National park · China
Yading National Park亚丁国家级自然保护区
Enter Yading for a day hike to Five‑color Lake and Milk Lake (10 km (6.2 mi) round, ~4 h) for ¥80–¥120; go early in summer (June–July) or early autumn (Sept) to avoid crowds and snow.Enter Yading for a day hike to Five‑color Lake and Milk Lake (6.2 mi (10 km) round, ~4 h) for ¥80–¥120; go early in summer (June–July) or early autumn (Sept) to avoid crowds and snow.
- Source checked
- A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
- Field checked
- Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
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Map to the park
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Area
1,200 km² (463 sq mi)463 sq mi (1,200 km²)
approximate
Established
2000
Best months
May–Jun, Sep
UNESCO
None
Rules in force · 7
- East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
- East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
- China ↗Most nationalities need a visa, a unilateral visa-free entry (the list and end dates change) or the transit exemption below. Confirm your route on the official sites before you buy a ticket.
- China ↗Transit stay without a visa: up to 240 hours (10 days) for citizens of about 55 listed countries who pass through China to a third country or region, with a confirmed onward ticket and a stay inside the permitted area (Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei count as one area). It replaced the 144-hour rule in December 2024, which some older pages still quote. Use the transit lane at immigration, show the onward ticket, and check the current nationality list. Hong Kong and Macau count as separate regions; check whether your ticket qualifies.
- China ↗Foreign visitors must register their address with the police within 24 hours; hotels do it at check-in with your passport. Carry the original passport at all times: hotels, trains, museums, Tiananmen Square and police checks ask for it.
- China ↗Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card before you fly. QR payment is the default in shops, taxis and many stalls, and some places refuse cash or a foreign card. Carry cash as a backup.
- China ↗Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and many news sites are blocked. Use an eSIM with roaming (it routes through your home network) or install and test a VPN before you fly; VPN sites and app stores are hard to reach inside China, and only government-approved VPNs are officially permitted.
At a glance
- Country
- China
- Area
- 1,200 km² (463 sq mi)463 sq mi (1,200 km²)
- Park covers about 1,200 km² (roughly 1,000 km² of land and 200 km² of alpine lakes; figures differ by source).
- Established
- 2000
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep
- Permits
- For some areas
Yading National Park in Sichuan protects a high‑altitude plateau with three sacred peaks over 5,900 m, more than 30 summits above 4,500 m and over 60 glacial lakes, offering alpine scenery and Tibetan‑Buddhist cultural sites.
Decide
Why go, which months, and what lives here when
At a glance
Status
- Special national siteNational Nature Reserve of China
Size and age
1,200 km² (463 sq mi)463 sq mi (1,200 km²) · national park since 2000
Park covers about 1,200 km² (roughly 1,000 km² of land and 200 km² of alpine lakes; figures differ by source).
Why go
- High‑altitude alpine scenery with three sacred peaks over 5,900 m.
- More than 30 peaks above 4,500 m and 60 glacial lakes.
- Cultural landscape of Tibetan Buddhism and nomadic yak herders.
When to go
- JanAvoid
- FebAvoid
- MarCaution
- AprGo
- MayBest
- JunBest
- JulCaution
- AugCaution
- SepBest
- OctGo
- NovAvoid
- DecAvoid
- JanSnow, road closures
- FebSnow, limited services
- MarCold, possible snow
- AprMelting snow, clearer trails
- MayWarm days, low crowds
- JunStable weather, good for high passes
- JulRainy, occasional storms
- AugRain, possible landslides
- SepClear, cool evenings
- OctCool, fewer tourists
- NovEarly snow
- DecSnow, limited access
Wildlife and nature calendar
| What | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marmot, Tibetan fox, yakMay–Sep · Common on grasslands. | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Deer, pheasantJun–Sep · Seen near meadows. | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
Arrive & move
Getting in, how the park is divided, and where things are
Show 3 sectionsHideHow to get there, Zones and sectors, Sketch map
How to get there
From Chengdu
Fly to Daocheng Yading Airport (≈¥800) then bus or private car to gate.
4–5 h total
Open the page →
From Kangding
Bus to Daocheng (≈¥150) then transfer to gate.
3–4 h
From Daocheng town
Local bus or taxi to gate, then mandatory shuttle to village.
1 h
Zones and sectors
| Zone | What is there | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Gate (outside Riwa) | Ticket office, shuttle boarding point. | Open daily, ticket required. |
| Longtongba base | Trailhead for lake hikes, service centre. | Reachable by shuttle. |
| Yading village | Accommodation, shops, ATM. | Open year‑round, limited in winter. |
Sketch map
Take the points offline
5 points as a GPX waypoint file, plus a plain-text list of coordinates. Save it while you have signal: maps apps show the points without a connection.
Coordinates based on park centre; approximate for planning.
See & do
Caves, trails and wildlife, with how hard each is and whether it needs booking
Show Top experiencesHide
Top experiences
Practical
Fees, permits, rules, where to sleep and what can go wrong
Show 8 sectionsHideEntry fees and permits, Park rules, Where to stay, Safety, Accessibility, Visiting lightly, Questions people ask, Related
Entry fees and permits
| Item | Range | Per | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park entry ticket | CNY 80–120 (≈ US$12–17) | person | Covers bus from gate to Yading village (check). |
| Bus from Daocheng to gate | CNY 150 (≈ US$25) | person | Official bus, 2019 price. |
| Shuttle from gate to Yading village | CNY 50–60 (≈ US$7–9) | person | Mandatory minibus to base. |
Ranges, not quotes: fees change without notice. Check with the park or your operator · checked Sep 2026.
Park entry permit or guide
High‑altitude trekking no permit
What would our group pay?
People
Nights or days
- CN¥80–120≈ US$12–17
- CN¥150≈ US$25
- CN¥50–60≈ US$7–9
Tick the fees that apply to your trip to see a total.
A guide, not a quote: the ranges are estimates (checked 2026-09) and each fee may have rules on who pays it. Check with the park or your operator before you go.
Park rules
- Drones
- Prohibited without park authority permission.
- Camping
- Allowed only in designated sites; must register at gate.
- Fire
- Open fires forbidden; use camp stoves.
- Litter
- Pack out all waste.
- Altitude safety
- Acclimatize; carry water and sun protection.
Where to stay
Near the park
Yading village guesthouses
Simple rooms, hot water, meals available.
Near the park
Riwa town hotels
More options, restaurants, internet.
Safety
Altitude sickness medium
Sudden weather change high
Road closures medium
How much daylight do you have?
Time out
Finding the local time zone…
Times are local to the spot (zone loading). The half-hour margin is our rule of thumb, not an official figure; light fades earlier in forest or under cloud. Carry a headlamp on any route that could run late.
Accessibility
- Gate area reachable by car; short walks on flat boardwalks.
- Higher trails steep, not suitable for limited mobility.
Visiting lightly
- Use the mandatory shuttle to reduce private vehicle traffic.
- Leave no trace; pack out all rubbish.
- Support local guesthouses for community benefit.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Yading?
Entry ticket ¥80–¥120 per person, plus ¥150 bus from Daocheng to the gate and a ¥50‑60 shuttle to the village.
What are the best hikes in Yading?
Five‑color Lake and Milk Lake (10 km round, moderate); Pearl Lake (short, easy); Chonggu Grasslands (scenic walk).
When is the best time to visit Yading?
Late spring (May–June) and early autumn (Sept) give clear trails and fewer crowds; avoid winter snow.
Do I need a permit for trekking?
No special permit, but you must buy the park entry ticket and use the mandatory shuttle.
Is camping allowed?
Yes, in designated sites after registration at the gate; fires are prohibited.
Deep dive
Every source; fees and rules change, so check before you go
Show the detailsHide
Sources
- secondaryWikidata – Yading
- secondaryWikivoyage: Yading, revision 5294071 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Ask about Yading National Park
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