Daocheng Yading Travel Guide 2026 — Sacred Peaks, Milk Lake & Trekking

What's inside this guide Bucket List · Highlights · Q&A · Itineraries · Attractions · Activities · Where to Stay · Food · Getting Around · Shopping · Practical Info · Day Trips · Tips · Background · Plan Your Trip

Daocheng Yading Bucket Listthe peaks, the lakes and the horse trails

Walk the Milk Lake trail

The 4,500-m milky lake beneath Xiannairi — the trekking goal of the valley, reached by boardwalk and horse trail.

Climb to the Five-Color Lake

The 600 stone steps above the Milk Lake to the jewel lake at 4,600 m — the highest walk of the park.

Ride the Luorong Pasture

The grazing meadows at the valley head — yaks, golden larch and the full trinity of peaks on the horse trail.

See the Chonggu meadows

The sacred meadows and the small monastery at the valley's foot — the classic first view of the peaks.

Drive the Haizi Mountain lakes

The 1,145 glacial lakes of the ridge between Daocheng and Litang — the strange, silent beauty of the plateau road.

Soak in the Rubuchaka springs

The mineral hot springs 3 km south-east of the county town, 43–70°C — the plateau's warmest evening.

Top Highlightswhat the last pure land does best

No.1
The sacred peakXiannairi at 6,032 m — the eastern guardian of the trinity, golden at dawn over the lakes.
No.2
The Milk LakeThe milky turquoise lake at 4,500 m beneath the peak — the trek's goal and the postcard of Yading.
No.3
The pasture meadowsLuorong's autumn gold and grazing yaks — the classic horse-trail view of the three peaks.
No.4
The high valleysThe trails between the sacred meadows and the peaks — the silence of the plateau.

Questions & Answerswhat travellers always ask about Daocheng Yading

When is the best time to visit Daocheng Yading?

September–October is the legend — golden larch against the snow peaks and clear skies. May–June brings the flower meadows; July–August is green and wetter; winter closes the high trails. The valley works at 3,700–4,600 m, so altitude planning matters more than the season.

How do the tickets and shuttles work?

The park ticket is RMB 150 (3 days, RMB 80 concession); the Longtongba–Zhaguanbeng shuttle is RMB 40 return, and the Chonggu–Luorong Pasture shuttle RMB 80 return. Horses from the pasture to the Milk Lake run about RMB 300 (4 h). The Gaden Festival of early July and the Yading Festival of September are the cultural extras.

How do I get there?

Fly to Daocheng Yading Airport — at 4,411 m the world's highest civil airport, daily flights from Chengdu — then an hour to the park. By coach: Chengdu's New South Gate runs a daily 10:00 coach (about 22 h, RMB 237, 028-85433609, sometimes suspended in winter); Kangding runs a daily 06:00 coach (RMB 129, 0836-2822211); Daocheng station sells next-day tickets 14:00–20:00 (0836-5728762). The county town sits at 3,740 m, Shangri-La town at 2,880 m — the sensible first night.

How much time do I need?

Three days is the classic plan: day one the Chonggu meadows and the sacred-meadow walks; day two the Milk Lake and Five-Color Lake trek; day three the countryside drives or a second high-lake walk. Two days covers the icons by shuttle and horse.

Is the altitude dangerous?

The valley floor is 3,700–4,100 m and the lakes reach 4,600 m — most visitors feel the altitude. Sleep first at Shangri-La town (2,880 m) or the county town, walk slowly, drink water, and carry the plateau herbs; the climbs are long but non-technical.

Can I book my Yading trip through ToursChinaTravel?

Yes — email [email protected] or message us on WhatsApp. Our team arranges the flights or coaches, the park tickets, the shuttles, a guide and the acclimatisation hotels, free of charge and without obligation.

Sample Itinerariesthe valley, the lakes and the plateau drives

Daocheng Yading Classic 3-Day Tour

The sacred meadows, the Milk Lake trek and the countryside — the full pure land. View the plan →

Day 1

Arrive and acclimatise — fly to the 4,411-m airport or coach in; afternoon the county town or Shangri-La town at 2,880 m; evening the Rubuchaka hot springs.

Day 2

Into the park — the Chonggu Temple and the sacred meadows, the Luorong Pasture by shuttle, and the boardwalk lakes of the lower valley.

Day 3

The Milk Lake and Five-Color Lake trek by horse and foot, then the return coach or flight.

Daocheng Yading Trekker 2-Day Tour

The high lakes and the pasture — the trekkers’ circuit without the third day. View the plan →

Day 1

Into the park — the sacred meadows and the Luorong Pasture; the first views of the trinity.

Day 2

Dawn start for the Milk Lake and the Five-Color Lake, then the shuttle out and the coach home.

All plans are bookable end-to-end by our team — see the full day-by-day Daocheng Yading itineraries hub, or the day-trip pages for single-day options.

Top Attractionstickets, hours, transport & insider tips

Xiannairi (Goddess of Mercy Peak)

The 6,032-metre eastern guardian of the Three Sacred Peaks — golden at dawn over the lakes, the most beautiful of the trinity.

Included · Park hours · Peak · Sacred

View details →

Milk Lake (Niu Nai Hai)

The milky turquoise lake at 4,500 m beneath Xiannairi — the trek's goal, reached by the horse trail and the boardwalk.

Included · Park hours · Lake · Trekking

View details →

Five-Color Lake (Wuse Hai)

The 4,600-metre lake of shifting jewel colours — 600 stone steps above the Milk Lake, the highest walk of the park.

Included · Park hours · Lake · Alpine

View details →

Luorong Pasture

The grazing meadows at the head of the valley — yaks, golden larch and the full trinity, reached by the RMB 80 shuttle or the horse trail.

Shuttle extra · Park hours · Meadow · Horses

View details →

Yangmaiyong (Wisdom Peak)

The 5,958-metre peak of the south — the sharpest of the three, seen whole from the lower valley trails.

Included · Park hours · Peak · Sacred

View details →

Chonggu Temple & the sacred meadows

The small Tibetan monastery at the valley's head and the flat meadows where the peaks first appear — the classic first view.

Included · Park hours · Monastery · Meadows

View details →

More in the region on the Sichuan attractions page.

Activities & Festivalstreks, horse trails and plateau festivals

The Milk Lake trek

The classic day — shuttle to the pasture, horse to the lake foot, then the boardwalk and the 600 steps to the Five-Color Lake.

The Gaden Festival (early July)

The Tibetan festival of Daocheng town — horse racing, archery and the song of the plateau (0836-5728276).

The Rubuchaka hot springs

The mineral pools 3 km south-east of the county town, 43–70°C — the warmest evening of the plateau.

The Yading Festival (September–October)

The autumn festival of the valley — the culture of the Tibetan plateau at its golden hour.

Where to Stayacclimatise low, sleep high in style

Every hotel below is bookable by our team; browse the full Sichuan hotels directory.

Shangri-La town (2,880 m)

The acclimatisation base of the region — hotels from the county-town standard to the new lodges, the recommended first night.

Book: Sichuan hotels · or email [email protected]

Daocheng county (3,740 m)

Hot Spring Hotel (0836-5727522, RMB 260 off-peak / 880 peak) and the Daocheng International Youth Hostel (0836-5727772, RMB 100 double / 30 bed off-peak) — the classic base.

Book: Sichuan hotels · or email [email protected]

Yading village (3,700 m)

The park's village sleep — Nature Camp Yading (0836-5727186) and the family guesthouses, the dawn-start base.

Book: Sichuan hotels · or email [email protected]

Shengting Yading Hotel

The comfortable hotel of the region (0836-5721999, from RMB 350 off-peak) — the dependable middle.

Book: Sichuan hotels · or email [email protected]

Food & Restaurantstsampa, yak and the plateau table

Dried wind meat & yak dishes

The air-dried yak of the plateau — the travelling protein of the trails.

Matsutake stewed chicken

The pine-mushroom chicken of the plateau kitchens — the gourmet pot of the season.

Butter tea & tsampa

The Tibetan staples — the salty tea and the roasted-barley flour of the villages.

Plateau vegetables & herbs

The hardy greens and the alpine herbs of the county markets.

Shopping & Souvenirsherbs and the crafts of the plateau

Snow lotus & fritillaria

The alpine medicinal flowers of the Yading slopes — the traditional pharmacy of the plateau.

Matsutake mushrooms

The region's pine mushrooms, fresh in season or dried for travel.

Ginseng fruit (renshen guo)

The plateau's wild fruit of the high meadows — the small sweet of the county markets.

Tibetan crafts & prayer flags

The silver, the prayer flags and the woven goods of the Daocheng stalls.

Full local-product guides live on the Sichuan specialties page.

Getting There & Aroundthe world's highest airport and the coach roads

By air

Fly to Daocheng Yading Airport

At 4,411 m the world's highest civil airport — daily flights from Chengdu, then about an hour by road to the park.

By coach

By coach from Chengdu

The New South Gate runs a daily 10:00 coach (about 22 h, RMB 237, 028-85433609) — sometimes suspended in winter; the Kangding coach (06:00 daily, RMB 129, 0836-2822211) shortens the road.

Getting around From Daocheng town

From Daocheng town

The county station sells next-day tickets 14:00–20:00 (0836-5728762); shared taxis to the park run about RMB 50 per seat.

Day Trips From Daocheng Yadingthe red grassland, the old temples and the countryside

Sangdui red grassland & the stupas (1 day)

The crimson meadows of early October, the white Buddha stupa and the plateau light — the classic Daocheng drive.

Bangpu Temple & Zhaji Temple (1 day)

The old temples of the Daocheng plains — prayer halls, monks and the countryside between.

Haizi Mountain & the high lakes (1 day)

The 1,145 glacial lakes of the Haizi Mountain ridge — the moonscape drive between Daocheng and Litang.

Travel Tipsthings to remember

1 · Sleep low on the first night

Shangri-La town at 2,880 m, not the 3,700-m village, on the first night — the acclimatisation decides the trek.

2 · The horses book early

The pasture horses sell out by mid-morning in season — arrive at the park gate by 08:00 or book through our team.

3 · The steps are the test

The 600 steps above the Milk Lake climb 100 m — go slowly, breathe, and the Five-Color Lake is the reward.

4 · October books everything

The golden fortnight of October fills the flights, the coaches and the hotels weeks ahead — plan early.

5 · Carry the herbs and the water

The plateau herbs and constant water make the 4,600-m walks kinder — the valley pharmacy is real.

Background & Historythe pure land of the three bodhisattvas

Geography & climate

The Yading valley lies in the Daocheng county of western Sichuan, 750 km from Chengdu — three sacred peaks between 5,958 and 6,032 m around alpine lakes at 3,700–4,600 m, on the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

A brief history

The valley has been sacred to Tibetan Buddhism for centuries — the peaks embody the three bodhisattvas of mercy, wisdom and strength. The region opened to organised tourism in the 1990s, and the golden autumns have made it the pilgrimage of the Chinese hiking world.

The culture of the valley

The Tibetan villages, the Gaden and Yading festivals, the horse culture and the prayer flags of the passes carry the plateau's life — the 'last pure land' is still a lived landscape.

Plan Your Daocheng Yading Tripattractions, hotels, flights and specialties — all in one place

Everything on ToursChinaTravel is bookable through our team by email or WhatsApp. Here's where each part of your Daocheng Yading trip lives on the site.

Daocheng Yading Travel Guide — the last pure land on the blue planet

Daocheng Yading Bucket Listthe peaks, the lakes and the horse trails

Walk the Milk Lake trail

Climb to the Five-Color Lake

Ride the Luorong Pasture

See the Chonggu meadows

Drive the Haizi Mountain lakes

Soak in the Rubuchaka springs

Top Highlightswhat the last pure land does best

The sacred peak

The Milk Lake

The pasture meadows

The high valleys

Questions & Answerswhat travellers always ask about Daocheng Yading

When is the best time to visit Daocheng Yading?

How do the tickets and shuttles work?

How do I get there?

How much time do I need?

Is the altitude dangerous?

Can I book my Yading trip through ToursChinaTravel?

Sample Itinerariesthe valley, the lakes and the plateau drives

Top Attractionstickets, hours, transport & insider tips

Activities & Festivalstreks, horse trails and plateau festivals

The Milk Lake trek

The Gaden Festival (early July)

The Rubuchaka hot springs

The Yading Festival (September–October)

Where to Stayacclimatise low, sleep high in style

Shangri-La town (2,880 m)

Daocheng county (3,740 m)

Yading village (3,700 m)

Shengting Yading Hotel

Food & Restaurantstsampa, yak and the plateau table

Dried wind meat & yak dishes

Matsutake stewed chicken

Butter tea & tsampa

Plateau vegetables & herbs

Shopping & Souvenirsherbs and the crafts of the plateau

Snow lotus & fritillaria

Matsutake mushrooms

Ginseng fruit (renshen guo)

Tibetan crafts & prayer flags

Getting There & Aroundthe world's highest airport and the coach roads

Fly to Daocheng Yading Airport

By coach from Chengdu

From Daocheng town

Day Trips From Daocheng Yadingthe red grassland, the old temples and the countryside

Travel Tipsthings to remember

1 · Sleep low on the first night

2 · The horses book early

3 · The steps are the test

4 · October books everything

5 · Carry the herbs and the water

Background & Historythe pure land of the three bodhisattvas

Geography & climate

A brief history

The culture of the valley

Plan Your Daocheng Yading Tripattractions, hotels, flights and specialties — all in one place