# China: a feeling of Tibet in Kangding and western Sichuan

After [visiting Chengdu and its surroundings](https://www.novo-monde.com/en/things-to-do-in-chengdu-pandas/), as well as [Mount Emei and the Giant Buddha](https://www.novo-monde.com/en/mount-emei-china/), we decided to head to Yunnan Province. The journey took us by bus through the entire **western part of Sichuan**. Formerly called Kham, this historic region encompassed the eastern part of present-day **Tibet** and western Sichuan Province. As a result, it's predominantly populated by Tibetans. But when I say Tibetans, that's just for simplicity! More than a dozen different minorities populate this region. Beyond its inhabitants, though, it's also for the **breathtaking landscapes** (literally breathtaking at this altitude!) that we decided to pass through here. Ready for a magnificent trek in the **Tibetan part of Sichuan**? Let's go!

![Fabienne et Benoit durant le trek face au sommet enneigé d'une montagne](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/tibet-sichuan-11-1024x680.jpg)

Table of contents

1. [Visiting Tibet](#visiting-tibet)
2. [Kangding, first stop towards Tibetan Sichuan](#kangding)
3. [Tagong, a charming village in the middle of the Tibetan plateau](#tagong)
4. [An extraordinary 3-Day trek in Tibetan Sichuan](#trek-tibetan-sichuan)
5. [4 reasons to trek on the Tibetan plateau](#why-go-trekking-in-western-sichuan)
6. [Tibetan cuisine](#tibetan-food)

 2025 UpdateWe made this trip to China in 2013, but the article has been completely reviewed and updated in August 2025. If you notice any price changes or have additional information that might be relevant, don't hesitate to leave us a comment!

![chevaux en liberté dans les plaines du sichuan](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/tibet-sichuan-trek-1-1024x680.jpg)![temple entouré de fanions colorés au sommet d'une montagne enneigée](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/tibet-sichuan-4-1024x680.jpg)![les randonneurs et des femmes tibétaines en habit traditionnel](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/tibet-sichuan-6-1024x680.jpg)![fabienne dans une habitation sommaire de nomades tibétains](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/nomads-sichuan-1024x680.jpg)

## Visiting Tibet

I'll admit that before leaving, I was really eager to **visit Tibet**. But once we were on the road, after doing some research, I quickly became disillusioned. Right now, visiting Tibet means very limited freedom. For example, you're forced to take a guide to babysit you, with a well-defined itinerary approved by the police. Not to mention the very high price! With the guide, transport, **entry permit**, and accommodation, it's hard to do it for less than 1,500 euros per person per week. In short, Tibet and the Himalayas must be earned!

 Entry permitIn addition to the **[Chinese visa](https://www.novo-monde.com/en/backpacking-china/#visa-to-visit-china)**, you must have an entry permit (**Tibet Travel Permit**). This is issued by authorized travel agencies that hold a government license. If you're planning to go to Lhasa, for example, this permit will be requested on board or upon arrival. Plan your Tibet trip at least 15 days in advance, giving the agency time to handle the paperwork and for your permit to arrive at your hotel.

![enfant tibétain regardant des yaks sur la plaine](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/sichuan-china-1-1024x680.jpg)![Benoit à l'intérieur d'un hostel aux murs décorés et colorés](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/tagong-kangding-1024x680.jpg)![plaine et ses montagnes dans l'ouest du Sichuan en Chine](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/trek-sichuan-1024x680.jpg)

I was therefore very happy to learn that it was possible to get a taste of this mythical region without actually entering it (so to speak) and without the stupid constraints that come with it. And as you'll see, we weren't disappointed. You'll find **all the ingredients of Tibet** there! Endless high-altitude **plains** (3,000-4,500 m), gigantic **mountains** (several peaks over 7,000 m), **monks**, **temples**, nomads, thousands of **yaks**… In short, welcome to Tibet!

## Kangding, first stop towards Tibetan Sichuan

To reach the ancient Tibet, **Kangding** is a must! The capital of the **Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture** doesn't really have anything special to offer and is even rather ugly… However, it's an excellent base camp for certain treks in the area and an opportunity to visit the magnificent **Nanwu Si monastery**! There's notably Mount Gongga which peaks at 7,509 m nearby… I'll let you imagine the monster!

![fanions colorés en haut d'une montagne avec les reliefs enneigés en arrière-fond](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/trek-sichuan-tibet-1-680x1024.jpg)![plaine tibétaine et massif montagneux enneigé au fond](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/tibet-sichuan-9-1024x680.jpg)![temple bouddhiste doré dans l'ouest du Sichuan](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/tibet-sichuan-7-1024x680.jpg)

### How to get to Kangding from Chengdu

There aren't 36 ways to get there **from Chengdu**: you'll have to take the bus! No online reservations, you have to go in person. Head to **Chengdu Xinnanmen Bus Station** for buses that leave between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. The journey takes between 5 and 8 hours and the bus ticket costs about 140 yuan. Otherwise, other buses leave from **Chengdu East Railway Station Bus Terminal**, the price is roughly the same.

Oh wait, I forgot! There is indeed **Kangding airport**, connected daily to Chengdu... Located at 4,280 m altitude, making it the 3rd highest airport in the world! But it's still quite expensive. Count at least 1,500 yuan per person (about 180 euros) for a **1 hour 25-minute flight**. To check rates, go to [Skyscanner](https://www.novo-monde.com/go/skyscanner/vol/) (type "Garze Gesar (GZG)" in the search bar).

Anyway, it's better to get used to taking the bus right away. Indeed, the deeper you go into this region, the worse the roads become! Plus, it's better to proceed in stages with **altitude** to avoid [altitude sickness](https://www.novo-monde.com/en/prevent-risks-of-traveling/#altitude-sickness). To give you an idea, Kangding is already located at… 2,800 m altitude!

![ville de Kangding en Chine entourée de montagnes](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/kangding-1024x680.jpg)![ville de Kangding en Chine entourée de montagnes](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/kangding-sichuan-1024x680.jpg)![salle de bains de l'hostel zhilam à Kangding](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/hostel-kangding-680x1024.jpg)![chambre de l'hostel zhilam à Kangding](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/hostel-kangding-1-680x1024.jpg)![crâne de yak et ses cornes dans l'hostel zhilam à Kangding](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/hostel-kangding-2-680x1024.jpg)

### Accommodation in Kangding

Since this city is a must-pass, we highly recommend going to the [Zhilam hostel](https://zhilamhostel.com/about/), which is simply amazing. Its owner, Kris, speaks perfect English and knows the region like the back of his hand (he was a guide). To book a room, send them an email (info@zhilamhostel.com) or call them directly. Kris can certainly help you find your itinerary in this splendid region. In fact, after a lovely little day of hiking in the heights of the city, it's following his wise advice that we headed a bit further north, to the small town of **Tagong**.

[Book another accommodation in Kangding](https://www.novo-monde.com/go/booking/hotels-kangding/)

![Fabienne et les montagnes embrumées en arrière-plan sur les hauteurs de Kangding](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/tibet-sichuan-1-1024x680.jpg)![fanions colorés accrochés entre les troncs des arbres](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/tibet-sichuan-1024x680.jpg)

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[Read more](https://www.novo-monde.com/en/affiliate-links-novomonde/)

![terrasse donnant sur une place de tagong en Chine](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/tagong-1024x680.jpg)![bâtiment typique rose à Tagong en Chine](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/tagong-1-1024x680.jpg)![enfants autour d'une porte sculptée et peinte dans le Sichuan](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/sichuan-chine-1024x680.jpg)

## Tagong, a charming village in the middle of the Tibetan plateau

At 3,700 m altitude, **Tagong** is a small village of 8,000 inhabitants, located right in the middle of the Tibetan plateau and mountains of **Sichuan**. For us, it was the ideal starting point for a small 3-day trek in these endless prairies, meeting nomads, their culture, local **Tibetan Buddhism**, and yaks!

If you want to see these fantastic landscapes, eat with locals, see how nomads live and learn more about them, there aren't 36 solutions. You need to meet **Angela**, an American married to a Tibetan from the region! At the time, we stayed at their guesthouse which also served as a café and collaborative art center. Since then, they've moved a few kilometers from Tagong to set up the **Khampa Nomad Ecolodge**. Angela's idea is always the same: offer local cuisine and connect the few tourists who pass through with the nomads living in the area. On the program: cultural workshops, day hikes, treks on foot or horseback...

To book and get more information, visit [their website](https://definitelynomadic.com/).

 How to get from Kangding to TagongYou have several options to **get to Tagong from Kangding**:

- Take the **bus** at 8 a.m. or 3 p.m. for a 3.5-hour journey; the ticket costs 20 yuan each.
- **Minibuses** leave daily between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., the trip takes about 2 hours and will cost you 50 yuan per person.
- Last option is **taxi**! From Kangding, count at least 200 yuan

From Tagong to Khampa Nomad Ecolodge, the taxi will cost you about 60 yuan. Otherwise, you can [walk there](https://maps.app.goo.gl/BPpKtBpScKB3WnsP7) from Tagong! This gives you a nice 8 km hike with 200-300 m of positive elevation gain (and as much negative).

![Fabienne et Benoit avec 2 autres randonneurs et le guide du trek](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/trek-sichuan-1-1024x680.jpg)![temple bouddhiste coloré](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/kangding-tagong-3-1024x680.jpg)![maison typique avec des drapeaux colorés](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/sichuan-chine-1-1024x680.jpg)![yaks paissant dans la plaine du plateau tibétain](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/yaks-tibet-chine-1-1024x680.jpg)

## An extraordinary 3-Day trek in Tibetan Sichuan

We had a unique and authentic experience with the **nomads** by eating with them and spending the night there! Thanks to Angela, we were easily able to organize a last-minute 3-day trek with a local guide. On [the lodge's website](https://definitelynomadic.com/), you'll find different packages with or without a guide, on foot or horseback. The guide also explained a bit about the nomads' way of life and their customs, even though communication wasn't always easy. Since images speak louder than words, I'll let you watch this video of our **hike around Tagong**.

## 4 reasons to trek on the Tibetan plateau

### Tibetan nomads are very welcoming and smiling

Even though communication wasn't easy (they don't even speak Mandarin but a Tibetan dialect), we didn't need words to understand each other and their hospitality warmed our hearts. They don't have much to offer but share it willingly. And that's worth all the money in the world.

![repas pris chez l'habitant durant le trek](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/tibet-sichuan-trek-1024x680.jpg)![rencontre avec une famille nomade tibétaine](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/tibet-sichuan-13-1024x680.jpg)![femme tibétaine](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/tibet-sichuan-12-1-1024x680.jpg)![selfie de Fabienne et d'un petit garçon tibétain](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/tibet-nomad-1-680x1024.jpg)

### The landscapes are breathtaking

Our pictures hardly do justice to the immensity of this plateau that stretches as far as the eye can see, with these mountains rising over 7,000 m altitude in the background. Even though the altitude makes each step a bit more difficult (we're walking at 4,000 m after all!), walking in such scenery is quite euphoric! I hope we've managed to give you a small impression of the beauty of the place.

### Walking among free-roaming animals

On these great plains, no need for fences. Yaks, horses, pigs, and more are simply left free to graze wherever they please. And we indeed encountered thousands of yaks and hundreds of horses during these 3 days. Quite impressive!

![yaks paissant dans la plaine du plateau tibétain](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/yaks-sichuan-1-1024x680.jpg)![petit yak noir](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/yak-sichuan-1024x680.jpg)

### Tibetan buddhism is very present

During this trek, we were lucky to see several Tibetan temples or monasteries. We were able to learn a bit more about their way of praying or meditating, about the different lamas. Not talking about the animal here, we're talking about the teachers of **Tibetan Buddhism**! By the way, we tend to think that only the Dalai Lama exists… And despite having to somewhat hide their beliefs (they hide images of different lamas in farms, for example, so they won't be confiscated), you can feel they're very attached to their culture. It's not uncommon to see half a house dedicated to Tibetan Buddhism.

![Fabienne dans une pièce avec plein d'objets dédiés aux lamas et au bouddhisme](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/bouddhisme-tibet-1024x680.jpg)

## Tibetan cuisine

In this rather remote region of [China](https://www.novo-monde.com/en/backpacking-china/), **yak** is used in every way possible. It's simple, they use it for all culinary preparations and for everything! For its meat, hide, milk (they make butter, cheese, yogurt from it) and even its excrement which serves as kindling as well as insulation for house walls!

![Benoit essayant le yaourt de yak](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/food-yak-680x1024.jpg)

As you can imagine, the **food** isn't very varied, unlike the rest of the country where [Chinese food](https://www.novo-monde.com/en/chinese-cuisine/) is amazing! We often get a piece of flatbread with one of the many yak by-products, and sometimes a few potatoes.

And to be honest, the yak defeated me! Don't ask me if it was the famous **yak butter tea** (it's really disgusting), the yogurt, or the meat that finished me off. The fact is that the last night of our adventure, I was quite sick. You should know that nomads generally don't kill yaks... They let them die naturally, so the meat has quite a pronounced taste. A little tip for sensitive stomachs: be a bit careful with the food and eat moderately, it might help you! Me, I ate like a glutton ;).

![enfant nomade tibétain tirant sur une corde](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/sichuan-china-1024x680.jpg)![statue de bouddha blanche entouré de drapeaux colorés sur les flancs d'une montagne](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/tibet-sichuan-8-1024x680.jpg)![Fabienne et Benoit devant une stupa blanche avec des fanions colorés à côté](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/tibet-sichuan-3-1024x680.jpg)![Fabienne durant le trek devant les massifs enneigés du Tibet](https://www.novo-monde.com/app/uploads/2025/08/tibet-sichuan-10-1024x680.jpg)

 Do you have insurance for your trip?The **People’s Republic of China**, like many other countries in the world, requires a **visa** to enter the territory. To obtain this precious document, you need to prove several things: accommodation reservations, exit tickets from the country, etc. One of the essential points for [obtaining the visa](https://www.novo-monde.com/en/backpacking-china/#visa-to-visit-china) is also **having travel insurance**. If you don’t have one yet, feel free to check out our [selection of the best travel insurance](https://www.novo-monde.com/en/best-cheap-backpacker-travel-insurance-comparison/).

So there you have it, we hope we've made you want to **visit the Tibetan part of Sichuan**. As for us, it was a huge favorite and we're almost certain to return! It must be said that this region is immense and the hiking possibilities are endless.

What are you waiting for? Get your hiking boots on ;)! For what's next, we're taking you to **Yunnan Province**, more specifically to the [Tiger Leaping Gorge](https://www.novo-monde.com/en/tiger-leaping-gorge/) and the [terraced rice fields of Yuanyang](https://www.novo-monde.com/en/yuanyang-rice-terraces-yunnan/)!

P.S.: We've put together a [complete guide to prepare your trip to China](https://www.novo-monde.com/en/backpacking-china/) (tips, itinerary, transport...).

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