Yarchen Gar is one of the most extraordinary places in western China and genuinely unlike anything else in the world. About 80 kilometres south of Ganzi on a flat floodplain surrounded by grassy hills, the settlement consists of a central temple complex surrounded by thousands of tiny wooden cabins packed tightly together — a temporary-looking city of pure religious devotion. The resident community of monks and nuns numbers in the thousands and runs into the tens of thousands during major teaching periods.
The scale and density of the place produces an effect that is hard to anticipate: you come around a hill on a rough road and suddenly find an entire city on the plateau, built by individuals choosing contemplative life in one of the world's more inhospitable landscapes. The monks' and nuns' sections are separate and some areas may require permission to enter, but the central temple is accessible and the view of the cabin city from the surrounding hillsides is extraordinary at any hour. Early morning is particularly good, when the smoke from butter lamps and cooking fires drifts above the settlement in still air.
Getting there from Ganzi requires a private vehicle or arranged transport — there is no regular bus service. The road is rough and the journey takes about two hours each way. Visitors should dress conservatively and ask before photographing individuals. The settlement has limited accommodation for outsiders; most visitors come on a day trip from Ganzi.