Questions and Answers about Daocheng

Hi,

I am from Sydney, Australia, or commonly known as OZ or Down Under. I came across your Website on the KhamAid website. I am sponsoring a young girl via KhamAid in Kham for her secondary education. So i look at KhamAid website now and then just to see how things going. I saw your posting on its website.

Last year between 15/10-3/11, we took a trip to China from Sydney. We went to Bangok-Kunming-Dali-Lijiang-Chendu-JiuZhaigou-HuangLong-EmeiShan-Chendu-Kunming-Bangkok. It was most enjoyable trip, especially to JiuZhaigou. We had a group of 19 of friends and family members. Since then, I have been planning for another trip to China. I have never been to the "tourist spots' such as Xian, Guilin, Great wall, Peking, etc etc etc. Too many tourists, I prefer a more quiet spot and I came across Yading and KhamAid. So I am a planning for a trip to Yading next year. So your website has come at a very good time for me. Let me compliment you on the photos you took and the journal you wrote. They are beautiful and excellent. They really make me want to go although I know it will be a much harder trip than the one we did last year to Jiuzhaigou.

Can I ask you some questions?

1. Your trip was 7 days only, was it very tiring?
2. Who organised it?
3. Why did the northern route was taken? rather than Chendu - Kangding - Litang - Daocheng?
4. Did you stay tent in Daocheng and Yading? How comfortable was the tent?
5. How hard was it to do the Yading Reserve in one day? How much trekking? How much on horse back? Any really high and dangerous trek?

The trip that i am planning will also be in Oct, may be after 10/10 to avoid the rush. many thanks for you attention

Mail from: Phin Tjhai Mail to: Jian Shuo Wang Published with permission from Phin Tjhai

Hi Phin,

Thanks for writing to me and it is the first time I got a long email from Australia. I have a English teacher coming from Australia and heard a lot of the country.

It is very kind of you to sponsor a girl in Kham. It must be very helpful and will change the life of the girl, whcih is great. Personally, I believe the best sceneries exist in Sichuan and Yunnan area. Your trip will proof that. I agree with you that it is better than in Xi'an and other "interest spot".

 I'd like to answer your questions one by one based on the experience I had.

1. Your trip was 7 days only, was it very tiring?

A: I believe you need to spend 10 days if you are going to Yading. It will be better if you take longer time. There are lot of wonderful mountains and interesting towns along the way from Chengdu to Yading. For exmaple, you can stay in Mount. Siguniang (or Mt. Four-Ladies) and stay in Daocheng for longer time to get acclimated to the high altitude. Our trip was planned as 7 days since I only have 7 days during the holiday. It took 3 day's bus trip to Yading, spent one day in Yading and returned in three days. It will be better if you hire a smaller car, it will be faster and you will reach Daocheng in one day - we were using a 24 seat large bus. It is certainly tired and too hurry to go instead of enjoying the magnificent scene.

2. Who organised it?

A: We were trying to go there by ourselves - me and my girl friend. But we changed our mind and joined an organized tour by a travel agent. It seems to be a very good choice since it may take longer time if we go there by ourselves. There are hardly no direct routes from Chengdu to Daocheng. I have to transit at Kangding or Mt. Sigunian. The travel Agent is called "Nature" http://www.ertour.com/ - Chinese website only. Its telephone number is +86-28-86635758 or 86258787. Be prepared they may not be able to speak Enlgish. I rate this agent 3 out of 5. It is so-so and I will NOT recommendate this agency to my friend. Try China Youth Travel Services (http://www.go4356.com/) I have no experience with them yet, but they have a better reputation and are among the largest travel services.

3. Why did the northern route was taken? rather than Chendu-Kangding-Litang-Daocheng?

A: The road contidition was very bad when we went there. Most of the roads are under construction. For the South Route, due to the Mt. Erlong Tunnel, there is a tight traffic control. It opens only for one direction for cerntain time. On the day when we started, it allows only traffic from Daocheng to Chengdu. We choosed the north route. It is about 100 KM longer, but the road condition is better and we don't need to wait for the tunnel to open.

4. Did you stay tent in Daocheng and Yading? How comfortable was the tent?

A. For the first day, we stayed in wood house. It is good. The next day, we stayed in tent. It is not comfortable at all, but it is exciting. You can take a look at the tent at http://www.ertour.com/ydyd.htm

5. How hard was it to do the Yading Reserve in one day? How much trekking? How much on horse back? Any really high and dangerous trek?

A: It is not hard at all. Most of the time, you will be on horse back. You don't need to walk unless you walk around to find better angel to take pictures. If you likes to walk, there is no limitation though. The only required walk is from Lake Pearl down since it is too dangerous to ride the horse down the mountain. Typically, people only reach Luorong Cattle Field and return. There are further areas like Five-Color (Wuse) Lake and Milk Lake insides the mountains. Horses cannot reach and you need to walk. You can see cuanyu's photo about it http://www.wangjianshuo.com/personal/places/daocheng/cuanyu/. You will find a lot of articles about trekking around the three holy mountains. It may takes two weeks to get around one mountain. I believe it is the most interesting tour. But I didn't have time to give it a try yet. Hope the information is helpful. Let me know more about your trip and I will be interested to know.

Jian Shuo Wang

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