Self-driving in Western Sichuan | Five things you must know before a day trip to the less popular cultural tour in Rangtang

Fourth self-driving trip to Western Sichuan Rangtang, formerly known as 'Zangbala', is now an important county town on the Tibetan Qiang culture corridor, a hidden treasure travel destination in Aba Prefecture, Sichuan Province. Starting from the Diaolou in Rismamba, Zongke Township, passing through X180, G317, G227 to Rangtang County, you will pass three less popular cultural viewing points along the way, which are worth visiting. Understand the following five things to help you have a smooth day trip. The first thing: Enter the Diaolou of Rismamba (Figures 1-4) This building is located in Gasman Village, Zongke Township, Rangtang County, right on the side of X180, well preserved, unique in style, and easy to recognize. The Diaolou of Rismamba was built in the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties, and was built by the local chieftain for his painter. Its scale ranks among the top in the local preserved Diaolou dwellings. When we went, we found that this Diaolou is still used as a warehouse for villagers to store miscellaneous items, and it is not locked on weekdays, and you can enter it for a close look. The second thing: Aerial photography of the suspended Xiu Ka Tibetan village (Figures 5-8) After seeing the Diaolou, exit X180, go up G317, go along Du Ke River, then switch to G227, before reaching Wuyi Township, you can overlook the suspended Xiu Ka Tibetan village on the cliff by the roadside. In 1771, during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, the Axi chieftain chose this place because it was easy to defend and difficult to attack with cliffs on three sides, so he built a village here. Now Xiu Ka Village has moved to the nearby area, and the Tibetan village left on the top of the mountain is no longer inhabited, but it has become a precious ancient building in Rangtang for passing tourists to watch. The road to the Tibetan village is winding and narrow, but it is already a tar road. However, compared to getting close to watch, we recommend that friends take aerial photos at the viewing platform at the foot of the mountain. If you encounter sunset, the momentum of Xiu Ka Tibetan village hanging in the sky is between the mountains and rivers, which is impressive. The third thing: Understand Zengke Temple (Figures 9-12) After passing Wuyi Township and going forward, a large temple appears on the side of G227, which is a relatively 'young' temple, built in 1954. This is also a unique temple, with three nine-story high pagodas as the center. It is said that the top layer is suspended, and a 'plank road' is built around the pagoda for people to walk around, which is quite thrilling and peculiar. When we arrived, it was evening, and we saw the temple community quietly relying on the Du Ke River, feeling peaceful and tranquil. The fourth thing: Day trip itinerary Depart between 9-10 in the morning, the first stop is the Diaolou of Rismamba in Zongke Township, after the visit, you can go to Gasman Village to have a look, about 2 hours. After lunch, go to the suspended Xiu Ka Tibetan village at 2 in the afternoon, you can overlook from the viewing platform, or you can go up the mountain to explore, 1-2 hours. Then arrive at the third stop, Zengke Temple. You can visit the temple, about 2-3 hours. You can bring your own dry food for lunch, and arrange for food and accommodation in Rangtang County in the evening. The fifth thing: Things to pay attention to along the way 📱Navigation Set navigation separately according to the names of the above three destinations. 🅿️Parking There are free parking lots near the three destinations. Please note that it is good to park at the viewing platform at the foot of the suspended Xiu Ka Tibetan village, but it is not good to park after going up the mountain. 🎫Tickets When we went, no tickets were required for the three destinations. 🏔️Altitude The whole journey is above 3000 meters above sea level, pay attention to prevent high altitude sickness. ▶️The above content is summarized based on personal travel experience, please forgive me if there are any omissions. ▶️Affected by time, some scenes may change, based on the current situation. ▶️The address location information is provided by the website, please leave a message for more detailed information. ▶️All the scenic spots traveled by Cai Cai Juan Er and Mr. Dog can be reached by car. 🔸🔹🔸 If you like self-driving and don't want to take the usual path, please listen to Cai Cai Juan Er's story.