Yading
ALTITUDE – 3700-4400m/12100-14400ft
Overview
Is this Shangri La?
Temple
Weather
Access
Yading Gallery
Overview
As we journey further from civilisation, I appear to struggle more and more with running out of superlatives. There is no doubt that it can take a certain degree of dedication just to get here, but I know of no-one who returned without a huge sense of achievement and wonder that places like this still exist in our overcrowded and complex world.
Yading also holds the accolade of being one of the most remote national parks in China, simply put, it’s a long way from anywhere.
Until the late 1990′s it was almost completely unknown to the outside world and remained a secret only to the Tibetan people who came here as an act of pilgrimage to worship the three Holy peaks that reside in the park.
Is this Shangri La?
The Lost Horizons author James Hilton never visited Tibet, getting no closer than northern India, but it was there he must have heard stories of a lost valley, in which a secret monastery was located. Bounded on all sides by massive snowy peaks, a gentle river meandering through grasslands dotted with Yak – the Tibetans called this place Shambala, a sacred place, a secret.
Whether Yading is Shambala, or the Anglicised miss-spelling Shangri La is unknown, but surely this secret valley must be a strong contender.
A few years ago, the park was closed for over a year for “improvement”, and when it reopened it had changed, with a new concrete road used to shuttle tourists up to the high yak meadow at around 4200m. This route used to be plied by Tibetans leading horses, a few hours of bumpy riding on a rough trail.
All that is gone now, and the new board walks that cross the fragile wetlands bounding the river do not look so appealing, but they no doubt help protect a very delicate ecosystem. Things change, and although the more accessible parts of the park may have lost some of their charm, there is no shortage of serious wilderness to be found here for those willing to try.
Climbing through the forests at 3am in the cold and dark to be at the Yak Meadow before sunrise is an incredible experience. Plenty of time to contemplate our place in the grand scheme.
Trekking
As eluded to above, it is possible to undertake some serious adventures in the park. Ancient routes bisect the park and you can hike to hidden lakes surrounded by glaciers. As all of the park lies above 4000m, any undertaking here is a serious business requiring proper equipment and outdoor survival skills.
Weather
Yading is a high altitude mountain environment. The three Holy Peaks that each rise to over 6000m make their own weather. Clear blue skies can turn to storms in moments, sunny weather can turn to freezing in minutes. In summer the southern monsoon influences the area, and any travel to here would be discouraged, as the area is prone to serious landslides that block roads for weeks.
At this time too, the peaks are most often covered in cloud, and indeed, on my first 2 visits I did not see the summits of either of them.
My preference is late winter, March through early May and again in the late Fall from late October through to mid December.
The cold is an obvious feature and suitable mountain gear is essential.
Access
The park entrance is only a few hours south of Daocheng and is an easy drive. The road is pleasant and well-maintained, but travels over some high passes of nearly 5000m. Again, the Tibetan culture, lifestyle and architecture are evident in any settlements we encounter. Once we enter through the park gates, the road climbs steeply through rough agricultural fields and rustic settlements until finally passing through a cleft in the cliffs you finally see the first of the massive peaks.
The views from here in are spectacular. Accommodation is in the Tibetan Yading village, where a range of local houses are available to stay.
