Mountain and trekking route
Trekking from Yilhun Lhatso to Dege in Kham
Tailor-made private Sichuan route following Chengdu - Baoxing - Danba - Dawu - Luhuo - Garze - Manigango for mountain scenery and active travel, shaped around season, walking level, transfers and practical margins.
We shape the route around your dates, pace and comfort level before preparing the proposal.
Choose with confidence
Picture the route before asking for a proposal.
Follow the route rhythm, landscapes and travel moments first. If this feels like the China you want, we shape the dates, pace, hotels, transport and special interests around your group.
What you will see
Landscapes, culture, local life, food moments or active experiences are tied to real stops.
How the pace feels
Driving time, walking time, rest time and hotel location decide whether the route feels smooth.
How it can change
Keep, remove or extend days before we prepare your tailor-made proposal.
Route fit
For western Sichuan depth, photography and highland culture.
You want Tibetan villages, grasslands, monasteries, snow mountains and slower remote days.
You need luxury comfort every night or want the shortest possible transfers.
Highlights
- Chengdu
- Baoxing
- Danba
- Dawu
- Luhuo
- Garze
Planning focus
Western Sichuan needs margins, not rushed days.
We check road conditions, weather windows, lodging level, walking comfort and highland pace before building the final route.
Route at a glance
See the sequence before the details.
This quick route view helps you understand the order of stops, where the journey slows down and what we check before the final proposal.
Route sequence
Season and roads
Roads, mountain weather, festivals and scenery windows change the best version of the route.
Daily pace
Driving time, rest time and hotel location decide whether the route feels smooth.
Itinerary rhythm
What each day can feel like
The day-by-day view shows the main stops, travel rhythm and moments that make the route worth choosing. Before confirmation, we recheck season, timing, transfers and local services.
Danba – Bamei – Dawu – Luhuo
In Luhuo visit of Trango Monastery (Shouling Si). Then drive to Garze, the real cultural and religious center for the Tibetans living in Sichuan. In Tibetan "Garze" means "white and beauty", named after the famous temple in the county. On the way have a rest by the Kasa Lake.
Luhuo – Kasa Lake – Garze
In the morning visit of Garze monastery of yellow sect (Gelug). The temple was built in 1552. Afterwards pass by Manigango to visit Xinlu Hai Lake (Yilhun Lhatso), located at the foot of Chola Mountain (Que’er Shan, 6168 m). It is 4040 meters over the sea level, with an average depth of 10 meters and a maximum depth of 15 meters. There are plateau spruces, firs, Chinese weeping cypresses, azalea trees and meadows around the lake. It is also a preserve for wild animals like white-lippe
Garze – Yilhun Lhatso
Today we say goodbye to the lake Yilhun Lhatso (Xinlu Hai Lake). Trek on the grassland along the river for about one hour and then enter a narrow valley. While walking along the brook, the altitude rises gradually. On the way, pass by some wickiups of the nomads, who move with their cattle following the season. After a simple lunch, keep on walking until arriving to Dzen Tso, a beautiful small lake where we set up our camp (4325 m). (Trekking about 6 hours). Camping D
Trekking Yilhun Lhatso – Dzen Tso Lake
Walk upward along the loose, narrow road. About 30 minutes later, give a last look to the blue lake and our campsite. Keep on walking upward and finally reach Dzen La pass, about 5000 meters over sea level, the highest point of this route. The scenery is wonderful! Walk down the mountain slope and descend the Ting Chu valley. Set up our campsite on the grassland by the river (4250 m). (Trekking about 5 hours).
Trekking Dzen Tso – Dzen La – Ting Chu Valley
Walk along the clear Ting Chu River. You will see a monastery on the other bank of the river standing on a grand slope. But no way to get across the river. On the way, there is a hot spring. The water temperature is hot enough so that you can take a comfortable bath. At last, we settle ourselves on the grassland by the river (3980 m). (Trekking about 6 hours).
Trekking through Ting Chu River
After walking for 20 minutes, we see two stupas and prayer flags just in the midst of the way. The road before merges into the river and we cross the river over a simple wooden bridge. The bushes grow big, as tall as trees. Meet some Tibetan girls, who are looking for medicinal herbs. When walking through the valley, the altitude reduces greatly and bushes change into pines. Pass by a Tibetan village and turn right up the mountain. Anyhow, the slope is not so lo
Trekking Ting Chu – Redak La – Meshuo Valley
Walk down through the small narrow valley and soon we see a village. Strangely, we see no people and the small temple lies lonely. Keep on walking and we see a highway for the first time during the trip. Get across a bridge and walk along the dirt highway for about 1 hour to reach Dama village, where we start walking up toward Rongmei. The turbulent brook through the valley will impress you deeply. At last we set up our camp in a small grassland by the brook (3850 m
Trekking Meshuo – Dama Village – Rongmei
Walk upward through forests, meadows and villages. About two hours later, we see the shocking Rongmei Kamo, a secrete meditation center built on a steep hill. No visitors are allowed to enter. The colorful prayer flags at the foot of the hill flow in the winds, and remind you of the ancient battlefields. It is said Padmasambhava from India the founder of the Nyingma Sect once practiced Buddhism in the meditative caves there. K
Trekking Rongmei – Rongmei Kamo Pass (4680 m) – Dzongsa Monastery – Dama Village
Though today’s journey is long and tiring, the scenery of the forest, valley, brook, snow mountain and meadow on the way is beautiful and impressive. People may be worried of the destruction of the natural environment when they see piles of timber by the river, workers transporting wood by water and wood processing factory. Cross through the tall bushes growing in the brook and the broad grassland dotted with cattle and nomads, finally set up our camp (3755 m) at the foot of a smal
Trekking Dama – Campsite
Trek downhill for about one hour and reach Qietexi village located at the foot of the Pelpung Monastery (3850 m, Babang). Pelpung was built in 1717 and is the largest monastery of Kargyu Sect in Dege area and famous for its Buddhist meditation center. Set up the camp nearby the temple. Have a break today. (Trekking about 2 hours).
Trekking Campsite – Pelpung Monastery (3850 m)
You will remember today4s trek your whole life. You will often think that you finally reach the summit, but soon find out that it is a bit further. It will help you not to lose hope. Say goodbye to the monastery and walk down and up the Go Ze La (4620). After get over the pass, walk down all the way. Pass by the Xiega Village and see the river again. Walk on the earth road along the river and meet the drivers waiting for us. Transfer to Dege c
Trekking Pelpung – Go Ze La – Xiega Village, drive Xiega – Dege
In the morning visit of Dege Printing House which has always been well reputed as the “Cultural Treasury at the Foot of the Snowy Mountain.” It is the biggest printing house in Tibetan area. Another program is the visit of Dege Gonchen, meaning “big temple”, a monastery of Sakya sect. It was built in 1448, today about 300 monks live there. We’ll visit the hospital of Tibetan Traditional Medicine.
Dege
Today drive along the Golden Sand River (Jinsha Jiang) the upper reaches of Yangtze to Pelyul (Baiyu). Pelyul is a small beautiful city by the river Ding Chu. Upon arrival visit of Pelyul Monastery (Baiyu Si) nearby the county seat. This famous Nyingma Sect monastery had played a great role in history and held many subsidiary temples.
Dege – Pelyul
Leave for Luhuo via Haizi Shan Pass (4237 m) and Garze. On the way appreciate the snowy mountains and vast grasslands.
Pelyul – Garze – Luhuo
Drive via Dawu (Daofu) and Bamei to Tagong, visit of Lhagang Monastery (Tagong Si) of Sayka Sect, which is surrounded by three hills symbolizing three Budhisattvas. It is said that the blessing of a reserved Jowo Shakyamuni image left by Wencheng Princess in this monastery to the pilgrims looks like that of seeing the Lhasa Jowo Shakyamuni image itself. From here looking into the distance, we can see the mountain Zhara Lhatse (5.820 m, also Jara or Yala)
Luhuo – Dawu – Bamei – Tagong – Xinduqiao – Kangding
Drive to Luding and crossing through the 4.1 km long tunnel of Mt. Erlang Shan to Yaan. Visit of Shangli ancient town and the Pandas in Bifengxia near Yaan. Drive along Chengdu-Yaan Express Way back to Chengdu.
Images help show the landscape and travel mood of the route. The exact hotel, vehicle, guide and timing are confirmed with your proposal.
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