Daofu
A home of Tibetan vernacular architecture on the northern Sichuan–Tibet route, with Bengke log houses lining the Xianshui River and Lingque Monastery, Yuke Grassland and Longdeng Grassland nearby: a cultural stop for G317 road trips.
Daofu County lies in the Xianshui River valley in north-central Garzê Prefecture, Sichuan. National Highway 317 (the northern Sichuan–Tibet route) runs right through town, which sits at about 2,950 m and is a cultural stopover on both the northern Sichuan–Tibet route and the Danba–Daofu loop. It is known as the "home of Tibetan folk house art". The main draw is the Bengke timber Tibetan houses spread along the Xianshui River: their red-and-white walls and richly carved and painted interiors are unique across the Tibetan regions. Lingque Monastery, north of town, was founded in 1662 and is famous for its butter sculptures. From here you can head north to Yuke Grassland for summer wildflowers and camping, southeast across Longdeng Grassland to Bamei and Lhagang (Tagong), or south into the Zhaba Gorge to learn about its "walking marriage" culture. The best time is Jun–Sep for the grasslands and horse-racing season, and October for autumn colors in the Xianshui valley; winter is cold but rich in Tibetan New Year customs. Getting there: about 8–9 hours from Chengdu via Kangding, or approach from Danba or Luhuo; Kangding Airport and Garzê Gesar Airport are both several hours away by road. Plan on 1–2 days; town has plenty of guesthouses in traditional Tibetan houses. Note: some grassland and gorge roads are rough, so watch for landslides in the rainy season, and respect the customs of monasteries and local homes.
Top sights
- Daofu Tibetan Dwellings (Bengke Houses) – Painted wooden Tibetan houses line the Xianshui River. Their Bengke tenon-and-mortise structure resists earthquakes and is hailed as a trea…
- Lingque Monastery (Nyatso Gompa) – A Gelug monastery beside Daofu County town, one of the Huor Thirteen Monasteries, known for its fine butter sculptures and painted clay sta…
- Longdeng Grassland – A wide plateau grassland on the road between Daofu and Bamei, where legend says King Gesar once camped. Herds of yaks and cattle graze here.
- Yuke Grassland – A pure pastoral plateau grassland in northern Daofu. In summer it is a sea of flowers, known as the 'Alpine Garden', and it is a good place…
- Zhaba Gorge (Xianshui River Valley) – A deep gorge on the lower Xianshui River, with watchtowers and stone Tibetan villages built into the cliffs. The Zhaba people, who keep the…
Itineraries
- 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…