Landslide Season in West Sichuan

West Sichuan is one of the most beautiful places in China but some of the roads in West Sichuan are often affected by heavy rain and landslide that happen every summer during the monsoon season from late June to early August each year. The conditions have improved a lot since the building of new highways and tunnels but some places are still in the affected area.

Sichuan Rainy Season is from late June to early/mid August in general.

Where (exact road locations or areas) are the Usual Places that will have landslide?

The locations of possible landslides in rainy season are often located between the higher mountains and lower mountains west to Chengdu and Yaan. These mountains are called the “Curtain of Rain” that is made of a series of mountains that blocks the monsoon and then cloud stays and heavy rain comes. The following places are the possible landslide places in Sichuan/West Sichuan: Road from Yaan to Kangding, Road from Chengdu to Wolong/Bipenggou/Siguniang, Roads in Yaan, Roads in Pingwu, Roads in Wenchuan, Roads in Luding and Kangding. The listed places are located in the “Curtain of Rain” and are often with deep gorges, steep mountains that the roads connect from the plains into the bigger mountains of Ngawa and Garze have to go through these places.

Please note most of the beautiful travel destinations in West Sichuan (Yading, Minya Konka, Tagong, Siguniang, Danba, Derge, Ganzi) themselves don’t have landslide there. The landslides mostly happen on the way getting there.

When exactly is the rainy season in West Sichuan?

The season of highest possible landslide happens in the rainy season (monsoon season) of east Asia which is from late June to early August each year. Some years the rain may come later some years earlier. The rain in some years are gentle that doesn’t cause any major landslide. The rain in some years come down quick and hard and causes landslide and some of the landslide cuts of the main road that goes into West Sichuan and can cause hours/days of road shutoff.

Please note the climate zones are different of Chengdu (and lower mountains around) and of West Sichuan. Chengdu is subtropical that usually has hot summer, more rain and possible more heavy showers, whilst West Sichuan (once you get on to the highland after Kangding, Balang Mountain, Maoxian and Lixian) it is in general dry. This is why we often have green mountain and sunny weather in summer days of West Sichuan.

What are the possible Consequences if Landslide happens?

Most landslides are minor and normally re-opens within half day or one day if not sooner. The usual landslide places are now equipped with good bulldozers and trucks to clear up the roads when it happens. Some years the rain is not heavy and doesn’t damage any roads. Since 2022 many roads in West Sichuan are built and maintained very well and the repair happens very quick. Although traffic jams are therefore become more likely while you travel in Summer time.

Below are 2 serious landslide incidents in recent years:

The expressway from Chengdu to Kangding was cut off at near Kangding by landslide in late July 2024 and was only reopened by 1 month later. Before the expressway re-opens travelers had to use an alternative road that usually has heavy traffic and makes the trip 2-3 hours longer.

The road from Danba to Siguniang was damaged in July 2024 and was only recovered in September same year. Before it re-opens travelers had to use an alternative road that is only accessible by small cars.

Planning and Suggestions

We travel and organize trips to West Sichuan every summer from June to August. The damage and cutoff of roads are something we often take into consideration while doing travel planning in this season. There is no need to panic or to completely avoid this season/location while plan your trip to West Sichuan but there are things you may know before hand to do better planning and to have expectations.

1, Know the Landslide Places

Note the landslides (that big enough to cut off roads) are not everywhere in West Sichuan. Once you get on the plateau the risk of landslide becomes very low and there is no need to panic. You’ll find it’s only the “rain curtain” places are risky and the plateau is largely drier. We sometimes have rain/mist on the way but while getting on the plateau we’ll be above the cloud and the sky is clear even in summer.

2, Don’t drive by Night Time

The risk of death causing by landslide is very low. The chance of your car getting hit by falling rocks could happen if you are really in some heavy-rain areas such as the gorges near Yaan/Wolong/Wechuan during this season, especially when you are driving by night time and when the road is sketchy. It usually gets dark by around 7-8pm in Sichuan in Summer.

3, Use Bigger Roads and Main roads that Rescues are Closer and Quicker

• The 4 main roads on to the plateau from Chengdu to West Sichuan include:
• A, Chengdu - Yaan - Kangding Expressway (to Kangding, Tagong, Xinduqiao, Minya Konka, Yading, Ganzi, Derge, Serta, Litang, G318...) is now a very good toll way that landslides don’t normally affect this road in summer time but may have constant road maintenance that may shut off some part of the expressway in some days in Summer.
• B, Chengdu - Dujiangyan - Wolong - Siguniang - Danba: This road (National Highway) has now built more tunnels to reduce the risks of the road cut-off by landslide in summer seasons but big and small landslide often happens in summer although normally cleared up within half day or one day’s time. Danba has higher risks of flood that may cause traffic and accessibility problems in July.
• C, Chengdu - Dujiangyan - Lixian - Barkam/Aba: This road is also an express toll way that are big and strong that is mostly not affected by landslide in Summer Time.
• D, Chengdu - Dujiangyan - Wenchuan - Songpan - Jiuzhai: This road (National Highway) can also be affected by heavy rain and landslide during summer time but road can be cleared up quickly within 1 day’s time even if it’s a serious one. Although now most people use the fast train to Jiuzhai so conditions of this road becomes less relevant for travelers.

4, Plan Your Trip with Redundancy, Make Alternative Routes

We often suggest travelers who plan traveling to West Sichuan to have at least 1 night by end of your trip in Chengdu, or ideally 2 nights (i.e. to leave the visits of Chengdu by before you fly out other than by the beginning after your arrival) so the risk of missing your flight due to possible delays by rain/landslide is very low then since you’ll have the redundant nights in Chengdu. This way of sequence of planning is recommended when you travel during rainy season (end June to early August) in West Sichuan.

Making an alternative travel plan is suggested while traveling in rainy season in West Sichuan. This will require you to stay flexible and make quick plans if the planned route is not possible due to landslide. There are usually alternative routes possible.

5, Check Weather Forecast

Check reliable weather forecast before you start your trip in west Sichuan. If the weather forecast seems fine then you shouldn’t worry of rainy days or landslides causing any delays. If the weather forecast shows heavy rains by the “rain curtain” places then you’ll need to follow the development of road conditions and make changes of your travel plan should any road gets cut off by landslide. This will require you to read maps and know where the roads are located in the “rain curtain” places.

Note in summer seasons the normal rain or moderate rain is common and usually doesn’t cause any damage of any roads. You shouldn’t over-worry this either: the “rain curtain” places see a lot of rain each year and have the precautions and countermeasures if heavy rain happens. Some busy tourist parks do shut off due to forecasted heavy rainfall, for example, the Dujiangyan Park has shut off more than 1 time in 2025 due to worry over heavy rain.

6, Use Reliable Driver and Travel Companies

If you are booking a tour with travel company for your vacation to West Sichuan in rainy season, make sure they know the places well and have experiences driving at these places. It is better to go with a company who knows these places well and can act quick to make changes for possible delays due to road cutoff, landslide and can make safer planning and can offer alternative routes. A good way to tell if a company/driver knows these places is to read what they offer, if it’s vague and sketchy then it’s not responsible planning.