Mountain to take pictures, and it was a pity that I finally came here.

Sichuan-Kangding-Zimei Pass Observation Deck-Gongga Mountain

Sichuan-Kangding-Zimei Pass Observation Deck

On the return trip, instead of turning back, we walked about 30 kilometers on unpaved roads to Gongga Township. The road conditions will improve in the future, and we arrived in Kangding at 8:00 pm. Today's itinerary is quite hard. Although the road is not very far, but the road conditions are not good, it took a lot of time. I even ran for 13 hours to visit the scenic spots.

In fact, the non-paved roads and bad roads are all because of the road construction in this area, and the roadbeds in most places have been completed. At the same time, these scenic spots need to be built to form a circular tour route. According to the local villagers, it can be done in one year at the fastest, or two or three years at the slowest. When the road is repaired and the infrastructure of the scenic spot is complete, it will be much more convenient to travel here.

So far, the travel plan of Ganzi Prefecture in western Sichuan has been completed.

Stay overnight at Kangding Xiyu Hotel, No. 276 Lucheng South Road, Kangding City. It is a new hotel with high grade, reasonable price and good service attitude.

Sichuan-Kangding-Quanhuatan

D26—D30 October 30th—November 3rd Kangding—Leshan—Jinkouhe (Leshan)—Emeishan (Emeishan)—Longchang—Hailongtun (Zunyi)—Duyun—Huangyao Ancient Town (Zhaoping)—Shantou (240+ 130+120+220+370+280+540+730 total 2630 kilometers)

Starting from my hometown of Shantou, Guangdong Province, the car has driven more than 6,000 kilometers, and I need to find a place with a 4S shop for maintenance. In the morning, I made a special trip to Leshan Jinjie Automobile Sales and Service Co., Ltd. for car maintenance and inspection of the car condition. This is one of the most important matters of self-driving tour and must be taken seriously.

In the afternoon and the next few days, I mainly rushed home. Along the way, we visited the Leshan Giant Buddha, Railway Soldiers Museum, Dadu River Jinkou Grand Canyon Tourist Scenic Spot in Leshan; Scenic spots such as Hailongtun and Huangyao Ancient Town in Hezhou. By November 3rd, I returned to Shantou smoothly, successfully completing the 30-day, 8,550-kilometer self-driving tour in western Yunnan and western Sichuan.

Contentment, the more you go, the more interesting; Thanksgiving, do it and cherish it!

Sichuan - Leshan - Leshan Giant Buddha

Sichuan-Leshan-Dadu River Jinkou Grand Canyon

Sichuan-Mount Emei-Tianxia Famous Mountain Archway

Sichuan-Longchang-Nanguan Stone Paifang Ancient Town

Guizhou - Zunyi - Hailongtun

Guangxi-Hezhou-Huangyao Ancient Town