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PANDA TREKKING

With a spread over 64,000 square kilometres – almost as large as Sri Lanka – and with summits topping 5,500 metres, the Min Mountains form the transition zone between the Sichuan basin and the Tibetan plateau, and are the last stronghold of giant pandas. Abundant rainfall and rapid range in elevation has created stratified habitats, ranging from subtropical rainforest, cool conifer forests, meadows and marshlands, and forbidden granite peaks. The mountains are in fact the richest temperate habitat on earth, and they are best known for their large animal species such as wild boars, black bears, foxes, deer, takins, clouded leopards, golden monkeys and giant pandas. Nature diversity is matched by human diversity: the mountains are home to different ethnic groups, mostly of Tibetan stock, including the Baima and the Benbo Tibetans, whose religions are a hybrid of Buddhism and Animism. The steep and dense mountains have kept development at bay, and the mountains hold some of the least-touched landscapes on earth – these are now protected in a network of nature reserves. We will visit these untouched landscapes and commune with the indigenous ethnic people. 

We will visit the following places:

Chengdu

Visit to the giant panda breeding centre to see these pensive and fascinating creatures upclose before we head out to find them in the wild in their habitat. 

Tangjiahe

Dark forests, narrow gorges, whitewater rivers, and steep slopes give Tangjiahe the feel of a hidden place. Wildlife is abundant and extremely rich in these mountains, and Tangjiahe is an excellent place to encounter wildlife. Among the relatively common species are three endemic species: the takin (a shaggy, brownish endemic animal that looks goofy and morose, with its horns and face a cross between a bull and a sheep, as if it’s some kind of deformed creature from the underworld), the blue sheep (an exquisite and docile animal), and the golden monkey (a monkey with a flat face and snub nose, and strikingly variegated reddish and amber plumage). At Tangjiahe, we will do a trek along a rarely used track to the top of the mountains – we overnight is a warden’s lodge set about 3,000 metres high – and then we do a day trek to the summit, where we have excellent views of the mountains falling off in every direction, and also get close to three fascinating species: large herds of takin browsing in the grass, golden pheasants with their brilliant golden and red plumage, and monal pheasants with their distinctive calls. Takins and monal pheasants are endemic to the area. 

Wanglang

Wanglang is one of the least-touched landscapes on earth. Mountains here have their own moist micro-climate; it drizzles in fine mist for days on end. The landscapes are primeval and mystical: marshes shrouded in shifting mist, stands of multi-storey coniferous trees with their branches swaddled in moss, granite peaks piercing the clouds, a ground sponged with a thick layer of moss, dark dense forest mangled with bamboo and mimosas and rhododendrons. It’s a place that is almost eerie, a place that conjures fantasies of sorcerers and gods. Here we will do two separate daytreks that penetrate the inner core of Wanglang; on one of the days we’ll also walk into the habitat of a resident wild panda, experiencing intimately the kind of lonesome solitary lives of pandas in the wild. We will spot many signs of the resident panda and, if we’re lucky, we might spot the panda itself. 

Jiuzhaigou

Jiuzhaigou is possibly Sichuan’s most famous sight, a piece of landscape renowned for its azure lakes and thunderous waterfalls, elected as a World Heritage Site and a World Biosphere Reserve. Unfortunately it’s a victim of its own fame, and the deluge of tourists affects the quality of the landscape and detracts from the brilliance of the natural setting. Most tourists travel in buses that shuttle throughout the park, getting off at viewpoints to take pictures and then moving on. We will avoid the crowds by visiting a part of the park only open by special arrangement. Here we will visit a remote Tibetan village of the Benbo Tibetan subgroup, and then do a trek to a Buddhist holy mountain. The mountain is the highest in the region, and reaching the summit will be the highlight of our entire journey – the vistas from the peak reveal the thick straggle of mountains in every direction as far as the eye can see, a high-point view of the thickest parts of the Min Mountains. Along the trail we’ll also meet some local Tibetans on pilgrimage, and on the peak we might find them praying fervently and affixing prayer flags to the holy summit.

Baima

Living in a scatter of villages in one vast valley, the Baima ethnic minority are among the smallest ethnicities in the world, numbering just 3,000 individuals. They are a subgroup of Tibetans, and practice a hybrid of Animism and Buddhism. Their wooden houses are ornate with carvings and colourful mythological figures, as well as talismans. They wear a highly distinct costume of bright-coloured clothes and white head-dresses in which a single white feather is attached.

Benbo Tibetans

Another subgroup of Tibetans, Benbo Tibetans are also partly Animist and partly Buddhist. The women sport long hair that extends down to their buttocks, they pray in distinctly different temples, and stupas are filled with gold. The villages are fringed with long prayer flags; the houses are built of slate and wood, with interiors that are awash with colourful carvings that represent mythological schemes from Tibetan history. Each house has a prayer room full of paintings and carvings, old-style drums, and other Buddhist paraphernalia. Some of them still set out every month on pilgrimages to the regional Tibetan holy mountain, and on this tour we will also walk along the pilgrimage trail to the mountain.

Baoen Temple

The Baoen Temple, almost 600 years old, used to be called the hidden city due its location in the mountains away from hubs of civilisation. It is full of ancient artistic treasures such as unique Buddhist frescoes that cover the walls of the main temple hall, a statue of Guanyin that has 1000 hands, a cluster of stone statues, a duo of wood-carved flying dragons, and stone carvings partly embedded into the walls.  

Start & Finish: Chengdu

Duration: 14 days

Trekking: 6 days

Difficulty Level: Treks are relatively easy; hiking is not longer than 6 hours daily. Travellers only need to carry personal belongings such as camera during treks. No special fitness is required. 

Prices: Highest-end prices start at RMB19,500 (€1,950 or US$2,600) total per person for two travellers, RMB16,500 each for three travellers, RMB13,500 for four participants, and then continues to fall commensurably thereafter depending on the size of the group. The price is all-inclusive; the only things that aren’t covered are incidental or superfluous personal expenses.

Crew & Vehicle: Vehicles range from a jeep (SUV) or seven-seat aircon van for a group of up to 4 travellers, then 10-seater or 17-seater mini-bus for larger groups. The crew consists of professional driver, tour leader and guide, as well as local guides and porters where needed. 

Accommodation: Three or four-star hotels in towns and some other areas, guesthouse in the Baima village, warden’s lodge on two nights, camping on two nights.

Dynamic Prices & Flexible Arrangements: Since we mostly cater for private groups, the itinerary here is a default or suggested itinerary that we usually alter depending on the clients’ budget and preferences. The prices quoted above are for a full complement of crew and mid-range hotels. You can change these arrangements to something that suits you better – find out more about ways with customised arrangements at Dynamic Pricing.

Travel Independently: Would you prefer to travel in a more independent spirit to the places where we work, which are mostly locations beyond the main tourist circuits? We can help you arrange the logistics so that you can focus on enjoying the trip instead of using up your stamina in frustratingly trying to solve logistical tie-ups. Bear in mind that it may be impossible or very hard to find public transport to destinations where we operate, and it’s equally hard trying to find local guides and accommodation unless you speak the language and have local contacts. We can take away the hassles by fixing all these logistics, but you can still travel at your pace and unattached from general guide. Find out more at Travel Independently. 

Detailed Info: For any questions or more details about this tour, please write to us.

Terms & Conditions: For the general terms and conditions that govern our tours and operation, and Frequently Asked Questions, please go to Nitty Gritty (FAQs).