Northern Sichuan Aba
Aba Prefecture, also known as Ngawa Prefecture in Tibetan, is located in north-western Sichuan Province, at the upper reaches of the Changjiang River and Yellow River. As one of the popular Sichuan attraction, Aba Prefecture is mainly inhabited by the Tibetan and Qiang ethnic groups. When you take a Sichuan tour, you should not miss the Aba Prefecture which is a great place to get out and commune with wonderful nature. Besides the obvious Han Chinese and Tibetan, you may encounter Hui and Qiang minorities as well. That is, you will have an amazing experience in natural scenery and local customs.
With a long history, the social customs in Aba Prefecture are colorful. Aba Prefecture, not only has a large number of tangible cultural heritage but also in-tangible cultural heritage. The omnipresent Mani piles and the fluttering Buddhist scripture streamers demonstrate the Tibetan people’s religious piety. The tall and strong watchtowers and the single cabled sliding bridges across the rapid give evidence to the technical expertise of the Qiang people.
The special local products are verbal medicine, Tibetan knives and Qiang embroidery. The major festivals in Aba Prefecture are Great Prayer Festival, Six-Four Festival, Zachong Festival and Horse Race Festival. When you travel to Aba, you can take a Sichuan tour to enjoy a festival and taste the local snacks such as butter tea, boiled Yak with chili and Tibetan steamed st￭ bun. Then, you will have a good understanding of the unique social customs in Aba Prefecture.
Aba Prefecture has lots of famous Sichuan attractions. It contains 3 of the 6 World Natural Heritage Sites in the whole China, making Aba the premier destination in China for nature-based and ecotourism. Aba Prefecture has great cultural diversity, with a majority Tibetan population, elaborate Tibetan Buddhist temples, picturesque grasslands and beautiful mountain scenery. In addition to Jiuzhaigou National Park, you also can visit Siguniang (Four Girls) Mountain, Huanglong Park, Jiuzhaigou National Park, Wolong Panda Reserve and Dagu Glacier. You should not miss Aba Prefecture when you take a Sichuan tour.
Related tours
Take a Chengdu to Lhasa overland tour via Daocheng Yading along the Sichuan–Tibet Highway Southern Route (G318). Travel through Tagong Grasslands, Litang, Yading Nature Reserve, Ranwu Lake, Midui Glacier, Lulang Forest, and Draksum-tso before reaching Lhasa.
This 5-day Beijing tour with Great Wall hiking combines iconic city highlights with a scenic Jinshanling hike. Visit Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and explore old Hutongs before a full day on the quieter, photogenic Jinshanling Wall.
Join this Lhasa Namtso Lake Group Tour to experience Tibet’s culture and scenery. Explore Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Drepung and Sera Monasteries in Lhasa, then travel north on the Lhasa to Namtso Lake Tour for turquoise lakes, vast grasslands, and authentic Tibetan life.
Experience an epic Tibet Everest Base Camp trek, one of the region’s most iconic high-altitude routes. This 11-day Tibet trekking tour takes you from the sacred monasteries of Lhasa across alpine plains and rugged mountain terrain to reach Everest Base Camp at 5,200 meters—offering spectacular views of the mountain’s legendary north face.