Following the footsteps of Joseph Rock: Trek from Lugu Lake to Yading

Day 1 Lijiang

Lijiang arrival, transfer to hotel.
Overnight: Lijiang

Day 2 Lijiang – Lugu Lake (B, L, D)

– Lugu Lake (a high mountain plateau lake, one of the most spectacular of all China’s natural spots and is remarkably well preserved and maintained.)

Day 3 Lugu Lake – Lijiazui (B, L, D)

– Yongning Hot Spring (a must-go place for many travelers to Lugu Lake, located in a peaceful and tranquil mountain bend, can bathe in any season.)
– LiJiaZui Village(a small village set in a valley surrounded with greenery.)

Day 4 Lijiazui – Yangpeng (B, L, D)

– Yangpeng (a small village, located in Lufang Township, Qiaojia County, Zhaotong City.)

Day 5 Yangpeng – Rangeland (B, L, D)

– Quer Yak-shed
– Cixi Yak-shed
– Cixi Mountain Pass (where could admire a fantastic view of the entire valley.)
– the Old Rangeland (where all of the inhabitants are nomads who are quite hospitable.)

Day 6 Rangeland – Quer (B, L, D)

– Quer
– Quer Mountain Pass
– Mount Quer

Day 7 Quer – Qiongyin (B, L, D)

– Qiongyin Village (a small, isolated village, located in the river bank down in the valley. It has elements of a typical Shangri-La style. )

Day 8 Qiongyin – Ludu (B, L, D)

– Qiongyin Mountain Pass (have open views of the mountains in the distance.)
– Ludu Village (another small village on halfway towards the bottom of the valley.)

Day 9 Ludu – Gold Mine (B, L, D)

– Tongtian River (a muddy river with dirt, located in the Luoshui River Valley.)
– the Gold Mine (Jinkuang) (It used to be a lush gold mine years ago but has been exploited by years of mining. Houses left unattended at the bank of the river were used as their habitats during the former thriving gold-rush. But still some have left to find the less and less gold left here.)

Day 10 Gold Mine – Galu (B, L, D)

– the White Water River (a whitewater stream, where can get first glance of the Chenadorje Peak.)
– Galu Village (a big Tibetan village.)

Day 11 Galu – Galu Ranch (B, L, D)

– Galu Ranch (a ranch with snow mountains and rocks instead of green forest in all direction.)

Day 12 Galu Ranch – Luorong (B, L, D)

– Risa Mountain Pass (altitude 4776m, ahead on the left there are a few peaks standing for powerful and wrathful Wheel of Time, Horse-necked Protector and Lion-headed Dakini.)
– Luorong Pasture (the first place in the Reserve where the 3 holy peaks can be viewed, surrounded by the three holy mountains and crossed by the Gongga River.)
– Chanadorje high-pass (altitude 4900m, should be aware of the strong wind at the pass.)
– Chenresig (Xianairi Mountain) (the summit of Xianairi Mountain covered with snow all year long, shaped like a huge Buddha with his body lay towards back and embraced a pyramids shaped small snow-capped hill.)
– Jambeyang (‘a truncated pyramid’, one of the Three Sacred Peaks of Konkaling, rises almost 2000 meters at the upper end of the valley.)

Day 13 Luorong – Yading (B, L, D)

– Tshonggo Gompa (Chonggu Monastery) (an old Tibetan temple once Joseph Rock had stayed here during his expedition from Lijiang to Yading in the early 20th century.)
– Chenresig (Xianairi Mountain) (the summit of Xianairi Mountain covered with snow all year long, shaped like a huge Buddha with his body lay towards back and embraced a pyramids shaped small snow-capped hill.)
– Jambeyang (‘a truncated pyramid’, one of the Three Sacred Peaks of Konkaling, rises almost 2000 meters at the upper end of the valley.)

Day 14 Yading – Litang (B, L, D)

– Mt. Haizi Shan (As the largest ancient glacier heritage in Qinghai – Tibetan Plateau, it’s known as “The Ancient Ice Cap of Daocheng”, “Mountain with Thousand Lakes”.)
– Bangpu Temple (the oldest temple in Daocheng, which has over 900 years history.)
– Litang Monastery (the most important Gelugpa establishment in Kham, a huge complex overlooking the valley.)

Day 15 Litang – Xinduqiao (B, L, D)

– Yajiang County (built on a steep slope of a mountain by Yarlong River, the comfortable climate and the most charming scenery draw a bustling crowd to Yajiang County. )
– Xinduqiao (about 3,300 meters above sea level, and is located on the South of 318 National Road in Kangding county, it is a traveler highlight known as “the photographer’s corridor”.)
-Tsedo Mountain (considered to be the “Paradise of Photography” by many Chinese photographers due to its amazing pristine scenery.)

Day 16 Xinduqiao – Danba (B, L, D)

– the Lamasery Tagong Monastery (a well-known landmark of the Sakya Sect. Also called Lhagang Gompa, this monastery is said to date back more than 1,000 years.)
– Jiaju Village (one of the rare places in China that has preserved complete Tibetan style residences.)

Day 17 Danda – Chengdu (B, L)

– Suopo Township (composed of several villages perched on the mountain slopes facing west by the east side of Dadu River Valley.)

Day 18 Chengdu (B)

End the journey.