Mt.Siguniang

The Mt. Siguniang (We still call it Four-Girl Mountain) Scenic Area is an unspoiled wilderness park located in western Sichuan Province, near the town of Rilong in Aba Autonomous Prefecture. It's 220 kilometers from Chengdu, and will take you about five or six hours to reach by bus. The main attraction of this scenic spot is unspoiled natural beauty. The unusual shapes of the mountain peaks are rarely seen anywhere else in the world. The blue sky, clouds and mist, snow peaks, ancient cypress forests, rushing waterfalls, and alpine meadows make this area a nature lovers dream. The biggest scenic area in Aba Autonomous Prefecture, Mt. Siguniangshan Scenic Area includes one mountain - Mt. Siguniangshan, and three valleys -Shuangqiao Valley, Changping Valley, and Haizi Valley.

Mysterious Mountain
Mt. Siguniangshan consists of four adjacent mountain peaks. It got its unusual name from a local Tibetan legend that says the four peaks are the embodiments of four pretty girls. At 6,250 meters (about 20,500 feet), the highest peak of Mt. Siguniangshan, known as 'the little girl' is also called the 'Queen Peak' of Mt. Shu Shan in the Hengduan range. There is a higher 'King Peak' in Sichuan province but it is not in this area.

Mt. Siguniangshan is famed for its steep and imposing ridges. The high meadows are gorgeous throughout the four seasons. Hundreds of wildflowers burst forth in spring, giving way to luxuriant green trees and grass in summer. In the fall, the leaves on the trees blaze in color heralding the coming snows of winter. Because of the clear, blue sky, the thick forest at the foot of the mountains, the verdant grassland, and the murmuring streams, Siguniangshan is sometimes known as the 'Alps of the Orient'. You may, in fact, think you are in southern Europe.

Changping Valley

The Changping Valley was developed earlier and is comparatively mature. It mainly consists of forests, valleys, and snowy mountains towering over valleys. It extends 29 km and covers an area of some 100 square km. The Four-Girl Mountain lies 16 km inside the valley. Only part of the roads are open to traffic and the rest are only suitable for people to walk or ride horses on.

The alley to the Four-Girl Mountain through the Changping valley is very narrow and winding. Coniferous forest, broadleaf forest, sub-forests, shrub wood, and weed clusters joggle together and exhibit their contrasting charms.

In the Changping valley, there are ancient cypresses, lama monasteries, dried haizi and a waterfall scores of meters high, all of which make the valley a tourist favorite. When crossing Changping valley on horseback, passing through original forests, bestriding brooks, and surmounting the snow-covered mountains, tourists can eventually camp after a trip of six or seven hours.

On the long trip, tourists can gradually adapt to the jolting of the horses and start to take more interest in the scenes along the valley. When tourists enter the forests, they step on soft and deep moss and fallen leaves, breathe the tangy fragrant and humid air, and hear birds singing. Negative oxygen is very abundant there and it is worthy of the name of a natural forest bathing place. The cypress forest along the mountain alleys hides the sky and sun, and it takes several people to surround each bulky trunk. At Erdaoping, the Four-Girl Mountain looms within the view of people.

Shuangqiao Valley
Shuangqiao Valley extends 34.8 km and covers an area of about 216.6 square km. This scenic area consists of three sections. In the valley, people can view more than 10 snow mountains over 4,000 meters above sea level each.

The lower section is the Yangliu Bridge with some mysterious scenes such as the Yinyang valley, a poplar forestry strip, the Sun and Moon and Precious Mirror Mountain, and the Five-Color Mountain. The middle section is the Nianyu Dam, including the Renshenguo Level Ground, a sand thorn forest, Jianshanzi, Jiujiahai, and other scenic sites. The upper section is the Niupengzi Lawn and Changhe Beach, including the Hunter Peak, Niupengzi, the Changhe Dam, and other scenic sites.

Among the scenic sites, the Ape and Hunter peaks are very astonishing, and those mountains and stones with various mysterious legends such as the Five-Color and Plenilune mountains show their special spirit.

The highways winding through the Shuangqiao valley string together all the mysterious and beautiful scenic sites like a dazzling brilliant necklace.

Steep overhanging cliffs flank the near the edge of the valley. The dismal darkness of the valley's inside poses a sharp contrast with the blinding brightness outside. The sepulchral silence is pierced intermittently by the splashing, cascading streamlets. No wonder this part of the valley is nicknamed as 'The Valley of Spirits.'

After walking for several kilometers along winding paths, the silent and dark narrowness gradually opens up, letting light slip through. The zigzags eventually lead to the valley's open area.

In October, nature lavishly unfolds its fall splendor. It mantles every bit, from the valley bottom all the way up to the summit, with a palette of crimson, orange yellow, deep brown, vivid purple, sapphire blue, and blackish green. All the peaks, trees, grasslands, streams, and water drops are completely bared in their natural being, untouched and unspoiled by man. Though only a few families inhabit the area, the architectural styles of their houses are in complete harmony with the surroundings.

An Admission fee 80RMB to Shuangqiao Valley and another sightseeing bus 80RMB during Peak season which starts from 1st of April to 30th of November; At shoulder season it will be down to 50RMB plus 60RMB sightseeing bus fee.

Haizi Valley
T

he Haizi Valley derives its name from the fact that in the valley are a dozen alpine lakes including Huahaizi, Fohai, Baihai, Lanhai, and Huanghai. It extends 19.2 km and covers an area of 126.48 square km. Its entrance lies in Rilong Town, and is the most beautiful valley . The scene there is completely different from that in Shuangqiao and Changping valleys.

Gozhuangping and Chaoshanping in the first half mainly consist of plateau lawns and are the best places to view the Four-Girl Mountain and take a photo of the 'sunlight on the golden mountain.' Every year, on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, people of the Tibetan ethnic group will hold a grand worship ceremony there facing Four-Girl Mountain.

The Haizi Valley contains a mysterious and beautiful group of plateau lakes. On the surrounding mountains, forests are thick and lush, water and soil are well preserved, and water sources are abundant. The water in the Haizi Valley is not polluted. There is a shady alley accessing the valley.

Along with various mountain postures more than 10 haizi scattering in valleys and forests present various colors. Trees shadows and sunlight fallen down from forest gaps can reflect sometimes on lakes, and sometimes the water overflows on some large moss-covered stones. A kind of ancient fish without scales moves about in the lakes and can be seen clearly in the pure water, adding to the feeling of natural quiet and beauty.

In the Four-Girl Mountain, it is rainy in summer, and the water run-off makes it hard to enter the Haizi Valley.

Note: Tourists always ride a horse to explore the valleys, it usually takes about  50 - 150RMB according to the distance. Remember to try your best to do bargin with them, normally you will ask overprice.