Mt. Wawu (Mountain of Tiled Roof) Travel Guide

Mt. Wawu(Roof Mountain) is a nature and tourist park located in Hongya near Yaan city. It is famous for its flat top and rich flora and fonna species. Mt. Wawu is renowned as "Pearl in the Green World". Wawu means table mountain or Flat-top mountain, with ever running streams and long waterfalls, lush forests and seasonal different views. Mt. Wawu is one of the best places to watch Red Pandas in real wild conditions. The tourist highlights of Wawu include Yanv Lake, Zhengjue Temple, Yuanyang Pond, etc.

How to Get to Mt. Wawu

Mt. Wawu is located 150km southwest to Chengdu and 65km to Yaan City. By driving it takes around 3 hours to get to Mt. Wawu from Chengdu and from Yaan city around 1.5 hours by driving. There is no direct bus from Yaan to Mt. Wawu the best way is to hire a private car. The road to Wawu is winding.

Travel Season & Planning

In spring(Apr-May-Jun), all kinds of rhododendrons bloom, and Chinese pigeon flowers show their branches; in summer the mountain enters into the most lush season; in autumn, the leaves change color; in winter, the waterfalls become icefalls and parts of the mountain covers in snow.

Birds are most active in May and June. Other seasons all possible to see the forest birds in Mt. Wawu. Red Pandas are easier to see from August to November when the cherries ripe.

Winter from mid December to the next early Feb will see huge crowds of visitors to Mt. Wawu each day. People pour in to play snow. If you wish to do sighting or photography of red pandas then please reconsider or change to other seasons. You will still have chance of sighting red pandas during this season but need to be very patient to wait for your window for photography due to the crowds of visitors. Also the melting and falling snow from the trees may also make the sighting of red pandas/watching of birds hard.

The middle trail of Mt. Wawu (where the big waterfall is) is not accessible in winter time from December to the next March due to falling ice and snow that put risks of injuries of visitors.

Highlights

Bird Watching in Mt. Wawu

Mt. Wawu is one of the best places to watch birds in Sichuan. Mt. Wawu has rich vegetation and they are, due to hard access and humid weather, well-protected, hence becoming one of the perfect places in China for birds especially parrotbills. Mt. Wawu and its surrounding area is the most densely-populated place for parrotbills. From lower elevation forest to higher elevation mountains here we may see parrotbills including vinous-throated parrotbill, ashy-throated parrotbill, grey-headed parrotbill, great parrotbill, golden parrotbill, grey-hooded parrotbill, three-toed parrotbill, brown parrotbill, fulvous parrotbill, many of which are unique in China including grey-hooded parrotbill and three-toed parrotbill. If you wish to watch parrotbills then Mt. Wawu could be one of your first choices.

The best locations to watch birds in Mt. Wawu including the loop trail on top of the mountain, and the deserted road near Gongtong Hotel by middle range of mountain.

Wildlife - Red Pandas

Mt. Wawu is a great place to watch red pandas in un-captive conditions. Although you want to avoid busy travel seasons to have quiet time for the birds and wildlife. According to the locals, the best seasons to watch red pandas in Mt. Wawu is from August to November and other seasons will also have chances. The best locations to spot Red Panda is by the loop trail on top of the mountains. Look for red panda in the lower trees not the big trees.

Asiastic Black Bear has been spotted in Mt. Wawu by the middle range but it is very rare. The following wildlife are also possible: Chinese tuft deer(local chance), Tibetan Macaque, leopard cat(low chance), takin(low chance).

Yanv Lake

Yanv Lake is the biggest lake in Mt. Wawu and not inside the park of Wawu Natural Forest Park. It is an artificial reservoir that is 19km long and 13km wide at an elevation of 1000m. Yanv Lake has become a popular camping place for many and also a weekend place from Chengdu. It has 4 villages by the lake and many peninsulas. From the lake one can see Mt. Wawu at close range.

Zhengjue Temple

Zhengjue Temple is located inside the park of Wawu at the elevation of 2678m. From the temple one can see the other big and famous mountain including Mt. Emei and Mt. Gongga. In lucky days one can also see sea of cloud by the temple.

Yuanyang Pond and Yuanxi Waterfall

Yuanyang Pond is a small part of water that has a legend related to the Taoist gods. It is located by 2700m in Mt. Wawu. The stream that comes out from the pond is called Yuanxi, a 1800-m long stream that forms a 400-m drop of waterfall. The water fall is called Yuanxi Waterfall. From Yuanxi one can see the full view of the waterfall.

Yuxian Waterfall

Another waterfall in Wawu that is beautiful. Yuxian Water is 15 meter high and 5-m wide. It is at the lower part of Wawu by 1400m.

Mt. Wawu is a lush and damp place due to its climate. Dense forests and rich water have created perfect home for many plants and animals. Rhodedandra is one of the amazing seasonal view especially in May when they bloom.

Tickets Information

(for passport holders please buy all tickets: Entrance + 2 parts of cable car by the tourist center before check in by showing your passport to the ticket office.)

Entrance Ticket: CNY100 per person;

Tourist Bus:CNY60 per person (this is an alternative choice for first part of Cable Car)

Cable Car: 1+2 CNY100+100 per person

Business Hour:08:30-17:00

Tourist Line: 028-36598888, 028-37536368

Staying inside Mt. Wawu

Staying inside the park is recommended if you wish to watch the animals/birds but not a necessity. There are 2 hotels available inside the park of Mt. Wawu: Gongtong Hotel by middle mountain and Xiang’er hotel by top of the mountain. Although these hotels are very expensive and not very comfortable. These hotels can take foreigners. If you don’t stay inside the park then the earliest you can get into the park is by around 8am which is still good given the cool conditions by the top of the mountain. There are plenty of good hotels to choose by the base of the mountain near the lake. Going up the mountain will involve using 2 times of cable cars that will take around 30 minutes in total.

Travel Tips:

1, Early morning and late afternoon are good timing for animal/bird watching, you are recommended to stay night/nights by the base of the park. You may also choose to stay inside the park. There are 2 hotels to choose inside the park.

2, You may also do the hiking up the mountain (or from middle mountain to the top) if you are active travelers.

3, The cable car to the top usually starts by around 8am although in different seasons the time may differ.

4, There are no local bird guide/wildlife guide available in Mt. Wawu.