Tagong - Chengdu Roundtrip - Tagong Grassland is now open to foreign travelers - our October trip to Tagong

Chengdu Travel - During the summer Olympic period there had been restrictions with regard to foreign travelers being given entry into those fantastic areas to the West of Kangding (Kangding is an easy 6 hour's Motorway and mainroad drive from Chengdu). However we had been getting reports that these were coming to an end and from September tourists were once again being allowed through. Knowing that the best way to check out rumour is to test them - we made the trip to Tagong last weekend - and yes no problems its all open!!!!
When we had to stop at the one security check-point just on the edge of Kangding I wasn't even asked to show my passport (I'm a Brit) - in Tagong a policeman came to talk to us - but he was all smiles - informing us of road construction and telling about the best routes.
The pic is of the towering 7,000m Gongga Mountain viewed from Zheduo Mountain which is just outside Kangding.
This and all the other pics were taken on this last trip - click on them to get a bigger image.


And this is the end-point - the Tagong grasslands - home of nomadic Tibetan Yak herders. A frosty morning pic taken in the intense sunlight that's found at this 3,000m plus location - take your sunblock (my nose is still a little sore).
You can get here - with a good driver - in about 10 hours from Chengdu. If you take public transport give a day to drive to Kangding and then pick up one of the many minibuses for the last stage of your trip on day 2.


This area isnt just nomads and grasslands - there are also farming communities - with lovely villages and more tranquil scenery.

But of course we also have our mountain scenes - this is at 4,300m at the Zheduo Pass - prayer flags and peaks making for a photographers dream.

The light here is just incredible - the river that flows through Tagong, here there is forest on the valley sides.


A lot of the roads are being rebuilt to a high standard - and much of that work is already finished. Trvel here is easy - and getting even easier. In normal tourist seasons there is no need for 4WD.


There's my wife - I kept on losing her with the camera!!!!


This is what it looks like when you get very close to the vegitation line - its a tad chilly here, and snow was starting to fall. This is on the road to Moxi.
You don't have to be an ace mountaineer to get up here - just drive a car and walk up a track. However go slowly - the air is thin.
with regard to altitude sickness - here are tips -

1. - making sure not to over exert yourself when high

2. - taking oxygen - you can buy small cheap spray canisters of O2 with a mask. I've never used them, and can't vouch for the quality of content - but by the evidence of rubbish cans lots of tourists use them.

3. - taking Tibetan herb medicine - which being organic shouldn't mess with other medications. I've tried this and it seems to work - but then again there is the placebo effect and mind over matter!!!!

4. - to stem the symptoms - drink lots of water - getting altitude sick often feels like a hang-over - you get de-hydrated.

5. - If you really do get sick go down again. In normal cases you recover very quickly when you descend.


This is nice country - again a view up from the Zheduo Mountain - this time from the new airport road.


The new temple on the Tagong Grassland - basking in the early morning sunlight.


Looking down onto the grasslands near Tagong - on that airport road.


A backdrop to the Tagong Grasslands is the holy Yala Mountain - this shot gives you the holy feel!!!

More rolling grassland at Tagong - there's also a few autumn colours that enliven this pic.



Mustn't forget Stupas - here is one and that Yala Mountain.


Most of the people we guide this way are birders - but even if you're not a wildlife freak its hard to ignore the fantastic nature here.


It might be just a Sparrow - but you don't often see 'em sitting on Tibetan prayer flags.


Vulture meets the moon - lots of big birds floating about!!!


Here's the old Tagong Temple - an important place for Tibetan pilgrimage. Lots of prayer wheels and a great whiff of yak butter!!!!


A smaller temple on the road out of Tagong - these places look very neat.


There she is - found her again - this time hiding behind a Stupa.


We have a van so we like to give folk lifts - for the price of a photo. Here are 3 nuns - on a pilgrimage to Tagong Temple.



Three farming girls - those hats look so pretty.


For us the most serious effects of altitude, and changes in air-pressure, were exploding crisp (for you Americans thats - chip) packets - here's another one that's about to go. Wonder if there's money in producing a high altitude packet.


Here's that airport road I've been talking about- the surface still isn't finshed - but its perfectly okay in dry conditions. On this road you can get to Kangding in about 3 to 4 hours (a lot slower if you're always stopping to take the scenery in) .


Our Hotel landlady - we always stay at this friendly place. The food is Tibetan, which includes - yak butter tea - some Tibetan cheese (it doesn't taste much like cheese), barley flour which you mix with yak butter and sugar - and lots more yak butter tea.
Actually I'm not going to rave on about this diet - and the old lady chuckled when she told that she was sure some foreign guests only ate through being polite!!!!
A few other restaurants in the town where you can get away from yak butter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Here she is again - a great place to stay.


Our bedroom - no posters on the wall here.
There are electric blankets to keep you warm - but bathroom and toilet conditions are basic. A bowl for washing and a hole in the floor type toilet for doing other business - but down the road there other establishments that cater for those who need a bit more pampering

To find out more about the grasslands, contact us on - chengduuk@hotmail.com