Where to Stay in Daocheng Yading: Best Hotel & Places

The hotels in Shangri-La Town are the best choices. They are all in a low altitude area of less than 3,000m (9,842 feet), giving you the most convenient environment to relax yourself and have a better preparation for your coming high altitude hiking tours. Shangri-La town is only several kilometers away from the entrance of popular Yading Nature Reserve. And if you choose more carefully, you can even find a hotel that is in only steps away from the entrance, giving you more chance to be at the head of the queue.

Advantages of Stay in Hotels in Shangri-La Town

• The altitude there is only about 2,900m, much lower than in both Daocheng Town and Yading Village.
• Have the best hotel in this area.
• There are more hotels for you to choose.
• The hotels there are much cheaper and more convenient than in Yading Village.
• The hotels there are the closest to the entrance of Yading Nature Reserve.
• There is a health center in the town.

Disadvantages of Stay in Hotels in Shangri-La Town

• You have to buy another sightseeing bus ticket when you re-enter Yading Nature Reserve (in half price for about CNY 60) the next day.
• The town is about 123km/2~2.5 hours’ driving away from Daocheng Yading Airport, which takes 1.5 hours more than Daocheng County area.

Recommended Accommodations in Shangri-La Town:

• Holyland Hotel (5 star)
• Daocheng Yading Yunmo Art Hotel (4 star)
• Holiday Inn Express Daocheng Yading (3 star)

Recommended Tour Package:

>> 4 Days Daocheng Yading Classic Hiking Tour from Chengdu (by Flight)

Yading Nature Reserve belongs to Yading Village. However, the center area of Yading Village sits inside the scenic area, with a driving distance for about 34km from the scenic area’s entrance. Living in Yading Village means a closer distance for next day’s hiking tour. However, the altitude there is above 4, 000m (13,123 feet). It may not a good choice for your first night in Daocheng.

Advantages of Stay in Hotels in Yading Village

• Sleeping inside the scenic area, with the nearby scenery decorating your windows.
• More convenient to do hiking inside Yading Nature Reserve.
• Save about CNY 60, because there is no need to buy another ticket for the sightseeing buses for next day (tourists are required to buy the sightseeing bus ticket again when re-entering the scenic area the next day, not in full price but half price).

Disadvantages of Stay in Hotels in Yading Village

• The hotels there charge much more money than in the county and town.
• The altitude there is above 4,000m (13,123 feet).
• There are occasional power cuts and water cuts in the village.
• The hotels there are limited.
• The village is more than 4 hours away from Daocheng Yading Airport, much farther than Daocheng County and Shangri-La Town. .
• There is no hospital in the village, and the health center is limited.

Recommended Hotels in Yading Village:

• Yading Zhaxi Kongshu Tibetan Culture Theme Hotel (3 star)
• Jianshan Hotel (2 star)

Daocheng County is about 81km from Yading Nature Reserve and 50km from Daocheng Yading Airport. Some tourists prefer to stay in hotels in Daocheng County at their first night if they arrive late or want an in-depth explore of all Daocheng attractions. There are more than 10 hotels for you to choose in Daocheng County. Most of them are 2-star and 4-star hotels.

Advantages of stay in hotels in Yading Village

• The altitude there is about 3,700m (12,139 feet), relatively lower than in Yading Village.
• The hotels there are relatively closer to Daocheng Yading Airport.
• Have more hotels for you to choose than Yading Village.
• Other attractions in Daocheng except the Yading Nature Reserve are all spreading the town, like Daocheng White Tower, Bang River and Sela Scenic Resort, etc.
• The only hospital of this area is in the town.

Disadvantages of stay in hotels in Yading Village

• It takes you more time and money to get to/from Yading Nature Reserve.
• Long driving distance to Yading Nature Reserve, which needs about 1.5~2 hours by car.
• You have to buy another sightseeing bus ticket when you re-enter Yading Nature Reserve (in half price for about CNY 60) the next day.

Recommended Hotels in Daocheng County:

• Snow Area Hot Spring Garden Hotel (4 star)
• Dear Zhaizhai Hot Spring Hostel (4 star)
• Jinzhu Hotel (4 star)

Recommended Tour Package:

>> 4 Days Daocheng Yading In-depth Photography Tour

Usually, tourists spend about 2~3 days in Daocheng.

The first day and night in Daocheng is for your good rest to adapt the pressure of high altitude and have a better plan for the coming high altitude hiking tours there. Therefore, you are suggested to have leisure visits to Benbo Temple (奔波寺/蚌普寺), Sangdui Red Grass (桑堆红草地), Daocheng White Tower (尊胜白塔), and Bang River and Sela Scenic Resort (傍河和色拉) on the first day.

And after a good sleep, you can spend 1~2 days more enjoying hiking and more nature exploring inside Yading Nature Reserve. Seldom tourist chooses Daocheng as their first stop of their China tour. Normally, tourists prefer visiting Daocheng from Chengdu or Shangri-La. Both Chengdu and Shangri-La are fantastic choices, selecting your way according to your tour plan and interest. If you prefer flights rather than driving, Chengdu is your best choice, because Shangri-La has no flight to Daocheng now.

>> 4 Days Daocheng Yading Classic Hiking Tour from Chengdu (by Flight)

>> 4 Days Daocheng Yading In-depth Photography Tour

For travelers who can bear long journey, see and explore along the way, it would be a nice idea to travel from Chengdu via Ya’an, Luding, Kangding, Xinduqiao, Batang to Daocheng Yading. For more ideas, you can contact us or go to select from all of our Daocheng Yading tours.

Even though you have known the best places and hotels to stay in Daocheng, you are still suggested to travel with the help of professional guide and driver. It will never be a wise choice to travel alone in this high altitude area. Besides, the transportation network of Daocheng Yading is not well developed at present. If you go with your driver, you can travel more efficiently and safely.

We China Discovery also offer such guide and driver services for Daocheng tourists. During the whole journey, your tour guide will accompany you all the way, showing you the best hiking route and photography sites and giving you the most professional help when you feel uncomfortable. And your driver will escort you from your hotel to the scenic areas directly according to your trip plan.

The tour can be tailor-made according to your interest, physical condition, group size, time, plan, budget and every special need. Please feel free to contact us if you need any help!