Yading Middle Kora Trek – 10 days

This tour involves walking long hours each day. Please remember to have a day pack with you to take necessary items for each day's hiking, sometimes including packed lunch or snacks for yourself, drinking water recommended 1L minimum, sunglasses, rainproof, warm-keeping clothes and hat, sun block and lip oil, etc. It is also wise to bring rainproof and warm clothes with you all the time. Weather changes quickly in the mountains of Yading.

Arrive in Yading by flight. You will be met by your guide and then we will drive slowly to Haizishan at over 4000m to have slow and nice walking for around 2 hours before we drive down to around 4000m. We will then pay a visit to Bangpu Temple and more walks around to acclimate to the altitude. The acclimating is necessary and crucial for your body to get used to such high altitude in order to enjoy the next days hiking.

After lunch, we will drive to Daocheng at 3800m to have more stops. Today is your first day of tour, arriving by flight usually brings uncomfortables to your body because of less oxygen. Please slow down and don’t stress yourself too much. Keep yourself hydrated and take deep breath if feeling need more oxygen. We will have late lunch in Daocheng and maybe to do some shopping of snacks for the next days hiking in Yading. Afterwards we will check in to hotel and relax. We recommend you to walk around the town of Daocheng which is at 3800m, a relatively high altitude place to better aclcimate yorself.

By evening we will have a meeting and your guide will give you briefing on the trek details on packing, schedule, hiking information, etc. Yading Middle Kora Trek is one of the most challenging treks in China and probably the most challenging one in Sichuan province. This is why we will have today, tommorrow and the day after for acclimating. The challenging part of this trek is not only because of its daily distance we have to cover, but also because of the inevitable high altitude camps we have to use, meaning we need to sleep high on this trek. Therefore the acclimating is crucial to your trek to better enjoy the nature and hiking in Yading.

Driving 2h, hiking/visiting 4h between 4500m and 3800m, easy pace

Overnight lodging at 3800m

Today is a full day acclimating by the hills around Daocheng at around 4000m. This is second day of acclimating, we will try longer hikes to go up the hills from 3800m to over 4000m for around 5-6 hours on the ridge of mountains near Daocheng. Please remember to walk slow and try to use your own pace. We set a rather flexible distance of walking for today. Today we will start to get the feeling of what walking at high altitude in eastern Tibet is like: that weather changes quickly especially after mid-day, it can get windy and temperature drops quickly, while walking up it may take some time because of the less oxygen air, and so on.

After the walk we will continue drive further down to Riwa for around 2 hours and check in hotel by around 4-5pm. We will re-arrange our luggage and relax at 2800m. Riwa is a tourist town and with plenty of shops and restaurants available. Feel free to walk around the small town after dinner. This place for overnight is necessary for your body to recover from the sudden stress from high altitude for the two days. Normally you should recover by now if you have any symptoms of altitude sickness. This is a necessary safety night for you in case anyone doesn't feel weel. Walk high and sleep low is a golden rule when traveling in high altitude places. However for Yading Kora Trek one has to sleep at very high altitude from the beginning so we also need to use different methods to counter this difficulty buy sleeping high for the first night to be quickly getting used to the altitude.

Driving 2h, hiking 5-6h between 3800m and 4000m+, medium pace

Overnight lodging at 2800m

Today we will go into the park of Yading. In the morning we will go check in the park of Yading by using tourist bus to Yading Village from Riwa. We will need to use our own car first for a short ride to the tourist center of Yading to get on the bus. The buses run as public buses and do not follow on schedule. The park tourist bus takes around 1 hour to take us to Yading Village, which is also where we will spend another night at. Yading village is at around 4000m, making it a good stopover place before going sleeping higher on such a kora trek. It has decent hotels for overnight to make sure it's comfortable enough while the altitude is high.

After arrival, we will first go check in hotel and then start to walk to the Frog Lake in and out for total around 5-6 hours. The hiking will be from around 4000m to the lake by 4350m and come back.This is a medium-paced hike from hotel in Yading. Walking will be on wild mountain trail and the views are stunning with the mountain of Chenarzig visible all the way. The hiking to Frog Lake is a less-walked trail in Yading that not many people do. It will be mostly like quiet hiking. One way walking in on gradual ascent is around 5km to the lake. After arrive the lake if time allows we can continue explore around the lake or have break before heanding back to hotel. We have the full day doing this 10km hiking near Yading Village as another day's acclimating. We will go back to hotel the same way.

Arrive back to hotel in afternoon and prepare for the next day’s trek. For today's packing it is better to be light since we don't have our own car with us and will be using the public bus inside Yading Park therefore it is less convenient if we have extra too much gear with us. Your guide will brief you on packing prior to each day. After dinner we can go watch sunset from Yading Village.

Driving 1h, hiking 10km between 4000m and 4400m, medium pace

Overnight lodging at 4000m

Today is our first day of the actual Yading Kora Trek. We will try to start early to catch the early bus for the last bit of ride from the village down to Chonggu and from there trekkig starts. Usually the fist bus is between 7.30am and 8.00am. The bus ride takes only 5 minutes to get the terminal.

The hiking starts by Chonggu, where the views are excellent: we can see two mountains including Mt. Chenrezig and Mt. Chenardorje over Chonggu Temple and Chonggu River. Today is rather a strenuous day of ascending from around 4000m to at 4500m. Distance is short but the elevation gain is a lot. We wil first walk up into the forest of rodrodandens and meet pasturing yaks among the bushes. The long and strenuous ascending at the beginning can be very challenging for the first hours. Since distance is only 7km for today we don’t have to rush. We can make more stops to catch our breath, to have a slower ascending while enjoy the amazing mountains view of Yading. In a sunny day, we have good views under the blue sky of the valley below. Elevation reaches over 4300 meters when forest replaced by scrubs along the trail we will start to have open views of everything: the amazing Mt. Jampayang northface, the lower rocky mountains by our right side, the tranquil valley of Luorong Yak Ranch, etc. When making longer stops we had better to put on more clothes since it can be windy and the weather changes quickly.

Today is our first day of camping for overnight. We set extra time for you to orient into this method of sleeping. After arrive at Bayul Camp set up tents and sort your packs. You will be informed of where to use toilet, what time is for dinner and when to get drinking water, etc. We will prepare dinner for you while you can enjoy the beautiful views of Bayul Camp. Today’s overnight place is at 4550m, higher than any night before, a big challenge for some people.

Hiking 7km between 4000m and 4500m, strenuous pace

Overnight camping at 4500m

Waking up in the morning light and catch the sunrise of Mt. Jampayang. Have breakfast and prepare for today's trekking. Today is even a harder day trek than yesterday. We will continue up from our camp to walk over a 4900-m pass and drop down to around 4500m at Tsagun Ranch total for around 14m. Walking up is around 6km with some parts steep. The trail is good and views are open. We will see Mt. Chenardorje while hiking.

Mount Chenrezig(6032m), with Jampayang (5958m) and Chenadorje(5958m), are three snow mountains in Yading, are the best landscape in Yading. They are legendarily seen as the Buddha Avalokiteshvara, Buddha Manjusri and Buddha Vajrapani. The circumambulation trekking of the mountains is called Kora, a Tibetan way of worshipping the holy Buddhas in their belief. Walking around the mountains will bring endless fortune and luck to your life. We expect the kora will be hard but it will be worth because of the views.>The pass of Chenardorje is at around 4900m, also the highest point of the trek. One may ask we don't we start the other way around to have lower altitude as start of hiking as well as sleeping? The answer lies in the local culture that one has to do the kora clockwise instead of the other way around. Plus even if we start the other way round the elevation won't be dramatically lower but just around 200 meters lower by the camp.

After the windy pass of Chenardorje we will walk all the way down to our camp at Tagun from 4900m to 4500m. Tsagu Ranch is a ranch with views of snow mountains and rocky hills instead of green forest in all directions. We will set up tents after arrival, sort packs and get ready for dinner. Whole day elevation is at above 4500m. It is one of the most challenging days of a Yading Kora Trek.

Hiking 14km between 4500m and 4900m, strenuous pace

Overnight camping at 4500m

Yading Middle Kora Trek is different than Yading Small Kora Trek which only goes to walk around Mt. Chenrezig for 1-2 days. There is also a Yading Big Kora which requries pilgrimage on the outter part by the river valley on roads. Yading big Kora is not a very scenic one although it is the most popular one among local Tibetan people. The middle kora we do is the most scenic one. It covers the best and wildest views of Yading and it also has great cultural meaning.

Today we will first descend into the primitive forest by following the winding trail in valley to Mt. Chenardorje. Old trees remind us the wilderness of this valley that no one comes up here except local pilgrims and nomads people. Landscapes change into forest and we gain our sight of the snow mountains in Yading again. The valley becomes wider and plants lusher. We will get to a very close look of Chenardorje eastface from its base. We walk to Mt. Chenardorje and then over another small pass to drop down to Zambie Ranch. Chenadorje peak appears when we cross over the Galo pass. Mt. Chenadorje is one of the three sacred mountains in Yading rising to 5958 meters high. It is, religiously, the Vajrapani, protector of Buddha, believed to be good-looking, brave and vigorous. This sacred mountain is crystal-like with perfect outlines. It looks very different from its north, east as well as its south side.

After the pass we will walk down to Zambie Ranch. Zambie Ranch is yak pasturing meadow used by local herders in summer. We may possibly run into the local Tibetan herdsman in their dark stone-made hut. At Zambie, we can have direct views of the holy peak Chenadorje. Today is one of the longest days of trekking for around 15km. We will first drop down to 4000m and then walk up to 4500m and then drop down to 4150m.

Hiking 15km between 4500m and 4150m, Strenuous pace

Overnight camping at 4150m

Everyday of Yading Middle Kora Trek is an amazing day in terms of views. Yading Middle Kora is ranked as one of the top5 most beautiful treks in China.

Today we will start after breakfast and leave the flower blooming Zambie Ranch for Zabala Pass. It is a long day. The views accelerate into another level today. We have views of two of the three Holy Mountains of Yading: Chenadorje and Jampayang. White glaciers at the top, dark rocky mountains in the middle and the green forest at the bottom. Rhododendron will be blooming all over the mountain in June and July(While in September and October, the mountain is covered by saffron plants). Climb up the steep Zambala Pass(elevation 4700 meters) where we find ourselves in a total arid, wind-blowing rocky ridge. Over the pass we shower in the open views of the stunning valley stretching southwestward. Pass the mani stone pile and a giant old landslide we camp at Xinggo Ranch at altitude of 4200 meters right behind the peak of Jampayang. We will be walking at very close to the base of the mountains by south of Yading. Before arriving to Xingo there is another small pass we need to walk over.

Xinggo Ranch is also a yak ranch of local Tibetans temporal residence when herding. It has even wider views. At Xingo, we can witness the very old glaciers and beautiful mountain rock wall by south of Mt. Jampayang. Feel free to walk around to take photos after arrival.

Hiking 16km between 4200m and 4700m, strenuous pace

Overnight camping at 4200m

A climbing-up day again. Leave Xinggo Ranch after breakfast and pack more drinking water for yourself as when we traversing the long range of landslide "huashipo" it may be difficult to find water. Looking back we catch the great views of the valley as well as the Xinggo Ranch we have trod by foot. The giant peak of Jampayang looks like a giant peach with a cuspate peak. Elevation reaches over 4500 meters for most of the day. It is always misty at such high altitude. Mani piles and prayer flags become more and more at the side of the path. Looking southward down is the deep valley in a great distance. Elevation difference between the bottom of the valley below to where we trek is almost 1000 meters. If expect to see one deep gorge in the Eastern Himalaya region, this maybe one. Over the zigzags we reach the rocky land of Black Lake. Edgy rocks and mountains are everywhere. Tibetan Buddhists regard the odd-shaped rocks and stones as divine Buddhist bibles and Buddha. Another ascent before we reach Snake Lake when the views become greater. Jampayang is witnessed from another angle. Glowing peaks of the mountains provide stunning mountain views in a sunny day. Today is the longest day of trekking for around 4800m and we will walk on small ups and downs over the big slides. The highest point of today s around around 4800m.

We camp at Snake Lake at 4450 meters where yaks pasturing pleasantly. Snake lake is also called Leshitso, which is located by the west side of Mt. Jampayang, at an altitude of 4,450 meters. The 7-hectare ancient ice bucket lake is the largest plateau lake in Yading. The lake is green-color not as turquoiese as Milk Lake nor 5-color Lake. The scenery is beautiful by Snake lake. It feels closer to Mt. Yampayang and one can see both Mt. Yampayang and Mt. Chenrezig from Snake Lake.

Hiking 18km between 4200m and 4800m, strenuous pace

Overnight camping at 4450m

Today is our last day of trekking. We walk in front of the beautiful snow-capped peak of Jampayang. Ascent before we reach Songdo Pass at 4600m and over the pass more views appear. From here we enter the "official park of Yading" again and will see the iconic Milk Lake and 5-Color Lake. Milk Lake is a turquoise colored lake at the altitude of around 4400 meters in the mountain hollow at the foot of the holy peak of Jampayang. It is also a sacred meditation location for the Tibetan Buddhists only now it's too crowded to any monk to meditate. Descent while we catch the sight of Chenrezig and reach Wuse Lake, one of the most visited places in Yading Park. After a short time by the two lakes we will walk down by the boardwalk and stairs to Luorong Yak Ranch and use park transfers to the base by Riwa and then transfer to Daocheng for overnight. The trekking part ends.

After around 2 hours' drive we will arrive in hotel in Daocheng, the first night place where we will have a nice shower and relax.

Hiking 10km between 4600m and 4000m, Meidum pace

Overnight lodging at 3800m

Send off to the airport to catch your flight or continue your tour, tour ends.

Driving 1 hour