Western Sichuan is a gigantic area and the most inaccessible part of China, barring the Taklimakan Desert. It is home to mainly ethnic folk, like Tibetans, and is accessed by the Sichuan-Tibet Highway.
Western Sichuan is made accessible through the Sichuan capital of Chengdu, which lies in an area of plains in central Sichuan. It borders Gansu to the north, Yunnan to the south, and Tibet to the west.
Kangding, to the southwest of Chengdu, lies at altitude and is the gateway to Western Sichuan proper. It is the largest town in the region and is accessed from Chengdu by the Sichuan-Tibet Highway Southern Route. The town is one of inns, eateries, shops and lama monasteries (lamaseries).
Hailuogou Glacier Park is not far from Kangding and is one of the main attractions in the province. It features the massive Grand Glacier Cascade, Asia’s lowest glacier. Other stepping stone towns in Western Sichuan include Luding, Danba, Dege, and Ganzi, reachable before hitting Tibet proper.
Getting There & Away
Kangding is the administrative capital of Western Sichuan and an 8-hour bus ride along the Southern Route of the Sichuan-Tibet Highway from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province. Chengdu is a rail hub and also has the region’s largest airport. Flight time from Beijing is 3 hours or 1 hour from Kunming.