Songpan County, which is located in the northwest of Sichuan Province, is the gateway to the Jiuzhai Valley fairyland, and also a part of the Aba autonomous region.

Nestling at the foot of the Minshan Mountain, and having the Minjiang River flowing past its gates,the Songpan County was built during Tang Dynasty (618-907), when Prince Wencheng was married to a Tibetan King. The county, which was extended to its largest area during the Ming Emperor Jiajing's reign nearly 500 years ago, is still a bridge between the long lasting friendship between the Han and Tibetan peoples.

The minute you approach the county, you will be fascinated by the grand gates. Decorated by well written names and various pictures, the grand gates, from four directions,were once the best place to put weapons in order to keep outsiders from invading the county. Now still the largest of their kind in existence in China, these gates have become the witness of history. Like the faded pictures carved on the stone wall,they are still telling the stories of past centuries even today.

Go to the downtown area, the rising three-star hotels and horse riding Tibetan people will give you mixed feelings of their place in history. You may feel confused by what you see: A county that is going through the inevitable urbanization process, or a quiet and peaceful primitive Tibetan village.

Recommended as the world's best place to ride a horse, Songpan County has become an increasingly popular tourist attraction, especially among backpackers.

The county now has two professional horse treks that offer both designated and customized horse trekking services. The horse trekking services, which offer each tourist a local tour guide, and a horse,will bring you a fresh experience of camping and cooking food.

Among the nearby sightseeing hotspots, Mounigou and Xuebaoding are our top recommendations for horse trekking.

Mounigou is 15 kilometers away from the Songpan County and consists of two big scenic spots: the Zhaga Waterfall and the Erdaohai Lake.

From the downtown area, it takes about half an hour by riding a horse to go to thetop of a nearby mountain. Looking at the Tibetan village inlayed among the mountains,it looks like a natural musical chapter, the beauty of which is the benediction of God.

Going through a small river and riding along the road for two more hours, you will then see a vast primitive forest with waterfalls running and roaring.

Now you are getting close to the famous "little Jiuzhai Valley", and the Eerdaohai Lake.

Coming into Erdaohai Lake, you will be astonished to see the tranquil and serene mountain lakes, the blooming flowers, and the steaming hot springs and chirping birds.

Slowly and quietly walking on this celestial land, you may also have the fortune to see how small squirrels are enjoying their days.

During summertime, you may like to have a swim or even bathe in the natural hot spring pools in Erdaohai Lake. The bubbles that pop up from the bottom of the pool will assure you that the water is always fresh and clean.

Xuebaoding, with a sea altitude of 5,588 meters, is the main peak of Minshan Maotain Chain, located in Songpan County. Because it is covered by snow all year round, it looks like a white giant - and this is how it got the name of Xuebaoding. As the highest peak in Songpan, it is also the ultimate goal for backpackers to view the wild natural landscape.