Flying from Chengdu to Daocheng Yading, the King of Sichuan Mountains is within reach!

Take off from Chengdu Shuangliu Airport at an altitude of 500 meters; land 1 hour and 5 minutes later at the world's highest civilian airport, 4,411 meters. This hour is the closest you will ever be to the snow-capped mountains of western Sichuan. 20 minutes after takeoff, the plane crosses the Min Mountains on the western edge of the Sichuan Basin. The sea of clouds suddenly splits, and the King of Sichuan Mountains, Mount Gongga (7,556 meters), breaks through the clouds! Surrounded by 45 snow-capped peaks over 6,000 meters, it stretches out outside the window. A window seat on the left offers a textbook "God's-eye view." Sunlight hits the pyramid-like snow peaks, and the silver light is so dazzling it brings tears to your eyes. 30 minutes into the flight, the plane enters the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ancient Glacial Landform Nature Reserve, the "Daocheng Ancient Ice Cap." 1,145 lakes of various sizes, like diamonds scattered by God, lie across the wilderness at an average altitude of 4,500 meters. Jagged rocks, azure lakes, and vast seas of clouds make it feel like you are flying over an alien planet. In the final 15 minutes, the plane begins its descent, so close to the plateau that it feels like you could step out if you opened the cabin door. Outside the window, the three sacred mountains—Xiannairi (6,023 meters), Yangmaiyong (5,958 meters), and Xianuoduoji (5,958 meters)—are arranged in a triangle, so close you could almost touch them. Pristine white snow peaks, deep blue glaciers, and emerald lakes redefine your understanding of "magnificence" with every passing second. A final glance before landing: the UFO-shaped terminal building rests quietly on the summit of Haizi Mountain. The cabin door opens, and cold air rushes into your lungs, but you can't bear to take your eyes off the window. From the basin to the clouds, from 500 meters to 4,411 meters, this 1-hour flight is a top-tier visual feast in itself. Chengdu to Daocheng: a 2-day drive turns into a 1-hour flight; and the scenery during this hour is worth remembering for a lifetime. Remember to choose a window seat on the left, and remember not to sleep, because if you close your eyes, you will miss the King of Sichuan Mountains.