SICHUAN NATURE & TOURS
Besides the free tour for participants in Tangjiahe Nature Reserve during the Congress, we recommend you spend more time exploring the forests and wetlands of Sichuan. The following are a selection of accessible sites in the early spring featuring various aspects of Sichuan’s majestic landscape and rich biodiversity.
IOC 2019’s official tour operating partner China Bird Tour arranges a few tailor-made itineraries covering these areas:
- Featured tours starting from Chengdu before the Congress or from Tangjiahe after the Congress, including choices of 3.5 to 7 days in length. For more information, please contact: info-at-chinabirdtour.com
Ruo’er’gai
若尔盖
A Ramsar Site sitting at 3,600 m asl. The original name in Tibetan (མཛོད་དགེ་རྫོང༌།, Zoigê) means “land of the yaks”. It is an important breeding ground for Black-necked Cranes (Grus nigricollis) and many other migratory birds on the eastern flank of the Tibetan Plateau. The area also supports diverse and abundant highland mammals, such as wolf (Canis lupus), Tibetan fox (Vulpes ferrilata), Pallas’s cat (Otocolobus manul) and Glover’s pika (Ochotona gloveri).
Wolong Nature Reserve
卧龙自然保护区
One of the first reserves established to protect the Giant Panda, the forest of Wolong is home to a healthy population of wild Giant Pandas, and also hosts remarkable biodiversity. A research center leads a larger panda conservation network aiming to connect all existing subpopulations and their habitats, known as the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries. Mt. Balang in the Reserve is a popular spot to try your luck with many endemic plants and rare birds (click here for more).
Mt. Si’gu’niang Nature Reserve
四姑娘山自然保护区
Meaning “Four Sisters Mountain” in Chinese, this UNESCO heritage site is a good example of the alpine glacier landscape in western Sichuan, where the Upper Yangtze Basin meets the Tibetan Plateau. The summit of the “little sister” reaches 6,250 m asl and is the second highest peak in Sichuan. The Reserve encompasses the peaks with three valleys, and is part of the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries.
Mt. Wawu Forest Park
瓦屋山森林公园
The foothill of this tabular mountain spans one of the largest forest parks in Sichuan. The forest in April is adorned by the blooming of many endemic plants, such as the tree Davidia involucrata and many different rhododendrons. Giant Pandas and Red Pandas (Ailurus fulgens) frequent the higher elevations with spruce-fir forests and bamboo shrubs.
