Garze (Ganzi) County
A key town on the northern Sichuan–Tibet route: Garze Monastery's golden roofs overlook the old town beneath Zhuodala Snow Mountain, while the black-necked cranes of Kasa Lake and the Beri and Dargye monasteries make up a hidden corner of northern Kham.
Garze County lies in the north of Sichuan's Garze Prefecture, in the broad upper valley of the Yalong River. The county town sits at about 3,400 m and is a key stop on the G317 northern Sichuan–Tibet route; historically it was the heartland of the 'Five Hor Chieftaincies' of northern Kham. Use the county town as your base: the golden-roofed halls of Garze Monastery on the hillside north of town are the local landmark, with views over the Yalong River and Zhuodala Snow Mountain to the south. Heading west along the G317 you pass in turn Beri Monastery, the Rongbacha grasslands and Dargye Monastery, modeled on Lhasa's Jokhang; about 30 km east, below the Luoguo Liangzi pass, is Kasa Lake (in Luhuo County), where black-necked cranes can be seen in spring and autumn. In the northeast, the ancient and remote Dongu Monastery in the Daqu River valley suits a more in-depth trip. Southeast of town, King Gesar City offers a one-stop introduction to the Gesar epic, horsemanship and Tibetan opera. The best season is Jun–Sep, when the grasslands are green and the weather mild; it turns cold after October, and winters are cold and dry but bring many monastery festivals. Getting there: Garze Gesar Airport (north of the county town) has flights to and from Chengdu; driving from Chengdu via Kangding, Dawu and Luhuo takes about 2 days. Garze is also a transit point for Dege, Sertar and Xinlong. Allow 2 days: one for the town's monasteries and the Yalong River, and one for either the western stretch of the G317 (Beri and Dargye monasteries) or the eastern stretch (Kasa Lake). Tips: at high altitude, take precautions against altitude sickness, sun and cold; walk clockwise around monasteries, don't photograph monks or Buddha statues casually, and watch for rockfall on some roads in the rainy season.
Top sights
- Garze Monastery – The largest of the Thirteen Horpa Monasteries, with golden-roofed halls built into the mountain north of Garze town. It offers views over t…
- Kasa Lake – A highland lake below the Luoguoliangzi Pass on National Highway G317. Tibetans regard it as the 'Mother Lake,' and it is a stop for migrat…
- Dargye Monastery – A major Gelug monastery in the upper Yalong River valley beside G317. It is one of the Thirteen Monasteries of Huor, and its main hall was…
- Beri Monastery – An ancient monastery in Shengkang Township on the banks of the Yalong River. Nearby are the ruins of the Beri tusi (local chieftain)’s fort…
- Zhuodala Snow Mountain – A snow peak of the Shaluli Range, about 4,798 meters above sea level, rising south of the county seat. The road from Garze to Xinlong and B…
- Donggu Monastery – One of the Thirteen Monasteries of Huor, founded in 1417 on a terrace in the canyon where the Daqu River meets the Nailong River. Rich in c…
- Gesar King City – A Tibetan cultural experience area themed on the Gesar epic, featuring a large prayer wheel, the Muster Platform, horse-riding shows and li…
- Yalong River Viewpoint – A viewpoint beside the Yalong River Bridge on the south side of the county seat, where the river flows through a wide valley. Looking back…
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…