2010 - Backpacking to Tibet > Part 2

Backpacking Adventure
30 days to Sichuan, Yunnan, Tibet, China
20 Mar <> 18 Apr 2010

(L-R) Lim Kee Moon, Ching Neng Bin, Bernard Lee, Cindy Chong, See Beow Aun, Sharon Tan, Chew Siang Peng, Chew Leng Soon, Lily Yap, Choo Chiew Chin, Chan Meng Fai at Hailuogou Glacier Park

Route for part 2: Chengdu > Moxi > Hailuogou Glacier Park > Lu Ding > Chengdu > Panzhihua > Lijang > Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

Day 07 (26.03.10) Chengdu > Moxi

9.30 am bus (117Y) from Chengdu to Moxi. This was another hellish bus journey through narrow winding mountain roads and again with all those idiot drivers around. I am grateful that I am still alive to write this story. In Moxi we checked in at Xinfei Backpackers Guesthouse (Tel:0836-3266214) at 50Y a room for two. The owner Mr. Liu, very friendly who had given us useful information about the place. We walked around visited a 100 year old church and temple. Had good dinner at a restaurant. Fine weather at 10C during the day and at night was -5C.

Bus fare (117Y) from Chengdu to Moxi
Sleeping at Xinfei Backpackers Guesthouse at 50Y a room for two.

Instant cup noodle for lunch - cheers!

Guesthouse owner gave us this wild bird for dinner

Xinfei Backpackers Guesthouse - Mr.Liu and wife at the center

Walking down along the traditional wooden houses

Multicolored Catholic church where Mao camped out during the Long March

The priest sang songs for us

Yak skull for sale

Day 08 (27.03.10) day trip to Hailuogou Glacier Park

After breakfast, it was a ten minutes walked to the booking office: entrance fee is 72Y and bus is 80Y. A steady 40 minutes, 30km bus drive on the eastern slopes of the Gongga Mountain - passing through Camp1, 2 and 3 before reaching Belvedere. From here, we have to take the cable car (150Y) up to the Glacier. We walked through all the three Hailuogou Glaciers which is known to be the lowest glacier in Asia. We came down to Moxi by the last bus at 4pm. The temperature was -5C.

Sleeping at Xinfei Backpackers Guesthouse at 50Y a room for two.

Entrance to the park at Moxi

Belvedere restaurant

Belvedere food market

Yak meat taste like beef

3 km by cable car to the glacier

At a Tibetan temple beside glacier No.3

Glacier No.3 behind Kee Moon is 14.7km long and formed 1,600 year ago

Walking down to glacier No.3

The path can be slippery and I fell many times

I am at the edge with the glacier below me.

We are happily sitting on the glacier

I think I have enough of snow and glacier for the rest of my life

Day 09 (28.03.10) Moxi > Lu Ding > Chengdu

9.30am minivan (20Y pp) to Lu Ding (50km) in one hour. We had very good roasted duck in Luding for lunch. Catch the 1.30 pm bus (105Y each) out to Chengdu arriving at 7pm.

Sleeping - Traffic Inn, Std.room is 120Y for 3 person.

Food and more food to eat

Water gushing out from the rock surface

The new township of Lu Ding

Remaining building destroyed by earthquake in Lu Ding

The Long March of Chairman Mao took place on this Luding Bridge - a 100m long chain suspension bridge over Dadu River. Need to pay 5Y to cross for tourist.

Roasted duck for lunch

Day 10 (29.03.10) Chengdu

Today, we visited the Panda Research Center in the morning and evening was the amazing performance of "Face Changing" opera. By tourist bus from the Inn to Panda Center is 2Y and entrance fee is 58Y. Ticket and transport for face changing show was 100Y booked at the Inn.

Sleeping - Traffic Inn, Std.room is 120Y for 3 person.

Lazy pandas - eating and sleeping only

Be here early in the morning so that you can watch the pandas eating, playing and sleeping.

Panda museum

Lake and garden

This river runs through Chengdu

The Ship Restaurant

Entrance to JinLi area

The river side along Linjiang Zhonglu

At the famous face-changing Sichuan Opera

Day 11 (30.03.10) Chengdu > Panzhihua

It was a free and easy day - rest day in Chengdu. The day was spent walking and exploring Chengdu and also inquiring about the trip to Tibet at travel agencies and information centers. We have to catch the 12hrs overnight K117 train at 6.05pm to Panzhihua (716km) en-route to Lijang. Cup noodles, bananas and apples for dinner and breakfast on-board the train.

Sleeping - overnight train at 185Y

Chengdu Train Station

Station public toilet - no door

Kee Moon slept like a baby - very comfortable

Day 12 (31.03.10) Panzhihua > Lijiang

Another traveling day. Arrived at Panzhihua at 6.15am. Took the shutter bus (4Y) from train station to the main bus terminal. Traveled for another 7hrs by bus (80Y) to Lijiang which is 270km away. This was the longest continuous journey - 12 hours train followed by 7 hours bus. The drive to Lijiang took us into Yunnan province across a spectacular mountainous region. Entering the Old Town, we have to pay 80Y each at the guesthouse to the local govt. as maintenance fee, the receipt issued is used for purchasing other entrance tickets of scenic spot.

Sleeping: Old Town Courtyard Youth hostel for 60Y a room for 2

Panzhihua city

Looking for guesthouse at Lijiang Old Town

Old Town Courtyard Youth hostel for 60Y a room for 2. It has a courtyard with sitting areas, plants and lanterns.

The Lijiang old town was built in the late Song Dynasty and the early Yuan Dynasty and was listed by the UNESCO on the list of the world's major cultural heritages in 1997.

The countless red lanterns in Lijinag are all beautifully lit up in the evenings.

Day 13 (01.04.10) Lijiang

Exploring more of the Old Town and visited the Black Dragon Pond Park and the museum of Dongba Culture. The pool is listed in the collections of famous pools of China because of its natural beauty. The Dongba Museum is the sanctuary of the culture of Naxi ancient culture.

Sleeping: Old Town Courtyard Youth hostel for 60Y a room for 2

The water canals was given the title of "Little Venice of Orient".

Water from the mountain melting snow runs into this main canal and flows through all the smaller drains in the Old Town area. This is the place to relax and take plenty of colorful photos.

I was learning the Naxi folk dance and listening to the ancestral music.

We walk this charming minority old town, again and again. Since we stayed in the old town, a pedestrian area, there won't be any traffic and can walk easily over the cobble stone and wooden plank paths past bars, restaurants and stores.

Water wheels at the main square

To the Black Dragon Pond Park

The Dongba Museum

A view of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain from the Park which is 15km away, the snow-covered mountain resembles a jade dragon lying in the clouds, hence, the name Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

This is the best place to have Naxi meal, situated just outside the park. We have been eating almost everyday in this shop during out stay in Lijiang.

The town itself is like a fairy tale. Narrow, winding streets, canals with bridges and everywhere red lanterns. There are many nice stores and terraces. Thousands of Chinese tourists visit here.

Old-fashioned cobble stones road

Walked up the street on top of the Old Market Square for a good panoramic view of the traditional houses roofs .

Day 14 (02.04.10) Lijiang > day trip to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Mountain)

In the morning, we hired a van for a full day visit to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain visiting the Yak and Spruce Meadow. The ridiculous high fees are as follows: entrance fee is 80Y each, bus ticket is 20Y, cable car to Yak Meadow is 60Y and Bruce Meadow is 55Y. Another 80Y if you have not paid the maintenance fee.

Sleeping: Old Town Courtyard Youth hostel for 60Y a room for 2

The mountain has 13 peaks of which the highest is 5,600 meters and stretches a length of 35km and a width of 20km.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is a holy mountain for the local Naxi people, because long time ago, it was a place for young lovers to sacrifice their young lives in honor of true love and to escape from the arranged marriages and feudal ethics.

Yunshanping (Spruce Plateau) is a grassland with gigantic spruces.

continue in part 3