5-day Hiking Adventure
Siguniang Peak Challenge (Da Feng or Er Feng)
Overview
Feel the buzz of one of China’s most populous cities, bask in the glorious beauty of the Chinese “Alps”, challenge yourself mountain climbing and visit a Giant Panda sanctuary.
- Absorb the sights and sounds of an ancient city
- Chase waterfalls in Shuangqiao Valley
- Summit your first >5,000m mountain
- Book a play-date with Sichuan’s Giant Pandas
Day 1: Chengdu
Settle into your hotel in Chengdu and take an evening walk around the historic Kuanzhai alley where you can enjoy mouth-numbing Sichuan cuisine over a cultural performance.
Day 2: Siguniang Mountain - Shuangqiao Valley
We start with a 4-5h drive to Siguniang Mountain in the morning. This UNESCO world heritage site is so named for its “Four Maiden” peaks which soar above 5,000m. The tallest and youngest sister, Yaomei Feng stands aloof at 6,250m and is also known as the Queen of Sichuan’s peaks.
Here, we have entered the Aba autonomous Qiang and Tibetan region where prayer flags and Tibetan stupas are a common sight. Today is our first acclimatisation day and we will spend the day exploring Shuangqiao Valley, one of three valleys in the area. Shuangqiao is renowned for its waterfalls, of which there are more than a hundred.
Day 3: Siguniang Mountain - Base Camp
We start our ascent to base camp in the morning, hiking 18km past Haizi Valley which is famous for its alpine lake and meadows. The route is mostly flat but long, and some people choose to conserve their energy by riding a horse to base camp.
The base camps for both peaks (Da Feng and Er Feng) are perched above 4,000m. Once we’ve made camp, we spend the afternoon resting and acclimatising for tomorrow’s summit climb.
Day 4: Summit Day
Summit day! Da Feng stands at 5,025m and Er Feng at 5,276m, with a 3h and 6h summit hike respectively. We offer at least 1:2 support on the summit attempt.
After conquering your first 5,000m peak, we retreat back to base camp from where we can either take a slow walk or have the option of riding a horse back to town.
Day 5: Wolong Panda Base - Chengdu
This morning we return to Chengdu from the mountains.
We will make a stop at Wolong Panda Base on the way back to Chengdu. This is the most scenic Panda Base, hidden deep in the mountains of Wolong National Park. Here we can witness Pandas frolicking in an environment closely simulated to their natural habitats. If the time is right, we may even get to see baby Pandas.
Your private transportation will be waiting to take you back to Chengdu (or directly to the airport).
Optional add-ons: For an unforgettable experience
Spend another day in the mountains, camping under the stars at Haizi Valley. It is the least accessible of Siguniang Mountain’s three valleys, situated en route to Base Camp. Our camp site will be at Dahaizi, the largest alpine lake in the area where you are likely to find yaks grazing and wild ducks bathing.
If you are a keen mountain climber, make it a twin summit or triple! Continue on to Erfeng after Dafeng, and should you have the technical skills, make an attempt for San Feng, the most challenging of the three.
