Daocheng Yading Scenic Area, Sichuan province

Daocheng Yading Scenic Area, Sichuan province
(稻城亚丁旅游景区dào chéng yà dīng lǚ yóu jǐng qū)

Location: Shangri-La town, Daocheng county, Garze Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Sichuan province
Scenic Spot Level: AAAAA
Opening Hours: 7:30-15:00
Ticket Price:
General admission:
146 yuan($22.55)/person (April 1-Nov 30)
120 yuan/person (Dec 1-March 31)
Sightseeing bus: 120 yuan/person
Notes:
1. Tickets need to be booked online at
http://www.yadingtour.com/book/providerIndex.action?iscenicid=1 (Chinese language interface)
2. Children under the age of 6 (inclusive) or 1.2 meters (inclusive) in height and senior citizens aged 65 and above, people who have a disability, and servicemen can enter free of charge.
3. Half-price concessions are available for people aged between 6 (exclusive) and 18 (inclusive), full-time university undergraduates, and senior citizens under the age of 65.

Located to the south of Garze Tibetan autonomous prefecture and to the east of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in Southwest China’s Sichuan province, the Daocheng Yading Scenic Area is a national nature reserve. "Yading" in Tibetan means a "sunny place" and a "holy land". This scenic area is famous both at home and abroad for its unique primitive ecological environment and majestic landscape. Composed of three mountains and their surrounding rivers, lakes, and alpine meadows, it gathers the most beautiful views of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

With altitudes between 2,900 meters and 6,032 meters, the Daocheng Yading Scenic Area covers 1,344 square kilometers and is one of the most complete and original mountain natural ecosystems in China. As the core of Shangri La’s eco-tourism area in China, it also showcases the natural scenery of some of the world's most beautiful mountains and canyons.

The Daocheng Yading Scenic Area boasts pleasant and ever-changing scenery. It has the most unique snow-covered mountain landscape in Hengduan Mountains along with forest ecosystem, mountains, seas, lakes, valleys, canyons, and meadows. This scenic spot is a paradise for photographers, where they can also encounter rainbows, waterfalls, and mirages.

The Daocheng Yading Scenic Area not only has rich natural scenery but is also home to simple and profound cultural landscapes. Specifically, its Tibetan Buddhist culture interprets religious belief, its clothing culture highlights the inheritance of simplicity, its culture of songs and dances shows strong ethnic customs, the folk dwellings reflect the characteristics of Tibetan architecture, and its clay pottery culture inherits a unique profundity. Both the natural and cultural landscapes of the Daocheng Yading Scenic Area present the harmonious beauty of Shangri-La.