A dreamy world of snow and white ! The breathtaking beauty of Dagu Glacier will take your breath away—ride the world’s highest cable car.

▲ Visiting Dagu Glacier and riding the world’s highest cable car is truly an unforgettable experience ! (Photo / Provided by official source)

Reported and photographed by Huang Wanru, Sichuan

Want to witness the majestic sight of glaciers in person? No need to travel all the way to Canada or Scandinavia—you can see them right here in Sichuan ! In Aba Prefecture, while everyone knows how beautiful Jiuzhaigou is, this fairyland actually offers much more than just Jiuzhaigou.Dagu Glacier (formerly known as Dagu Glacier)is also an absolutely unmissable sight in your lifetime. Ascend Dagu Glacier at an altitude of 4,860 meters, and sipping a hot coffee in the snowy landscape is an experience like no other !

▲ Traveling upstream along the Min River and Heishui River, step by step you get closer to Dagu Glacier.

▲ Entering Heishui County, on the way to Dagu Glacier.

Located in Heishui County, Aba Prefecture, Dagu Glacier is also known as the “glacier closest to the city.” Just 270 kilometers from Chengdu, its high-altitude location means the mountaintop is covered in snow year-round, offering unique beauty in every season. Local guides say that Dagu Glacier is the world’s lowest-altitude, youngest, and largest glacier. The scenic area is home to 13 interconnected modern glaciers, a spectacular sight, which is why it’s also hailed as China’s No. 1“Colorful Glacier and Ice Snow Paradise.”reputation.

▲ % Family calls ? Krypton malaria ? Scenic area ? On the mountain you can see the visitor center.

After entering the scenic area, you must transfer to the park shuttle bus to reach the cable car station. Along the way, you’ll pass by lakes of various sizes, such as Golden Monkey Lake and Dagu Lake. If you’re lucky, you might even spot rare animals like golden monkeys, Tibetan macaques (golden monkeys), wild yaks, and big-headed sheep, all wandering through the snowy landscape. From the foot of the mountain to the summit, it becomes a stunningly pure and beautiful ice and snow world, like something out of a dream.

▲ In the park, you’ll see lakes of various sizes such as Golden Monkey Lake and Dagu Lake, which are incredibly beautiful.

▲ Here comes the Tibetan macaque !

The cable car station is located at an altitude of about 3,000 meters. Once on the cable car, you can effortlessly take in the vast expanse of snowy white scenery. In about 15 minutes, you’ll reach an altitude of 4,860 meters, easily conquering the summit and making it the world’s highest-altitude cable car.

▲ Time to ride the cable car ! So excited ~~~~

▲ % Crowded but impressive ? Yellow ? ??? World, ?? in the shade.

After getting off the cable car and seeing Dagu Glacier for the first time, I felt slightly unwell due to mild altitude sickness. After slowing down and resting for a while, my breathing gradually stabilized, but my heart couldn’t calm down—because it was simply too beautiful to breathe. Looking around, the endless snowy landscape made me feel as if I were in the far north, and I didn’t want to leave for a long time !

▲ Riding the cable car and admiring the snowy white scenery along the way is truly breathtaking.

▲ Tired? There’s a café where you can take a break !

The world’s “most lonely café” stands amidst the snowy landscape, solitary yet peaceful, as if cut off from the world. It’s the highest-altitude café in the world. When you’re tired from walking, you can rest here for a moment, order a hot coffee to warm up, and enjoy the snowy view outside the window for a cozy and pleasant time.

▲ Reach an altitude of 4,860 meters—don’t forget to take photos to commemorate the moment !

The high altitude and large temperature differences here mean you must dress warmly. And because the cable car ascends directly, if you plan to head straight to the summit, you may want to take Rhodiola oral liquid beforehand to avoid severe altitude sickness. Once at the top, most people will experience some degree of altitude sickness, with symptoms like chest tightness, shortness of breath, headaches, and nausea. In this case, try to slow your pace, relax your mood, and avoid worsening the discomfort. Also, be extra careful as the paths on the glacier can be slippery.

▲ The dreamy Dagu Glacier is so beautiful it takes your breath away. (Photo / Provided by official source)

What kind of scenery you’ll see in Dagu depends on whether nature is feeling generous ! Tour guide Xiao Chen said, “No matter what the weather is like today, sunshine is best. But if you’re unlucky and the weather is bad, don’t feel down. Simply cherishing the beauty before your eyes with your heart and eyes is also a way to travel.”

During your travels, whether you encounter good or bad things, it’s all a rare experience. The shock of witnessing Dagu with your own eyes, and the mindset of going with the flow like Xiao Chen—all of these are the greatest rewards of my journey !

▲ Dagu Lake, which you pass along the way, is formed by the melting glacial water of ancient glaciers.

※ China Airlines CI0551 and CI0552 operate twice weekly (Tuesdays and Sundays) with direct flights to Chengdu. Flight times are 08:10 and 13:30.