Kardze

The Kham Tibetan region of the western Sichuan plateau, with snow mountains, glaciers, grasslands and many Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, is a top destination for road trips and photography.

Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture lies on the southeastern edge of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau in western Sichuan. The Hengduan Mountains, represented by Mount Gongga, are crowded with snow peaks, and the area is the heartland of Kham culture. Key destinations include Kangding and Hailuogou Glacier, Xinduqiao and Tagong Grassland, Daocheng Yading, Litang, Serthar and Batang, with National Highway 318 running through the region. The main travel season runs from late spring to autumn, with the best fall colors in September and October. Many areas are at high altitude, so be aware of altitude sickness. Kangding, Daocheng Yading and Kardze Gesar airports are the gateways.

Destinations

• Daocheng Yading
• Hailuogou & Kangding
• Garze (Ganzi) County
• Dege
• Xinlong (Nyagrong)
• Daofu
• Xiangcheng
• Xinduqiao & Tagong
• Litang
• Sêrtar
• Danba
• Jiulong & Wuxu Lake
• Batang

Itineraries

• Western Sichuan Grand Loop: Seda & Daocheng – A panoramic loop from Danba, Seda, Garzê, and Xinlong south to Litang and Daocheng, returning to Chengdu along Highway…
• Northern Sichuan-Tibet Highway (G317) Northern Kham Culture – Follow Highway G317 through Seda and Garzê to Dege to see the Parkhang Printing House and Xinluhai Lake, returning via…
• Daocheng Yading to Shangri-La & Lijiang Overland – Enter Daocheng along Highway 318 from Chengdu, cross into Yunnan via Xiangcheng, and conclude in Shangri-La and Lijiang.
• Sichuan-Tibet Highway G318: Chengdu to Lhasa – Traverse Western Sichuan and Eastern Tibet along National Highway 318, crossing high mountain passes, glaciers, and lus…
• Western Sichuan Small Loop: Snow Mountains & Tibetan Villages – From Mount Siguniang, Danba, Tagong, and Xinduqiao to Hailuogou, cover the highlights of Western Sichuan in one week.
• Daocheng Yading and Xiangcheng in Depth – Acclimatize in the county town, spend a night in Xiangcheng, then enter Yading for the short and long routes, and finis…
• Daocheng Yading Classic: Short and Long Routes – Stay in Riwa, spend two days on the short and long Yading routes, passing the White Pagoda and Red Grass Meadow on the…
• Daocheng Autumn Colors and Sunrise Golden Mountain Photography – Photograph Red Grass Meadow, the poplar forests and the autumn colors of Ochu Mountain, then spend a night in Yading Vi…
• Kasi Hell Valley Trek to Milk Lake – After two days of acclimatization, hike and camp from Kasi Village, cross the pass, then descend past Long Lake and Mil…