SICHUAN TRAVEL KHAM - SELF TOUR HELP!!

SICHUAN TRAVEL KHAM - SELF TOUR HELP!!
May 11, 2026 18:39
guest23766	Hi everyone, My partner and I will be going on holiday to Sichuan for 14 days to visit Tibetan Kham independently, renting a car. I have already completed all the steps for the temporary driving permit, and I speak basic Chinese, around HSK 3–4 level. We arrive in Chengdu on August 1 at 6:00 AM and depart from Chengdu on August 15 at 1:40 AM. After doing some research on forums and websites, we found a nice itinerary, which I then “fine-tuned” by including some stops I really wanted to make and optimizing it a bit with GPT’s help. However, the trip still feels very packed. I am therefore asking for advice from those with more experience on how to optimize the itinerary better, and where it might be worth spending an extra night in order to have more time for visits. If Yarchen Gar is definitely not visitable — where can I get reliable information about this? — I would choose a different route and save some time. I know Yading is “out of the way,” but I really care about visiting it, although I am not sure whether it is recommended in August. Thank you all for your valuable help. Chengdu –> Dujiangyan –> Wolong –> Siguniang Shan –> Danba –> Tagong –> Luhuo -> Garze -> Manigango -> Yilhun Lhatso –> Dege –> Pelyul -> Yarchen Gar Garze -> Xinlong -> Litang -> Daocheng -> Yading -> Yajiang -> Xinduqiao -> Kangding -> Yaan -> Chengdu Day Route Plan August 1 Chengdu Arrival at 6:00 AM. Pick up the car, check the temporary driving permit, SIM/eSIM, Chinese apps, rest. Do not head to the plateau after an intercontinental flight. August 2 Chengdu → Dujiangyan → Wolong → Siguniangshan Town Quick visit to Dujiangyan only. Wolong only if you want to see pandas. Sleep in Siguniangshan/Rilong. August 3 Siguniangshan Full day. Easy choice: Shuangqiao Valley. More hiking-oriented choice: partial Changping Valley. Sleep again in Siguniangshan. The official site lists Shuangqiao, Changping, and Haizi as the main valleys, with separate tickets and different activities. August 4 Siguniangshan → Xiaojin → Danba → Zhonglu Tibetan Village, 中路藏寨 Shorter day, useful for acclimatization. Sleep in Zhonglu or Danba. If you have time: Suopo watchtowers. August 5 Danba/Zhonglu → Bamei → Tagong Scenic road. In the afternoon: Tagong Monastery, grassland, Muya Monastery, 木雅大寺, and possibly Gunong/Balang Shengdu if the sky is clear. Sleep in Tagong. August 6 Tagong → Bamei → Longdeng Grassland, 龙灯草原 → Daofu → Luhuo → Kasa Lake → Garze. August 7 Garze → Dargye Monastery → Manigango → Yilhun Lhatso → Dege August 8 Dege → Dege Parkhang → Garze Morning at Dege Parkhang and Gonchen. August 9 Garze → Xinlong → Tsoka Lake → Litang August 10 Litang → Daocheng → Shangri-La Town / Riwa August 11 Shangri-La Town → Yading → Shangri-La Town August 12 Yading short route → Litang August 13 Litang → Yajiang → Xinduqiao → Kangding August 14 Kangding → Luding → Ya’an → Shangli Ancient Town → Chengdu/airpor

May 11, 2026 18:39

guest23766

Hi everyone,

My partner and I will be going on holiday to Sichuan for 14 days to visit Tibetan Kham independently, renting a car. I have already completed all the steps for the temporary driving permit, and I speak basic Chinese, around HSK 3–4 level.
We arrive in Chengdu on August 1 at 6:00 AM and depart from Chengdu on August 15 at 1:40 AM.
After doing some research on forums and websites, we found a nice itinerary, which I then “fine-tuned” by including some stops I really wanted to make and optimizing it a bit with GPT’s help. However, the trip still feels very packed.

I am therefore asking for advice from those with more experience on how to optimize the itinerary better, and where it might be worth spending an extra night in order to have more time for visits.

If Yarchen Gar is definitely not visitable — where can I get reliable information about this? — I would choose a different route and save some time. I know Yading is “out of the way,” but I really care about visiting it, although I am not sure whether it is recommended in August.

Thank you all for your valuable help.

Chengdu –> Dujiangyan –> Wolong –> Siguniang Shan –> Danba –> Tagong –> Luhuo -> Garze -> Manigango -> Yilhun Lhatso –> Dege –> Pelyul -> Yarchen Gar Garze -> Xinlong -> Litang -> Daocheng -> Yading -> Yajiang -> Xinduqiao -> Kangding -> Yaan -> Chengdu

Day Route Plan
August 1 Chengdu Arrival at 6:00 AM. Pick up the car, check the temporary driving permit, SIM/eSIM, Chinese apps, rest. Do not head to the plateau after an intercontinental flight.

August 2 Chengdu → Dujiangyan → Wolong → Siguniangshan Town Quick visit to Dujiangyan only. Wolong only if you want to see pandas. Sleep in Siguniangshan/Rilong.

August 3 Siguniangshan Full day. Easy choice: Shuangqiao Valley. More hiking-oriented choice: partial Changping Valley. Sleep again in Siguniangshan. The official site lists Shuangqiao, Changping, and Haizi as the main valleys, with separate tickets and different activities.

August 4 Siguniangshan → Xiaojin → Danba → Zhonglu Tibetan Village, 中路藏寨 Shorter day, useful for acclimatization. Sleep in Zhonglu or Danba. If you have time: Suopo watchtowers.

August 5 Danba/Zhonglu → Bamei → Tagong Scenic road. In the afternoon: Tagong Monastery, grassland, Muya Monastery, 木雅大寺, and possibly Gunong/Balang Shengdu if the sky is clear. Sleep in Tagong.

August 6 Tagong → Bamei → Longdeng Grassland, 龙灯草原 → Daofu → Luhuo → Kasa Lake → Garze.

August 7 Garze → Dargye Monastery → Manigango → Yilhun Lhatso → Dege

August 8 Dege → Dege Parkhang → Garze Morning at Dege Parkhang and Gonchen.

August 9 Garze → Xinlong → Tsoka Lake → Litang

August 10 Litang → Daocheng → Shangri-La Town / Riwa

August 11 Shangri-La Town → Yading → Shangri-La Town

August 12 Yading short route → Litang

August 13 Litang → Yajiang → Xinduqiao → Kangding

August 14 Kangding → Luding → Ya’an → Shangli Ancient Town → Chengdu/airpor

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