[2025 Daocheng Attraction] Travel Guide for Haizi Mountain (Updated Jul)

On the road, the scenery of the west line of the Suichuan River, self-driving tour, punch card "Dacheng - Haizishan - Litang - Xinlong - Ganzi - Seda" turned two days of mountain road, finally from Daocheng Arrived in Seda. The West Sichuan Line is one of the most beautiful routes for self-driving tours. Although it is hard, it is full of beautiful scenery. is steep, and this section of the winding road is very close to the sky. Hovering like a ladder, the clouds are sometimes below the road, and sometimes the yak and flock of the mountain are on both sides of the road. I am very fortunate that we have taken a new road that was just opened in July and the road is very good. The navigation has not yet been displayed, and the way to the road reaches the color. The road is picturesque. From Daocheng to Litang, passing the amazing scenery 'Haizi Mountain', with an average elevation of 4,700 meters. It is the largest ancient ice body relic in the plateau. It is said that there are more than one thousand seas of all sizes. Sudden foggy rain when driving here, the ridiculous sense of ridiculousness, there is a melancholy beauty, different from the magnificent beauty of Aden. Two off-road vehicles in place Sunshine mood in place 40 bottles of water plus Red Bull Coke in place 20 kg snack biscuits chocolate in place open happy heart Chuanxi self-driving carry out!

🔥Western Sichuan Summer Survival Guide from a 6-Time Visitor! July-August Travelers, Take Notes—Avoid My Past Mistakes! Who would've thought? My first few trips to Western Sichuan left me either KO'd by altitude sickness or drenched like a drowned rat. Now I've finally cracked the code for summer travel here! If you're coming July-August for flower seas and snow mountains, this guide will save your trip👇 🚗【Transport: Don't Let Travel Ruin Your Mood】 Listen up! NO self-driving! NO self-driving! NO self-driving! (Important things thrice) • From Chengdu Shuangliu/Tianfu Airport/railway station, book private cars or small groups—attractions are 100+ km apart with mountain roads twistier than Initial D's Akina Pass. The 18-bend Tianlu curves will dizzy beginners—only trust seasoned drivers! • Critical reminder: On Zheduo Mountain and Haizi Mountain routes, July-August rains mean sunny skies can turn to landslides instantly. Keep 50m+ distance from vehicles ahead! • Lifesaver: Download offline maps in Chengdu! Many highland areas have no signal—being map-less is panic-inducing 🌦【July-August Clothing & Weather: Don't Be Fooled by "Summer"】 Western Sichuan summers mean "morning coats, afternoon gauze"! Don't just pack T-shirts! • Temperature rollercoaster: 25°C in sunshine, but wind at Siguniang Mountain passes or Daocheng Yading plummets it to 10°C instantly. The "sandwich method" (T-shirt + sun jacket + windbreaker) rules • Rainy season survival: Sudden showers demand waterproof jackets, shoe covers, foldable umbrellas. Ignore forecasts—you could be sunbathing at Shuangqiao Valley while nearby Mozi Park drowns in storms • Sunblock is sacred: UV rays will peel your skin! Sunglasses, wide-brim hats, SPF50+ sunscreen—or return unrecognizable to your mom 🌿【Summer-Exclusive Beauty: Miss These and Wait a Year】 These July-August spots will explode your phone storage! • Yuzixi: Sunset chasers must go! 8:30pm golden-red alpenglow on snow peaks. Lucky shots capture "sunlit golden mountains" + pink-purple dusk. Bring jackets—summit winds blow hats away • Litang Maoya Grassland: July's floral peak! Wildflowers like colored carpets with grazing yaks. Sip butter tea at Thousand-House Tibetan Village for slow-paced local life • Daocheng Yading: July's Luorong Pasture flowers outshine guidebook photos! Milk Lake and Five-Color Lake have clearer views sans fog. The 5-6hr hike is tough—shorter routes still offer stunning scenery • Mozi Park: Visit on cloudy days! Grey stone forests + gloomy skies = alien planet backdrop. Red/yellow outfits make Insta-breaking shots • Siguniang Mountain: Must-try Shuangqiao Valley rafting! Gentle streams with snow-capped views. Balang Mountain's 9am sea of clouds looks like valley-stuffed cotton candy 📅【6D5N Lazy Itinerary: Daily Surprises】 Follow this brain-free route to conquer Western Sichuan! D1: Chengdu→Maobiliang (panoramic Siguniang views)→Shuangqiao Valley (rafting+snow peaks)→Danba (low-altitude sleep) D2: Danba→Mozi Park (alien photos)→Yuzixi (sunset)→Xinduqiao (photographers' paradise) D3: Xinduqiao→Litang (Tibetan village+grassland)→Haizi Mountain (ancient ice caps)→Daocheng Yading D4: Full-day Yading (short route to ancient temple/long route to Milk Lake—choose by fitness) D5: Yading→Zunsheng Pagoda Forest (Tibetan architecture)→Thousand-House Village (cultural experience)→Return to Xinduqiao D6: Xinduqiao→Airport Road (mountain reflections)→Honghaizi (healing blue waters)→Back to Chengdu 💊【Veteran's Pitfall Guide: Avoid These!】 • Altitude sickness: Take rhodiola 15 days early! Coca-Cola/glucose drinks help post-arrival. Avoid oxygen dependency (our groups provide oxygen tanks) • Yading hiking snacks: Self-heating meals beat instant noodles. Bring chocolate/beef jerky—but pack light, hiking's exhausting • Sleep smart: Choose low-altitude stays like Danba or Shangri-La Town. Our 3-star hotels beat sketchy B&Bs • Beware cheap tours: I've seen $300 6-day scams forcing herbal medicine purchases + oxygen charges! Only trust licensed agencies with contracts/insurance 🌟【Why Our Small Groups?】 5 years/2000+ travelers taught us how to make your trip smooth: • Intimate groups: 2-5 people, no waiting, stop freely for photos • Vehicle options: 5-seat SUVs, off-roaders, 7-seat vans—all mountain-ready • Expert guides: 8+ years Western Sichuan veterans know secret viewpoints + traffic dodges • Hassle-free: Transport + lodging + insurance included, no hidden costs, proper contracts • Freebies: Travel kit (neck pillow/eye mask/earplugs), oxygen tanks, prayer flags—even rain gear provided! Just show up July-August Western Sichuan is already a living oil painting! Hesitate and you'll miss this year's floral spectacle～ 👉 DM for itineraries/pricing/custom routes 👉 Send 【group size + dates】 for best deals! Stop overthinking—join us for your smoothest Western Sichuan adventure yet!

Daocheng County is located in the southern part of Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan. It is known for the Yading Scenic Area. Many people confuse Daocheng and Yading, thinking they are the same place. In fact, Yading is located in the southern part of Daocheng County and is just one of the core scenic spots among the many beautiful landscapes of Daocheng. In the northern part of Daocheng County is the Haizi Mountain National Nature Reserve, the Piluo Site in the central part, and the surrounding Banghe, White Pagoda, Red Grassland, Sela Village, and Bangpu Temple. Each scenic spot is unforgettable, and the beauty is breathtaking. 🌟Banghe: It is both the name of a river and the name of a township, consisting of rivers, highland barley fields, birch forests, Tibetan villages, and temples. The oblique light in the morning and evening intertwines with cooking smoke and mist, forming a poetic and picturesque scene. There is also a 10,000-mu poplar forest, which is a masterpiece of the Daocheng people protecting nature and fighting against wind and sand. It has become a beautiful landscape in Daocheng. 🌟Daocheng White Pagoda: A landmark building in Daocheng and a symbol of Tibetan Buddhism. The main white pagoda is tall and majestic, surrounded by 108 small pagodas, forming a spectacular pagoda forest. 🌟Sangdui Red Grassland: Located on the roadside from the county seat to Haizi Mountain, it is only available in autumn (September-October). The entire grassland turns into a bright red color, forming a strong color contrast with the blue sky, snow-capped mountains, and rivers. It is a favorite of photography enthusiasts. 🌟Bangpu Temple: The oldest Tibetan Buddhist temple in Daocheng with a history of more than 800 years. It was built by the Living Buddha Dabao Dharma King after he cultivated his soul into Buddhahood. The monks in the temple also took friendly photos with us. The Tibetans are particularly simple and kind. 🌟Sela Village: A very beautiful grassland with yaks everywhere. The Tibetans are very friendly and always greet us with "Tashi Delek" along the way. 🌟Rubuchaka Hot Spring: The Tibetans call it the "Spring of Friends". The hot spring water is clear and odorless, and the water temperature is above 68℃, so it can be consumed directly. Although the hot spring facilities are simple, a chartered car for more than six people can provide free shuttle service and you can enjoy butter tea for free. A single room costs CNY 30. Soaking in it to relieve altitude fatigue is quite comfortable. 📍Attraction address: Southern part of Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, bordering Yunnan Province and Tibet Autonomous Region 🏝️Reservation guide: No reservation or tickets required 🚗Transportation guide: 1. Airplane: Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Changsha, Hangzhou and other cities have direct flights to Daocheng, and then transfer to the airport bus to the county seat (50km, 1 hour/CNY 50) 2. There is a daily bus from Chengdu Xinnanmen Station directly to Daocheng County (approx. 16 hours/CNY 270) 3. Self-driving, chartered car or group tour 💗Other tips: 1. Daocheng has a high altitude and the weather is changeable. Bring thick down jackets, windbreakers, and thermal pants 2. Anti-ultraviolet sun hat, sunglasses, high-SPF sunscreen and lip balm 3. Take Rhodiola Rosea 1–2 weeks in advance to prevent altitude sickness, and bring emergency medicines such as Gaoyuan'an and oxygen cylinders. Daily medicines such as cold medicines are also essential.

📍Haizi Mountain National Nature Reserve is located on the road from Litang, the world's highest city, to Daocheng County, about halfway between the two counties. It is a free attraction. 📍We planned to drive from Chengdu to Daocheng Yading Scenic Area. After passing Litang, we drove on the Zhangmeng Line, and the scenery along the way was beautiful. Haizi Mountain is easy to identify. When you are about to arrive, there will be a road sign indicating how many kilometers to Haizi Mountain. Gradually, there will be lakes of different sizes on the roadside, which means you have reached the Haizi Mountain area. ✔️This section of the pass is about 4,500–4,700 meters above sea level. Tens of thousands of years ago, due to glacial activity on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, many large and small lakes were formed on the high-altitude hills between Litang and Daocheng, resulting in the current geomorphic wonder of Haizi Mountain. 👉The effect of drone photography is very good, and you can capture the full view of Haizi Mountain. There is a relatively large Haizi Lake, which can be seen on the road and is easy to identify. There is a parking lot in front of the lake, which is convenient for everyone to park and check in.

Of course, here is a travel guide to Haizi Mountain National Nature Reserve: Haizi Mountain National Nature Reserve Travel Guide Best Time to Visit Season: Haizi Mountain has beautiful scenery in all four seasons, but the best time to visit is in summer and autumn. In summer, the grass is green and wildflowers are in full bloom; in autumn, the ground is golden and the forest is colorful. Essentials Clothing: Prepare suitable clothing according to the season, sun protection clothing, hats, sunglasses in summer; warm jackets in autumn. Shoes: It is recommended to wear comfortable sports shoes or hiking shoes for hiking in the scenic area. Sunscreen: Sunscreen, lip balm and other sunscreen products are essential. Others: Camera, power bank, drinking water, rain gear, etc. Transportation Self-driving: Haizi Mountain Scenic Area is convenient for transportation and suitable for self-driving. The scenery along the way is beautiful and you can stop to enjoy it. Public transportation: You can take a bus or train to the local area, and then transfer to local transportation to the scenic area. Tour Route Entrance to the Observation Deck: Starting from the entrance of the scenic area, follow the signs and first arrive at the observation deck, where you can overlook the beautiful scenery of the entire Haizi Mountain. Hiking: There are multiple hiking routes near the observation deck for tourists to choose from. You can choose a suitable route according to your physical strength and interest to explore the natural scenery of Haizi Mountain. Featured attractions: Don't miss the featured attractions of Haizi Mountain, such as alpine lakes, glacial relics, etc. Each attraction has its unique charm and is worth savoring. Precautions Green travel: Please take care of the environment, do not litter, and protect the natural ecology of the scenic area. Safety first: During hiking, please pay attention to safety, abide by the regulations of the scenic area, and do not climb dangerous areas. Respect local culture: During the tour, please respect the local culture and customs and get along well with the local residents. Recommended Food Local specialty food: In the surrounding area or nearby villages of the scenic area, you can taste local specialty food, such as yak meat, butter tea, etc. These foods are not only delicious, but also allow you to better understand the local culture and life. I hope this guide can help you better plan your trip to Haizi Mountain National Nature Reserve!

| Sister Lakes. 🌈Scenic Features: Sister Lakes are one of the larger ancient glacier relics on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known worldwide as the 'Dangcheng Ancient Ice Cap.' 🎟️Ticket Information: Free 🕐️Opening Hours: 7:00~19:00 💗Other Tips: Haizi Mountain Sister Lakes Geographical Location: Located between Batang and Litang, in the Haizi Mountain Nature Reserve. Best Photography Spot: Sister Lakes Viewing Platform.

Haizi Mountain is a national nature reserve located between Daocheng and Litang, and is also part of the Haizi Mountain Park in the Daocheng Geopark of Sichuan. It has an altitude of 4500-4700 meters and covers an area of nearly 6000 square kilometers, with 1145 lakes of various sizes scattered throughout. This high density of lakes gives the mountain its name, 'Haizi Mountain'. The area is the largest ancient glacial relic on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Traveling along National Highway 227, one can see a desolate and bleak landscape on both sides, filled with large rocks, glaciers, and glacial lakes, resembling the surface of a strange Mars. Everywhere are geological relics left by ancient glacial erratics. Around 3 million years ago, during the Quaternary glaciation, a massive ice cap over 500 meters thick formed here, almost completely covering this high plateau. The immense pressure of the glaciers caused the originally solid granite mountains to gradually crumble under long-term pressure, and the fragmented rocks were carried far away by the glaciers, forming 'glacial erratics'. This created the largest glacial relic on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, a geological wonder and a treasure trove of unique flora and fauna. Due to its excellent observation conditions, with no light pollution and thin air, the world's largest and most sensitive cosmic ray observatory, a space environment monitoring network's ring array solar wind radio imaging telescope, and a large optical infrared telescope are established here. Daocheng Astronomical Park is also built here, where one can stay overnight on the plateau and gaze at the vast starry sky and twinkling meteors. Haizi Mountain is not only a geological marvel but also a training ground for novice mountaineers.

Do you dream of going to Mars one day? And on this holy land there is this "alien planet, a mountain with thousands of lakes" After crossing Tuer Mountain, you will find that there are stones scattered randomly all over the mountain around the vehicle, like chess pieces on a chessboard. This is the famous "ancient glacier ice cap" in Daocheng - Haizi Mountain On this mountain with an average altitude of 4,500 meters, 1,145 lakes of various sizes sparkle in the world like a thousand diamonds accidentally scattered by God. Don’t run away because of its desolate appearance. It’s better to calm down and feel its unique charm. . .

Ya'an·Haizi Mountain The sun is shining brightly, and the air is rich with oxygen. Here you can enjoy roasted whole lamb, gather around the stove for tea, forest trails, and mountain off-roading. ⛰【Travel Guide】 📍Detailed address: Inside the territory of Daocheng County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, between Litang and Daocheng counties 🚗Transportation guide: High-speed train/Self-driving Chengdu West Station→Ya'an Station 1h Departing from Chengdu city area→Ya'an Haizi .5h (1.5 hours by expressway, after exiting the expressway it takes 1 hour to reach Haizi Mountain, the roads are in good condition 📌Little Tips: It is recommended to bring|change of clothes, ID documents, sun protection, sun and rain umbrellas, mosquito repellent, motion sickness medicine, cold medicine There is a large supermarket and a play activity area at the base, so you don't need to bring too much up the mountain. You can buy everything in the supermarket, and the prices are the same as other supermarkets

The Kazila Mountain, Tuer Mountain, and Haizi Mountain are the essential paths through Western Sichuan, with magnificent and distinctive landscapes along the way. Kazila Mountain: Mainly high mountain meadows, with layers of mountains that gradually lighten in color until they reach the horizon, it is known as the 'Road to Heaven'. Here, you can enjoy the spectacular high mountain meadows and the unpredictable clouds, feeling the charm of nature. Tuer Mountain: From a distance, it looks strikingly like rabbit ears standing in the wind, with a very unique mountain shape, growing on a peak where no grass sprouts. There is also a beautiful legend about Tuer Mountain. It is said that in ancient times, the Litang chieftain ruled a tribe that was famous throughout the Tibetan area, with its territory guarded by dozens of sacred mountains and more than ten rivers flowing through. Later, a couple in the tribe turned into a pair of stone pillars huddled together, resembling rabbit ears, hence the name Tuer Mountain. Haizi Mountain: It is the largest glacial relic on the Tibetan Plateau. Haizi Mountain has an average altitude of 4410 meters, with the highest peak, Xiase Peak, at 5388 meters, and a total of 1145 lakes of various sizes. The ancient glacial relics here are distributed on the mountain plains at altitudes of 4500-4700 meters, with glacial geomorphology such as horn peaks, ancient cirques, U-shaped valleys, glacial potholes, cirque lakes, as well as glacial deposits like terminal moraines, lateral moraines, glacial till, eskers, roche moutonnées, and glacial erratics. The scale and density of Haizi Mountain are unique in China, hence its name.

In order to adapt to the plateau, we stayed in Daocheng Yading for a while, but accidentally discovered many interesting attractions. These attractions happen to be on the way from Daocheng to Litang, so you can still visit them even if you don’t stay for long. There are few people, beautiful scenery, and they are great for taking photos! There is the "Daocheng Ancient Ice Cap", the largest ancient ice body relic on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and the largest lake in Haizi Mountain. They are all wild scenic spots, and some are not even marked on the map! ❶ Xingyicuo (4420 meters above sea level) My favorite place, the largest lake in Haizi Mountain, 7.5 square kilometers, means "offering lake" in Tibetan. It is made up of three lakes connected together. The water in the lake is clear and there are often animals and birds around it. It takes about 30 minutes to drive on the washboard road to enter Xingyicuo, but due to the increase and decrease in altitude, the scenery along the way is excellent, with snow-capped mountains in the distance, winding mountain roads on the way here, and blue or turquoise lakes, etc.! I don’t know whether there will be an admission fee in the future or whether it will be protected. Now there is an iron frame like a viewing plank road. 📍You can navigate directly to Xingyicuo, which is quite accurate 📌Tips: The wind is very strong near the lake, so keep warm and avoid the wind! ❷ Stone River near Daocheng Airport Driving from Daocheng to Litang, you can see many strange-shaped but nice-looking stones piled up on the mountains on both sides. These are actually boulders left by the movement of glaciers, and are relics of ancient ice bodies. I marked a few places and thought the scenery was very good. 🔸Xi Que Hai 🔸Suedie Lake (4240 meters above sea level) 🔸Haizi Mountain Glacier Stone River Scenic Area ❸ Qishi Park It is also a place to see the stone river, but there is a temporary parking spot on the roadside. You can walk down to the river, walk on the meadow, walk across a stone bridge and there is a temple. Tibetan houses, stone rivers, yaks, white pagodas, taking photos is very pastoral~ 📍The navigation can locate "Zhejie Temple" without crossing the bridge ❹ "Dejitong Park/Happy Ranch" A wild scenic spot on the side of the road, there is no location, but the two signs next to it read "Dejitong Park Visitor Center" and "Happy Ranch" respectively~ We were attracted by a small waterfall, a clear lake and yaks drinking water. After getting off the car, we found that this area is indeed worth staying, but because we were in a hurry, we didn't walk much, it was suitable for a rest~ 📍From Daocheng to Xingyicuo navigation, it takes about 30 minutes to drive. There is a "Y" intersection formed by G227 and the left fork road. The river is also "Y" shaped. Dejitong Park is on the left hand side not far from the fork~ Of course, there are many viewing points and stops along the way, such as Red Grassland, Rewu Temple, Sela Flower Sea, Zunsheng Pagoda Forest, etc. You can choose to stay according to your interests and seasons~

Linghu Xiquehai in Haizi Mountain on G227 Highway, on a plateau at 4733m

The observation deck of Rabbit Mountain looks like a rabbit's ear standing in the wind at a distance. The mountain is very strange. The whole mountain is covered with stone particles. The grass is not born, and the wind is particularly large. After passing the Rabbit Mountain Observation Deck, it was soon to Haizi Mountain. It is one of the four great mountain mountains in Tibet. It is composed of large and small granite boulder, stone river, stone sea and various forms of ice erosion. Rock basins, these sinuous rocks and more than a thousand large and small seas are distributed on the mountains with an average elevation of 4,500 meters. The scale density is the highest in China. Xia Ruzhen under the Haizi Mountain is located in the depths of Haizi Mountain, covering an area of 15 square meters. Kilometers, 4733 meters above sea level, it is said that Xia Rucuo is the place where the god crows live. It is one of the famous Linghu Lakes in Haizi Mountain. Tibetan Buddhism believes that everything is spiritual, especially the stone. The Tibetans regard the stone as a god, so the stones, slate and pebble of different sizes are formed into an "altar". "Mani heap", these are very common in the intersections, lakes, mountains and temples of Tibetan places. Many people don't know why this kind of stone piles are everywhere, and they can't understand the true meaning of Mani heap. It doesn't matter if you don't understand. But don't arbitrarily offend these Mani heaps, let alone take Mani Stone, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable. For Haizishan, some people like these ridiculous feelings. Some people are disgusted with it, and for me, they like this scene...

When you are on the way to Yading Daocheng, you will pass a place like Wonderland. The legendary alien site is actually Haizi Mountain. Come here like a blue palette, the scene is not true. The Haizishan Nature Reserve is located in the north of Daocheng, with an average elevation of 4,300-4,700 meters. , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , For Haizishan, the response of tourists is often different. Some people like it to be wild. When they get out of the car, they will not leave, while others will hate their desolation and rush to escape. Its a great time to take a photo at Haizi Mountain. I personally love these blue diamonds. There are a lot of Mani heaps here. In Tibetan Buddhism, people regard stones as living and spiritual things. The "Mani Stone" engraved with Buddha statues and Buddhist scriptures does not have uniform specifications and shapes. The producers do not need to deliberately choose, and the stones are painted on them. The scriptures are mostly "six-character mantras". And a spell.

During the journey, if you have more exploration, surprises will appear. Many people know Daocheng Yading. In fact, Aden is just a village in Daocheng County, and there is another place in Daocheng County called Haizi Mountain. Haizi Mountain has an average elevation of 4,500 meters.