Gongga Mountain: King of Kham (12-Days)
This 12-day journey in Sichuan features a 7-day trek beneath Gongga Mountain, whose 7,556-meter peak is the highest in Sichuan Province. It is the third highest peak in the world outside the Himalayan range. The region is known as Kham, one of the three former kingdoms of Tibet, and the high elevation terrain is still sparsely inhabited by Tibetan herders and nomads. Gongga is the Chinese name for the mountain; in Tibetan it is called Minya Konka. The trek ranges between 2,500 and 5,000 meters in elevation. The entire trek includes both professional guides from the Sichuan Mountaineering Association as well as local Tibetan partners who often work in conjunction with the SMA to form a capable, reliable, and experienced team. We’ll be camping out for four of the six nights during the trek, so we’ll have horses or mules to help us carry our equipment during the trek. Guests will only need to carry a daybag with personal effects such as water, sunscreen, and a camera. The guides may also help to shoulder the load. We’ll use sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) to drive into the mountains. During the trip we’ll be staying in hotels while visiting towns and cities
Days 1-2, Chengdu – Kangding: Introduction and Preparation
We’ll pick you up at the airport in Chengdu (day 0) on the day you arrive and take you directly to your hotel to rest up from the lengthy travel. The first full day after arriving in Chengdu, the bustling capital of Sichuan Province, will include a tour of the city with ample time allotted to catch up on any jetlag. The tour includes the Giant Panda Research & Breeding Base, the Wenshu Temple, and two classic (and spicy, if so desired) Sichuan-style meals for lunch and dinner. On day 2 we head westward and upward along the Sichuan-Tibet highway to Kangding.
Just west of Chengdu the ascent onto the Tibetan Plateau dramatically begins. Heading north and west from Chengdu allows adventurers to climb more than 2000 meters (6500 feet) in less than a full day’s drive, Kangding, the former capital of the Tibetan state of Kham, has become a bustling Han and Tibetan town dissected by the powerful Yala River, Just a few mountain passes away from the city rests the glorious Minya Konka (Gongga Shan in Chinese), whose highest peak stretches to over 7,500 meters. It is the third tallest mountain outside of the Himalayan range.
Days 3-9, Gongga Mountain: Trekking Amidst the Clouds
We’ll average about five hours of hiking per day during the 7 day trek, some days with less, others with more. The team of guides will be responsible for preparing all of the meals during the trek. On the second day we’ll make a mountain pass at 4,700 meters with a 4,600-meter pass to follow on the 5th day. In between these two passes we’ll traverse the Moxi Valley, which allows for excellent views of the mountain. We’ll be camping on the first four nights of the hike until we reach Gongga Monastery on the 5th day of the trek. We’ll spend extra time at the monastery to learn about Tibetan Buddhism and the daily lives of the lamas. After spending the night at the monastery, the Tibetan village of Zimei will be our host on the 6th night. On the final night of the trek we’ll need four hours to drive back to Xinduqiao where we’ll stay in a hotel.
We don’t like to give away too much about the scenery that lays ahead, but alpine meadows, forbidding glaciers, and idyllic hidden villages should whet your whistle
Days 10-12, Xinduqiao – Emei Mountain – Leshan – Huanglongxi – Chengdu: A Relaxing Taste of Ancient Han China
We’ll need most of the 10th day to drive to Emei Mountain, one of China’s four sacred Buddhist peaks. After the grueling trek we’ll have the duly earned option of a cable car to take us to the peak at Emei. On a clear day from the mountain’s peak guests are afforded one final unforgettable view back at the peaks of the Tibetan Plateau stretching above the clouds.
After witnessing the sunrise at Emei we’ll visit the Great Buddha at nearby Leshan in the afternoon of day 11. A few photos of the massive Buddha are sure to garner the envy of friends back home. About an hour from Leshan, we’ll take in a final sunset over tea and a bevy of tasty snacks at the laidback, riverside town of Huanglongxi. We’ll have to push ourselves to sample all of the creative treats offered throughout the ancient town’s cobblestone streets. After a short tour of the town and/or some Mahjong lessons, we’ll make the final one hour drive back to Chengdu. Depending on your departure schedule from Chengdu we’ll have one last palette-tickling goodbye lunch or dinner in Chengdu. If time allows, we’ll schedule a visit to the Songxianqiao Art Market or the Jinsha Archaeological Museum.
