Kirti Gompa on the Sichuan side of Langmusi is the larger and more architecturally impressive of the two monasteries facing each other across the small river that marks the provincial border. The main assembly hall has murals in good condition and a collection of large gilded statues. The monastery compound includes several subsidiary temples, monk residences, and a series of large prayer wheels at the entrance that visitors are invited to turn.
The monastery is active and the resident monastic community is substantial. Morning prayers are the most atmospheric time to visit — the sound of horns and cymbals carries across the valley in the thin mountain air. The monks are generally accustomed to respectful foreign visitors and will usually permit entry to the main hall. Dress appropriately, remove shoes at the entrance, and do not photograph religious ceremonies without explicit permission.
The climb to the ridge above the monastery takes about thirty minutes and offers a panorama of the entire Langmusi valley — both monasteries, the village, the grasslands extending south toward Sichuan, and the limestone gorges cutting into the hills to the north and west.