info@absolutepanda.comTrip Details
12 Days Mt. Minya Konka Trekking
Date: Jun. 8 & Jun. 16, 2025, 2026
Price: From 4570USD/PAX
Trip Focus: Adventure + Trekking
Status: Open to Booking
Route: Group A: Chengdu-Kangding-Mugecuo-Laoyulin-Caoke-Shimian-Chengdu. Group B: Chengdu-Shimian-Caoke-Laoyulin-Kangding-Mugecuo-Chengdu.
Trip Code: A005
Overview
Known as "The King of Mountains in Sichuan", Mt. Minya Konka, is the highest peak (7,556m) of the Hengduan Mountains, which is listed as one of 36 hotspots for biodiversity by Conservation International of 2020. Over the past hundreds of years, Mt. Minya Konka has attracted numerous mountaineers, adventurers, and nature researchers by its extreme beauty, diverse plants and animal resources, and authentic ethnic culture of Minya Tibetans. Standing in the transition zone between the gorge area and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Mt. Konka is surrounded by a variety of landforms that nature abundant plant species and provide ideal habitat varieties for a big number of mammals and birds including Snow Leopard, Blue Sheep, Chinese Monal, and Tibetan Snowcock. As the sacred mountain of local Minya Tibetans, Mt. Konka receives the highest respect and piousness from the people living around and monks praying daily in the monasteries scattered in the depth of the mountains surround Mt. Konka. It is the best place to feel the power of nature, seek peace and tranquility from our inner world and enjoy the beauty of plants, mammals, scenery, and people. We started our first trekking tour in the Konka area in 2004 and have run many trekkings with different lengths and focus in the following years. Now a new road has been built, covering part of the circular trekking routes we used before. So now we only choose the wild part where there is no road and we can enjoy the ultimate natural beauty. This trekking trip is made for people who hope to enjoy trekking in the real untamed part of China. This trip can be customized to meet different needs for people who focus on birding, flower-watching, mammal watching, and escaping. Please note that most places we will camp on this trip will be over 3,000 meters above the sea level and the highest mountain path we will climb over is 4,900 meters above the sea level. Though we will have a good number of horses to carry all our logistics, it is still a challenge to trek on the high plateau.
Highlights:
• See the most spectacular scenery and views including awe-inspiring Mount Minya Konka when climbing over Riwuqie Mountain Pass (4,900m) and Zimei Mountain Pass (4,550m).
• Enjoy a variety of landforms including the glacier, alpine meadow, shrubbery, virgin forest, and subtropical forest during our trekking.
• Trek in some of the wildest places in China with good camping equipment and skilled service crew.
• Visit Konka Monastery which is one of the three most important Tibetan Buddhism monasteries of Kagyu Sect.
• Explore some of the rarest alpine plants, birds, and mammals in China.
Introduction to Trip Destinations:
Kangding Love Song Scenic Spot (Mugecuo)
Kangding Love Song Scenic Spot, also called Mugecuo or Mugecuo Lake, is about 37km away from Kangding where the famous folk song named Kangding Love Song was created. As a part of the Konka Mountain Scenic Area, it is 2,900 to 3,800 meters above sea level. Mugecuo is well known for its beautiful scenery formed by plateau lakes, primordial forests, snow-capped mountains, fascinating rocks, grasslands, and hot springs. If you have interests, you can try the famous hard-boiled eggs cooked in hot spring water.
Konka Monastery
Sitting within a narrow valley enclosed by snow-capped mountains, Konka Monastery (3,750m), is a great place to explore in our trekking trip. Here you can overlook the terminus of a large glacier that descends off the west side of Mt. Minya Konka (7,556m), the highest peak in Sichuan. Built-in the middle of the 13th century, Konka Monastery is recognized as the "guardian" of the sacred Minya Konka. It used to be the secret shrine of the Kagyu Sect’s succession Living Buddha, who is known as Tulku Rinpoche. Nowadays, this monastery is also a base for those who plan to do a mountain climbing to the peak of Mt. Minya Konka.
Mt. Minya Konka (7,556m)
Mt. Minya Konka is located at the eastern edge of the Tibet Plateau, in the Daxue Shan Mountain Range, between Dadu River and Yalong River, part of the Hengduan mountainous region. In Tibetan, Konka means “snow white” as it is one of the most famous snow mountains that can be found in China. Covered in the snow all year round, Mt. Konka is a very challenging mountain for mountaineers and trekkers as it is one of the most difficult high mountains to conquer, far more difficult than Mt. Everest (8,844.43m). Most people come to Mt. Konka to trek and enjoy the amazing vista of snow-capped mountain scenery that takes your breath away.
Tibetan Culture Experience
In this trip, the Tibetan culture we will experience is mainly Kham Tibetan culture which is famous for its diverse tribal culture. The Tibetans living around the Mt. Minya Konka area are known as Minya Tibetan which is an important component of Kham Tibetans. Our trekking starts from Kangding, known as the gateway to the Kham Tibetan areas. In Konka Monastery, which is regarded as one of the three most important monasteries for Kagyu Sect, we can sit behind monks in their morning sessions. In the Tibetan villages, we can experience the authentic Tibetan culture which has been protected well due to the little accessibility to this area in ancient times.
How Can We Make This Trip Special?
• Many times of running this itinerary for western trekkers and nature lovers enables us to ensure your trekking is enjoyable and comfortable in the wilderness.
• A team of passionate guides specializing in photography and wildlife with rich experiences of guiding and solid knowledge about wildlife and local places.
• This trip can be customized to better meet your travel style by centering on a different focus.
• 20-plus years of working in the travel industry and serving travelers from all over the world enable us to know how to make great trips for travelers of different travel styles.
What Makes AbsolutePanda Excellent?
We use AbsolutePanda as company brand because of our deep love toward panda and our determination to create your absolutely enjoyable panda trips.
Map
Mt. Minya Konka Trekking Trip Map (Group A)
Mt. Minya Konka Trekking Trip Map (Group B)
Itinerary
Outline for Group A:
Day 1. Arrive in Chengdu. (D)
The airport pick-up. City exploration based on your time of arrival. Overnight: Chengdu (500m)
Day 2. Chengdu-Ya’an-Kangding. 270km 4.5h (BLD)
Drive to Kangding and acclimatize to the altitude. Overnight: Kangding (2,700m)
Day 3. Kangding-Mugecuo-Laoyulin-Gexi Grassland. 55km 2.5h (BLD)
Pay a visit to Mugecuo then drive to Laoyulin in the afternoon. Hike about 3km to the camping site. Overnight: Gexi Grassland camping (3,400m)
Day 4. Gexi Grassland-Liangchahe (8km)-Xiariwuqie (5km). (BLD)
Hike to Xiariwuqie (13km, 6.5h). Overnight: Xiariwuqie camping (3,900m)
Day 5. Xiariwuqie-Shangriwuqie (4km)-Riwuqie Mountain Pass (6km)-Moxigouwei Base Camp (12km). (BLD)
Hike to Moxigouwei Base Camp (22km, 8-9h). Overnight: Moxigouwei Base Camp camping (4,100m)
Day 6. Moxigouwei Base Camp-Xiganmuchang (12km). (BLD)
Hike to Xiganmuchang (12km, 6h). Overnight: Xiganmuchang camping (3,500m)
Day 7. Xiganmuchang-Konka Monastery (7km). (BLD)
Hike to Konka Monastery (7km, 2-3h). Overnight: Konka Monastery or camping (3,750m)
Day 8. Konka Monastery. (BLD)
Hike around Konka Monastery. Overnight: Konka Monastery or camping (3,750m)
Day 9. Konka Monastery-Xiazimei Village (5km). (BLD)
Hike to Xiazimei Village (5km, 2h). After arriving at the hostel in Xiazimei Village we will drive 11km to Zimei Mountain Pass for the sunset of Mt. Minya Konka if the weather is good. Overnight: Xiazimei Village (3,200m)
Day 10. Xiazimei Village-Bawanghai (7km)-Jiebeishi (4km)-Caoke. (BLD)
Hike to Jiebeishi (11km, 5.5h) then drive to our hotel in Caoke, enjoy the hot spring there if you like. Overnight: Caoke (1,600m)
Day 11. Caoke-Shimian-Chengdu. 330km 5.5h (BLD)
Drive back to Chengdu via Shimian. Overnight: Chengdu (500m)
Day 12. Depart Chengdu. (B)
The airport drop-off.
Details for Group A:
Day 1. Arrive in Chengdu. Meals: D
The airport pick-up. Based on the time you arrive, we can plan some free city tour programs such as visiting People’s Park to experience the typical laid-back lifestyles of Chengdu or visiting Jinli Street to feel the bustling shopping street with all types of shops selling unique local souvenirs and food stands that offering delicious local take-away food.
Overnight: Chengdu (500m)
Day 2. Chengdu-Ya’an-Kangding. 270km 4.5h Meals: BLD
Drive to Kangding via Ya’an. Have a good rest and get used to the altitude. When mentioning about Kangding, most of the Chinese will think about a famous traditional folk song named Kangding Love Song that makes everyone fall in love with its beautiful scenery and unique culture. Kangding is the capital city of Ganzie Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. It is the gateway to the Kham region of the Tibetan Plateau with the rushing Zheduo River flows through the center of the city. Kangding is a modern city with plenty of nice restaurants and shops to meet our needs. Also, there are great vegetable markets for us to get food for our camping days.
Overnight: Kangding (2,700m)
Day 3. Kangding-Mugecuo-Laoyulin-Gexi Grassland. 55km 2.5h Meals: BLD
This morning we will pay a visit to Mugecuo (Kangding Love Song Scenic Spot). Mugecuo is one of the largest alpine lakes in regions of 2,900m above sea level in Sichuan. In the scenic area, there are options for visits that include Red Sea Grassland, Golden Coast, Mugecuo Lake, Azalea Valley, Medicine Pool Hot Spring, Seven-color Sea, Fangcao Lawn, and Red Stone Bank. Do not forget to try the hot spring boiled egg there. In the afternoon, we may have time for any last shopping to get ready for the trek ahead. After that, we will drive to Laoyulin to meet our packhorses and set off on foot. We will hike about 3km to our camping site.
Overnight: Gexi Grassland camping (3,400m)
Day 4. Gexi Grassland-Liangchahe (8km)-Xiariwuqie (5km). Meals: BLD
In the morning, after enjoying breakfast cooked by our cook, we will start our first whole trekking day from Gexi Grassland. We will hike up steadily with an extraordinary diversity of plants and trees en route. Today's trekking is about 13km ( about 6.5 hours), walking very slowly and resting frequently as we need more time to acclimatize the altitude. If the weather is good, we may see mountain lakes in distance.
Overnight: Xiariwuqie camping (3,900m)
Day 5. Xiariwuqie-Shangriwuqie (4km)-Riwuqie Mountain Pass (6km)-Moxigouwei Base Camp (12km). Meals: BLD
Today we will hike to Moxigouwei Base Camp (22km, 9h). Along the way, you can enjoy the scenery of the plateau which is very spectacular. We will cross the Riwuqie Mountain Pass and view the Mt. Jiazifeng and Riwuqie Glacier. The Riwuqie Mountain Pass (4,900m) is a watershed between Riwuqie and Moxigou Valley and from the pass we can see the middle part of Mt. Minya Konka and the mountains in the south. After the pass, we will go down to our campsite. Today we will overnight at the highest campsite of our trek.
Overnight: Moxigouwei Base Camp camping (4,100m)
Day 6. Moxigouwei Base Camp-Xiganmuchang (12km). Meals: BLD
Today we will hike to Xiganmuchang (12km, 6h). After breakfast, we will set off and hike along the river. On the way, we can enjoy the natural sceneries of the plateau primeval forest, plateau valley, alpine lake. Finally, we will arrive at an open pasture called Xiganmuchang which is the winter pasture of Moxigouwei.
Overnight: Xiganmuchang camping (3,500m)
Day 7. Xiganmuchang-Konka Monastery (7km). Meals: BLD
Today we will hike to Konka Monastery (7km, 2-3h). Konka Monastery is located at the foot of the main peak of Mt. Minya Konka. It has a history of more than 600 hundred years and is considered a holy place of local Tibetans who inhabit this area of Sichuan. What is more, Konka Monastery is one of the best shooting spots for taking good photos of Mt. Minya Konka. If the weather is good we will have the chance to see the sunset of Minya Konka.
Overnight: Konka Monastery or camping (3,750m)
Day 8. Konka Monastery. Meals: BLD
Hike around Konka Monastery. Built-in the middle of the 13th century, Konka Monastery is recognized as the "guardian" of the sacred Minya Konka. It used to be the secret shrine of the Kagyu Sect’s succession Living Buddha, who is known as Tulku Rinpoche. Nowadays, this monastery is also a base for those who plan to do a mountain climbing to the peak of Mt. Minya Konka. Today will be a relaxing day filled with activities like listening to the lama chant sutras, watch sunrise and sunset of Minya Konka, Tibetan culture experience, search for wildlife, birding, view the alpine flowers unique there, and so on.
Overnight: Konka Monastery or camping (3,750m)
Day 9. Konka Monastery-Xiazimei Village (5km). Meals: BLD
Today we will hike to Xiazimei Village (5km, 2h). After arriving at the hostel in Xiazimei Village we will drive 11km to Zimei Mountain Pass (4,550m) for the sunset of Mt. Minya Konka if the weather is good. Zimei Mountain Pass is also one of the best viewing platforms for Mount Minya Konka. After that, we can drive back to the village hostel (multiple bedded rooms), sit around the stove, communicate with local Tibetans, drink yak butter tea, and share the pictures.
Overnight: Xiazimei Village (3,200m)
Day 10. Xiazimei Village-Bawanghai (7km)-Jiebeishi (4km)-Caoke. Meals: BLD
Today we will hike to Jiebeishi (11km, 5.5h) then drive to our hotel in Caoke, enjoy the hot spring there if you like. Also, you can try the local famous dish called Caoke Chicken. Have a good rest and get ready to go back to the big city. We are sure you will miss the trekking days with your heart so close to nature and yourselves.
Overnight: Caoke (1,600m)
Day 11. Caoke-Shimian-Chengdu. 330km 5.5h Meals: BLD
Today we will depart Caoke for Chengdu via Shimian. It is a relaxing day, we can make some quick stops for a photograph if you like. Base on the time of arrival, you can take your time to discover more about Chengdu city for its leisure lifestyle on your own.
Overnight: Chengdu (500m)
Day 12. Depart Chengdu. Meals: B
The airport drop-off.
Outline for Group B:
Group B is going the opposite way compared with Group A. To ensure the best enjoyment of the trip by our clients, we make some minor changes of camping stops based on our experiences of running the trip multiple times in the past including skipping one camping site after climbing over Riwuqie Mountain Pass and overnight in Xiazimei Village for 2 nights.
Day 1. Arrive in Chengdu. (D)
The airport pick-up. City exploration based on your time of arrival. Overnight: Chengdu (500m)
Day 2. Chengdu-Shimian-Caoke. 330km 5.5h (BLD)
Drive to Caoke via Shimian. Overnight: Caoke (1,600m)
Day 3. Caoke-Jiebeishi-Bawanghai (4km)-Xiazimei Village (7km). (BLD)
Drive from Caoke to Jiebeishi and start our first trekking day (11km, 5.5h). Overnight: Xiazimei Village (3,200m)
Day 4. Xiazimei Village. (BLD)
Hike around Xiazimei Village and acclimatize to the altitude. We will drive 11km to Zimei Mountain Pass (4,550m) to view Mt. Minya Konka. Overnight: Xiazimei Village (3,200m)
Day 5. Xiazimei Village-Konka Monastery (5km). (BLD)
Hike to Konka Monastery (5km, 2h). Overnight: Konka Monastery or camping (3,750m)
Day 6. Konka Monastery. (BLD)
Hike around Konka Monastery. Overnight: Konka Monastery or camping (3,750m)
Day 7. Konka Monastery-Xiganmuchang (7km). (BLD)
Hike to Xiganmuchang (7km, 2-3h). Overnight: Xiganmuchang camping (3,500m)
Day 8. Xiganmuchang-Moxigouwei Base Camp (12km). (BLD)
Hike to Moxigouwei Base Camp (12km, 6h). Overnight: Moxigouwei Base Camp camping (4,100m)
Day 9. Moxigouwei Base Camp-Riwuqie Mountain Pass (12km)-Shangriwuqie (6km)-Xiariwuqie (4km). (BLD)
Hike to Xiariwuqie (22km, 8-9h). Overnight: Xiariwuqie camping (3,900m)
Day 10. Xiariwuqie-Liangchahe (5km)-Gexi Grassland (8km)-Laoyulin (3km)-Kangding. (BLD)
Hike to Laoyulin (16km, 7h) then drive to Kangding. Overnight: Kangding (2,700m)
Day 11. Kangding-Mugecuo-Chengdu. 320km 6.5h (BLD)
Pay a visit to Mugecuo then drive back to Chengdu. Overnight: Chengdu (500m)
Day 12. Depart Chengdu. (B)
The airport drop-off.
Details for Group B:
Day 1. Arrive in Chengdu. Meals: D
The airport pick-up. Based on the time you arrive, we can plan some free city tour programs such as visiting People’s Park to experience the typical laid-back lifestyles of Chengdu or visiting Jinli Street to feel the bustling shopping street with all types of shops selling unique local souvenirs and food stands that offering delicious local take-away food.
Overnight: Chengdu (500m)
Day 2. Chengdu-Shimian-Caoke. 330km 5.5h Meals: BLD
Drive to Caoke via Shimian. Have a good rest and get used to the altitude. Here we will purchase our food needed in the following days. In this beautiful small township, we will first come across some local Tibetans. To acclimatize ourselves to the attitude change in the following days, we will have some light hike near our hotel. In the evening, if you have interests, you can enjoy the wonderful hot spring at our hotel.
Overnight: Caoke (1,600m)
Day 3. Caoke-Jiebeishi-Bawanghai (4km)-Xiazimei Village (7km). Meals: BLD
Today we will start our trekking (11km, 5.5h). The scenery is very beautiful while trekking is not very difficult. Our bus will take us to our trekking site called Jiebeishi where we start our trekking while our logistic team will load the horses and go ahead of us. We will hike about 4 kilometers to Bawanghai where we will have our picnic lunch. Then we go on hiking for another 7 kilometers to get to Xiazimei Village. Tonight, we can stay in the local Tibetan family hostel.
Overnight: Xiazimei Village (3,200m)
Day 4. Xiazimei Village. Meals: BLD
To further acclimatize ourselves to the elevation rise, we will spend the day exploring this area. In the afternoon, if the weather is good, we will use local minivans to take us to the Zimei Mountain Pass (4,550m) to see the spectacular view of Mt. Minya Konka in the sunset. We can also search for flowers and birds in this area.
Overnight: Xiazimei Village (3,200m)
Day 5. Xiazimei Village-Konka Monastery (5km). Meals: BLD
Today we will hike to the famous Konka Monastery (5km, 2h). Though the distance is relatively short, the trail is pretty steep, climbing from 3,200m to Konka Monastery at 3,750 meters above the sea level. Konka Monastery is located at the foot of the main peak of Mt. Minya Konka (7,556m). It has a history of more than 600 hundred years and is considered a holy place of local Tibetans who inhabit this area of Sichuan. What is more, Konka Monastery is one of the best shooting spots for taking good photos of Mt. Minya Konka. If the weather is good we will have the chance to see the sunset of Minya Konka.
Overnight: Konka Monastery or camping (3,750m)
Day 6. Konka Monastery. Meals: BLD
Hike around Konka Monastery. Built-in the middle of the 13th century, Konka Monastery is recognized as the "guardian" of the sacred Mt. Minya Konka. It used to be the secret shrine of the Kagyu Sect’s succession Living Buddha, who is known as Tulku Rinpoche. Nowadays, this monastery is also a base for those who plan to do a mountain climbing to the peak of Mt. Minya Konka. Today will be a relaxing day filled with activities like listening to the lama chant sutras, watch sunrise and sunset of Minya Konka, Tibetan culture experience, search for wildlife, birding, view the alpine flowers unique there, and so on.
Overnight: Konka Monastery or camping (3,750m)
Day 7. Konka Monastery-Xiganmuchang (7km). Meals: BLD
Today we will hike to Xiganmuchang from Konka Monastery (7km, 2-3h). Xiganmuchang is a winter pasture for local Tibetans. We will be totally out of modern civilization, fully immersing ourselves in the beauty of nature. Along this gradually ascending trail, we hike through mud trail made through shrubs and fir trees. We have a good chance to see some birds like Giant Laughingthrush and Red-fronted Rosefinch, or encounter the cute Himalayan Marmot, looking at us in distance with great curiosity.
Overnight: Xiganmuchang camping (3,500m)
Day 8. Xiganmuchang-Moxigouwei Base Camp (12km). Meals: BLD
Today, we will have an easy hike from our camping site to Moxigouwei Base Camp (12km, 6h) to save enough energy to climb over Riwuqie Mountain Pass (4,900m) the next day. After breakfast, we will set off with our gears and logistic team. On the way, we can enjoy the natural sceneries of the plateau primeval forest, plateau valley, and alpine lake. We will enjoy the beautiful blooming flowers, chirping birds, and beautiful scenery along the way until we get to our new camping site located at the foot of Riwuqie.
Overnight Moxigouwei Base Camp camping (4,100m)
Day 9. Moxigouwei Base Camp-Riwuqie Mountain Pass (12km)-Shangriwuqie (6km)-Xiariwuqie (4km). Meals: BLD
Today is our big hiking day (22km, 9h), we will hike from Moxigouwei Base Camp to our new camping site on the lower part of the other side of the mountain. At the Riwuqie Mountain Pass (4,900m), we can search for some alpine plants that can only be found on such a high elevation. After climbing over Riwuqie Mountain Pass, we can enjoy a spectacular view of mountains stretching out in front of us including the Mt. Jiazifeng and Riwuqie Glacier. The Riwuqie Mountain Pass is a watershed between Moxigou Valley and Riwuqie and from the pass we can see the middle part of Mt. Minya Konka and the mountains in the south. After the pass, we will go down to our campsite located at the lower part of the mountain. Here we will enjoy our last camping night.
Overnight: Xiariwuqie camping (3,900m)
Day 10. Xiariwuqie-Liangchahe (5km)-Gexi Grassland (8km)-Laoyulin (3km)-Kangding. Meals: BLD
Today, we will hike to Laoyulin (16km, 7h) then drive to Kangding. After enjoying breakfast cooked by our cook, we will start heading back to modern civilizations. Walking on the trails sided by blooming flowers like yellow and red poppies, elegant flowers of Rheum alexandrae. Our downward hiking will give us ample opportunity to enjoy an extraordinary diversity of plants and trees en route. Upon arrival, we will meet our bus and load our stuff, then drive to a nice hotel in Kangding, which is famous for a traditional folk song named Kangding Love Song that makes everyone fall in love with its beautiful scenery and unique culture. Kangding is the capital city of Ganzie Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. It is the gateway to the Kham region of the Tibetan Plateau with the rushing Zheduo River flows through the center of the city.
Overnight: Kangding (2,700m)
Day 11. Kangding-Mugecuo-Chengdu. 320km 6.5h Meals: BLD
This morning we will pay a visit to Mugecuo (Kangding Love Song Scenic Spot). Mugecuo is one of the largest alpine lakes in regions of 2,900m above sea level in Sichuan. In the scenic area, there are options for visits that include Red Sea Grassland, Golden Coast, Mugecuo Lake, Azalea Valley, Medicine Pool Hot Spring, Seven-color Sea, Fangcao Lawn, and Red Stone Bank. Do not forget to try the hot spring boiled egg there. After visiting this beautiful place, we will have lunch in a local popular restaurant. Then we drive on the newly constructed highway linking Ya'an and Kangding and return to Chengdu.
Overnight: Chengdu (500m)
Day 12. Depart Chengdu. Meals: B
The airport drop-off.
Notes:
1. If you need help in arranging a flight to Chengdu from Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, or the trip out of Chengdu, please feel free to contact us.
2.This trip ventures into a remote area that features high altitude. Follow the advice from your doctor on altitude sickness before deciding to join this trip. In some events, high elevation can cause severe health complications for those with cardiovascular diseases or other poor cardiopulmonary functions.
3.This trip we provide 2 options for you. Group A route and Group B route are opposite from each other with small differences. You can choose the one you like. Group B will overnight in Xiazimei Village for 2 nights, and it is easier than Group A for trekking.
4. The overnight altitudes, trekking kilometers and hiking hours listed in the itinerary are just for your rough reference.
Dates & Prices
1. Dates
June 8 to June 19, 2025,2026 (Laoyulin-Caoke)
June 20 to July 1, 2025,2026 (Caoke-Laoyulin)
Email us to tailor-make a tour that can meet your taste, budget, and schedule best.
2. Prices
The AbsolutePanda team works hard to provide the highest-possible quality tour experiences at a fair price. However, after working in the travel industry for more than 20 years, our team knows that no two travelers are alike in terms of their travel styles, personal interests, choice of guides, and preferences in restaurants and hotels. For AbsolutePanda, our client’s satisfaction is a top priority. To meet the needs of different clients and ensure you enjoy a trip suited to your preferences, you are welcome to email us with specific requests ranging from trip themes, guides, the grade and brand of vehicles, accommodations, restaurants, etc. We will try our best.
To ensure our guest the best trip, we set our minimum departure number as four travelers and the maximum departure number as eight travelers. That means the trip size is 4 to 8 participants.
The land cost for a group of 4 to 8 people (Group A):
4570USD/PAX
Single supplement (Group A):
350USD/PAX
The land cost for a group of 4 to 8 people (Group B):
4470USD/PAX
Single supplement (Group B):
330USD/PAX
The cost includes:
1. Vehicles listed on the trip. Fuel, tolls, airport pick-up and drop-off are included in the price. The size of the vehicle is based on the number of participants for this itinerary;
2. An English-speaking trekking guide for the whole trip;
3. Local camping assistant and cook for trekking days listed in the itinerary;
4. Horses to carry logistic stuff during trekking time;
5. Meals listed above as BLD;
6. Bottled water and snacks;
7. Entrance charges listed in the itinerary;
8. China Domestic Travel Insurance;
9. Hotels and hostels listed in the itinerary;
10. Camping equipment including sleeping tent, cooking tent, dining tent, and toilet tent for trekking days listed in the itinerary.
The cost excludes:
1. Alcoholic drinks during the meal;
2. Extra charges due to change of itinerary from client-side or factors beyond the control of AbsolutePanda such as natural disaster and governmental policy change;
3. Discretionary tips to the guide and driver;
4. All personal expenses, such as laundry service or for personal shopping;
5. Train ticket or airfare to and out of Chengdu;
6. Any items not listed in the itinerary as included;
7. Entrance fee, car rental, or meals during your free time trip;
8. Single supplement;
9. Personal sleeping bags.
Notes:
1. This trip price is based on two clients sharing one twin-bed room in 3-star standard hotels in big cities and local best guesthouses in a remote area. If you prefer to use a private room or we cannot find a roommate for you, then a single supplement will be added to your trip price.
2. For camping days, two clients sharing one tent. If you prefer a single tent by yourself, you are welcome to contact us ahead of time.
3. Experienced Trekking Guides
• Philip: A local guide born in the Sichuan Tibetan area with fluent English and basic Japanese, Philip is an exceptional photographer and has guided many Minya Konka trekking trips since 2004. As a trekking guide, Philip also has a keen interest in Buddhism, birds, and Chinese cuisine.
• Kevin: Graduated from Southwest University of Science and Technology in 2016 majoring in Engineering Management, Kevin pursued a different road compared with most of his classmates because of his affection in nature. His involvement in nature has started far before his graduation, he has become a famous outdoor enthusiast and nature lover among his classmates during his campus life. He has actively participated in lots of outdoor activities like cycling and mountaineering. He successfully organized biking from Sichuan to Tibet Autonomous Region and cycling around Hainan Island. He trekked the Poon Hill in Nepal and 20 plus mountains of different sizes in China. He participated in the emergency aid training class provided by the Red Cross Society of China and has got the First Aider Certificate.
Notes:
1. Please note that our guides with specialized knowledge are not always available, especially during our busy season from April to October. If you have an on-planning trip, please contact us as early as possible so that we will block the date of our expert guide for you.
2. To our AbsolutePanda team, our clients' overall satisfaction with their trip is the top priority. We can create a different option to make it easier for you to choose a tour that fits your style and budget. If you prefer to travel in a different style than the option we've provided here, please feel free to contact us.
3. For travelers who hope to tailor-make the programs with their specific travel preferences in mind (transportations, hotels, exclusive privileges, and famous local experts), tailor-making a tour is the best way to ensure your desires are met. Please contact us with your specific needs and we will prepare an itinerary based on your expectations. Once you are satisfied, we will work out the cost and send it to you. Please feel free to ask any questions to learn more.
When you put your trust in our team, we are certain to help you enjoy an unforgettable travel experience in China!
Accommodations
AbsolutePanda firmly believes travel is an art. To ensure every trip with us is a great travel art for our client, the AbsolutePanda team does all we can to consider every possible detail. The choice of hotels is an essential part of making a great trip. After many years of running a travel business, we have built up our network of cooperative hotels at different levels. We understand people are different in the choice of hotels when they travel. If you want to use some specific hotels, please feel free to let us know, we are delighted to book it for you at a competitive price to make the hotel choice better meet your taste, budget and travel style. We can either reserve a hotel with competitive price for you or simply include the hotel into your trip cost if possible. You are welcome to contact us and tell us your requests, we will do our best to create the best travel itinerary for your private use.
If you need help with hotel booking in other big cities of China at different styles and luxury levels (International-brand Hotels, Local Brand Hotels, Economical Hotels), please feel free to email our team at info@absolutepanda.com.
FAQs
1. Is there any altitude problem for this trip?
This trip will venture into the high altitude from 2,700m to 4,900m. Our guide has rich experience in taking care of our clients for the trekking trip on the highland. Surely, we also will suggest you to seek advice from your doctor on altitude sickness and bring necessary medications before you decide to join this trip. In some events, high elevation can cause severe health complications for those with cardiovascular diseases or other poor cardiopulmonary function diseases.
2. Is this trekking trip suitable for children?
This trekking trip will cover the area of a high altitude of 2,700m-4,900m. We need to be sure your child is OK with the high altitude. We did have guided a family with three children trekked this route. Also, it will be a big challenge for children to trek long distances from 11km to 22km (trek 5 to 9 hours) per day at high altitude. If your child has some trekking experiences and is interested in this trip, we can try to design a longer trip or more suitable trip according to your condition. For example, we can have an extra horse for the child to ride for a rest during the trekking days. The child can give up when he or she feel exhausted return back to a lower altitude in time.
3. If I have dietary restrictions, will that be a problem for your team to accommodate?
Our team is experienced at making sure all of our client’s needs are met. If you or anyone in your group has specific requirements for food, we are happy to accommodate your needs.
4. Do we need to bring our sleeping bag?
If possible, it would be great for you to bring your sleeping bag. Because people always have different requirements about the type of sleeping bags when trekking. If you are OK with the sleeping bag we have (in average quality) we are more than happy to provide clean sleeping bags we used for our trekking trips in the past.
5. What kind of food do we have during the trekking days?
Food will be one of the highlights of the trip, we will try our best to have a cook and cook nice local food to ensure you get enough energy. We will bring a variety of vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, cabbages, and noodles, as well as some meat such as chicken, pork and yak meat.
6. What kind of tents do we have during the trekking days?
We have tents of different types such as one-man tent, two-man tent, and three-man tent. Feel free to tell us what you prefer, we will bring the right type of tents for you. We have a special tent for cooking and dining. We also have a separate toilet tent.
Email us if you have any questions. Read our FAQ
Testimonials
The best travel company I have ever worked with.
Where to begin? I am an international tour leader. This team is our partner company, and for the last 5 years, they have proved time and time again to be by far the best, most meticulous, detail-oriented, experienced, and honest company I have ever encountered. These guys get it- travel is an art. They are focused on the experience, not the profit, and this is very rare in China. The founder, Philip, is one of the top birders and nature experts in Sichuan and is well respected throughout the province and beyond for all of his efforts to support local culture and conservation of wildlife. He is from a remote Tibetan region and understands how to operate in the wild, unexplored regions of China- the real China. He is an excellent teacher and judge of character and has built an amazing team of loyal guides who cannot be topped. If you travel with these guys, you have made a wise decision.
Date of experience: May 2017
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Videos & Photos
Kangding City
Meet monks on our trekking route.
Tibetan Monastery
Camping
Tibetan Village
Primula chionantha
Zimei Mountain Pass (4,550m)
Mt. Minya Konka (7,556m)
Mt. Minya Konka Sunset
Zigzag road and cloud sea.
Drink yak butter tea in local Tibetan's house.
Share your book with local people.
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