Western Sichuan Autumn Secret Guide

Western Sichuan Autumn Secret Guide for Viewing Autumn｜3-Day Loop Tour of Colorful Forests, Snow Mountains, and Sunsets In-Depth Guide to Core Autumn Viewing Spots Jiagenba - Riche Village - Navigation Location: Kangding Songdun Niji Station (directly reach the core viewing area) - Highlights: The entire village is covered with golden vegetation, paired with Tibetan-style houses and smoke from cooking fires, resembling an autumn village in an oil painting. Ideal for leisurely strolls, relaxing, and shooting cultural and environmental portraits. - Best Time: 10 AM - 3 PM (soft light with the richest golden saturation) - Tips: Wear light-colored clothes for better photos. The village has a local tea house where you can drink butter tea to warm up and rest. Jiagenba - Tiwu Village - Navigation Location: Banyuqingke (after arrival, walk 5 minutes along a small path inward) - Highlights: A vast secret colorful forest with layers of red, yellow, orange, and green intertwined, with few tourists, perfect for panoramic and slow-motion shots. - Best Time: 2 PM - 4 PM (slanting sunlight enhances the layers of the colorful forest) - Tips: The path has some gravel; wear non-slip shoes. Bring a wide-angle lens to capture panoramas. Yala Snow Mountain Scenic Area - Highlights: Less crowded, no crowds, Rainbow Road and snow mountain streams in the same frame, colorful forests surrounding the snow mountain, every shot is a healing masterpiece. - Best Time: 9 AM - 11 AM (less reflection on streams, high clarity of snow mountains) - Tips: There are wooden boardwalks inside the scenic area, easy walking; apply sunscreen as UV rays are strong on the snow mountain. Stingcuo - Highlights: Stunning golden mountain at sunrise, the blue hour before sunrise creates a strong atmosphere, the lake reflects the snow mountain and sky, peaceful and photogenic. - Best Time: 30 minutes before sunrise to 1 hour after sunrise (check local sunrise time in advance, recommended to arrive before 5 AM) - Tips: Very low temperature in the early morning (about -5℃ to 0℃), wear down jacket + thermal underwear, bring warm packs; the lake is windy, pay attention to camera stability. 3-Day Autumn Viewing Loop Itinerary (Classic, No Detours) Day 1: Stingcuo → Zimei Pass / Tienong Secret Spot → Stay in Xinduqiao - Early morning rush to Stingcuo for golden mountain sunrise, then head along the road to Zimei Pass (view of Gongga Snow Mountain) or Tienong Secret Spot (less crowded colorful forest) - Arrive in Xinduqiao in the afternoon, enjoy the scenery of grasslands and colorful forests along the way, shoot grassland sunset in Xinduqiao in the evening - Accommodation recommendation: Tibetan-style guesthouses in Xinduqiao, some offer oxygen services to help adapt to altitude Day 2: Jiagenba Autumn Viewing → Sky City Sunset → Stay near Yala Snow Mountain Scenic Area - Morning head straight to Jiagenba, visit Tiwu Village colorful forest first, then stroll and check in at Riche Village - Afternoon go to "Sky City" (high ground near Jiagenba, search "Jiagenba Viewing Platform" for navigation), wait for the golden-red sky at sunset - Evening drive to accommodation near Yala Snow Mountain Scenic Area, about 1.5 hours drive Day 3: Yala Snow Mountain Scenic Area Autumn Viewing → Gunong Village Sunset → Return Trip - Full day deep tour of Yala Snow Mountain Scenic Area, hike along the stream wooden boardwalk, shoot Rainbow Road and snow mountain colorful forest - After 3 PM head to Gunong Village, wait for sunset by the stream or meadow, watch the sunset dye the riverbank and colorful forest red - After sunset, return according to your schedule or proceed to the next destination Practical Tips Transportation - Recommended to self-drive or charter a car (Western Sichuan roads are complex, some sections have mountain switchbacks, experienced drivers are safer) - Vehicle choice: SUV is best to handle gravel and mountain roads; check vehicle condition in advance and fill up gas (gas stations are far apart along the way) Tickets and Altitude - Yala Snow Mountain Scenic Area ticket about 60 RMB, other autumn viewing spots are mostly free and open - Altitude: Xinduqiao about 3460m, Yala Snow Mountain Scenic Area about 3800m, Stingcuo about 4200m. Prepare altitude sickness medicine (such as Rhodiola), avoid strenuous exercise Clothing and Equipment - Clothing: Waterproof jacket/down jacket + thermal underwear + sweater, pants with fleece-lined waterproof pants (large temperature difference day and night, about 15℃~20℃) - Equipment: Non-slip sports shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen (SPF50+), lip balm, wide-angle camera, power bank, warm packs, small snacks and drinking water Other Notes - Western Sichuan autumn weather is changeable, bring rain gear, check weather forecast in advance - Respect local Tibetan customs, do not enter prayer flag areas casually, do not trample barley fields - Carry your trash with you to protect the plateau ecology