Guoda Shan looms large at the northern end of town and takes a full day to climb up and down. The summit is around 1500m higher than an already quite high Kangding and you shouldn't attempt to climb it if you've only just arrived in the region from lower elevations. Organise a guide through the more popular traveller hostels.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
29.82 MILES
Known locally as ani gompa (Tibetan for ‘nunnery’), Hépíng Fǎhùi is home to around 500 nuns and more than 100 monks. Lama Tsemper was a revered hermit who…
1.51 MILES
Paoma Shān is the famed mountain of the Kāngdìng Qíng Gē ('Kangding Love Song'), one of China's most enduring folk songs, and will appeal the most to…
2.3 MILES
The best way of acclimatising and getting fit for adventures further west is to climb the beautiful Mt Jiulian. The trail rises steeply through forest but…
2.29 MILES
This temple belongs to the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) sect of Tibetan Buddhism and is the most active monastery in the area. Walk south along the main road,…
1.38 MILES
Looming over Kangding on the lower slopes of Paoma Shan, above the three main halls of the temple, is a path that leads on to several pagodas and another…
2.31 MILES
A short way south of town, along the main road, is this 400-year-old Nyingma (Red Hat sect) monastery. To get there, turn right from the main road into an…
1.66 MILES
This central temple's two small halls built around a colourful central courtyard have roots dating back to 1652, but it's been much rebuilt in the…
1.51 MILES
This small monastery is halfway up Pǎomǎ Shān. An admission ticket to the Pǎomǎ Shān scenic area is required to visit.
Nearby Sichuan attractions
1.38 MILES
Looming over Kangding on the lower slopes of Paoma Shan, above the three main halls of the temple, is a path that leads on to several pagodas and another…
1.51 MILES
This small monastery is halfway up Pǎomǎ Shān. An admission ticket to the Pǎomǎ Shān scenic area is required to visit.
1.51 MILES
Paoma Shān is the famed mountain of the Kāngdìng Qíng Gē ('Kangding Love Song'), one of China's most enduring folk songs, and will appeal the most to…
1.66 MILES
This central temple's two small halls built around a colourful central courtyard have roots dating back to 1652, but it's been much rebuilt in the…
5. Ganzi Prefecture Tibetan Cultural Heritage Museum
2.1 MILES
Closed at the time of research for renovations, this museum next to the Paoma Shan cable-car entrance is housed inside an impressive bēng-kē-style (崩柯)…
2.29 MILES
This temple belongs to the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) sect of Tibetan Buddhism and is the most active monastery in the area. Walk south along the main road,…
2.3 MILES
The best way of acclimatising and getting fit for adventures further west is to climb the beautiful Mt Jiulian. The trail rises steeply through forest but…
2.31 MILES
A short way south of town, along the main road, is this 400-year-old Nyingma (Red Hat sect) monastery. To get there, turn right from the main road into an…