A short, intense trek in Tibetan Kham, around Minya Konka (7,556m), once mistakenly measured as the world's highest mountain and still known as the "King of Sichuan." The third day crosses two passes near 4,900m in a single push, before the trek settles into the surreal calm of a remote Tibetan monastery, Gongga Temple, at the mountain's foot.
Trip Highlights
Sichuan's highest peak, up close
At 7,556m, Minya Konka was once thought to be the tallest mountain on Earth — the whole trek circles its eastern approaches.
Two passes in one day
Day 3 is the hardest of the trek: 17km and two high passes, the first at 4,920m surrounded by 6,000m+ summits, the second at 4,500m.
Quanhua Lake reflections
A dedicated rest day walks out to one of the best viewpoints on the Gongga range, where calm water can mirror the entire massif.
Zimei Pass viewpoint
The drive to day 5's trailhead climbs to 4,500m at Zimei Pass, with a magnificent close-up view of Minya Konka before you even start walking.
A night at Gongga Temple
The trek's final camp is a small, remote monastery at the mountain's foot — a genuinely peaceful, almost surreal place to spend your last night.
Altitude acclimatisation required beforehand
This trek starts high and climbs fast, so proper acclimatisation before you arrive is essential. We can arrange this for you — for instance a trek in Yunnan followed by a land transfer through the Tibetan regions of Sichuan, with an overnight stop in Litang, is an excellent way to acclimatise before starting the Minya Konka kora.
Route Overview
Chengdu → Lao Yulin
Drive to the trailhead village, 3,400m.Lao Yulin → Shang Riwuqie
Climb to a hut below the next day's pass.Shang Riwuqie → Yulongxi
Hardest day: two passes, 4,920m and 4,500m.Yulongxi (Quanhua Lake)
Rest-day walk to a mirror-lake viewpoint.Yulongxi → Gongga Temple
Zimei Pass viewpoint, night at a remote monastery.Gongga Temple → Chengdu
Walk out via Bawanghai valley, drive back.Full Itinerary
Chengdu → Lao Yulin
Transfer from Chengdu to Lao Yulin.
Lao Yulin → Shang Riwuqie
The hike starts after a short drive. 4h up to reach the intersection of two large valleys, then the path becomes steeper and after 2h more you finally reach Shang Riwuqie, where you spend the night in a hut, at the bottom of the next day's high pass.
Shang Riwuqie → Yulongxi
Definitely the hardest day of the hike, with two high passes to cross and 17km of distance. The first is reached after about 3h (4,920m), surrounded by many 6,000m+ peaks. Then a 1h30 descent before climbing the second pass (4,500m). Finally you walk down directly to Yulongxi village, where a simple but comfortable guesthouse awaits.
Yulongxi (Quanhua Lake)
A much easier day, with a day walk to one of the best viewpoints on the Gongga range, Quanhua Lake. If the weather allows it, you'll see great reflections on the lake before returning to the same guesthouse in Yulongxi.
Yulongxi → Gongga Temple
The day starts with a drive on a steep mountain road up to Zimei Pass (4,500m), with magnificent views of Minya Konka (7,509m), the highest mountain in Sichuan, before getting down to Zimei village. From there, hike 3 hours to reach Gongga Temple, where you spend the night in a surreal and peaceful atmosphere.
Gongga Temple → Chengdu
An early start back towards civilisation. Ninety minutes of hiking is enough to reach Zimei village, then several kilometres in the large Bawanghai valley at the bottom of the mountain, until reaching the parking near the town of Caoke, where your driver waits to head back to Chengdu late in the afternoon.
What's Included
Booking Terms
- Cancellation terms depend on how close to departure you cancel, and are confirmed in writing when your trip is booked.
- If a visa application is refused, we ask for the official refusal letter from the consulate and refund what we can once any costs already committed on your behalf are deducted.
- A confirmed place can usually be transferred to another eligible traveller.
- If safety conditions or government restrictions force a change, we'll adapt or refund the unused portion of the trip.
Get in Touch
We don't take bookings online — this site is here to show you the treks. Reach out and let's talk through dates, group size and what you're looking for.
