Zhagana

Zagana, also known as Zagala, is located in Diebu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. The ancient wooden Tibetan houses in the village are built along the mountains, and the local people work quietly and simply among the hillsides and rivers, forming a wonderful pastoral scenery. Whether sightseeing, photography, or visiting the traditional life of the simple Tibetan people, it is a wonderful place not to be missed. Zhagana is located in the valley of Yiwa Township, Diebu County. It takes about 1 hour by car from Diebu County and about 2 hours from Langmusi. Zagana is suitable for visiting in July and August. At this time, the grassland is green and the scenery is beautiful. Generally, most tourists come from Langmusi when they take the Gannan and Sichuan routes. The regular time to visit is to arrive in the afternoon and take a leisurely stroll through the village to enjoy the view. Stay in a Tibetan homestay for one night, and leave after shooting the morning clouds and sunrise the next morning. In addition, there is a two-day trekking route in the back mountain of Zhagana, which can be rented in the village or on foot. Zhagana Village is further divided into four small villages. From bottom to top, they are Dongwa Village, Yeri Village, Dari Village and Daiba Village. The distance between Dongwa Village and Daiba Village is about 5 kilometers. The road connects four villages. You can walk or drive to visit and take pictures one by one. It takes about 1 hour to walk from the bottom to the top. Entering by car from the entrance of the village, the first thing to arrive is Dongwa Village at the foot of the mountain. There is a big stone called Dashimen. The hillside next to Dashimen is a suitable place for taking pictures. Here, you can take pictures of the beautiful scenery of the village built along the mountains. The back of the village is wrapped by cliffs, and at the top of the village is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery. The scenery is fantastic and beautiful. Dongwa Village has a large population and is also a good place to stay. You can set up accommodation in the farmhouse here, and then walk or drive to the higher villages. It takes about 1 hour to walk to the higher places. Going up the mountain along the road is Yeri Village. There is an open barley field next to Yeri Village. You can often see scenes of Tibetan people busy in the fields, and the scene is peaceful and simple. In addition, there is a house in Yeri Village where the famous traveler Joseph Locke once lived for more than a year, but now it can only be visited outside. Continue to move forward, and after passing through Dari Village, there is a viewing platform with a wide field of view, which is suitable for taking pictures of the whole village. You can see the whole village and the fantastic rock wall behind it. All the houses are built with old wooden roofs and earthen walls. Wonderful place. After shooting the panorama, you can retreat back to Dongwa Village for accommodation. Due to the relatively remote terrain, Daiba Village has less scenery to see, so you can skip it. In addition to taking a lap in the afternoon, Zagana has a lot of content to look forward to. Every morning, there are clouds and mists lingering between the rock walls on the mountain, and the starry sky when the lights are dead at night is also beautiful and splendid, which is a good opportunity to take pictures. If you have enough time, you can also take 1-2 hours to climb the back mountain of Dongwa Village to see the temple on the top of the mountain. The houses passing by are all ancient buildings, and the wooden wedge-riveted structure is even more ancient and peculiar. If you are lucky, you can meet the kind-hearted local people, and you will be invited to your home to taste traditional food such as tsampa butter tea and experience the simplicity and enthusiasm of the local people. In addition, there is a two-day hiking route behind the village, which can lead to untouched lakes and stone forests, with pristine and beautiful scenery. However, this route is only suitable for outdoor enthusiasts and requires a night of camping. When walking this route, you can rent a horse in the village and ask a groom to lead the way. Generally, a horse costs about 150 yuan a day.