Things to do in Hezuo

Gangjia Grassland is located in Gangjia Township, Xiahe, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province, 33 kilometers north of Xiahe County, and is directly accessible by road. Gangjia Grassland is a meadow grassland, vast and boundless, with an average altitude of more than 3,000 meters. It is one of the main animal husbandry bases in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. There is a reception desk at the Muyun Tent Camp, which prepares fresh milk tea, tsampa, Tibetan buns, hand-pulled mutton and other Tibetan specialties for tourists. It also prepares grassland tourism programs such as horses, yaks, shooting bonfire parties, etc. for tourists. Visitors can fully experience the mysterious and simple Tibetan customs here.

We happened to be there during the Maijishan Rain and Mist, and it was very impressive when we arrived at the foot of the mountain. The grottoes and statues were also very unique. We visited Cave 133, and although it was a bit pricey, our whole family felt it was worth it. Before coming, we saw some negative reviews online, so our expectations were probably low. But we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived. I didn't give it five stars because the new visitor center is not very convenient to get to. It's hard to get a taxi, and visitors without cars can only leave by public transport.

The environment is clean and elegant, the hot spring water is clear and comfortable, the temperature is just right, and you can relax and de-stress after soaking. The service is warm and thoughtful, the price is very reasonable, and the experience is superb.

As the first stop in Gannan from Linxia, ​​it's a pretty good tourist attraction, with all three viewing platforms worth taking photos at. However, even during the off-season holidays, the shuttle buses are hard to find, so I can only imagine how ridiculous the queues will be during the summer peak season.

The scenic area seemed reasonably priced, and the scenery was very beautiful. However, the facilities within the area weren't particularly interesting. It's best to come here at sunset to watch the Yellow River. Overall, the experience was still worthwhile.

Online ticketing is very convenient for the attractions along the Sichuan-Gannan Grand Loop! After taking the escalator up to the mountaintop for the view, I recommend walking down the wooden boardwalk for the rest of the journey. However, the parking lot for the escalator is quite far from the entrance! There's no shuttle bus either! Ultimately, we had to split up: one person went down the stairs to get the car, and the other walked down the boardwalk. The experience was just so-so!

The scenery is truly beautiful. The weather was great the day I went, so the scenery was absolutely gorgeous. The lake, the flower-filled lake, and the ecological environment are simply amazing. There's a commercial street right outside with all sorts of food options, which is very convenient.

I visited Guange Valley during the National Day holiday, and it wasn't too crowded. It's known as "Little Jiuzhaigou," but it's several levels below Jiuzhaigou. Guange Valley is more fun to visit than E'man Valley. E'man Valley is poorly designed; the shuttle bus doesn't go to the top, so you have to walk 10 kilometers one way, making it 20 kilometers round trip, which leaves most tourists disappointed.

Welcome to Lianbaoyeze in Aba Prefecture! In Tibetan, it means "Dignified Jade Peak," and it's commonly known as "Stone Mountain." While other parts of western Sichuan take a gentler approach, it's rugged, majestic, and magical, like stepping onto the set of *The Lord of the Rings*. The core of the experience: Experience the stone world from a different perspective—effortlessly witness its breathtaking beauty, explore hidden gems, and make sure your stomach and camera are never empty. 🏔️ Stone Mountain with a "Magical Filter": Millions of years of glacial erosion and frost weathering have sculpted a granite peak forest, with an average altitude of over 4000 meters and a maximum of 5141 meters. Strange peaks and rocks stand in rows, some resembling meditating Buddhas, others like high-altitude guardians—a natural stone sanctuary. Glacial lakes bring the stone world to life: The star attraction, Zhagar Tso, the largest glacial lake in the scenic area, sits at an altitude of approximately 4200 meters. Its waters are an incredibly blue, surrounded by stone peaks on three sides. On a windless morning, the reflections are absolutely stunning, enough to make any camera applaud. There's also the legendary Zhumu Tso, said to be the dressing lake of King Gesar's queen, and Baixiang Hai, named for the fragrance of high-altitude cypress trees. 📜 Sacred Mountains with Stories Lianbaoye is one of the ten sacred mountains in the Tibetan region, said to be the site of King Gesar's ancient battlefields. You might encounter pilgrims circumambulating the mountain along the boardwalk; the Tibetan Year of the Monkey is the mountain god's "birth year," a cycle of twelve years. Mani stones, prayer flags, and "goat horn flowers" on the rock walls add warmth to the austere landscape. 🥾 How to Experience: First, take a bird's-eye view, then stroll slowly along the lake. The Zhagar Tso loop is easy to navigate, with a gentle wooden boardwalk and gravel path, taking about 40 minutes to 1 hour for a complete loop. If you have extra energy, head to the viewing platform on the east side of the lake for a panoramic view, then take the path on the west side to find unnamed lakes and mani stones—fewer people and calmer. For a bird's-eye view, head to the 4520-meter viewing platform: Take the shuttle bus from the Heyuan Service Station or Panyangping (approximately 15 RMB per person) for a 360° panoramic view of thousands of peaks and lakes, and the winding road, with the "stone castle" stretching to the horizon. Efficient combination: ascend to the 4520-meter platform for the entire panorama, then descend to Zhagar Tso for a level view. 📸 Best Photo Spots · Prayer flags on the west side of Zhagar Tso Lake: Low-angle shot, capturing the stone pillars, prayer flags, and lake surface in the same frame. · Before 9 AM: Soft light, the lake water is at its most vibrant blue-green. · Luoxia Lake: Sunset spot, with the sunset reflection and the white pagoda and grassy area as a foreground. · S-curve of the mountain road: Great for highway shots. · Small stream to the right rear of the Panyangping parking lot: Less crowded, easier, family-friendly. • Outfit: Dark earth tones like black, khaki, and deep red create a striking contrast with the gray-black stone peaks; a bright-colored windbreaker with a 4520 jacket adds a touch of wasteland style. 🍲 Food: Feed yourself in the county town before heading into the mountains. Restaurants are limited in the scenic area, so Aba County town serves as a culinary buffer. Eat well before setting off and bring your own food. Inside the scenic area, there's the Meet Zhumu Restaurant (next to Lanzhuocuo): yak hand-pulled meat with Tibetan chili sauce, Tibetan yogurt to cut the richness, and barley cakes for a satisfying lunch; the coffee shop next to the viewing platform offers yak yogurt coffee while gazing at the snow-capped mountains. In the county town, Tibetan cuisine is the main attraction: yak hot pot costs approximately 80-150 yuan per person; hand-pulled mutton is slowly boiled in water with only salt and pepper, dipped in chive blossom sauce or salt and pepper; yak butter tea is salty and warming, try sweet tea if you don't like it; tsampa is a high-altitude energy source. For black barley, try "Qulawojia" milk tea and barley crisps as souvenirs; Tibetan blood sausage and bracken pork are mostly found in Tibetan-style restaurants; and the "Monk's Buns" on the street, with their thin-skinned beef filling, are incredibly comforting for just over ten yuan per person.