Kangding Airport – The Nearest Airport to Mount Gongga

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Kangding Airport is one of the latest in a long line of projects that China has put into place to promote itself as a major tourist destination, and improves the connections between the far-flung towns and cities. In order to improve the integrated transport system, China has embraced air transport in a big way, for both passengers and cargo, and airports have been built all over China.

The airport is situated in the highland region of western Sichuan, around 38km north to Kangding. The airport has been a plan for the Chinese government since 1993, as the area around western Sichuan is rich in valuable minerals. However, construction only began in September 2006, as the site needed a lot of preparation beforehand.

The airport is the second highest airport in the world, and sits at an elevation of 4,280 meters (14,040ft). The highest is also in Tibet, being Qamdo Bangda Airport, at 4,334 meters above sea level. Commercial services began at the airport on October 22, 2008, and this marked the first ever civilian flights in the area.

Facilities

The airport terminal, which is a small, but serviceable building, has been designed to handle some 400,000 passengers every year, as well as over two thousand tons of cargo and airmail for the indigenous population of western Sichuan.

Kangding Airport Runway

The only runway at the airport is just 4,000 meters long, which means that aircraft using Kangding Airport will be limited in size to medium sized aircraft such as the Airbus A319-100 and the similar Boeing 737-700. Aircraft that take off or land at high altitudes require more fuel, and the engines need to be tuned to allow for the reduced oxygen content. This means that a normal-sized aircraft would need a much longer runway than normal in order to attain the increased airspeed needed to take off.

The airport does not have on-site accommodation or many facilities for tourists, which is not really an issue since it is not an international airport. However, it is known as the airport with the most beautiful scenery in the world, as it is near the Zheduo Mountain, in the northwest of Kuangding County, in Garze Prefecture.

Flight Schedule

Kangding Airport is not the busiest airport in the world, or even in southwest China. Flights at Kangding come in from Chengdu, Chongqing, Daocheng, Hangzhou, and Lhasa. On average there are around 2-3 flights a day, which run from Kangding to Chengdu, and one flight a day from Kangding to Lhasa, however this is not available for foreign visitors going to Lhasa. Other departures are limited to around 2 per week, although there are several arrivals that come in from other cities such as Chengdu, Lhasa, Chongqing, etc., every day.

China Eastern Airlines

The main airlines that run flights in and out of Kangding airport are: China Eastern Airlines, which runs between Kangding and Chengdu only; Lucky Air, which runs to and from Chengdu, as well as being the only carrier to fly in and out of Lhasa; Sichuan Airlines, which runs all of the other destinations, such as Chongqing, Daocheng, Hangzhou, and Kunming.

Kangding Airport to Nearby Attractions

To Danba

Set in a valley 350 kilometers west of Chengdu is the beautiful, Jiarong Tibetan town of Danba. Sitting on the eastern border of Ganzi, halfway between Kangding and Maerking, the landscape at Danba varies from low-altitude valleys and grasslands to the high-altitude snow mountains of the Siguniangshan Mountains. Danba is a very popular site for tourists, and getting there from Kangding is a 147 kilometer, 3-hour 50-minute trip.

Jiarong Tibetan town of Danba

Car rental in Kangding is available, and the easiest route to drive is along the S211, going north through Maibengxiang, Kongyuxiang, and Gezongxioang.

For those who do not want to drive, there are two regular long-distance buses that leave Kangding at 7:00 am and 3:00 pm every day, and which take around three hours to make the trip.

To Xinduqiao

Xinduqiao is located on National Highway 318, around 80 kilometers west of Kangding. It is the main intersection for Danba, Minya Konka, Kangding, and Daocheng. While there are no major tourist attractions there, it does have some spectacular landscapes, and is known as a “paradise for photographers”.

Xinduqiao - Paradise for Photographers

The best way to get to Xinduqiao from Kangding Airport is to drive, so car rentals are the best option, and Kangding Airport is only 45 kilometers east of Xinduqiao. The road and transportation systems in the area of Xinduqiao are not very good, so if you are not sure, you can hire a driver for the car, or get a taxi for the trip to the town. Taxi fares are around 100 CNY for a whole day, which can take you there and bring you back after.

There is a scheduled bus that passes through Xinduqiao along the 318, although they are only on two days a week, and only one on each day. Bus travel is not the best way to get to Xinduqiao.

To Hailuogou

Hailuogou National Glacier Park is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Sichuan, and is the best place from which to view the revered mountain, Minya Konka. Inside the park are hundreds of hanging glaciers, giant ice falls, ancient, primeval forests, and many hundreds of ice caves. Located right next to Moxi Town, it is an impressive place to visit, and a must-see attraction for anyone visiting Sichuan Province.

Hailuogou - The Most Popular Tourist Attractions in Sichuan

Renting a car is one of the easiest ways to get to Hailuogou, and it only takes around four hours to make the 157 kilometer trip. The route takes you first south to Kangding City, and then gives you two choices. The longer route, continuing on the 318 National highway is the fastest route to take, but if you do not mind winding up and down through the mountains, you can take the road from Kangding toMoxi Town, through Xinxing village, which is over 30 kilometers shorter.

Buses run from Kangding to Moxi Town daily at around 6:00 am, and take about eight hours to get there.

To Tagong Grassland

50 kilometers north of Kangding Airport is the beautiful area of the Tagong grasslands, and Tagong Village, or Lhagang in Tibetan. It is a small settlement that is well known for its Buddhist Monasteries and the scenic grasslands alongside which it sits. The grasslands take about three days to cross on horseback, and are a popular place for hikers and trekkers, whether on foot or using horses. The town lies at an altitude of 3,700 meters, and is surrounded by mountains on three sides.

Tagong Grassland - The Most Beautiful Grassland in Kangding

From the airport itself, it is only around 2 hours from the airport to Tagong for the Grasslands hiking trips, and hiring a car makes it easy to get there. Another option is to get a shared shuttle bus in Downtown Kangding, which takes around three hours and costs 100 CNY per person. However, if you were in a group of three or more, a hired van and driver would be a cheaper option. Many official buses leave Kangding in the morning, and the prices are from around 50 CNY per person for the trip.

To Mugecuo Lake

While it is less than 30 kilometers from Kangding Airport to Mugecuo Lake Scenic Area, the journey to get there has to make a round trip through Kangding City, Garze Town and Yalaxiang to get there. One of the most spectacular scenic areas in China, Mugecuo incorporates beautiful, shimmering lakes with lofty, snow-capped mountains, and gorgeous valleys full of local flora and fauna, such as the famous azalea valley. Tours inside require visitors to take the sightseeing buses, so if you hire a car to get there, you will need to leave it outside the park.

Mugecuo Lake - One of the Most Spectacular Scenic Areas

Car rental for the day is the only real option to get to Mugecuo Lake, since there are no public buses from Kangding City to the park. Car rentals are around 200 CNY for the day, and the trip there from Downtown Kangding only takes around half an hour.

Where to Stay around Kangding Airport

Kangding Airport has no hotels and hostels at the site, so staying at the airport is not really an option. The Kangding Airport Hotel is actually in Jianlu Street, in Garze, around 40 kilometers from the actual airport. There are a few hotels to stay at in Kangding itself, which makes it a little closer to the airport, although there is a greater selection of hotels in Garze than in Kangding. Garze is only 50 km from the airport itself, and is close enough to be convenient, and has a selection of hotels that range from unrated hostels to four-star hotels.

Mount Gongga Hotel in Kangding

While Kangding is close to the airport, only 40 kilometers away, the actual closest hotel to the airport itself is along the National Highway 318 going west from the junction of the airport road. The Shangmei Hotel is a small bed & breakfast establishment on the G318 National Road to Xinduqiao Town, in Kangding County. The hotel features two-star accommodations, and has more than 50 rooms available, as well as many other facilities including restaurant and bar.