Very much on the fringes of modern China despite development and
resettlement projects, Sichuan's western half , extending
north to Gansu and west to Tibet, is in every respect an exciting
place to travel. The countryside couldn't be farther from the
Chengdu plains, with the western highlands forming some of China's
most imposing scenery - dense forests, dripping with moisture,
snowbound gullies and passes, and unforgettable views of mountain
ranges rising up against crisp blue skies. Larger towns contain Han
populations but you'll find Qiang , Hui and, most
noticeably, Tibetans living among them and in the hills. The
area has a strong sense of history, too, with monuments to the
Communists' Long March during the 1930s still dotting the
map.
It's a remote but certainly not undisturbed region, with endless
convoys of blue logging trucks hogging the road, decorated with Tao
symbols and bulging with freshly cut timber. Western Sichuan also
hides some fabulously rare wildlife . Only a few hours from
Chengdu at Wolong Nature Reserve , birders can spot white-
and blue-eared pheasants and the unbelievably coloured, grouse-like
Temminck's tragopan. Above 2000m, there are scattered groups of
golden monkeys, near-mythical snow leopards and, between April and
October when conditions for tracking them are optimum, giant
pandas . In truth, these animals are so rare that your chances
of seeing them are very slim - which is, in itself, an excellent
reason to try.
Travel in western Sichuan has always been an endurance
test, even dangerous. Traditionally, traders between China and
Tibet managed to cross the mountains only by using wooden galleries
hammered into sheer cliffs, and even today you'll see deep gorges
spanned by no more than a spindly bridge or terrifyingly basic
passenger-operated sling-and-pulley arrangement - probably as you
sit on the roadside waiting for your bus to be repaired. Vehicles
suffer terribly, shedding tyres and bits of chassis as they battle
gradients, appalling roads, oncoming traffic and landslides. Don't
count on arriving at your destination in the same bus you started
in, travel lightly, carry enough cash to see you through -
there are few banks - and regard the journey times given below as a
bare minimum. As for the seasons , the area looks fantastic
in spring and autumn, with rain most likely between May and
October. Once the winter snows have set in, you'll need plenty of
warm clothing and an infinitely flexible timetable.
It's worth noting that much of the region rises over 3000m, and
you might experience altitude sickness , which manifests
itself as shortness of breath, headaches, nausea and
disorientation. Symptoms usually subside after a day or two, but
get back to a lower altitude as soon as possible if you have any
serious trouble breathing.