The Yalong is the largest tributary to the Yangzte in western China. It has a great bend similar to the Yangtze Great Bend. The river canyon is mostly occupied by Tibetans. A road follows most of the upper reaches, which were partly explored by a Chinese rafting team led by Chen Lianyue in 2000 (no pics available). Chen participated in a Grand Canyon trip sponsored by Earth Science Expeditions in 2004. At low water in the winter of 2006, American Travis Winn, a good friend of Chen's, led a first descent kayak expedition of a roadless section of the Yalong west and southwest of the Gongga Shan area. In November 2010, Winn led a first descent kayak expedition of the Litang River, a large tributary to the Yalong just to the west of the 2006 section. Map adapted from Rand McNalley, photos from the 2006 expedition by Hutch Brown and Travis Winn.

Home | Yangtze | Mekong | Tsangpo | Salween | Yellow | Yalong River

First Descent of the middle Yalong, 2006

First Descent of the Litang, 2010

Chinese expedition through the Grand Canyon, 2004

First Descent of Rivers in western China

More info about rivers of western China