Litang理塘

Litang County sits in Sichuan's Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture; its seat, Gaocheng Town, stands at 4,014.187m — one of the highest towns in China, hence "the world's highest city" or "Castle in the Sky." It's a key stop on the G318 Sichuan-Tibet South Route and the usual gateway to Daocheng Yading. Its best-known story is the legend that the 6th Dalai Lama's poetry hinted his reincarnation would appear in Litang — and the 7th Dalai Lama, Kelzang Gyatso, was indeed born here. Every August 1st, the town's biggest event, the August 1st International Horse Racing Festival, is Kham's grandest horse-racing gathering.

World's highest city

Everyday life at 4,014m

• The county seat sits at 4,014.187m, one of China's highest towns
• First-timers should take it slow and skip strenuous activity
• A dedicated acute-altitude-sickness treatment center opened locally in 2024
• Seek medical help or descend if you get a bad headache or dizziness

Tibetan culture & legend

Where a Dalai Lama reincarnation legend unfolded

• Changqing Chunkor Monastery: birthplace of the 7th Dalai Lama
• Qianhu Tibetan Village: Tibetan houses and small themed museums
• Renkang Old Street, King Gesar Square: everyday town life
• Kham Tibetan food and butter tea are everywhere

Horse racing festival

Kham's biggest horse-racing festival

• Evolved from a folk mountain-circling festival, 400+ years old
• Fixed to August 1st since 1964, running about half a month
• Racing, song, dance and a tent city — Litang's busiest stretch
• Lodging and transport get tight — book well ahead