# Qamdo travel guide (昌都) Tibet Autonomous Region · Southwest, China · 10 places Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/tibet/qamdo ## Getting there & around Qamdo is home to Bamda Airport, the civil airport with the highest elevation in the world. It currently only operates flights to Lhasa and Chengdu. The airport is 130 kilometres from Karub District and can be reached by taxi for ¥450–550. However, flying conditions are poor, and flights are often delayed or cancelled. Road is the main way in and out of Qamdo. The counties of Qamdo are far apart, so journeys between them are long. Qamdo Bus Station operates long-distance coaches to Chengdu, Lhasa, Markam, Zayü, Nagqu, Nyingchi, Bomi and other destinations. Qamdo → Chengdu: The full journey is over 1,200 kilometres and takes about 3 days and 2 nights. The fare is about ¥490. Buses depart from Chengdu Xinnanmen Bus Station and Chengdu Qamdo Hotel. Qamdo → Lhasa: The full journey is 1,000 kilometres on a poor road, taking about 4 days and 3 nights. Departures are irregular, usually on Saturdays. ## Where to stay Qamdo has good hotels and standard guesthouses. Around Qamdo, you can also find local Tibetan houses offering accommodation. ### Local Specialties Qamdo's best-known local specialties include snow lotus, Cordyceps sinensis, fritillaria bulbs and Qamdo Drunken Pears. Because of Qamdo's unique geographic position, its handicrafts have been influenced by the crafts of Tibetan, Han, Mongolian, Naxi, Nepali and Indian communities, gradually forming a distinctive local ethnic style. Gama, located upstream on the Zaqu River 120 kilometres from the city centre, is especially famous across Kham for its handicrafts. ### King Gesar Epic Qamdo is the heartland of Kham culture and is renowned for its Dingqing Rewa dance, Qamdo Zhuo dance and Markam xianzi (string) art. It is also the main region where the Tibetan epic “King Gesar” was created and passed down. If you visit Qamdo, be sure to see a performance by a King Gesar storyteller. - tip: On the southern Sichuan–Tibet route, between Bamda in Qamdo and Baxoi, there is a special stretch of road known as the “72 Bends of the Nu River”. It is not a scenic spot as such, but almost everyone passing through for the first time stops briefly at the highest point of the road. Looking down, the road appears as a chain of large and small letter “Z”s joined end to end. As one of the famous perils of the Sichuan–Tibet highway, this stretch is unforgettable and nerve-wracking. Take extra care when driving here. ### Sacred Cattle and Sheep If you see cattle or sheep wearing red, yellow or green cloth tags grazing in the countryside, do not chase or harm them. They are offerings to the gods made by Tibetan residents. When passing religious sites such as monasteries, mani stone heaps or stupas, walk around them clockwise, keeping them on your right. ### Festivals Qamdo has many festivals, with something nearly every month, many of them traditional festivals with strong ethnic and religious character. The Zhongque Festival is the oldest traditional festival in the Leiwuqi area. Held on the 15th day of the 6th month of the Tibetan calendar, it is said to commemorate the construction of the main hall of Chajima, the chief monastery of the Dalong Kagyu school, under the guidance of the Kagyu master Ugyen Gyatso. The horse racing festival is held in the 5th and 6th months of the Tibetan calendar across Jomda, Riwoqê, Konjo, Zayü and Baxoi in Qamdo, with various folk horse racing events in honour of King Gesar, who won the throne by defeating rivals on a bareback horse. The Butter Lantern Festival is held from the 1st to the 15th day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar. - **Tianxing Holiday Hotel** — (Baima Lower Street, Baima Village, Baima Town, 0895-4565922) - **Qamdo Taihong Theme Hotel** — (No. 6 Baima Upper Street, Baxoi County, 18589153777) ## Things to see - **Qamba Ling Monastery** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 2026.01.01-2026.12.31 open all day; Time needed 2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/qamba-ling-monastery - **Yanjing** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 2026.01.01-2026.12.31 08:00-18:00; Time needed 2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/yanjing - **Boluo Jirong Grand Canyon** (★★★): Admission ¥70; Opening hours 2026.01.01-2026.12.31 open all day; Time needed 2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/boluo-jirong-grand-canyon - **Chajiema Hall** (★★★): Admission ¥50; Opening hours 2026.01.01-2026.12.31 09:00-18:00; Time needed 1 hour — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/chajiema-hall - **Zizhu Temple** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 8：00—19：00; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/zizhu-temple - **Mount Dola** (★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 2026.01.01-2026.12.31 open all day; Time needed 1 hour — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/mount-dola - **Kamaduo Stupa Forest** (★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 2026.01.01-2026.12.31 open all day; Time needed 1 hour — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/kamaduo-stupa-forest - **Ranwu Lake Scenic Area** (★★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 2026.01.01-2026.12.31 open all day; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/ranwu-lake-scenic-area - **Laigu Glacier** (★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 2026.01.01-2026.12.31 08:30-18:00; Time needed 1 hour — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/laigu-glacier - **Bujia Snow Mountain** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours Open all day (all year 2026); Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/bujia-snow-mountain --- Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 610–620. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.