My Epic 5-Day Western Sichuan Adventure (No Altitude Sickness!)
Just wrapped up an incredible 5-day trip through Western Sichuan, costing around 19 million VND in total. I started in Chengdu, where I spent a couple of days exploring on my own before booking a land tour.
While the land tour felt a bit pricey compared to the local average, it was worth every penny!
Day-by-Day Breakdown:
Day 1: Chengdu - Route 318 - Honghaizi Lake - Yuzixi - Gediram - Xinduqiao
- We kicked off from Chengdu and headed straight for Honghaizi Lake (30 yuan entry).
- Next, we explored Yuzixi (another 30 yuan entry).
- Gediram was a free stop.
- We ended the day in Xinduqiao, where we spent the night.
Day 2: Xinduqiao - Jiagenba - Gongga Mountain - Xinduqiao
- Day two took us to Jiagenba, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch at a local camping spot (99 yuan per person).
- Then it was on to breathtaking Gongga Mountain (30 yuan entry).
- We returned to Xinduqiao for another night.
Day 3: Xinduqiao - Tagong - Muya Temple - Small Seda - Small Xinjiang/Balangshengdu Yuniao - Yala - Xinduqiao
- Tagong was a photographer's dream! I rented a traditional outfit for photos, including makeup and styling (398 yuan).
- We visited Muya Temple and then ventured to Small Seda.
- Next up, Small Xinjiang/Balangshengdu Yuniao (free entry, but I spent 50 yuan renting a horse).
- We ended the day at Yala (30 yuan) before heading back to Xinduqiao for a bonfire night.
Day 4: Xinduqiao - Moshi Park - Gunong Village - Siguniang
- Moshi Park was a free stop.
- We briefly visited Gunong Village (entry was either 10 or 30 yuan, I can't quite remember!). It was mostly grassland, and since it was raining, we only stayed for a few minutes before moving on to Siguniang, where we spent the night.
Day 5: Siguniang - Siguniang Shuangqiaogou - Chengdu
- Our final day was dedicated to exploring Siguniang Shuangqiaogou (student ticket was 110 yuan).
- Then it was back to Chengdu!
There were only three of us in the vehicle, including the driver, so we had plenty of space and comfort. I was worried about rain and fog ruining the views, but luckily, the weather was mostly great throughout the trip, except for the last two days.
I didn't experience any severe altitude sickness, just a mild headache. It's definitely important to be prepared, as you'll be ascending to high altitudes quickly – our first stop from Chengdu was Honghaizi Lake at 4200m! Places like the Yala observation deck and Gongga also reach around 4700m, and we slept in Xinduqiao at 3800m. Even our car struggled with the altitude on some of the mountain passes!
Even in summer, pack a windbreaker. It can get chilly with the rain and strong winds at higher altitudes.
Food was reasonably priced; I probably spent around 100-200k VND per day on meals. I'm not a picky eater, so as long as it was edible, I was happy! I surprisingly didn't feel very hungry during the trip, sometimes even skipping dinner.
The scenery is simply stunning, as you can see from the photos. I will definitely return to Western Sichuan in the fall!
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