Yading 稻城亚丁

About Yading

The shorter route toward Zhuoma La Lake and the longer approach through Luorong Pasture are different commitments, not one compulsory loop. Milk Lake and Five-Colour Lake lie on the more demanding upper route, which has its own seasonal access and cut-off arrangements. Choose a realistic route after allowing for altitude, and preserve time for the scenic transport back to the entrance.

The name Yading is Tibetan for 'a place facing the sun' (向阳之地). The scenic area's main feature is three fully separate snow peaks arranged in a triangular pattern above the upper Litang River (理塘河), in the Gongga Yin Gully (贡嘎银沟): Xiannairi (仙乃日), Yangmaiyong (央迈勇) and Xianuoduoji (夏诺多吉). Xiannairi was traditionally regarded as the tallest, but elevation data published by China's Ministry of Natural Resources (中国自然资源部) in October 2023 gives Yangmaiyong as highest at 6033.0 metres, followed by Xiannairi at 5998.5 metres and Xianuoduoji at 5951.3 metres.

More than thirty horn peaks (角峰) surround the three summits. The three peaks together are collectively called 'the three sacred snow-mountain guardian deities' (念青贡嘎日松贡布), and are each identified with a bodhisattva of Tibetan Buddhism: Avalokiteshvara (观自在菩萨) for compassion, Manjushri (文殊师利菩萨) for wisdom and Vajrapani (金刚手菩萨) for courage.

Yading was approved as a county-level nature reserve by the Daocheng county government (稻城县人民政府) in March 1996, becoming a prefecture-level reserve in May 1997 and a provincial-level reserve in December 1997. In June 2001 the State Council (国务院) approved it as the Sichuan Yading National Nature Reserve (四川亚丁国家级自然保护区), and on 10 July 2003 Yading joined the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (世界人与生物圈保护区网络) under UNESCO (联合国教科文组织).

What to look for

• Chonggu Temple, the meadow and views toward Chenrezig from the shorter visitor area.
• Luorong Pasture’s mountain outlook toward Jampelyang and Chanadorje.

Location & getting there

Getting to Yading

Use Yading Scenic Area’s visitor centre at Shangri-La town, also called Riwa, in Daocheng County. Daocheng town and Daocheng Yading Airport are separate, more distant transfer points.