Where the Sichuan basin rises toward the Tibetan plateau, misty Ya'an is panda country — home to major panda reserves — and the start of the ancient Tea Horse Road that carried brick tea to Tibet.
History & culture
Famed for near-constant drizzle and lush hills, Ya'an was the source of the compressed 'border tea' traded along the Tea Horse Road, and today protects wild and captive giant pandas at Bifengxia and Wolong-area bases.
What to see & do
- ◆Bifengxia panda base and gorge
- ◆Mengding Mountain, a cradle of tea cultivation
- ◆Tea Horse Road heritage sites
- ◆Shangli ancient town
- ◆Lush waterfalls and misty forests
What to eat
- ●Ya'an 'sand-pot' chicken
- ●Mengding green tea
- ●Wild mushrooms and bamboo shoots
Getting there
High-speed rail and expressways link Ya'an to Chengdu in about an hour; it's also the road gateway west toward Kangding and Tibet.
Avoid the pitfalls
- It rains a lot — bring waterproofs whatever the season.
- Panda bases are outside town; plan transport and go early when pandas are active.
- It's the start of high mountain roads west — check conditions if continuing.
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