01/July. Beijing
You will be met upon arrival and transferred to your hotel.
02/July. Beijing
Visit the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and the Summer Palace. Enjoy a Peking duck dinner.
03/July. Beijing / Xining (Qinghai Province)
Transfer to airport for flight to Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province at 2,270 meters on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau. Transfer to hotel. Drive to Kumbum Monastery (Ta'er Si). This is one of the six largest Yellow Sect monasteries in China, and the birthplace of its founder, Tsongkhapa. It is well known for three unique Tibetan Buddhist Arts: murals, embossed embroidery, and yak butter sculptures. In the afternoon, drive back to Xining and see one of the four biggest mosques in western-China.
04/July. Xining / Qinghai Lake (Koknur Lake)
Drive to Qinghai Lake. This is the largest saltwater lake in China. It covers an area of 4500 square kilometers, with vast beautiful pasturelands edgi ng the lake, surrounded by mountains both of earth and sand. You will see many nomads in their tents with their herds of yaks and sheep along the way. Explore the southeastern end of the lake then stay at the lake for the night.
05/July. Qinghai Lake / Maduo
Drive to Maduo via the Dzogan Rawar Gorge. You will drive through some high rolling grassland, and cross a few high passes. Have a picnic lunch along the way.
06/July. Maduo / Yushu
Drive to Yushu (Jyekundo), passing Bayankala Mountain (5100m) and crossing the Yangtze River. Along the way, visit the Gyanak Mani Stone Wall.
07/July. Yushu
Visit Temple of Princess Wencheng at the ancient Tang-Tubo Road. She was a Princess of the Tang Dynasty who married Songtsen Gompo, one of the Tibetan Kings. Also visit Jiegu Monastery, the leading Sakya sect monastery in the Yushu area.
08/July. Yushu
Visit Tashi Gu Horseracing grounds and enjoy the opening day ceremonies of the horse racing festival. Enjoy horse racing, dancing and traditional dress fashion show.
09/July. Yushu
Return to see more horse racing and dancing at the horse racing festival.
10/July. Yushu / Sershul
Drive through rolling grasslands followed by a mountainous region with several high passes to Sershul. Visit Sershul Monastery, an important Yellow sect monastery, and the largest monastery in Sershul County.
11/July. Sershul / Manigango
Drive from Sershul to Manigango. Visit Yazer Monastery, a branch of Dzogchen Monastery (an important Red sect monastery to the north).
12/July. Manigango / Dege
 Drive from Manigango to Dege. Along the way, stop for a while at the sacred lake of Yilhun Lhatso whose shores are littered with carved mani stones. Then continue on through Tro-La Pass (4916m) and descend sharply on switchback curves through a heavily forested region into the valley where Dege lies. Throughout this route there are fabulous views of the Yangtze gorge to the southwest. Along the way you will pass Khorlomdo which has a small Sakya Temple and enter the Kasado Gorge. A tributary of the Yangtze River runs through the middle of town.
13/July. Dege
Dege is the heart of Khampa culture. In Dege, visit the Dege Printing House, the largest printing house in Tibet and a very famous historical site. Visit Dege Gonchen, a Sakkyapa monastery, and the Memorial Temple of Tang Tong Gyalbo -- a famous Tibetan Scientist and bridge builder.
14/July. Dege / Paiyul
Drive from Dege to Paiyul through a mixture of partly forested areas and rocky areas as you follow the Yangtze River. There are no nomads through this section. Visit Pelyul Monastery, an important Red sect monastery.
15/Aug. Paiyul / Batang
Drive from Paiyul to Batang. This is a long but beautiful drive through forests and grasslands. We will stay in Batang. (If clients don’t mind a really long drive it is possible to make it all the way to Litang on this day.)
16/Aug Batang / Litang
Get up early and drive for about 3 hours to Litang and drive directly to horse racing ground to see the horse racing and traditional Tibetan dress fashion show at the Litang Horse Racing Festival.
17/Aug. Litang
Visit Litang Chode Monastery, founded in 1580 by the 3rd Dalai Lama. It is one of the largest yellow sect monasteries in Kham. In afternoon, see more of the horse racing festival.
18/Aug. Litang / Drango
Drive from Litang to Drango through a mixed landscape of grasslands, forests, farmlands, mountainous regions, and a section along the Yulong River. Visit Drango Monastery, a 17th century Yellow sect monastery.
19/Aug. Drango / Barkham
Drive from Drango to Barkham. The people in Barkham are Gyarong-pa, a type of Amdo. Their dress is different from that of the people of the central Amdo region.
20/Aug. Barkham / Aba
Drive from Barkham to Aba (Ngawa) through huge grasslands dotted with nomadic yak-hair tents. Visit Kirti Monastery, the largest yellow sect monastery in the region.
21/Aug. Aba / Barkham
Drive back through the rolling grasslands from Aba (Ngawa) to Barkham. Along the way, visit to Amchu Monastery, one of the largest Yellow sect monasteries of the region.
22/Aug. Barkham / Chengdu
Drive from Barkham to Chengdu. Along the way, you will pass Tsekok Mountain and drive through Tsekok Pass. You will see lots of Gyarong-style stone-built houses.
23/Aug. Chengdu Exit
Transfer to airport for morning flight to Beijing. Transfer to international departure flight.
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Group Size
Minimum Size: 02persons
Double: $ 2,190USD
Single: $ 2,490USD
Group Size
Minimum Size: 06persons
Double: $ 1,790USD
ingle: $ 2,090USD
Group Size
Minimum Size: 10persons
Double: $ 1,590USD
ingle: $ 1,800USD
TOUR INCLUDES
All accommodations mentioned above
All meals mentioned above
All entrance fee where applicable
English speaking guide
Travel insurance inside mainland China
Transfer from airport to hotel and private vehicles to sightseeing spots
Air fares and airport taxes as Beijing/Xining and Chengdu/Beijing
TOUR EXCLUDES
All personal expenses such as extra drinks, laundry, telephone calls
Tips to guides and drivers |
Tour item
