Highlights

- Cultural discovery: Exotic Tibetan and Qiang villages, some of them are ranked as China's most beautiful ancient villages.
- Trekking in China's enchanting alpine mountains with peaks soaring to 6000 meters.
- Easy access: All destinations in this region are within a half day or day's journey from Chengdu, the capital of Southwest China.
- Isolation: Except several holiday weeks, most spots mentioned below are quiet, frequented only by independent travelers and few tourists in small groups.

A map of the region: click here.

Interesting spots

Qiang villages:

1. Luobo Zhai 罗卜寨 : the biggest and oldest Qiang village in China. Click here to view our guide.
2. Taoping Qiang Village 桃坪羌寨 : a mysterious ancient castle. Link: The Taoping Stronghold, Pictures of Taoping.
   Access: From Wenchuan, one can take a Lixian or Maerkang bus and drop off at Taoping Village. The village is set in a deep river valley enveloped by sheer mountains. Accommodations are available in the village.
3. Heihu Zhai 黑虎寨 : Qiang Tower museum. It is said that there are over 30 Qiang towers around Heihu Zhai, from 15 meters to 36 meters, built one thousand years ago. Link: The headwear of a local woman. Access: Travelers have to go first to Miaoxian 茂县 by bus and then take a taxi to Heihu Zhai.
4. Puxi Zhai 蒲溪寨： including a total of 10 Qiang villages, hidden in the deep mountains. Local people still speak Qiang language. Access: Between Lixian and Wenchuan, stop at Xuecheng, take a local taxi to the Puxi Zhai.

Things to see: Stone-fortress houses, connected by the roof as well as underground ditches for defense; the Stunning Qiang Towers.

Tibetan villages:

1. Zhuokeji, Songgang village near Maerkang.
2. Jiaju, Suopo, Zhonglu village near Danba, ranked as China's most beautiful ancient villages.
   

Alpine mountains:

1. Miyaluo Nature scenery 米亚罗 : famous for its amazing autumn colour. You can admire the scenery on the bus from Lixian to Miyaluo. Link: Map, photos and introduction in Chinese.
2. Mengtun River Valley 孟屯河谷 : Tibetan village, monastery, various trekking possibilities to the surrounding mountains for one or two days. Travellers can stay overnight at Xu's guest house 藏家文化接待中心 in Shangmeng village (Tel: 0837-6837011, 13540997267). There is a Mengtun Travel Service Center in Shangmeng offering basic accommodations (Tel. 0837-6837018). Both places organize treks. The former is much cleaner.
3. Sigunian Shan , the Four Maidens Mountain: 'the Queen of Sichuan's Mountains' or 'Alps of the East'.

Things to do: Horseback-riding, Trekking & Mountaineering.

Itineraries:

If you have only one week, you can go to Wenchuan 汶川 from Chengdu, and then Lixian 理县, Miyaluo米亚罗, and reach Maerkang 马尔康. Go further to Danba 丹巴 and turn back to Chengdu via Sigunang Shan.