7 Days Lugu Lake to Yading — Solo Backpacking

Arrive Luoshui Village, Lugu Lake

Drop gear at guesthouse and walk the lakefront to get lake and altitude bearings.

Walk to Lige Peninsula

Follow the dirt path north 3km to Lige for elevated lake views and trail orientation.

Talk to Mosuo Guesthouse Owners

Ask guesthouse hosts about the northern road toward Muli — they know local routes.

Scout Northern Lakeshore Road

Walk or hire a local motorbike taxi to scout the road leaving north toward Kaiwa.

Rest and hydrate

Lugu Lake sits at 2,690m — rest fully tonight before higher terrain tomorrow.

Depart Luoshui by foot or motorbike

Head north on the unpaved road skirting the lake's northwest shore toward Kaiwa Village.

Pass through Kaiwa Village

Small Mosuo settlement — refill water here, last reliable source for several hours.

Climb northwest ridge trail

Follow the dirt road climbing northwest away from the lake into pine forest.

Reach Yongning Basin

Drop into the wide Yongning Valley — a major Tibetan Buddhist area with monastery.

Visit Yongning Lamasery (Zhamei Monastery)

Active Tibetan monastery — monks are often willing to gesture-communicate with travelers.

Find accommodation in Yongning

Look for small family guesthouses (农家乐) near the monastery — expect basic rooms.

Depart Yongning northwest toward Muli

Follow the gravel road heading northwest — this is the main route into Muli Prefecture.

Flag passing vehicles on Muli road

This road has sparse traffic — hitch with trucks or motorbikes heading into Sichuan.

Cross into Muli County, Sichuan

You enter Sichuan — Muli is a Tibetan autonomous county with minimal tourist infrastructure.

Muli Town orientation walk

Walk the single main street of Muli town — locate the bus station and food stalls.

Visit Muli Monastery

Ancient Tibetan monastery on the hillside — Joseph Rock documented it in 1924.

Rest in Muli guesthouse

Basic guesthouses near the bus station — confirm onward transport to Xiangjuli tomorrow.

Board shared minibus toward Xiangjuli

Catch the early shared van northeast from Muli toward the Litang River valley road.

Pass through Wa'erqie Village

Small Tibetan hamlet mid-route — good rest stop, drink tea if a family offers.

Arrive Xiangjuli (Chonggu area approach)

Gateway settlement before the final push toward Yading — find accommodation here.

Walk the valley floor trail

Follow the river trail south from Xiangjuli — acclimatize at 3,700m before Yading.

Talk to local Tibetan herders

Herders camped in the valley know Yading's interior trails — use hand gestures and maps.

Depart toward Yading Reserve entrance

Walk or take a local vehicle the final 15km south to the Yading park gate.

Pay Yading entrance fee

Official reserve entrance — pay at the gate, get a wristband, register your name.

Chonggu Grassland walk

Walk the flat meadow trail with direct views of Chenrezig (6,032m) peak ahead.

Chonggu Monastery

Small active monastery on the grassland — monks here sometimes speak basic Mandarin.

Hike to Luorong Cattle Farm Meadow

4km trail climbing to 4,180m Luorong — three sacred peaks visible simultaneously here.

Camp or stay at Luorong guesthouse

Basic wooden guesthouse at Luorong — book via the entrance station or arrive and ask.

Early start from Luorong toward Milk Lake

Leave before 7am — the 5km climb to Milk Lake at 4,700m needs full day buffer.

Reach Milk Lake (Ruobing Hai)

Turquoise glacial lake below Yangmaiyong (5,958m) — one of the most remote lakes in Sichuan.

Continue to Five-Color Lake (Wucai Hai)

30-min walk above Milk Lake — smaller but vivid; altitude here is 4,800m.

Summit ridge rest and navigation check

From the ridge, identify the descent trail back south by looking for cairns downhill.

Descend back to Luorong via alternate ridge path

The western ridge path offers different views — follow it only in clear weather.

Return to Luorong or descend to Chonggu

If energy remains, descend to Chonggu for the final night closer to exit.

Final morning walk at Chonggu

Golden hour on the three peaks — best light of the trip, worth waking early for.

Take park shuttle to Yading Village exit

Board the shuttle down to the reserve entrance village to exit before noon.

Board shared minibus to Daocheng

Shared vans run Yading to Daocheng (~1.5 hrs, ¥30) — depart by 10am to make connections.

Daocheng Town rest and food

Daocheng has an airport — confirm onward flight or bus to Chengdu or Kangding here.

Optional: Daocheng Yading Airport departure

Daocheng Yading Airport (DCY) at 4,411m is the world's highest commercial airport.

Alternative: Board long-distance bus to Kangding

8–10 hr bus to Kangding (¥120) if flying out is not the plan — scenic G318 highway.