Gonggashan Mountain National Nature Reserve

Located in Dujiangyan City of Chengdu Municipality, Longxi-Hongkou National Nature Reserve (LHNNR) was created in October 1988 and upgraded to a national nature reserve in December 1997, managing an area of 310 square kilometers.
LHNNR sits on the transitional zone between Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and Sichuan Basin, with elevation varying from 840 to 4,582 meters above sea level, targeting to protect Giant Panda, Golden Monkey, Takin and other species of national conservation importance. Its unique mountain and gorge scenery, primitive natural ecosystems and ideal climatic conditions provide a solid basis for eco-tourism development. Beautiful alpine lakes, dense natural forest and rich fauna and flora life in Longchi Scenic reserve, which surrounds LHNNR add more variety to tourism values. 250 species of rhododendron planted in China Rhododendron Garden, cool climate and three-month snow attract many domestic and international tourists for summer vocation, skiing and scientific research.
HLNNR has a geological advantage. It is only 60 kilometers to Chengdu, located on the Jiuzhai Tourism Loop and close to Qingchengshan Scenic Reserve, another World Cultural Heritage Site. 
Today, the 37-km tourist road from downtown Dujiangyan to Longchi has been paved and local tourist host capacity reached considerable scale and standard.

Gonggashan

Being 'the king of Shu Mountains' ('Shu' means Sichuan province), Mt. Gonggashan has an elevation of 7,556 meters, covering an area of about 20,000 Square km. World-famous Hailuogou glacier is embraced inside. If visitors look at the mountain from far, it seems to float above a vast snow-sea. Here, your dream of climbing the Crystal Palace-like glaciers can become true!

Mt. Gonggashan is also called Snow Mountain. It is a mountain capped with snow all year along located in Sichuan Province, standing on the borders of Kangding, Luding and Jiulong counties. Its name came from Tibetan language, meaning the silver-snowing mountain. In that area, Tibetan people and Han people have been living together for many years.

Supreme holy mountain

Gonggashan is hidden in cloud almost all year around as if it were wearing a mysterious veil. So, it is a holy mountain with ice prays. It is a kingdom of animal and plant with above 4880 plant species and more than 400 animal species. The tongues of the glaciers stretch high from the mountain down into the forest as far as 9 kilometers, ending at as low as 2,850 meters above sea level. It possesses virgin forests, snow clod mountains, Grassland, lakes, hot springs waterfalls etc. and is worshipped by the locals as the supreme holy mountain.

What charming glaciers!

The sparkling modern glacier slides from the high and steep ravine. The quiet mountain ridge is adorned with big snowfall into the crystal domes and jade halls. A huge ice-bridge make the visitors seem to enter the Crystal Palace in a myth. All of the glacier waterfalls measure 185.98 square kilometers in size with a vertical drop of 1080 meters. It is the first in Asia, only next to the Great Glacier Waterfall in Canadian Great Glacier Park. Around it there are 71 glacier rivers. Along them, there are various types of spring cold, hot, warm and boiling.

Hailuogou Scenic Spot

Located at the foot of the snow-peak of Mt. Gonggashan, Hailuogou Scenic Spot is celebrated for modern glacier at a height below sea level (most of the glaciers in the world is at a height above sea level). Especially unique large icefall, 1,000 meters in height, over 1,100 meters in breadth. Near the bitterly cold glacier there is a thermal spring maintaining at a temperature of 90 degrees Celsius and a steaming hot thermal-spring falls. At the same time it is both cold and hot, and its range, of temperature is a great disparity. This is really marvelous spectacle of nature.

The Valley has high values of sightseeing and scientific research because it is easy to enter and stay as well as its perfect landscape of ecological system with features of virginity and diversity. The Hailuogou is being concerned by the people both home and abroad.

Climbing glaciers

It may be a dream for many people to climb glaciers. Most of them think glaciers are the places being high, cold, and mysterious and far away, where only few explorers, mountain climbers or scientists can get to. However, the Hailuogou Glacier Park can fulfill their dreams. They will have changes to walk on glaciers. Since the first day of year 2000, the mysterious glacier park, Hailuogou has formally opened to the public, receiving tourists both from home and abroad. It is an important part of the national key scenic spot - Mt. Gonggashan Scenic Spot.

Special things to see

Besides, Luding Bridge in Luding County, national protected historical relic, has worldwide fame. Kangding has been famous for an enchanting song entitled Kangding Love Song. It is hometown of love songs, an important town for tea and horse trade, origin place of Guozhuang dance culture and a shining pearl of the Mt. Gongga Scenic Spot.

Other must-sees

There are more places worth mentioning wild Mugecuo Lake, Lianhua Lake the fairy land, Xinduqiao photographer's paradise and endless Tagong Grassland. Dawu is referred to as hometown of Tibetan house art, whose residential houses are splendid and grandeur. They are not royal palaces, but more than royal palaces. Wuxuhai Lake is a jade embedded among the mountains and waters of Jiulong.