Xinduqiao

Xinduqiao is not a single sight but a stretch of valley on the road west from Kangding, at about 3,300 metres, where a river braids through open pasture, poplars line the water, whitewashed Tibetan farmhouses stand among fields, and low hills close the view. Photographers named it the corridor of light for the way sun breaks through cloud onto the valley floor in autumn, when the poplars turn yellow against dark hills and grazing yaks. It is a junction on the G318 highway where roads to Litang and to the northern Garze towns divide, so most travellers pass through and many stop a night.

What to look for

• The poplar valley - yellow trees along braided streams in autumn.
• The Tibetan farmhouses - whitewashed houses with painted timber trim.
• The changing light - sun breaking through cloud onto the valley floor.
• The G318 junction - the road split toward Litang or northern Garze.

When to go

September to November for the poplars and the clearest light, which is the season photographers come for; summer is green and wetter, winter cold with snow. Altitude is felt at 3,300 metres.

Before you go

There is no single viewpoint or attraction; the appeal is a drive and a wander. The village itself is a strip of guesthouses on the highway. Weather can be grey for days.

Nearby

Kangding lies east; Tagong is north.