Lijiang to Chengdu: A tentative itinerary

Replies: 15 - Last Post: 15-May-2007 07:00 Last Post By: philippe007

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philippe007

14-May-2007 04:36
Posts: 10

Lijiang to Chengdu: A tentative itinerary

Here is the tentative itinerary of my upcoming trip in the north of Yunnan and south-west of Sichuan. I am going to visit the north of Yunnan and then cross Shangri-La to see a bit of Tibetan Sichuan. I have more or less 17 days to make it (and enjoy) from Lijiang to Chengdu.

I live in China since January 2006, but still have not been able to make it. I am traveling with my girlfriend; we both are experienced but not hardcore backpackers, we love natural sceneries and trekking. We also speak and read Chinese. We are students and thus travel on a budget. This is our last trip in China (at least before a few years) and we are ready for some great adventure. So please tell me you think about the following plan (and also if the information is accurate).

Friday May 18
Fly from Nanjing to Kunming Afternoon in Kunming. Overnight bus to Lijiang. Departure around 8:00 PM, 125 RMB.

Saturday May 19
Arrival in Lijiang around 7:00 AM. Visit the old town.

Sunday May 20
Take the 7:00-9:00 AM bus to Qiaotou (2h, 15 RMB). Trek the Tiger Leaping Gorge.

Monday May 21
Tiger Leaping Gorge

Tuesday May 22
Bus (3h, about 25 RMB) to Zhongdian . Visit the old town and the Sumtselling Monastery.

Wednesday May 23
Take the 7:20 AM or 8:20 bus to Deqin (6h, 35 RMB). Visit Deqin and go to Feilaisi viewpoint to see the Meili Snow Mountains.

Thursday May 24
Trek around the Meili Snow Moutains .

Friday May 25
Return to Zhongdian (take the 7:30 AM or 8:30 bus, 6h, 35 RMB). Half a day in Zhongdian. Relax before the long next-day bus ride.

Saturday May 26
Take the bus to Daocheng (12h) or Xiangcheng(8h). Departure 7:00 AM, 100 RMB

Sunday May 27
Day around Daocheng or Xiangcheng

Monday May 28
Morning bus (4h) to Litang . Departure at 7:00 AM. Visit Litang.

Tuesday May 29
Day around Litang

Wednesday May 30
Bus (8h, 80 RMB) to Kangding . Departure at 7:00 AM.

Thursday May 31
Visit the Tagong Grasslands

Friday June 1
Tagong Grasslands. Return to Kangding in the evening.

Saturday June 2
Morning bus (8h, 125 RMB) to Chengdu . Already been there so we take the first train back to Nanjing.

Any suggestion?
Thanks a lot!

lugu

14-May-2007 09:29
Posts: 117

Unfortunately, both Deqin and Daocheng take more than a day to enjoy properly. For Deqin, you will need 3-7 days to trek, and for Dancheng (Yading), 2-3 days at least. Therefore, I think you will have to drop one of them. Also, I think you can save one day from Litang if time is tight. I also think that you should visit Tagong first before heading for Kangding so that you don't have to travel back and forth. You will have to figure out how to get your train tickets from Chengdu.

chengdude

14-May-2007 18:27
Posts: 664

I agree with lugu:

Quote
Wednesday May 23 - Take the 7:20 AM or 8:20 bus to Deqin (6h, 35 RMB). Visit Deqin and go to Feilaisi viewpoint to see the Meili Snow Mountains.

Thursday May 24 - Trek around the Meili Snow Moutains.

When your bus from Zhongdian arrives in Deqin, there will be a minibus or two waiting to take people to Feilaisi. You'll have enough daylight there to find a room, walk a bit around the area, and take in the sunset. The next day, you'll have time for a day trip to the Minyong Glacier, but certainly not enough to "trek around Meili Snow Mountains".

Quote
Sunday May 27 - Day around Daocheng or Xiangcheng

There's a cool monastery outside of Daocheng town and some nice Tibetan homes dotting the countryside, but nothing like the scenery in the Yading Reserve...if that's what you had in mind.

If natural scenery and trekking are what you're after, I'd consider dropping the time you've built in for Tagong and Litang and reapportioning it to either Daocheng (really, Yading Reserve) or Meili.

philippe007

14-May-2007 20:54
Posts: 10

I'll probably drop the day in Litang.

We are looking for a few days of trekking and scenery, but we also like just walking around small towns or villages, see the people and the cultural spots.

We don't have camping gear and always like the experience to be with a local guide and sleep at some small guesthouses.

Would recommend Meili or Yading?

I heard positive comments about Tagong, we thought 2-3 days with a guide would allow some interesting sceneries...

Last question: Do you think the extended version of Tiger Leaping Gorge (to Baishuitai) is worth it?

What do you think?

akai

14-May-2007 21:01
Posts: 115

Have to say that the scenery of course is more beautiful in Yading and Meli, but the tibetan peoples in Litang and Tagong is amazing, so if you are curious on tibetan culture you should definitely go there. And as 2# says you can reach Tagong from Litang, just tell the driver Tagong and he will drop you at a small village near the main road, you will find taxi there to Tagong for 20 kuai.
I would skip Kangding, you can get to Chengdu from Tagong in one day so you can spare one day there. Meli is really worth doing it but i have to say Yading is more breathtaking.
Consider if you really want spend 2 days traveling - zhongdian, deqin, deqin Zhongdian. You can do it Zhongdian, daocheng, yading, litang tagong, danba, chengdu.

If you want any details just mail me

Akai

acaciatree

14-May-2007 21:10
Posts: 123

Before I read the replies, I thought, my gosh, this is way too much.
Tiger Leaping should do an overnight at halfway house, or somewhere. So grand and peaceful.
Lijiang can be two days. Depends on what time of year, how many tourists are there, etc. I stayed 3 days.
Dali is at least 2 days, including biking around to the villages around the lake.
didn't make it to Zhongdian, but I heard Litang was great. Forget Degin and Zhongdian, and head straight to Litang. You won't regret that.

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akai

14-May-2007 21:12
Posts: 115

Tagong is one of my favorite places in China, i spend 6 days there just trekking around in the surrounding's, without a guide by the way, you really don't need a guide there because it's open grasslands so its hard to get lost.

Akai

philippe007

14-May-2007 22:08
Posts: 10

I think I will skip Deqin and Meili. Yes, Yading looks great! Do you know if there are buses from Daocheng at the moment? I would be there around the end of May. Otherwise, I guess it's easy to take a private van with other travelers to get there. If I don't have any camping gear, what about doing 'day trips' from Chonggu Lodge or Luorong Pasture Tent-lodge (by the way, which one is better? I'll probably be traveling without any sleeping bag)? I mean I understand that once in Yading it is fairly easy to trek the whole day and come back to sleep at the lodges.

Or what do you recommend?

Philippe

akai

14-May-2007 22:44
Posts: 115

Hi!

Just check out the link below, they have maps and more detailed information about Yading. Don't forget the hot spring in Daocheng as there is now showers in Yading or Daocheng. They have small room that's closed so you have privacy. After days of trekking and traveling this can be really nice :)

Yading info

Akai

akai

14-May-2007 22:46
Posts: 115

there is not any showers i mean :)

philippe007

14-May-2007 23:29
Posts: 10

Hey, thanks a lot for the info!

A few more questions:

Is it easy to get from Daocheng to Litang?

From Tagong to Danba?

From Danba to Chengdu?

akai

15-May-2007 00:56
Posts: 115

Hi,

Direct bus from Daocheng - litang, about 5 h, I am not sure about Tagong - Danba, you may have to spend a night in Bamei. So Tagong, Bamei, Danba. Although the distance is not far so hire a minivan can be a option. Danba - Chengdu direct bus, about 12 h.

To think about when traveling in this area is that usually there is only one bus each day departing early in the morning.

Akai

strawberita

15-May-2007 03:16
Posts: 2,314

I think you're rushing a bit. Just one day in Lijiang for instance is very little. Take time to breath!

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philippe007

15-May-2007 04:06
Posts: 10

I don't know for Lijiang... I have seen more authentic villages like Xijiang and Xiaohuang in Guizhou, so I have always been afraid that Lijiang was going to be a little disappointing... too famous and too many tourism-driven changes there... So I thought 1 one day would be enough, since I am also going to see Zhongdian. But still, 'Lijiang' is Lijiang....

kereru

15-May-2007 04:52
Posts: 1,177

Lijiang & Zhongdian are very different (for now) but Zhongdian is trying to become another lijiang. Lijiang is like Thailand - reinvented for tourists - however I really liked it - after a year in China it was nice to be able to get coffee & postcards & T-shirts -and even banana pancakes!!

I don't think you can do TLG to Zhongdian AND visit the monastry in one day. It takes an hour or so by taxi from Walnut Garden (assuming that is where you finish) to Qiaotou (sp??) and then you'll have to get the afternoon bus to Zhongdian.

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