Mount Siguniang is a group of four snow peaks in the Qionglai mountains of western Sichuan, the highest of which, Yaomei Feng, reaches 6,250 metres. With the three valleys below them — Changping, Haizi and Shuangqiao — the mountains form part of the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2006, and are one of the most accessible high-mountain landscapes near Chengdu.
- UNESCO World Heritage (natural), part of the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries · 2006
- National nature reserve
- National scenic area
Key facts
Overview
Seen from the east, the four peaks of Siguniang rise in a line of increasing height, and local legend makes them four sisters turned to mountains while guarding their valley. The highest and westernmost, Yaomei Feng — the Youngest Sister — is a steep pyramid of rock and ice, known in Sichuan as the queen of the province's mountains, second in fame only to Gongga. The other three sisters are lower and less technical.
Below the peaks, three valleys radiate from the small town of Rilong in Xiaojin county: Shuangqiaogou, a long valley of forest and meadow with a road; Changpinggou, a quieter valley walked on foot or on horseback; and Haizigou, a high valley of lakes and pasture. The people of the area are Gyalrong Tibetans, whose stone watchtowers and villages line the valleys below.
How the landscape formed
The Qionglai range was lifted along the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, and its high peaks are built of granite and metamorphic rock. Pleistocene glaciers carved the U-shaped valleys, cirques and sharp ridges seen today, and small glaciers still cling to the upper faces of the four peaks. Moraines dammed the lakes of the Haizi valley. Steep limestone and granite walls in Shuangqiao and Changping valleys, and the sharp difference in altitude between valley floor and summits, give the landscape its alpine character.
Highlights
Yaomei Feng
幺妹峰
The highest of the four sisters at 6,250 metres, a serious technical climb first ascended in 1981.
Da Feng (Eldest Sister)
大峰
The lowest of the four, climbed as a trekking peak from the Changping valley.
Shuangqiao valley
双桥沟
The longest valley, with a road, forests, meadows and a ring of peaks at its head.
Changping valley
长坪沟
A forested valley walked on a boardwalk and trail beneath the west faces of the sisters.
Haizi valley
海子沟
A high valley of pasture and glacial lakes, the base for the trekking peaks.
Balang Shan
巴朗山
The high pass on the road from Wolong, with the first view of the four peaks.
Plants and wildlife
Siguniang lies within the Qionglai range, the core habitat of the giant panda, and the surrounding reserve links to Wolong. Its forests, rhododendron thickets and alpine meadows hold a rich flora of the Hengduan Mountains, including many alpine flowers that made the region famous with plant collectors.
Plants
Alpine rhododendrons
高山杜鹃
Flower in dense thickets on the valley sides in early summer.
Blue poppies
绿绒蒿
Meconopsis species flower on the high meadows in July.
Sea buckthorn
沙棘
Old sea-buckthorn trees line the lower Shuangqiao valley.
Wildlife
Giant panda
大熊猫
Present in the bamboo forest of the lower slopes.
Snow leopard
雪豹
Recorded by camera traps in the high terrain of the reserve.
Chinese monal
绿尾虹雉
An iridescent pheasant of the alpine meadows and scrub.
Culture and legend
The valleys belong to the Gyalrong (Jiarong) Tibetans, whose language and customs differ from those of the Tibetans of the high plateau. Their stone houses and prayer flags stand in villages along the valleys, and the mountains are revered as sacred. Rilong and Xiaojin also lie on the route of the Long March, which crossed the Jiajin Mountains to the south in 1935.
Gyalrong Tibetans
嘉绒藏族
A Tibetan people of the river valleys of western Sichuan, known for stone watchtowers and a distinct language.
Rilong
日隆镇
The small town at the mouth of the three valleys and the base for most visits.
Lama temple ruins
喇嘛寺
Remains of an old Buddhist temple in the Changping valley.
History
1935
Long March crosses the Jiajin Mountains
The Red Army passed through Xiaojin after crossing the snow pass to the south.
1981
First ascent of Yaomei Feng
A Japanese expedition reached the highest summit.
2006
UNESCO World Heritage
Inscribed as part of the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries with Wolong and the Jiajin Mountains.
Through the seasons
Spring
Snow lingers into May; the valleys green and the first rhododendrons flower.
Summer
Wildflowers cover the meadows in July; rain and cloud are frequent, but the high valleys are cool.
Autumn
Late September to October brings golden larch and birch, clear skies and the best views of the peaks.
Winter
Cold and clear, with snow on the valley floors; ice climbing on frozen waterfalls in Shuangqiao valley.
Routes and ways in
Shuangqiao valley
Reserve buses run up the valley road with stops at viewpoints and short boardwalks; the easiest way to see the high peaks.
Changping valley
A boardwalk and trail through forest to meadows beneath the peaks; the longer trail continues to the head of the valley and on to the Bipeng valley.
Haizi valley trek
A walk or horse ride to the glacial lakes and base camp for Da Feng and Er Feng, usually over two or three days.
Trekking peaks
Da Feng and Er Feng are climbed by fit walkers with guides after acclimatisation; San Feng and Yaomei Feng are technical mountaineering objectives.
Practical notes
- Rilong lies at about 3,200 metres and the valleys rise above 4,000 metres: acclimatise before trekking and climbing.
- The road from Chengdu crosses the Balang Shan tunnel; weather at the pass can be severe in winter.
- Hiring a local guide or horseman is usual on the longer treks and required for the trekking peaks.
- Respect Gyalrong villages and shrines: walk clockwise around stupas and ask before photographing people.
Cities to start from
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries – Wolong, Mt Siguniang and Jiajin Mountains — UNESCO World Heritage Centre (retrieved 27 September 2026)
- Sichuan Provincial People's Government — Sichuan Provincial People's Government (retrieved 27 September 2026)
- Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture People's Government — Ngawa Prefecture People's Government (retrieved 27 September 2026)
More mountains and nature in Sichuan
- Nature reserve · 6,032 mDaocheng Yading稻城亚丁Three sacred snow peaks of the Tibetan borderlands
- National parkGiant Panda National Park大熊猫国家公园One park for the panda's mountains across three provinces
- GlacierHailuogou Glacier海螺沟A glacier on Gongga's eastern flank that ends in forest
- Nature reserve · 5,588 mHuanglong黄龙Terraced travertine pools below the snows of Xuebaoding
- Nature reserve · 4,752 mJiuzhaigou九寨沟Turquoise lakes and travertine falls in the Minshan mountains
- Sacred mountain · 3,099 mMount Emei峨眉山Samantabhadra's mountain above the sea of clouds
- Mountain · 7,556 mMount Gongga (Minya Konka)贡嘎山The highest peak of Sichuan and the eastern Tibetan Plateau's rim
- Sacred mountainMount Qingcheng青城山The secluded green mountain where Daoism took root
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