Minya Konka Trek and Camp

Minya Konka is also called Mount Gongga or Gongga Shan, usually called Gongga by local people. It is one of the most popular trekking destinations in China. Minya Konka is mountain that is 7556 meters’ tall and the highest mountain in Sichuan Province and also the easternmost 7 thousander in the world. Minya Konka is located in Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in western Sichuan within half day’s drive from Chengdu. Minya Konka is a holy mountain among local Tibetan People.

A trekking trip to Minya Konka normally needs about a week and it is a serious camping trekking. In a Minya Konka trekking, you can see the many snow-capped peaks including Minya Konka, alpine views of Tibetan landscape, nomads Tibetan people, glaciers and Tibetan Monasteries. Minya Konka area is an open reserve that is not officially a park at present (2023). It has no actual entrances or park offices. It is basically completely wild.

How to get to Minya Konka (Mount Gongga) ?

A trekking trip to Minya Konka usually starts from Chengdu. So you need to arrive in Chengdu first. Minya Konka is located 300km west to Chengdu. By driving it usually takes about 3-4 hours to Kangding, the base by the north of Gongga. Driving is a popular way as it provides different views on the way and a longer time of acclimatization for hikers. There is also an Airport in Kangding. The airport is 1.5 hours’ drive away from the town of Kangding. And from Kangding, it is another half hour’s drive to the usual trekking terminal at Laoyulin to do the north trek. Minya Konka trekking usually ends at Tsemed Village, where it is about 1-2 days’ drive back to Chengdu. To go to other sides of Miinya Konka one needs to drive further from Kangding. To its south by Caoke it takes extra 1-2 hours and to its west takes an extra half day or one day's drive. Please read more details on Getting to/around Gongga.

Minya Konka Trekking Season

““When you are in the mountain, you never know the weather.” Indeed the weather changes quickly in Minya Konka as the elevation of the trekking are very high, up to 4800 meters. Generally the trekking season is from late April to early November each year. Each season you have the possibility of unpredicted weather conditions. Late April, May and late October, early November are cold as the temperature drops below -10C sometimes during night time but these seasons are also very dry. From June to October, you have possibilities of unpredicted conditions. The best trekking season is summer from June to October. Elevation of the campsites ranges from 3500 meters to 4300 meters, at night time it ican be very cold and windy. At Minya Konka, the temperature/weather changes quickly in a day especially after midday, the difference between highest temperature and the lowest temperature is up to 25C in a day. Even at the same time it is cool in the shadow but warm or even hot in the sunlight. Trekking at Minya Konka one will usually experience windy weather especially by the mountain passes. Please see detailed Gongga Climate and Weather.

There is fire restriction from from every November/December to the next April/May that local authorities require hikers to sign a disclaimer with a local company to go in for overnight hiking otherwise you maybe not allowed to go in. This policy keeps changing. Please contact us for updated information on this.

How to plan a trekking trip to Minya Konka

Duration and Transfer

A trekking trip to Minya Konka one usually starts from Chengdu. From Chengdu it is 270km driving to Kangding that now only takes 3 hours(2023). There is also an airport of Kangding that takes only 40 minutes by flying although the drive from airport to Kangding takes another 1.5 hours. Depending on what kind of hiking you are looking for, it takes different time to do a trek Minya Konka. There are short hikes by the west of Minya Konka that you can do in a day while a classic way of trekking Minya Konka that goes into the heartland of the mountains involves overnight camping in the mountains. The inevitable driving is also involved to the hiking point. In genral one access Minya Konka from its north, west or south. The classic trek starts either from the north or the south of Minya Konka.

Minya Konka Classic Trek - the “Trekking Through” Plan 7 Days - 10 Days

The classic trek of Minya Konka goes from its north by Laoyulin Village and through the mountains and comes out by its south by Zimei Village/Shangmuju, or the other way round. It usually takes around 7 to 10 days depending on the schedule and pace. This classic Gongga Trek covers most of the best highlights of Minya Konka. It involves overnights in the mountains camping for multi days some with high altitude at over 4000m. It is a challenging trek given the high altitude. Please read our Classic 9-Day Gongga Trek, an original classic Gongga trek that covers Gongga Gompa and Minya Konka base camp. Please read our 7-Day Gongga Trek, a revised version of a Gongga classic trek.

Gongga North Trek 4 Days - 7 Days

Gongga North Trek refers to the trekking by the north of Minya Konka, mainly include the Lamoshe area, Jiuhaizi area and Riuqi valley. It is listed separated here by us due to four reasons: A, it takes shorter time than a classic trek (and therefore cheaper) while it covers a big part of the best highlights of Minya Konka; B, every day while hiking you will have open views; C, this trek is doable in most seasons becasue it doesn’t go over any high passes where it may have lots of snow in certain seasons that will make the trekking dangerous. D, Less driving is requried for this trek and a big town Kangding nearby provides supplies, comfortable hotel to relax and to decompress. Please read our 4-Day Riuqi Trek and our 7-Day Gongga Family Trek.

Gongga South Trek 5-7 Days

Gongga South refers to the south part of Minya Konka including Zimei, Bawang Lake, Gongga Gompa and Minya Konka base camp with close view of Mt. Gongga itself. It is also listed separately by us for two reasons: A, it doesn’t necessarily require any camping while you still enjoy the unbroken hiking for multi-days; B, since the fire restriction, Gongga South has longer window for trekking from every May to December by entering from Bawang Lake. Please read our 7-Day Mt. Gongga Lodging Trek, and this trek can be revised to only 5 days.

Comparing Gongga South Trek, Gongga North trek, and Gongga Classic Trek, please read details.

For non-camping hikings in Gongga, you are recommended to go to the south and west part of Minya Konka by Yulongshi, Shangmuju and Zimei where road access is possible and lodges are available. Recommended hikings include Langgatso, Rejie Lake, Quanhuatan and hike to Gongga Gompa and beyond. Please note by even today (2023) the west and south part of Minya Konka are still remote and roads are still basic and road access are not reliable in some seasons. When you make plans please be aware of this.

Detailed Information about Minya Konka Trekking

Minya Konka trekking is open to everyone. There is no age limit for hikers but generally you need to be fit enough to do this trekking. Hikers between 12 and 60 years old are able to do this trekking generally. Minya Konka trekking involves long ascent and descent on sometimes steep trails, multiple days of walking/camping at high elevations at around 4000m and over 4000m. Some people do the trekking for training and some people train to do this trekking. Keep reading and find out if this is the right trekking for you.

Elevation and Walking Distance

Average altitude of Minya Konka trekking is about 3800 to 3900 meters with the highest at 4900 meters for the classic trek. Total elevation gain is about 1800 meters during the trekking. Total elevation loss is about 1500 meters during the trekking. This 4900 meter is at the pass after an 700 meters’ ascent from the former campsite. The walking distance each day is between 8 and 14 km. Wenormally recommend at least one night by Kangding at 2600m or by Laoyulin at 3100m before spend your night in the mountains where the lowest camp is by around 3600m for the Classic Trek and for the North Trek. Some trekking plans have first night by 3600m and second night by 4200m, which we think is a bit stressful for people who comes from zero altitude or much lower altitude and it has higher risk of getting mountain sickness therefore it is very risky especially for those who plan to do the classic trek that will go over the 4900-m pass and for people who don’t have much experience on camping it is even more stressful.

Terrain and Trails

The trail of Minya Konka trekking is a frequently used horse trail by local nomads Tibetans. Most of the trails are easy to recognize but trails crossing the passes are difficult to identify. The seasonal climate change may also result into changes of rivers hence changes of trails in different seasons by some secttions of Minya Konka trek. Basically the trails are easy with your walking boots but trekking in summer time you may need to cross some rivers if the bridges are flushed away by the water. The rivers are not big but the water is extremely cold and the current flows fast. Normally the water in the river is as deep to your knee but you can always use horses to assist you to cross the river. Walking trails of Minya Konka are basically safe. They lie in open valleys but under raining weather it can be a little slippery due to the rocks on the trekking trail.

For a big part of the Gongga trek the walking are on gradual terrain but while walking over the passes and way to the highland lakes and to base camp it can be steep. Below 4000m in general you still see trees and above 4000m you normally see only shrubs or even just rocks.

Mountain Sickness

First time travelers to Minya Konka or even experienced hikers all have the risk of getting Acute Mountain Sickness due to change of altitude/Temperature and air pressure. Elevation in Chengdu is at about 500 meters, Kangding is at about 2500 meters and elevation of the trekking is between 3500 meters to 4900 meters (or 3000m to 4500m for the South Trek). Acclimatization is necessary and precautions are essential. Precautions for trekking in Minya Konka: Drink more water than you need everyday. Wear more layers to avoid getting a cold due to elevation/temperature/pressure change. Eat properly (no alcohol and be careful of local street food) and do try to have enough time to sleep. Try not stress yourself both physically and mentally. A little physical preparation beforehand is always helpful. Prepare medication for AMS, cold and diaries in case. Symptoms of mountain sickness include loss of will to do things, don’t want to eat and get tired easily, headache, sometimes vomit, color of your lips turn into purplish. A more serious level may result into a total sworn up of your face.

Physical Requirement

Minya Konka is a serious trekking. Hikers to Minya Konka need to be adequately fit to do it. Minya Konka trekking involves walking at elevation over 3500+ meters and the highest place being 4500+ meters. There are in total 3-6 days of trekking in a Minya Konka trekking tour. Each day the walking distance is about 12 km and usually takes about 6-7 hours or more. You have to consider your fitness before you decided to do a Minya Konka trekking. A little physical training may be helpful. Travelers who have never been to this height before are suggested to consult with your doctor before you go. Travelers with cardinal or lung problems are not recommended to do a Minya Konka Trek.

Luggage and Porters

A Minya Konka trekking for international hikers usually starts from Chengdu and ends in Chengdu. So you can always leave your luggage you don’t need for trekking at your hotel in Chengdu and come back to collect them after the trekking. It is better to keep your packs the most economic way and not bringing things you don’t need for the trekking. Kangding is a second option of leaving your things you don’t need behind. In some of our recommended itinerary of a Minya Konka trekking, travelers will go back to Kangding after the trekking. So you can leave gears and things you don’t need at your hotel in Kangding as well. While on trekking, you can use porters (packhorses) to help with your big pack. At Minya Konka, we use Tibetan horses to carry the bags. These horses or mules are quite short. Maximum weight a horse can carry is about 30kg to 50kg. So please consider this while you do your packing. The horse usually comes with a horseman. You are welcome to contact our local porter(Yan Ming) for any horse arrangement: +86 13689094250.

The Camping

Whilst on trekking, there are now permanent huts and shelters set up by local people and some are available for hikers to use. You may see some nomads’ tents or huts with local people live in at campsites like Upper Riwuqie or Reddomain Camp during herding season. Considering comfortibility and privacy you are suggested to use a camping tent for yourself but these huts can be used as emergency shelter. Most of the campsites are very good campsites considering the easy access to water and they are quite flat. You can always use the flat patch used by former hikers but normally you need to move the yak dunes before you set up your tent. There are no deadly insects found in Minya Konka before while a bigger worry is usually from the yaks/horses while camping. The yaks are almost everywhere and they like anything that contains salt. And they have very good sense of smell. So you are suggested to keep your food covered or sealed and to use toilet farther away from your sleeping tent maybe at least 200 meters. The yaks do not attack people and they are shy animals but you certainly don’t want to be woken up by the snuffling yaks at your tent while you are sleeping at night. Other wild animals found at Minya Konka include wolves and snow leopards but not big in numbers and usually they don’t come down to where humans are.

Making a camp fire was never a forbidden while trekking at Minya Konka but since 2020 there is strict restrictions on using fire and no camp fire is allowed. Please read more details on Camping and Campsite of Minya Konka.

Minya Konka Packing List

Tekking boots, Trekking hat, Jacket/windbreaker, Base layer/T-shirt, Walking trousers, Thermals, Fleece, Socks, Backpack, -10C down Sleeping bag, Water bottle, Walking poles

Waterproof, Sunglasses, Sun block, Headlamp, Toiletries, Camera, Cell phone, Batteries, First-aid kit, Personal medications

Eat, Drink, Accommodations

You need to bring everything for the trek by yourself or use packhorses to carry the food. You can always bring your own instant mountain food. In a arrranged trekking tour to Minya Konka, fresh veges and meat can be prepared for you including rice or noodles. In Kangding you can buy fresh fruit and veges, snacks and other food supplies. Local bread is a very good option as well. There are a lot of things you can purchase in Kangding including some basic gears and outdoor clothing. Drinking directly from the stream or river is not recommended as it may result into a serious diarrhea that may ruin your trekking. You can always use water purifier but normally we use boiled water for drinking. That is why a big water bottle/flask is necessary. Prepare enough water before you start trekking if you are a heavy water-drinker. Please read Accommodation Details for a Gongga Trekking Trip.

There are no cell phone receptions or internet access during the whole trekking at Minya Konka. You will have your temporal loss of contact with your friends and families for a few nights. There are also no electricity or shops along the trekking trail although during busy trekking season (normally first week of October), there maybe local Tibetans selling bottled water and instant noodles by some of the campsites. But for other seasons, you are trekking in the total wilderness.

Safety Issues

A. Loss of Possessions. The first international explorers came to Minya Konka by as early as 1930s and after that it was only open to foreigners since 1980s. By then it was not coonsidered to be safe place to travel to (incidents such as robbery) not only for foreigners but even for domestic Chinese travelers either. It was until around 2008 it became safe to travel independently for travelers. It is one of the good results of modernization of Kangding. The police can be helpful if you have troubles in terms of loss of possession. But be aware if you are staying at local guesthouses that you need to lock your door every time you leave your room. The guesthouses may not as secure as the hotels. While on trekking, keep your valuable items in your day pack while walking and don’t leave your gears outside of your tents during camping, then it should be fine.

Over 10 years ago, traveling to Minya Konka or around may have the risk of getting robbed. At present this kind of incident is rare. It is one of the good results of modernization of Kangding. The police can be helpful if you have troubles in terms of robbery. But be aware if you are staying at local guesthouses that you need to lock your door every time you leave your room. The guesthouses may not as secure as the hotels. While on trekking, keep your valuable items in your day pack while walking and don’t leave your gears outside of your tents during camping, then it should be fine. Negotiations with Tibetans are popular but also have the risk of offending them.

If accidents happen during your trekking, you need to find solutions quickly. For serious mountain sickness, you always go lower. For injuries you need transfer to a hospital probably using the horse as a start. Do not believe what your insurance company told you that they will use helicopter too rescue you if you are in serious trouble. In Kangding or Chengdu there are no commercial-running helicopter rescue services. Everything here when you want a helicopter in the air has to be done by military people, which is heavily censored and usually takes a long time, making it useless. In the trekking tour provided by us, our staff will have a satellite phone at hand to use in case of emergency.

B. Local Ettiquette. Negotiations with Tibetans are popular but also have the risk of offending them. No using stove fire to dry clothes, pants, shoes, socks.

C. Injuries and Rescue If accidents happen during your trekking, you need to find solutions quickly. For serious mountain sickness, you always go lower. For injuries you need transfer to a hospital by using the horse as a start. Do not believe what your insurance company told you that they will use helicopter too rescue you if you are in serious trouble. In Kangding or Chengdu there are no commercial-running helicopter rescue services (2023). Everything here when you want a helicopter in the air has to be done by military people, which is heavily censored and usually takes a long time, making it useless. The most accessible/feasible rescue is by local people that is required by local authority by receving orders or requires from their superiors and their superiors that receives requries from your embassy in China. In our arranged tours we will make sufficient preparation for logistics of trekking, using experienced guide and a quick response working system including a quick communication, first aid, etc to facilitate a rescue and to bring the injured/suffered ones down and access to a hospital at the shortest time possible.

Minya Konka is not exactly a park with a working rescue system available. Every team that sets out trekking is basically own their own. Although you must know what resources are available if a rescue is needed. Especailly when you are doing independent hiking, make sufficent preparations, acclimate yoruself and bring the risks of mountain sickness to the lowest because when you are self-supported you won’t have access to any horses if you have injury or mountain sickness. A horse can take you down much quicker in such cases and local horse people can carry you out if you can not ride a horse.

Please be aware all local people that involved in a rescue will expect payment from you, any horses used in a rescue will also expect a payment from you. In an arranged tour this will be efficiently and quickly done by your service provider when a rescue is needed. Please also note local people sometimes tend to be over-cautious on helping people so this can bring trouble to independent hikers while negotiating.

D. Wild Fire. Using campfire is not allowed in Minya Konka at anywhere. All cooking that requires using fire is regulated to be far from any bushes, trees. Overnight hikers need to be aware of this and be extra careful while cooking. You are required to avoid smoking while hiking/camping. Anyone’s false action or mistake of using fire in the parks and causes wild fire will face severe consequences in China by Chinese laws.

E. Wild Animals. Wild preditors are not an issue when you keep to the hiking trails in most part of Gongga below 4500m. Only when you travel in winter/spring season or when you travel high you have chance to encounter wild preditors/animals altough the chance to encounter snow leopard, wolfs are very low. During summer time you also want to look out the annoying horse flies. Mosquitos and ticks are not an issue at such altitude. Yaks are mostly mild animals in Minya Konka but one needs to be careful while going to deeper mountain valleys on the bigger and older yaks, because they don’t see many people often and sometimes they get curious on people and won’t make way for hikers like the yaks one sees at lower part of trekking. Please also be aware of not startle any yak especaily the big ones they may attack out of sacre.

Reviews of Minya Konka from Former Hikers

"There is a pilgrimage trek around this mountain, passing through dramatic and fantastic scenery. We trekked from Kangding to Minyak Gongkar, crossing the 5100 m Bu Chu La (pass). We only saw a couple of Tibetan herders and a couple of Chinese trekkers. When we turned the final corner and saw Gongga Mountain it was like a revelation. Absolutely stunning! This was a trek I will remember and cherish for the rest of my life!" ---JornBerg

"The Gonga Shan trek is a nice little trek. Nothing too fancy about it, but still a pleasant one. Different options given the time you have. The nomads camping in this area are very nice people. The only thing here is the weather. Seing the top of the mountain is difficult. So many clouds ... " ---seb

Read more on Minya Konka Detailed Travel Guide including all things to do in Gonngga, travel maps, getting around Gongga and our Gongga tour packages.