� Lonely Planet Publications
21
Destination
Southwest China
A siesta from China s instinct to put in the overtime, a holiday from the
national overdrive and an unspoiled getaway from China s ever more water-
less north, China s Southwest is a lush and invigorating region of the Middle
Kingdom. This is remote China at its most diverse and exotic.
China s Southwest is an essential counterbalance to the nation s impa-
tient and shrill powerhouses. If you want your China the Gucci way  go to
Shąngh�
i, Hong Kong or B%1łij%2łng; and stay put. If however, you re angling
for astonishing scenic beauty, wild mountainous treks, riveting displays of
ethnic culture and the irresistible allure of the immense outdoors, China s
FAST FACTS:
Southwest is a fascinating and rewarding destination.
CHINA
Everything you expect a China trip to be is here: there s history, mouth-
Population: 1.3 billion
watering cuisine, astonishing landscapes, off-the-beaten track getaways,
modern cityscapes and a rich and abundant ethnic backdrop. Unlike the
Life expectancy male/
dusty northern Chinese heartland, where the minority presence is often
female: 70.4/73.7 years
sparse and intangible, China s Southwest is richly peopled by ethnic tribes
GDP growth: 10.5%
who bring a unique dimension to China travel. With much of the region
(2006)
refreshingly hedging up against non-Han Chinese civilisations, from the
GDP per capita: US$7600
mountains of Tibet through Burma and Laos to Vietnam, the Chinese stamp
(PPP), US$2001 (nominal)
is rapidly diffused by a minority-rich presence.
Fabled topography ranges from the heavenly landscapes around Y�ngshu�
Population below poverty
to the wild mountain scenery of Western S�chu

n and Northern Yśnn�n.
line: 10% (2004 estimate)
Celebrated cuisine spans the culinary encyclopedia from the blistering
Adult literacy: 86%
flavours of Hśn�n through the numbing aromas of S�chu

n, the sweltering
Internet users:
hotpots of Chóngq�ng to the minority dishes of Gu�zhM
u and the diverse
137 million
menus of Yśnn�n.
Western journalistic commentary paints a China irrepressibly on the move,
Major exports: textiles,
striding into an opulent future: a country where staggering GDP figures
clothing, footwear, toys
share the tabloid limelight with stylish models and swanky brand names.
and machinery
You would be forgiven for thinking that Shąngh�
i s dazzling renaissance or
Religions: Buddhism,
B%1łij%2łng s Olympic buzz somehow summed up China.
Taoism, Islam, Christianity
China is indeed going places. In 2006, the Three Gorges Dam  the world s
Number of Chinese
largest  was in place three years ahead of schedule. China shot a man into
characters: over 56,000
space in 2003, repeated the feat in 2005 and reportedly aims to get a man to
the moon by 2024. Currently the world s fourth largest economy, pundits
constantly tip China to overtake the US economy within the next few dec-
ades. Despite downsizing, the country has the world s largest standing army
(which could sponge up the world s largest number of permanent bachelors,
a by-product of the one-child policy). China also finds itself at the heart of
a potential shift of world power from the West to the East.
While these are all facts of modern China, it can seem like a fantasy to
those wandering in off-the-beaten-track minority villages in north Gu�
ngx%2ł
or rural Gu�zhM
u. Travelling the Southwest is a sheer lesson in scale and a
primer in diversity: China is so vast and disparate, it soon becomes clear
that the huge progress of the past decades is either concentrated elsewhere
or spread very thin.
Like much of the rest of China, the Southwest indeed finds itself pinched be-
tween the poverty and powerlessness of the past and the affluence and growing
self-confidence of an uncertain future. For some, the fruits of the economic
22 DESTINATION SOUTHWEST CHINA lonelyplanet.com
boom are tangible and easy to assess, but on other development indicators 
democracy, human rights, adequate rural education and healthcare, the rule
of law, intellectual property rights and environmental degradation, to name
a few  China is either making negligible progress or is indeed stationary
(or moving backwards).
The immediate ills of economic restructuring are the stresses and strains
of readjustment. China is a work  the biggest on the planet  in progress,
with the l�
ob�
ix�ng (common folk) frequently voicing discomfort about the
direction of economic growth, especially when corruption, land confiscation
and pollution remain rampant. Perhaps more than in any other country in
the world, wealth is power in China; and the Chinese aspire to wealth to
obtain certainty in an often capricious and unpredictable state.
The dismal certainties of the socialist era may have been depressingly
familiar, but they were rock-solid. Today s riotous economy is a sink-or-swim
set-up with few welfare nets to protect the impoverished or disadvantaged.
Affluent pockets such as Li�
zhM
u (p189) in Gu�
ngx%2ł and X%2łngy� (p121) in
Gu�zhM
u hedge up against numbing, miserable poverty.
Despite its relative economic isolation and the large disparities between
the Southwest and the eastern seaboard, the Southwest remains resiliently
conservative. He may be long forgotten in the boardrooms of east China,
but Mao s portrait still hangs stubbornly in Dong drum towers in Gu�
ngx%2ł.
Yet China s vast economic potential is making serious inroads. According to
some reports Chóngq�ng is the world s largest metropolitan area, and money
is being shovelled into transport infrastructure throughout the Southwest in
a bid to ignite economic potential.
Unlike north and east China, where Godzilla-sized carbon footprints car-
pet the land, the denizens of lush Southwest China are cleaner and greener.
Travellers to B%1łij%2łng and Shąngh�
i moan perennially about pollution, but 
with perhaps the exception of Ch�ngdk
and Chóngq�ng  there are fewer
surgical masks on the streets of the Southwest, while the rustbelt of the
northeast is little more than hearsay.
Despite the rebellious paroxysms of the 20th century, the Chinese are a
deeply pragmatic people. The Chinese are respectful and fearful of author-
ity, so you won t see any antigovernment graffiti in China. You won t hear
speakers standing on soap boxes to vent their political views (unless they
chime with government opinion). Indoctrination, propaganda and censor-
ship are rife, from school textbooks to the broadsheets that are pinned up
in public or published on line. Political debate is stifled and most Chinese
keep their heads down and work hard for a living. All of this creates a per-
haps misleading impression of placidity, but as the Chinese say: �N N�SŚŚ
łv, wm N�Se�ę; r�n błk%1ł mąoxiąng, h�
i bśk%1ł d�
u li�ng  you can t judge
a book by its cover.
12 lonelyplanet.com GET TING STARTED " " Costs & Money 13
HOTEL ROOMS
Rack rates are quoted for hotels in this book, although generally the only time you will pay the
Getting Started
full rate is during the major holiday periods, namely the first week of May, the first week of
October and the Chinese New Year. At other times you can expect to receive discounts ranging
From low-cost DIY independent adventuring to luxury tours, China s South-
between 10% and 50%. This does not apply to youth hostels or budget guesthouses, which tend
west is accessible to literally any budget. Getting around much of the region
to have set rates and are often much less busy during the holiday period, when the Chinese
is straightforward as flights, trains and buses link the major destinations
enjoy splashing out.
although travellers to remoter regions such as the mountainous wilds of
west S�chu

n will need to prepare for some heavy-duty bus rides and a flex-
ible itinerary. The Itineraries chapter (p16) can provide you with ideas for
planning your route through the Southwest. COSTS & MONEY
China is an increasingly expensive travel destination. The good news is that,
WHEN TO GO unless you default to staying at tourist hotels, eating at tourist restaurants
The optimum seasons to visit the Southwest are spring (March to May) and shopping in tourist zones, the Southwest remains highly affordable and
and autumn (September to October), when average temperatures are ei- accessible to cheap exploration. Whereas China s more affluent and booming
ther warming up or tapering off, although the region can realistically be regions such as B%1łij%2łng, Shąngh�
i and Hong Kong can be prohibitively pricey,
visited any time of the year (p467). It all depends on which area you wish the Southwest remains full of surprising travel bargains. As the Southwest
to visit. Altitude is largely the deciding factor in frequently dramatic tem- is less wealthy than more developed parts of China, this also means that
perature variations within and between provinces. Summer is largely very even if you want to spend your money, there are limits to how much you
hot, but the climate of Yśnn�n alone ranges from the muggy subtropics of can realistically spend.
HOW MUCH?
X%2łshu

ngb�
nną to the chill north climbing into Tibet, with considerable Accommodation will be your principal day-to-day expense. In this depart-
Cigarettes: from Y3.5
disparity in between. Chóngq�ng famously simmers like one of its notorious ment, travellers in every budget bracket should find what they want, although
hotpots in July, while altitudinous Western S�chu

n is much, much cooler the luxury end of the hotel market is not well represented outside of the really International Herald
in the depths of summer. big urban destinations such as Chóngq�ng. This book covers all budgets. Tribune from a five-star
Winter visits are not ideal although not impossible. Some parts of the Beds can be found from as little as Y8 a night at Chinese guesthouses, or hotel: Y23
Southwest, such as southern Gu�
ngx%2ł province and X%2łshu

ngb�
nną, may from around Y20 for a dorm bed at a youth hostel, but can soar to as much
City bus ticket: Y1
enjoy temperate winter months but much  although not all  of the rest of as US$300 a night at a five-star hotel in B%1łij%2łng.
Hour in an internet caf�:
the Southwest is miserable, damp or downright frozen. Western S�chu

n and It depends where you go and where you stay, but the ultra cost-conscious
Y1.5-Y3
northern Yśnn�n are snowbound and glacial in winter, and tourist drawcards can theoretically survive on as little as Y50 a day, although this precludes
such as Gu�l�n and Y�ngshu� are bleak and disappointing, although Kk
nm�ng long-distance journeys, taxi trips, shopping or buying entrance tickets, and City map: Y5
and Dąl�
are generally pleasant. See the Climate sections in each destination requires finding the cheapest beds in town and dining at low-cost restaurants
See Climate Charts (p467)
chapter for details on prevailing weather conditions by province. or street stalls. On average, however, most budget travellers can bank on
for more information.
Minority festivals can be the best time to see villages and destinations; living on between Y60 and Y250 a day.
consult the destination chapters for the lowdown on these and also see the Those on midrange budgets can live quite comfortably for between Y250
boxed text p14 for the top 10 festivals in the region. and Y500 per day, while travellers aiming to maximise their comforts can
Major public holidays can make travel difficult, and sights can be crammed easily spend upwards of Y500, depending on where they travel to. Spikes in
with holidaying Chinese. Manoeuvring around China with 1.3 billion oth- all of the above accompany air travel, long-distance train travel and expensive
ers at the Chinese New Year (p470) can be daunting, but you also get to see entrance tickets to top sights where daily budgets can be blown in one go.
China at its most colourful and entertaining. Hotel room prices (see the Food is reasonably priced throughout China s Southwest, and the frugal
boxed text, opposite) become very expensive during the May Day holiday can eat for as little as Y25 a day, but expect a very simple diet. Transport
(a week-long holiday for many from 1 May) and National Day on 1 October costs can be kept to a minimum by travelling by bus or hard-seat on the
(also week-long), and train tickets can be difficult to procure. train. Train travel is reasonable, and is generally about half the price of air
travel. Flying in China is expensive, but discounting is the norm and those
with less time will find it indispensable for covering vast distances or getting
DON T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT&
somewhere in a hurry.
Everything in China has its price and if anyone has worked out a way to
Checking the visa situation (p476)

charge someone else for something, it will be done. The principle of making
Checking travel advisory bureaus

a sight free in order to lure travellers in huge quantities to spend money on
Checking on your recommended vaccinations (p494) and travel medications
the local service industry does not exist in China, where short-term gain is
typically the only economic principle at work.
A copy of your travel insurance policy details (p493)

Consequently, entrance tickets to sights in China s Southwest are virtually
Good deodorant  sometimes hard to find

unavoidable and can be a major expense. A typical day of sightseeing in a
Reading matter for those unremitting bus trips

large city can mean having to buy half-a-dozen entry tickets, and drawcard
sights, such as �m�i Sh

n (Y120; p378) and Emerald Pagoda Lake (Y190;
A sense of adventure

p292) are costly. Other sights have a general admission fee for access to the
16 ITINERARIES " " Classic Routes 17
THE SHORTER SOUTHWEST LOOP Three to Four Weeks/
Gu�l�n to Ch�ngdk

Itineraries Using Gu�l�n (p154) as a scenic base, pop down to Y�ngshu� (p166) by bus or
boat for several days exploration of its outstanding karst landscapes. Trek
the sights of LóngshŁng (p180) and S

nji

ng (p184), from where side trips into
CLASSIC ROUTES Gu�zhM
u and the minority regions of Hśn�n offer tantalising tasters of the
provinces. Take the train or plane from Gu�l�n to Kk
nm�ng (p220) in Yśn-
n�n for several days and visit the surrounding sights. Hop on a bus, train or
THE LONG SOUTHWEST LOOP Five to Six Weeks/ plane to Xiągu

n (p242) and bus it to Dąl�
(p257) for several days exploring
Ch�ngdk
to Kk
nm�ng the sights in this fantastic region. Linked to Xiągu

n by bus, the Naxi town
Spend several days in Ch�ngdk
(p358) exploring the sights and surrounding of L�ji

ng (p265) is the classic gateway to breathtaking treks along Tiger Leap-
diversions (including �m�i Sh

n, p378, and LŁsh

n, p383) before heading to ing Gorge (p281). Consider a journey to Lugu Lake (p285) on the border with
the stunning Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve (p415), Huanglong National Park (p414) S�chu

n, or travel to Shangri-la (p287) in northern Yśnn�n for several days.
and SM
ngp

n (p411) in the north of S�chu

n for a week s exploration. From Adventurous travellers may opt for the rigorous and adventurous overland
Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve, fly to Chóngq�ng (p436) for a few days, visiting route to Ch�ngdk
in S�chu

n by bus via Xi

ngch�ng, L�
t�ng and K

ngd�ng
Dązś (p453), exploring the trekking and climbing possibilities of W�
lóng (p19). Overland journeys to Lhasa in Tibet from Shangri-la (p291) are also
County (p455) and the magnificent village of L�it

n (p456). From Chóngq�ng, an option, but you will need to arrange a tour and a Tibet permit. From
consider drifting through the Three Gorges (p458) before journeying to Gu�y�ng Shangri-la you can fly back to Kk
nm�ng and either continue south to explore
(p101) in Gu�zhM
u, possibly via Ch�shu�
(p147). Visit the dramatic Huangguoshu X%2łshu

ngb�
nną (p324) in the deep south of Yśnn�n or fly from Kk
nm�ng to
Falls (p115) and Maling Gorge (p124) before pressing on to Kk
nm�ng (p220). Ch�ngdk
(p358). From Ch�ngdk
journey to the Big Buddha at LŁsh

n (p383)
Returning to Gu�y�ng, continue east to K�
il�
(p126) and the fascinating mi- and conclude your adventure by climbing the sacred Buddhist mountain of
nority villages of eastern Gu�zhM
u; take a week or so to explore the region �m�i Sh

n (p378) before returning to Ch�ngdk
for transport links to the rest
before continuing southeast to S

nji

ng (p184) and LóngshŁng (p180). Spend of the Southwest and China.
four days visiting Gu�l�n (p154) and Y�ngshu� (p166) before travelling from
Gu�l�n to Kk
nm�ng in Yśnn�n to tour the province s highlights, including
Dąl�
(p257), L�ji

ng (p265) and X%2łshu

ngb�
nną (p324).
This compre- This extensive
Jiuzhaigou
hensive journey Nature route embraces
Reserve
takes you through many of the South-
Huanglong
National
Sx
ngpł
n
all of the drawcard Park west s highlights,
destinations in the while allowing for
Yangzi River
(Ch�ng Jił
ng)
Southwest, from S�CHU N a wide-ranging
CHÓNGQ�NG S�CHU N
Three
S�chu

n province tour of magnificent
CH�NGDż CH�NGDż
Gorges
L�itł
n
Kł
ngd�ng
to Yśnn�n. You L�t�ng Yśnn�n province
Dązś
�m�i Shł
n
�m�i Shł
n
will experience the and providing
LŁshł
n
W�lóng LŁshł
n
CHÓNGQ�NG
Xił
ngch�ng
thrilling diversity options for adven-
Ch�shu�
of scenic Jiuzhai- turous detours.
Shangri-la
Lugu Lake
GU�ZHąU
gou Nature The journey
Tiger Leaping
L�jił
ng Gorge
Reserve, the could be done in
GU�ZHąU
L�jił
ng
GU�Y�NG
minority villages of three weeks, but
Huangguoshu
Ka�l�
Dąl� Falls
Dąl�
Gu�zhM
u, the mind- Sł
njił
ng a month would
Xiąguł
n
Maling LóngshŁng Sł
njił
ng
(Dąl� City) LóngshŁng
Gorge
boggling landscape allow more time to
Gu�l�n
KĄnm�ng KĄnm�ng Gu�l�n
X�ngy�
Y�NN�N
Y�NN�N
of Y�ngshu� and explore the region.
Y�ngshu�
Y�ngshu�
the beauty of
GU! NGXą
Yśnn�n.
XąSHU NGB! NNĄ GU! NGXą
XąSHU NGB! NNĄ
18 ITINERARIES " " Roads Less Travelled ITINERARIES " " Roads Less Travelled 19
WESTERN S�CHU
N TO Y�NN�N Two to Three or Four Weeks/
ROADS LESS TRAVELLED K

ngd�ng to D�q%2łn
This magnificent route also begins in K

ngd�ng (p390) in western S�chu

n, but
leads onto the southern arm of the S�chu

n Tibet Hwy. Spend several days
WESTERN S�CHU
N & Two to Three Weeks/ sightseeing around K

ngd�ng before the eight-hour bus trip to the Tibetan
THE TIBETAN BORDERLANDS Ch�ngdk
to D�g� or Sęrxu (Sh�qś) town of L�
t�ng (p402). Spend several days here trekking in the hills and see the
Due to altitude, this trip through the west and northwest of S�chu

n should L�
t�ng section (p402) and the Health chapter (p499) for details about altitude
not be attempted during the big freeze from November to March and April, sickness. From L�
t�ng, either take a long, long bus journey to ł
t�ng (p405)
only during the warmer months of late spring or summer (and even then on the edges of western S�chu

n and Tibet, or head south towards Shangri-la
be fully prepared for sudden temperature drops). From Ch�ngdk
(p358) take (p287) in Yśnn�n via Xi

ngch�ng (p406). For some excellent trekking in the
a bus to K

ngd�ng (p387) in western S�chu

n and consider expeditions to magnificent Yading Nature Reserve (p407), go via Dąoch�ng (p407). Continue
its surrounding sights, such as the monastery of G�ngg

Gompa (p390), but south from Xi

ngch�ng to Shangri-la to spend several days exploring the
note that trekking around and climbing Gongga Mountain (G�ngg

Sh

n) sights. You can delve south to Jiąnchu

n (p274) from L�ji

ng (p265) to jump on
is strictly for experienced hikers and climbers; travelling in groups is also the bus to the time-locked caravan-route village of Sh

x%2ł (p277) and explore
highly advised. Return to K

ngd�ng and journey north to ń
nb

(p395) to little-visited Nu�dŁng (p248), or journey to B�
osh

n (p278) from L�ji

ng to
spend as long as you require discovering the landscape, strewn with Tibetan explore the village of Sh�tóuch�ng (p278), and even weigh up the exhilarating
villages, including ZhM
ng Lł Ząngzhąi Di

oqśn G�
y�zh�
(p396), Shu�
qi�
zi Ck
n (p397) three- or seven-day trek to Lugu Lake (p285). Alternatively, head north by bus
and the Qiang Watchtowers of SuM
pM
(p397). From ń
nb

, you could hop on to D�q%2łn (p294) and the truly wild north of Yśnn�n or consider the overland
a bus via the back route to the Tibetan villages around M�
 %1łrk

ng (p409) to journey to Lhasa in Tibet from Shangri-la (p291), but you will need to arrange
open up the wonders of northern S�chu

n (p409), or get a long-distance bus a tour and a permit for this. Flights also link Shangri-la and Lhasa.
to G

nz%2ł (p393) along the S�chu

n Tibet Hwy (northern route) and explore
the monasteries in the area. From G

nz%2ł, you can reach the cusp of Tibet at
D�g� (p400) via Manigango (p399), or journey up to Sęrxu (Sh�qś; p401) in the
northwest on the road to Q%2łngh�
i beyond.
Traversing the This rugged
wilds of western journey from
Sęrxu (Sh�qś)
S�chu

n, this western S�chu

n
Manigango
spectacular route to the north of
S�CHU N
D�g�
transports you M  : rkł
ng Yśnn�n, with a
Gł
nz�
Shu�qi zi CĄn
through astonish- Zhx
ng Lł Ząngzhąi diversion to the
Dił
oqśn G�y�zh� Qiang S�CHU N
Watchtowers CH�NGDż
ing mountain Dł
nbł
fringes of Tibet,
of Sux
px

Kł
ngd�ng L�t�ng
scenery to the is one of China s
Bł
t�ng
Kł
ngd�ng
Gongga G�nggł

Mountain Gompa
edges of Tibet most exhilarating
(7556m)
Dąoch�ng
Xił
ngch�ng
and north adventures. It can
Yading
D�q�n
Nature
towards Q%2łngh�
i. be done in two
Reserve
Shangri-la
Lugu
Sh�tóuch�ng
Lake
A two-week tour weeks, but three
B oshł
n
is possible, but weeks to a month
Jiąnchuł
n L�jił
ng
Shł
x�
try to allow more would allow a
Nu�dŁng
time to savour the more thorough
landscape and its expedition.
sheer potential for
Y�NN�N
adventure.
20 ITINERARIES " " Tailored Trips lonelyplanet.com
TAILORED TRIPS
THE TRADITIONAL VILLAGE & TOWN TOUR
From Gu�l�n (p154) visit Ji

ngtóuzhM
u (p164) in beautiful karst surroundings
and take a bus to Dąxk
(p165) on the Li River. Overnight amid the historic
architecture of Hu�ngy�o (p179), then explore Zhuang and Yao villages around
LóngshŁng (p180), Dong villages near S

nji

ng (p184), the lovely panorama
around D�h

ng (p214) and the ancient river town of FŁnghu�ng (p212). From
FŁnghu�ng backtrack to Hu�ihuą and take the train west to K�
il�
(p126)
in Gu�zhM
u province, via ZhŁnyu�
n s (p140) historic old town. From here
explore the region s minority villages  X%2łji

ng
(p130), L�ngd� (p130), Sh�qi�o (p131), the villages
around T�iji

ng (p132) and the ancient village of
Ląngzhx
ng
Luódąi Lóngl�
(p133). Take the train to Gu�y�ng (p101) to
Hu�nglóng Xi
visit the Ming town of Q%2łngy�n (p108) before con-
Kł
ngd�ng
L�itł
n
Ciqikou tinuing north to Chóngq�ng (p436) where you can
Chóngq�ng
Ancient
D�hł
ng
Town admire Ciqikou Ancient Town (p443) and journey to
FŁnghu�ng
the historic walled village of L�it

n (p456). From
ZhŁnyu n
Chóngq�ng head northwest to Ch�ngdk
(p358) in
Gu�y�ng K il�
Q�ngy�n LóngshŁng
S�chu

n and daytrip to the Hakka village of Luódąi
Jił
ngtóuzh
Sł
njił
ng
Gu�l�n
(p371), or riverside town of Hu�nglóng X%2ł (p372).
DąxĄ
Hu�ngy�o
Travel to LąngzhM
ng (p376), northeast of Ch�ngdk
,
to explore its old town. From Ch�ngdk
, tackle
the S�chu

n Tibet Hwy (p387) west of K

ngd�ng
(p387)  scenically littered with Tibetan villages
and stupendous scenery.
SCENIC SENSATION ROUTE
From Gu�l�n (p154) journey to LóngshŁng (p180) and Y�ngshu� (p166), and stay
several days amid the stupendous karst setting. From N�nn�ng travel to Detian
Waterfall (p208), close to the Vietnam border. Backtrack to N�nn�ng and fly
or take the train to Gu�y�ng (p101) before busing over to the breathtaking
Huangguoshu Falls (p115) and continuing on to X%2łngy� and Maling Gorge (p124).
If it s spring, make a beeline for Luóp�ng (p302) in Yśnn�n, a short journey
from X%2łngy� s never-ending bright yellow fields. Continue to Kk
nm�ng
and down the southeast to the spectacular Yuanyang Rice Terraces (p323).
Return to Kk
nm�ng and journey to Xiągu

n (p242) and on to Liłkł (p297) for
treks along the Nujiang Valley (p297) or continue to L�ji

ng (p265) for a trek
through Tiger Leaping Gorge (p281), with views of
Yłlóng Xu%1łsh

n (p274). Near L�ji

ng is Lugu Lake
Jiuzhaigou NR
(p285) and the stunning sights around Shangri-la
(p287). D�q%2łn (p294), Kawa Karpo Mountain (p296)
Three
Ch�ngdĄ
and Mingyong Glacier (p295) lie further north still
Kawa Karpo
Gorges
Mountain
towards Tibet. Bus travel to Yading Nature Reserve
Mingyong
Hailuogou Glacier Park
Glacier
Dąoch�ng
(p407) via Dąoch�ng (p407) in S�chu

n is possible
D�q�n
Yading NR
Shangri-la
Lugu Lake from Shangri-la, as are buses to Ch�ngdk
(p358)
Nujiang
Yłlóng Xu: shł
n
Valley
via K

ngd�ng and Hailuogou Glacier Park (p392)
Huangguoshu Falls
Liłkł
and the options along the S�chu

n Tibet Hwy.
Xiąguł
n LóngshŁng
Maling Gorge
Gu�y�ng
Gu�l�n
Alternatively, from Kk
nm�ng fly to Ch�ngdk
to
Tiger Luóp�ng
Y�ngshu�
Leaping
take a trip to Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve (p415), then
Gorge
Detian Waterfall
Yuanyang sail through the magnificent Three Gorges (p458)
Rice Terraces
from Chóngq�ng to Y�ch

ng; here flights, buses
and planes connect with the rest of China.
� Lonely Planet Publications
4 5
On the Road
DAMIAN HARPER
Coordinating Author
January at the Dragon s Backbone
Rice Terraces outside LóngshŁng
frequently sees the fantastic land-
scape swathed in copious mists.
The winter views may be a bit
touch and go, but the cloud cover
has a silver lining: there s hardly
anyone else about.
EIL�S QUINN
Dozens of bags and a half dozen
mangy, sheep-sized dogs crowded
the aisles of the L�
t�ng ł
t�ng
bus. Tibetan villagers hoisted a de-
� Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
capitated yak on the roof, carried
restricted. In return, we think it s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
the head inside and dropped it in
the only clear space  between only. In other words, please don t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
my feet. To their amusement, I
everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying
spent the rest of the trip battling
the above -  Do the right thing with our content.
all six dogs for their dinner. When
we finally arrived in ł
t�ng at
10pm that night it was one of the
happiest days of my entire trip.
THOMAS HUHTI
TIENLON HO Stop number one, legs aren t
Flying about 30 stories above ready for the up-and-down of
the surface of the Wu River mountain walking with even a
in W�
lóng is wildly exhilarat- day pack, so this is the typical
ing, especially when you re pose: exhausted-but-don t-sit-
zipping along cables that are on-the-pig-poop. B�
osh

n is
squeaking like a baby elephant. such an extraordinary place.
Immediately after this photo I could have sat there all day,
was taken, I gracelessly crash- but then a pony train came
landed into a pile of mattresses. along and made me move.
KORINA MILLER
I m in the remote and very frozen
town of Tóngr�n, Gu�zhM
u and
have just rounded a bend in a
lane to run headlong into a pa-
rade in full swing, complete with
a 20-person dragon. I m instantly
plied with sweets, hello-hello-hel-
los and big grins  it s not hard
to get into that festive spirit in
Southwest China.
See full author bios page 513