Mount Gongga Facts & Culture

Located at the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, between the Dadu River and Yalong River, in the middle section of the Hengduan Mountain ranges, Mount Gongga, also called Mt. Minya Konka, is the highest mountain in Sichuan with the highest peak of 7,556 meters above sea level. Thus, it earns the title of “King of the Mountains in Sichuan Province”. The name Gongga means snow white in Tibetan which is a perfect name for this mountain as it is covered with snow all the year around. Tourists can enjoy a magnificent snowy mountain range with more than 50 snow-capped mountains surrounding Mount Gongga.

Climbing Mount Gongga is more challenging and difficult than climbing Mt. Everest for the climate of Gongga is moist, snowy and very changeable. It is recorded that only 24 people have reached the peak, while 37 people have died during the attempts.

Mount Gongga Panorama

Mount Gongga Scenic Area

Mount Gongga Scenic Area lies among Kangding, Luding, Shimian and Jiulong, the four counties of the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Garze in Sichuan Province, which was founded in 1996 and was given national natural reserve status in 1997. Centering on Mount Gongga, the whole scenic area is made up of several smaller scenic areas like Hailuogou Scenic Spot, Mugetso Scenic Spot, Wuxu Lake Scenic Spot and so on, covering a total area of 10,000 square kilometers (about 3, 861 square miles).

Thanks to the glacial movement, Mount Gongga is best well-known for the scenery of glaciers. There are totally 159 strips of glacier, covering more than 390 square kilometers. Among these glaciers, the most famous ones are Hailuogou Glacier, Kunba Glacier, Bawang Glacier, Yanzi Glacier and Mizigou Glacier, with ice layers that can be 150 to 300 meters thick.

The desolate slopes at the foot of the mountains are at a low altitude and covered with thick forest, which give birth to the particular scenery of vegetation and animal. There are 4,880 specials of plants and over 400 species of plateau animals affected little by human beings and are under special state protection.

In the scenic area, there are over ten plateau lakes, including the famous Mugetso Lake, Wuxu Lake, Renzhong Lake and Bawang Lake. Some of these lakes lie at the foot of ice mountains and some are surrounded by forests with crystal water.

Besides, there are also hot springs with the temperature varies from 40 ¡æ to 80 ¡æ. Famous hot springs are Kangding Erdaoqiao Hot Spring and Hailuogou Hot Spring Swimming Pool.

Hailuogou Glaciers Park

Best Time to Visit Gongga Mountain

From June to October is the rain season and from May to November is the dry season in Mount Gongga area. The hottest month is July. And the best time to climb Mount Gongga is from May to June, during which the dry seasons gone and the rainy seasons comes.

5 Days Mt.Gongga Trekking Tour

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Best Places to See Mt. Gongga

Whether you want to take a close look at the Mount Gongga, or get a panorama view of the great moutnains,you can always find somewhere with the best view of Mount Gongga. Here we offer you the list of best places to see the Mount Gongga. Hoping this would be helpful when you plan your trip to Mount Gongga.

Along the G318 highway (Chengdu to Lhasa), there are many places to see Mount Gongga.

No.1 Zimei Yakou
Located in Gongga Village, Ganze, Zimei Yakou (4500 m) is a perfect place to take a close look at the Mount Gongga. Recently, it is recogonized as the best shooting point in Gongga Area.

No.2 Jianziwan Mountain
Jianziwan Mountain is located west to Xianggezong Village, Yajiang County, Sichuan province. Its relative height is above 1000 metres and the altitude is over 4000 meter above the sea level. And the Jianziwan Pass, on the 318 National Way from Sichuan to Tibet is one of the highest Pass in Kham Region, and it is also a good place to view the Mount Gongga.

No.3 Heishicheng in Gaoersi Mountain
Heishicheng, at the 4300 meters above the sea level, is named after the countless black Mani stone mounds. It is located in Zhusang Village at the side of 318 national way. And it is the best place to view Mount Gongga from west to east.

No.4 The Viewing Platform of Mount Gongga in Xinduqiao
It is one of the most popular viewing platforms along the 318 National Way. From there, you could see the main peak of Mount Gongga with the villages around.

No.5 Jiagenba
Located at the boundary between Jiagenba village and Gonggashan Village, Jiagenba is a perfect place to view the Main peak of Mount Gongga with other peaks of Gongga Mountains. The Yaha Yakou view-watching terrace of Mount Gongga is located in Jiagenba. The altitude of Yaha Yakou is 4568 meters and the straight line distance to Mount Gongga is just about 30 km.

No.6 Niubeishan
Niubeishan is located in Yingjing county, Ya’an city bordering Luding County. It is 3660 meters above the sea level and it is the highest point amoung the surrounding mountains, so it could be a 360-degree platform to view the stunning landscape of Mount Gongga Area.

No.7 Sirentongshan
Different from the popular Niubeisha, Sirentong is still a virgin land where you can the beauty of the great nature that has not been polluted. Located in Yingjing County, Sirentongshan is face to Niubeishan. At the 360-degrees viewing platform of Sirentongshan, you can admire the amazing view of Mount Gongga, Mount Siguniang and Mount Emei from far away.

No.8 Haoluogou
Hailuogou, located at the foot of Mount Gongga, is famous for the glacier at such a low altitude. It is hard to see the main peak from Hailuogou, but Hailuogou is the only place to see the great ice waterfall of Gonggao Mountain. It is a rare chance to be so close to see that scale ice waterfall at such a low altitude.

No.9 Mount Dawagengzha
Located in Gari Village, Baoxing County, the Mount Dawagengzha covers about 200 square kilometers with elevation of 3,900 meters. At this natural platform, you can enjoy the stunning view of Mount Gongga and Mount Siguniang from far away.

No. 10 Mount Jiaoding
Located in Hanyuan county, Mount Jiaoding covering 75 square kilometers. The top of Jiaodingshan is flat and wide, surrounded by cliffs and shaped like the roof of a sedan chair. From the top of Mount Jiaoding, you can see the Mount Gongga.

Culture in Gonggao Mountain Area

Kangba Tibetan

Mount Gongga Scenic Area is situated in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Garze in Sichuan Province which belong to Kangba Tibetan district. After Tibetans introduced to this area, they gradually integrated with the songs, dances, folk art traditions of Kangba area, which formed the unique style of Kangba Tibetan. The history and culture of Kangba Tibetans are the most important parts of the whole Tibetans.

Miniak Culture

Miniak Culture in Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture is spread in the area west of Zheduoshan, South of Daodu, east of Yajiang and north of Jiukong. But the ancestors of the Miniak people is still a mystery, though there are debates about it. They have their own language which is close to the Tangut language. Miniak people worship the white rocks and they will put white rocks at the four corners of their houses.