2013 Backpacking to Shangri-La day 5 to Danba 丹巴 Land of thousand watchtowers


L-R: Chew Leng Soon, Bernard Lee, Grace Ong Siew Hua, Lily Yap, Teh Soon Shoei, Lee Kam Boon, Lim Sok Bee, Ng Peng Kim, Ching Neng Bin, Lim Cheng Tee at Tagong (塔公) town.

Day 5 (3.4.2013) Xinduqiao 新都桥 to Danba 丹巴 Land of thousand watchtowers

After breakfast at hotel at 7am we continued our journey at 8am in 1 van and 1 car to Danba stopping at Tagong 塔公 and some monastery and the grassland. Checked in to Danba Youth Hostel in Danba.

In the afternoon we visited the Suopo 梭坡 township to see the Suopo watch towers and Zhonglu 中路 Tibetan Village. Danba is noted for its “three wonders” which includes Jiaju Tibetan Village, Beauty Valley and watchtowers 古碉楼. The ancient watchtower in Zhonglu Township of Danba County of southwest China's Sichuan Province. Danba lies on the eastern border of the Ganzi Tibet Autonomous Region of Sichuan Province. The Tibetan villages here are famous for their gorgeous watchtowers and traditional Tibetan fortress-like houses, which constitute remarkable scenery with the natural surroundings. There are 562 ancient rock watchtowers in Danba, which are all built hundreds of years ago for defensive purposes.

Sleeping: Danba Youth Hostel


A herd of cattle on the street of Xinduqiao town.


The quiet and serene country road out of Xinduqiao town.


The pasture scenery of Xinduqiao valley dotted with grassland and Tibetan villages.


The two triangle-formed fields of prayer-flags and a Tibetan prayer in the middle on the Xinduqiao hill slope


The scenery of Xinduqiao valley dotted with grassland and Tibetan villages.


The scenery of Xinduqiao valley dotted with grassland and Tibetan villages.


We are at a small Tagong 塔公 town or Lhakang in Tibetan at the altitude of 3,800m.


Walking around Tagong 塔公 town - it is also a good possibilities for mountain walks around the area.


Many pilgrims walking round the Tagong monastery, the windows have wonderful paintings and carvings


Many pilgrims walking round the Tagong monastery.


An old shaggy Tagong dog at the Tagong 塔公 town centre.


The large open space roundabout at the Tagong 塔公 town centre.


The large open space roundabout at the Tagong 塔公 town centre.


The hill behind is 300 meters high and steep, but it is possible to scramble up through the triangle flag-field which are built not only for the sake of prayers, but also in order to look nice at Tagong 塔公 town.


Tagong is the site for a large ancient Tibetan monastery, called Tagong Si or Pel Lhagong in Tibetan.


The large inner court of the Tagong monastery.


Tagong monastery was established with reference to a nearby sacred mountain, Mt.Yala or Zhara Lhaste, 5820 metres in elevation.


This is part of the gangway surrounding the Tagong monastery, fitted with prayer mills and Tibetans are walking around turning the mills. Note that when going around, make sure you always walk clock-wise and it takes about 15 minutes to walk round the monastery on the outside.


The Muya Golden Temple on the Tagong grassland 塔公草原上的木雅金塔.


Horses for hire at the Muya Golden Temple on the Tagong grassland 塔公草原上的木雅金塔.


The pasture scenery of snow covered Tagong Grassland 塔公草原上 in early spring.


Horses on the snow covered Tagong Grassland 塔公草原上 in early spring.


Tibetan farmers walking on the snow covered Tagong Grassland 塔公草原上 in early spring.


The snow covered Tagong Grassland 塔公草原上 in early spring.


The snow covered Tagong Grassland 塔公草原上 in early spring.


The beautiful valleys between Tagong 塔公 to Ba Mei 八美镇.


Breathtaking view of beautiful valley and the snow-capped mountains between Tagong 塔公 to Ba Mei 八美镇.


Breathtaking view of beautiful valley and the snow-capped mountains between Tagong 塔公 to Ba Mei 八美镇.


The new Tagong Temple Pagoda 塔公寺佛塔.


The new Tagong Temple Pagoda 塔公寺佛塔.


On the way from Tagong Grassland to Bamei town 塔公草原往八美镇的途中.


On the way from Tagong Grassland to Bamei town 塔公草原往八美镇的途中.


Passing through this Ba Mei township 八美镇.


Passing through this Ba Mei township 八美镇.


Driving through beside the snow-capped mountain on the horizon between Ba Mei 八美镇 to Danba 丹巴.


Driving through beside the snow-capped mountain on the horizon between Ba Mei 八美镇 to Danba 丹巴.


The pine forest valley and the snow-capped mountain on the horizon between Ba Mei 八美镇 to Danba 丹巴.


The sacred mountain, Mt. Yala or Zhara Lhaste, 5820 metres in elevation (19,090 ft).


The beautiful traditional Tibetan fortress-like houses along the river road to Danba 丹巴.


Danba town 丹巴 basically consists of one long road, squeezed between a river and a mountain.


Sleeping: Danba Youth Hostel.


Bernard Lee testing the typical Tibetan bed and strongly recommended to all of us at Danba Youth Hostel.


Sightseeing the Damba valley with rugged Tibetan villages clinging to the steep fertile mountain sides.


Sightseeing the Damba valley with rugged Tibetan villages clinging to the steep fertile mountain sides.


This is Zhonglu 中路 Tibetan Village in Danba.


This is Zhonglu 中路 Tibetan Village in Danba.


This is Zhonglu 中路 Tibetan Village in Danba.


We walked through barley fields and over crumbling stone hedges, as we crossed the relatively flat ledge before hitting a small road that took us up the hillside toward the upper reaches of the Zhonglu 中路 Tibetan Village in Danba.


Fields covered with golden rape stretch as far as the eye can see and form seas of yellow buds at Zhonglu 中路 Tibetan Village in Danba.


Wild flower at Zhonglu 中路 Tibetan Village in Danba.


The rapeseed fields we walked through on our way up the hillside of Zhonglu village in Danba.


The barley fields we walked through on our way up the hillside of Zhonglu village in Danba.


Chew Leng Soon shot this beautiful bird in-flight on our way up the hillside of Zhonglu village in Danba.


A close-up shot of the bird in-flight on our way up the hillside of Zhonglu village in Danba.


The women folks helping out the house construction in Zhonglu village, Danba.


The women folks helping out the house construction in Zhonglu village, Danba.


Traditional Tibetan fortress-like houses surrounded by barley field in Zhonglu village, Danba.


Traditional Tibetan fortress-like houses surrounded by barley field in Zhonglu village, Danba.


The border watch towers - the height of these stone-built military structures is often above 30 meters, while the tallest tower measures 60 meters in height. The best places to see stone Qiang watchtower are at Suopo 梭坡 and Zhonglu 中路.


The border watch towers of these stone-built military structures is often above 30 meters, while the tallest tower measures 60 meters in height. The best places to see stone Qiang watchtower are at Suopo 梭坡 and Zhonglu 中路.


The Zhonglu village is also famous for its pretty hardworking Tibetan ladies.


The colourful dried corn on the wall. The next village on our list was Suopo and the only reason people visit is to see its watchtowers.


Once we got within a few kilometers of Suopo, our driver stopped and told us it was inaccessible by vehicle as we cannot cross the narrow suspended bridge, so we got down to take these pictures.


The Suopo watch towers is on the other side of the mountain separated by a river in Danba.


The Suopo village is famous for their gorgeous watchtowers and Tibetan fortress-like houses in Danba.


We had very good dinner in a Tibetan restaurant just opposite our Danba Youth Hostel.


We had very good dinner in a Tibetan restaurant just opposite our Danba Youth Hostel.


We had very good dinner in a Tibetan restaurant just opposite our Danba Youth Hostel.

/// Backpacking Adventure to ShangriLa China the Last Frontier 30 March to 23 April 2013 (25 days)




Total Grand Per Pax
Day

RMB RMB RMB






5 a. B'fast 100.00
10.00

b. 1 van + 1 car y130 X 10 Xinduqiao-Tagong-Danba 1,300.00
130.00

c. Room - Demba Hostel, Danba rmb80 X 5 rooms 400.00
40.00

d. Lunch 88.00
8.80

e. Village boy - guide 10.00
1.00

f. Dinner @ restaurant opposite hostel 200.00
20.00




2,098.00 209.80







click below:
Day 01 (30.03.2013) AirAsia D7-320: K. Lumpur to Chengdu (成都), Sichuan (四川)
Day 02 (31.03.2013) Chengdu to Hailuogou (海螺沟) (296km/7.5hrs bus)
Day 03 (01.04.2013) Hailuogou (海螺沟) Red rocks @ Swallow Gully (燕子沟)
Day 04 (02.04.2013) Hailuogou (海螺沟) Luding (泸定) Kangding (康定) to Xinduqiao (新都桥)
Day 05 (03.04.2013) Xinduqiao (新都桥) to Danba (丹巴) Land of thousand watchtowers

Day 06 (04.04.2013) Danba – day trip to Jiaju Tibetan Village "the most beautiful ethnic town
Day 07 (05.04.2013) Danba (丹巴) – staying in Jiaju Village
Day 08 (06.04.2013) Jiaju Village (甲居藏寨) to Xiaojin (小金) to Rilong (日隆)
Day 09 (07.04.2013) trekking up Changpinggou (长砰沟) middle gully of Siguniang (四姑娘山)
Day 10 (08.04.2013) Rilong (日隆) to Chengdu (成都)

Day 11 (09.04.2013) Chengdu (成都) day trip to Huanglongxi (黄龙寺)
Day 12 (10.04.2013) Chengdu (成都) to Xichang (西昌)
Day 13 (11.04.2013) Xichang (西昌) to Lugu Lake (泸沽湖)
Day 14 (12.04.2013) Lugu Lake - cycling around Lugu Lake
Day 15 (13.04.2013) Lugu Lake (泸沽湖) to Lijiang (丽江)

Day 16 (14.04.2013) Lijiang (丽江)
Day 17 (15.04.2013) Lijiang (丽江) to Shangri-La (香格里拉) (Zhongdian (中甸)
Day 18 (16.04.2013) Shangri-La (Zhongdian) - day trip to Potatso National Park
Day 19 (17.04.2013) Tiger Leaping Gorge (虎跳峡) / Bai Shui Tai terrace waterfall(白水台)
Day 20 (18.04.2013) Tiger Leaping Gorge to Lijiang (丽江)

Day 21 (19.04.2013) Lijiang (丽江) to Lugu Lake (泸沽湖)
Day 22 (20.04.2013) Lugu Lake (泸沽湖) to Xichang (西昌) to Chengdu (成都)
Day 23 (21.04.2013) Chengdu
Day 24 (22.04.2013) D7-327 Chengdu to K. Lumpur (2355 – 0430)
Day 25 (23.04.2013) 25 23/04 Arrival K. Lumpur: 0430 hrs




      RMB        RM
Total Costs per person excluding Air fare    4,664.15      2,360.06


Return Airfare per pax incl. insurance, meals   1,632.41    826.00 


Total Cost Per Pax incl. of Airfare    6,296.56 3,186.06

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous28 June, 2013

    Group pic taken at Tagong Town shows all the weary but not worn out travellers ready for the day with cameras at hands for a exhaustive day. It's more mountains,temples and village scenes in midst of ridges and valleys. Total strange land compared to other parts of China; particularly the Suopo outpost watch towers. They were built not too far from each other. Meal-the dishes looked simple but enticing enough for hungry stomachs.

    Alan K.
    KL.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Martin Lim27 July, 2013

    Bro Ching, Nice pictures. M sure you had a good time. To my surprise I saw my good old friend in the picture.,,,Lim Cheng Tee. We were classmates during school days. Didn't realize the world is so small.

    Anyway, good to know you are enjoying life to the fullest n take care.

    Regards
    Martin Lim

    ReplyDelete