4-Day Yading Daocheng Holy Mountains Trek from Chengdu

Four days from Chengdu to Yading was the highlight of our whole China trip. The drive up is long but our private guide broke it into manageable stops and warned us about the altitude. Standing at Milk Lake and Five-Color Lake near 4,700m left me speechless. Bring layers, it's cold up top even in September.

The three sacred snow peaks were every bit as magical as the 'last Shangri-La' name suggests. Because it was private we could go at our own pace on the trek to the upper lakes. Our driver even carried a small oxygen can just in case. Worth every minute of the four days.

Did this as a couple and loved that nothing felt rushed. The Yading Nature Reserve shuttle plus the hike to Five-Color Lake is no joke at that altitude, but the guide paced us perfectly and we made it. Three days might be too tight for this one, the four-day version gives you room to acclimatize.

Stunning scenery, the holy mountains are unforgettable. Only reason it's not five stars is the road from Chengdu is rough in places and the hotel on night two was basic. But for a private trek into Daocheng Yading that's kind of expected. Guide was excellent.

We are not hardcore trekkers and worried about the 4,700m altitude, but the private setup meant we could turn back whenever we wanted. We made it to Milk Lake slowly and it was worth it. Snow peaks reflecting in the water, prayer flags everywhere. Magical.