The travel guide of G317 in July

Recently, The keywordof Sichuan must be Hot! Hot! Hot!

Let's visit somewhere cool.

We've learnt from geography class in middle school: the temperature drops for 6 degree centigrade as the altitude rises for each 1000 meters.

The Western Sichuan Plateau, at an elevation of over 2000 meters, is pleasantly cool.

With flowers bloom luxuriantly, summer is the best season for the Western Sichuan Plateau.

Let's travel along G317 to Ganzi to visit the Western Sichuan Plateau.

Reminder: the following scenic areas almost line along the G317 and you can visit them in order.

Dege Scripture Printing Lamasery has a history of over 270 years, holding over 0.22 million complete pieces of wood engraving board. It's honored as the "encyclopedia of Tibetan culture", and is an important heritage site under state protection.

Route for self-driving:Chengdu – Ya'an – Kangting – Daofu – Luhuo – Ganzi – Maniganggo – Xinluhai Lake – Chola Shan – Dege Scripture Printing Lamasery

Tickets: 50 yuan

Changmai Grasslandis located in the northeastern Baiyu County, at an elevation of about 4000 meters. In Changmai village area, to the south of Ganzi County, there's a piece of vast and luxurious meadow where the green grasses are embellished with clusters of flowers.

Without great reputation, it can hardly be found on the internet. However, it's so primitive and mysterious, and has been listed as one of the "100 best viewing and filming spots in Sichuan".

Route for self-driving:Chengdu – Ya'an – Kangting – Daofu – Luhuo – Ganzi – Changmai village, 702 kilometers.

Tickets: free

Located in Shiqu County at the junction of Sichuan Province, Tibet and Qinghai Province, Zhaxika Grassland is the biggest and the most remote grassland in Sichuan Province, and is entitled "the fairy grassland".

Zhaxika means "Shiqu"in Tibetan, referring to "Ya-lung Riverside". It is commented by "Chinese National Geography"that "its primitivity, innocence, boundlessness and tranquility reflect a profound beauty".

Route for self-driving:Chengdu – Ya'an – Kangting – Daofu – Luhuo – Ganzi – Maniganggo – Shiqu, 950 kilometers.

Tickets: free

SongGe Mani Stone Scripture City lies on Zhaxika Grassland of Shiqu County, 80 kilometers away from Shiqu County. With 100 meters long and 10 meters high, it's a sacred and unique stone scripture city made of stone caved with Buddhism scriptures, ommani pedmehum, and figure of Buddhas.

Built in 1640 by Sandon Phuntsok, the first Lama, SongGe Mani Stone Scripture Wall is the longest stone scripture wall in the world, a great wall of belief and the art of Tibetan painting.

Route for self-driving:Chengdu – Ya'an – Kangting – Daofu – Luhuo – Ganzi – Maniganggo – Shiqu, 950 kilometers.

Tickets: free

Located in Mari town, Xinlong County and 32 kilometers away from the county, Tsoka Lake is entitled "the fairyland on earth".

The visitors commented, "the cloud is so close, the sky is so blue. The lake is comparable to Jiuzhaigou Valley, the forests are more mysterious than those of Daocheng, the Tibetan villages are tranquiller than Dunbar…"

Route for self-driving:Chengdu – Ya'an – Kangting – Yajiang – Litang – Tsoka Lake, 598 kilometers and is close to S217.

Tickets: free

Zongta Grassland is located in the northeast of Luhuo County, 60 kilometers away from the county. As the flowers of various colors bloom on the grassland every year, Zongta Grassland is called "colorful grassland".

Route for self-driving:Chengdu – Ya'an – Kangting – Daofu – Luhuo – Zongta, 601 kilometers.

Tickets: free

Casa Lake, lying to the 70 kilometers west of Luhuo County, is the biggest waterfowl habitat in Western Sichuan Province.

The lake is surrounded by mountains and with clear water. In sunny days, the lake reflects the sky and is extremely beautiful. There's an observation deck of Casa Lake in G317 where you can overlook the lake.

Route for self-driving:Chengdu – Ya'an – Kangting – Daofu – Luhuo – Casa Lake, 584 kilometers.

Tickets: free

Driving through Shimian County to the South to Liziping, climbing along Wutuo Mountain to the hillside, you will arrive Menghuocheng area where you can not only enjoy the snow mountains, brooks, but also the magical red beach, ancient building relics, and the wooden road covered with leaves.

There're rare visitors but spectacular sceneries, especially the vast alpine meadow, which looks like the African savanna.

Route for self-driving: Chengdu – Ya'an – Hanyuan – Shimian – Liziping – Menghuocheng, 311 kilometers.

Tickets: free

Notice: the private cars are not allowed to get in. The visitors should take the tour buses. 20 yuan for each.