Jiaju Tibetan Village in Danba County, Garze

Jiaju Tibetan Village in Garze Facts

Jiaju Zangzhai is located in Danba County, Ganzi Prefecture. It is a Tibetan dwelling village with Jiabao Tibetan characteristics. Playing in the Tibetan village, the panoramic view on the hillside opposite the stockade is quite spectacular.

Chinese Name: 甲居藏寨

Type: Tibetan Villages

Address: Danba County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province

Recommended Visiting Hours: about 2-3 hours

Best Seasons to Visit: April, May, September, and October

Opening Hours: Whole day

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Why is Jiaju Tibetan Village So Special?

A great destination for photography, Jiaju Village(甲居藏寨) is one of the most beautiful ancient villages, as voted by the Chinese National Geographic in 2005. It is a graceful jewel, hidden among the soaring mountains of Western Sichuan. The closest big city is Chengdu, and from there it takes another 7-9 hours driving to get to Jiaju Village.

Brief Introduction of Jiaju Tibetan Village

Lying in the north of Danba, Jiaju Tibetan Village in Niexia Townstands out from all villages. It is about 5 miles (8 kilometers) from the county town and occupies an area of 1,200 acres (486 hectares), with more than 140 families residing here. Generally speaking, a house is dwelled by one family independently. Some houses gather in an advantageous position while some are far away from the main architecture complex. Stepping into the Tibetan houses, you will find yourself in a world of wonder. The walls, beds and cabinets are all adorned with delightful patterns in various bright colors, such as lotuses, trees, rivers, mountains and lamas. Besides Jiaju Tibetan Village, the Tibetan houses in Zhonglu Town and Badi Town are very famous too.

Best Seasons to Visit Ganze

The prefecture enjoys a plateau monsoon climate, and the Ganze weather is complicated and varies in accordance with the spatial variation, such as the differentiation of altitude, terrain and latitude. The annual average temperature of most regions is below 8℃ (46.4℉). Spring (April to May) is the best season for appreciating flowers scattered all around the mountains in the fresh air, while for photographers, autumn is the best time to grasp the colorful scenery. If visitors expect to see the snow-capped plateau, they should make a trip during November and December. It is suggested to not travel here in January and February for snow may block the way to mountains.

Main Attractions of Jiaju Tibetan Village

The village consists of about 140 Tibetan homes, each with a distinctive crown-shaped roof, red eaves and white walls. They are scattered among winding brooks like the pieces of a chessboard, with the occasional kitchen chimney puffing up smoke from a wood fire. Grove upon grove of apple and pear trees invite you to soak in their beauty in the Spring, or pick their lush fruit in the fall. Emerald terraced fields stand in stark contrast to severe mountain heights and white snow peaks.

How to get to The Jiaju Tibetan Village

Travel with ChinaDragonTours (top recommended)

If you want to get out of the traffic and hassle of navigation, you can book a private tour package that includes visiting, dining and transfer from us. Our local guide and driver will escort you to Jiaju Tibetan Village in Ganze in the fastest and most convenient way and take care of all the details. You just have to focus on the visiting.

Independent Traveler

There are two options for getting to Jiaju Village from Chengdu: 1) take the bus, or 2) hire a private car.

Bus: There is a bus that departs each morning at 6:30 am from the Chadianzi Bus Station (成都茶店子车站) in northwest Chengdu to Danba (丹巴). From Danba, it is about 11 kilometers (7 miles) to Jiaju Village. The price listed online as of July 2019 is 71 RMB ($10.00). You’ll need to take a taxi to the bus station the morning you travel, since the subway isn’t open early enough to get you there on time. We advise you get your tickets ahead of time.

Chadianzi Bus Station:

Address: 289 Xi SanHuanLu WuDuan, Jinniu Qu, Chengdu Shi, Sichuan Sheng, 611731 (四川省成都市金牛区西三环路五段289号)
Phone: 028-87506610; 028-87507768
Hours: 6:00am – 7:30pm

From Danba, you can either take one of their regular buses or a chartered bus to Jiaju Village. Prices range from 5 RMB to 30 RMB ($0.75 to $4.35).

Driving: Hiring your own car will get you there an hour or two faster. If you’re counting the time it takes to get to the Chadianzi Bus Station in the morning, you’ll be saving even more time! Additionally, you’ll have the freedom to stop at scenic spots along the way. Once you identify a driver, you should reach an agreement on the time and price before starting out. It is possible to rent different vehicles at different towns along the way. You can find drivers at the service desk for hotels, hostels, and tourist centers, or on the roadside at the entrance/exit areas of the smaller towns.

Useful Travel Tips

As there is only one bus per day departing from Kangding for Daocheng, you may not be able to get a ticket. In this case, you can rent a car or share a car with others to get to the tourist site. On your way, you will pass Sela Town, Banghe River, and Gongga Langjieling Temple. You can ask the driver to stop every now and then to enjoy the pastoral scenery and take pictures.
Because the altitude is as high as 12,303 feet (3,750 meters) and the air is comparatively thin, it is recommended that the elderly and infants do not travel there.
Take the medicine Herba Rhodiolae for a week before setting out on your journey. Take with you regular drugs as well as drugs against altitude sickness.
Take a scarf, sun block, lip balm, sunglasses and a sunhat to protect you from the ultraviolet rays and dry weather.
Looking to capture the white blossoms of the pear orchards in bloom? Plan your trip for late-March to mid-April.
Prefer the crisp golds of Autumn? Plan your visit between mid-September and early November. You’ll also want to check out the surrounding areas, such as Jinchuan and Dangling. However, keep in mind that this is the busiest season for tourism!
Please plan a full 1-2 days for your visit. You won’t want to rush yourself, there’s just too much beauty to soak in. It’s also a great place to do nothing – grab a book, enjoy a good coffee, and relax into the views!