14 Days in Ganzi County: North Kham, Slowly

In by the 2019 Gesar Airport (near 4,068 m) or the long road from Kangding, about 380 km. Standing rule: this is Ganzi County town at roughly 3,390 m — not the prefecture seat, not Daocheng-Yading — so day one belongs to the monastery founded in 1662 and to sleep.

1. ganzi ganzi monastery

The quarter retells an epic said to run past a million verse lines; the white-stupa park looks over flats of a river that runs about 1,571 km before meeting the Yangtze.

1. ganzi gesar king city
2. ganzi baita park
3. ganzi yalong river valley

Half a day on the short pilgrim circuit; leave the afternoon empty — the plateau fills it.

1. ganzi nailong sacred mountain

North of town among braided channels and yak camps; bring a book, and stay for the evening star deck.

1. ganzi county grasslands

An honest day east, about an hour and a half each way on the G317 — the roadside lake in Luhuo County and Daofu's painted timber houses, back by dark.

1. ganzi kasa lake
2. ganzi daofu timber houses

After the road day, stay close — morning by the water, noon noodles, and an easy wander through town streets.

1. ganzi yalong river valley

The countryside temple has been the seat of the Geda line for centuries; the town memorial records the 1936 meeting between Zhu De and the fifth Geda Lama when the Red Army passed through.

1. ganzi baili monastery
2. ganzi zhude geda memorial

The hillside monastery in its quietest hour, then the county market for dried cheese, yak butter and tea supplies for the Dege run.

1. ganzi ganzi monastery
2. ganzi city markets

First of two days honestly outside the county: west on the G317 to Manigango and the near-4,000 m Xinluhai at the foot of the Chola range; overnight in Dege county.

1. ganzi manigango town
2. ganzi xinluhai lake

The Parkhang printing house has carved and printed Tibetan texts since 1729 — woodblocks still pulled by hand; return through the 2017 Chola tunnel, over 7 km long near 4,300 m.

1. ganzi dege parkhang

A no-alarm day — late breakfast, a shady spot by the river, early dinner; the body catches up on altitude here, not on sights.

1. ganzi county grasslands

Drive the valley lanes upstream with a local driver, stopping where hamlets step down to the water; afternoon light on the flats is the photographer's hour.

1. ganzi yalong river valley

One more look at the sacred peaks in morning light, then market shopping for tea and dried cheese to carry home; early night before the road.

1. ganzi nailong sacred mountain
2. ganzi city markets

Last flat-light walk by the water, then the 2019 airport — Chengdu about an hour by air — or the highway east toward Kangding, about 380 km.

1. ganzi yalong river valley