Barkam

Capital of Ngawa Prefecture and center of Gyalrong Tibetan culture, with the Zhuokeji chieftain's residence, Xisuo village and the Zhibo watchtowers of Songgang strung along the Somo River valley, which glows with autumn color.

Barkam is the capital of Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan, set in the Somo River valley in the southeast of the northwestern Sichuan plateau at about 2,600 m. It is the heart of Gyalrong Tibetan culture; historically the four chieftaincies of Zhuokeji, Songgang, Somo and Dangba ruled here, giving the area the name "Situ" (the Four Chieftaincies), and Alai's novel Red Poppies is set here. The main sights lie along National Highway 317: the Zhuokeji chieftain's residence about 7 km east of town and Xisuo village across the river are a must-see pair; Songgang township, about 15 km west, has the Zhibo watchtowers and the Kepan "Sky Street"; and Changlie Monastery on a hilltop outside town overlooks the whole city. With more time, head north to Dazang and Caodeng monasteries, or south over Mengbi Mountain to Xiaojin and Mount Siguniang. The best time is May–Oct: rhododendrons and meadows in early summer, cool weather to escape the midsummer heat, and the best fall colors in the Somo River valley in mid-to-late October. Barkam is about 4–5 hours from Chengdu via the Wenchuan–Barkam Expressway and about 2 hours by road from Hongyuan Airport; it is also a transit hub for Hongyuan, Zoigê and Sêrtar. Plan on 1–2 days; hotels in town are good, or stay in a Tibetan guesthouse in Xisuo village. Mountain roads may ice up in winter, so drive with care.

Top sights

• Zhuokeji Chieftain's Official Residence – The best-preserved chieftain residence among the Eighteen Jiarong Tusi, a national key cultural heritage site, with a stone-and-timber cour…
• Xisuo Village – A Jiarong Tibetan village across the river from the Zhuokeji residence, its stone houses stacked like a fortress, with guesthouses availabl…
• Songgang Sky Street (Kepan) – A mountain-ridge old street where the former residence of the Songgang tusi (local chieftain) stands, with stone watchtowers and Tibetan-st…
• Zhibo Watchtowers – A pair of octagonal stone watchtowers from the Qianlong era of the Qing dynasty, a national key cultural heritage site and a leading exampl…
• Dazang Monastery (Dhe-Tsang) – Founded in 1414, this Gelug monastery is the principal monastery of northern Sichuan, set on the neck of an elephant-shaped mountain with v…
• Changlie Monastery – A Nyingma monastery on a mountaintop on the outskirts of Barkam, with monastic colleges stacked up the mountain and views over the town and…
• Mengbi Mountain – A border peak between Barkam and Xiaojin, and a snowy pass the Red Army crossed on the Long March, with views of peaks and clouds from the…
• Suomo River Gorge – A hundred-li gorge stretching along the Suomo River beside the G317 highway, where autumn foliage and Jiarong Tibetan villages make a road-…
• Caodeng Monastery – An ancient monastery in Caodeng Township in northwest Barkam, a provincial-level heritage site surrounded by simple Jiarong villages, with…
• Miyaluo Red Leaves Scenic Area – A classic western Sichuan red-leaf area. The G317 runs for more than a hundred kilometers along the Zagunao River valley, and in deep autum…
• Jinchuan Pear Blossoms – Pear blossoms cover the upper Dadu River valley like snow in spring, set against Jiarong villages and snow peaks, making it a popular sprin…

Where to eat

• Ayilala Tibetan Restaurant – A Tibetan-style restaurant in central Barkam. Its signature dishes are hand-grabbed meat and hand-shredded beef, offeri…
• Qiu Er Restaurant – A home-style Sichuan restaurant on Binhe Road, known for local wild mushrooms and Nanhu-style double-batter potatoes. P…
• Liangshiju Suancai Dumpling Shop (Grain Bureau) – An affordable shop in the courtyard of the Grain Bureau, where a bowl of sour-soup dumplings costs about 10-plus yuan…

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…