Majestic Peaks &
Alpine Lakes - A journey to discover the Alps in
Sichuan
CBP Journey 2005. Back to: Itineraries, Trek, Destionations, Yunnan
From Chengdu, the gateway to explore southwest
China, we had traveled far away to Yunnan, Gansu and even Tibet in recent years. But strangely we had
never set foot in the majestic and lush mountain ranges, such
as Daxue Shan and Qionglai Shan, lying close to Chengdu in the
west.
Glacier valleys, dramatic gorges, primitive forests, and
many over-5000 peaks, alpine lakes hide among these mountains,
offering ideal grounds for adventurous trips as well as
outdoor activities such as trekking, mountain biking, rafting,
and alpinism. This region is home to the giant panda and other
precious species, a destination for nature lovers.
Two highest peaks in the region which are also the highest
in Sichuan: Minya Konka (7556m) and Siguniang Shan (6250m), nominated as the
King and the Queen of Sichuan’s mountains, are accessible from
Chengdu only within a day’s drive. That’s
why Chengdu has become China’s mountaineering
hub in the fast few years.
Uncountable small remote Tibetan villages and settlements
are scattered in these mountains. Living conditions are fairly
tough. Until the last fifteen years, accessibility to these
places is extremely limited due to the high passes. Walking as
well as mules are the main means of transportation. Major
roads link only the bigger towns.
This year, we traveled to these majestic mountains: Minya Konka, Siguniang Shan and Maidi Konka, trekked to Tibetan monastery as
well as some alpine lakes among them. On our way, we visited
picturesque Tibetan villages around Danba.
Although Siguniang Shan and Danba are changing rapidly following with
the development of tourism, it is still possible to enjoy the
tranquility except during the three Chinese golden holiday
weeks. Furthermore they are not the target destinations of
Chinese tourists who rush generally to Jiuzhaigou and Emei Shan.
Due to the remoteness of Konka Monastery and Maidi Konka, they remain in pristine
untouched conditions.
Our itinerary:
As the area is high, averaging 2,800m and above, there is a
distinct alpine feel to it especially during autumn and
winter. These places are among the best places in China to
enjoy autumn landscape. However they are just as pretty in the
summer with vast areas covered by wildflowers.
Trekking is one of the best ways to enjoy these places.
Trekkers need to be careful, though, as the general height of
the region means that acclimatization is always necessary to
avoid succumbing to AMS (acute mountain sickness).
Sichuan is the 4th most populous province in China with
approximately 43 million people. A quarter of the population
is Tibetan, mainly distributed in the 3 autonomous regions of
Ganzi 甘孜, Muli 木里and Aba 阿坝. The former two are to the west
and south-west of the province while latter is in the
north.
The Tibetans of Sichuan are of different tribes
concentrated in different localities. The western parts of
Sichuan are mainly populated by the Pumi 普米and Kamba 康巴 tribes
while the northern regions are dominated by the Jiarong 嘉戎 as
well as Kamba 康巴.
Related itinerary: The hidden treasures in Southeast Aba County.
Written by CBP in November
2006
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