Aba Prefecture

We rented a car in Maerkang and drove the grassland loop to Hongyuan. Endless rolling meadows all the way to the horizon, black tents of nomads, and thousands of yaks crossing the road — you just have to stop and wait, which is part of the charm. At dusk the sky turned peach and purple, and we pulled over to watch the sunset next to a stupa with an elderly Tibetan woman spinning a prayer wheel. She smiled and gave us a tsampa cookie. The whole area is raw, wild, and beautiful. A top experience for anyone who loves open landscapes.

Stopped in Songpan and went to the old town, then hired a horse guide up to a local village. It was the most peaceful day — just the sound of horse bells and wind through the prayer flags. The guide, a pony-haired Tibetan man named Tenzin, told us stories about his family's yaks and showed us a hidden viewpoint overlooking the mountains. At the end he invited us for tea in his wooden house. This is the kind of genuinely local experience you don't book in advance. Aba Prefecture felt so welcoming. I’ll never forget it.

Jiuzhaigou alone is worth the whole trip, and since it's within Aba Prefecture, that counts for this review. The lake colors are unreal — turquoise, teal, bright blue — and the wooden boardwalks let you get right up to the water. We went on a crisp autumn morning; the maple leaves were red, and the air smelled like pine. It was crowded, but the place is so vast it didn't bother me. Best national park I've ever visited in China. Can't recommend enough!

Loved the Tibetan food and the market vibes in Aba town. We tried some local momos and butter tea in a tiny family-run place near the mosque — the owner was incredibly kind and kept refilling our cups. The surrounding monasteries are stunning, but getting between them without a private driver is a pain, and we waited half an hour for a shared van. Also some of the sights were a bit run-down. Still, the atmosphere made up for it. Definitely worth a detour, just don't expect smooth logistics.

Honestly, we had a mixed time. The drive from Chengdu to Aba took way longer than expected due to roadworks, and by the time we reached our guesthouse in Barkam we were exhausted. The scenery along the way was beautiful though—lots of green valleys and snowy peaks. But the weather turned rainy and cold, and we couldn’t see much at one of the passes. Our room was basic but clean. I guess if you have more time and better weather, it’s a nice place. Not wowed, but not awful.

Honestly, I was a bit disappointed with my trip to Aba Prefecture. The scenery is beautiful no doubt, but the public transport is a nightmare – we waited over two hours for a bus that never came. Also, a lot of the scenic spots were overcrowded with tour groups, so it felt rushed. The local snacks were tasty but prices were marked up for tourists. Maybe better if you drive yourself.