Day 1 .Xining to Qinghai medicine museum
Fly to Xining, the capital city of Qinghai Province.
Upon arrival in Xining airport, drive to downtown and check into the hotel to freshen up. As the capital of Qinghai province,, Xining city proper is home to over one million Han Chinese and ethnic minorities, including Tibetans, Muslims, Salas, and others.
This afternoon, stop at the Tibetan Medicine Cultural Museum, which was the first museum to introduce the Tibetan Traditional Medicine to the world. There, have chance to take a look at the biggest Tangka in the world.
Overnight Sanwant Hotel Xining
Meals:L,D
Day2.Xining to Huangyuan to Kokonor Lake to Guide
This morning, drive about half an hour from the city of Xining west to Ta’er Monastery (or Kumbum Monastery). Ta’er monastery is the birth place of Tsong khapa, the founder of Gelukpu (or yellow hat) school.
Then, depart for Qinghai Lake (3,205m known as Tso-Ngon in Tibetan and Kokonor in Mongolian). Then, drive about 150KM/2 hours to Guide, a county town next to Kanbula National Forest Park.
Overnight Guide Rinka Villa
Meals:B,L,D
Day 3 .Guide to Kanbula national forest park to Tongren
After breakfast , drive head to Kanbula National Forest Park is about 131 KM away from Xining, the capital of Qinghai province. The Yellow River runs by the park. It is also a area of Tibetan Buddhism.
Today, drive through the national park to enjoy the beautiful landscape, experience the local life and Tibetan Buddhism culture.
In later afternoon, get to Tongren, another important town of Tibetn Buddhism.
Overnight Rebkong Hotel
Meals:B,L,D
Day4.Tongren to Wutun monastery to Longwu monastery
This morning, spend some time at Upper and Lower Wutun monasteries. Here, closely study the murals, thangka, and statues, many of which are classics created by some of the best artists across the centuries.
The visit to the school allows us to see how they train their artists and to meet with the master artists to learn about how they create their works. The lunch is arranged at a local Tibetan restaurant.
In the afternoon starts with a walk around Longwu Monastery, a pilgrimage site and one of the most important monasteries in the Amdo Tibetan area.The walk around the monastery will be supplemented by talks with monks explaining their daily ritual.
Overnight Regong Hotel
Meals:B,L,D
D5.Tongren to Xiahe
After breakfast , drive to the plateau of eastern Qinghai and South Gansu.
This morning, drive about 4-5 hours from Tongren to Xiahe via grassland to Xiahe, where Labrang Monastery locates.
En route, going to take a stop by Ganjia Grassland for photography. The founder of Labrang monastery was born on Ganjia grassland. There is also a temple-Ganjia White Cliff temple, which is a very popular site for Buddhism practicing.
A big village with eight corners (Bajiaocheng) showing up on the grassland as well, the local people live in the city wall and move out to farm and herding every day.
In late afternoon, arrive at Xiahe, the town where Labrang Monastery locates.
Overnight:Baoma Hotel
Meals:B,L,D
D6. Xiahe to Labrang monstery to Xiahe
You may still remember the long trail of praying wheels on the wall in the movie A world without thieves directed by Feng Xiaogang years ago.
This morning, going to join the local people to pay around the monastery wall. It is also a great opportunity to photo the people doing pilgrims around the monastery.
Overnight Baoma Hotel
Meals:B,L,D
D7.Xiahe to Gahai lake to Langmusi
After breakfast, drive further south to Langmusi.
En route, take a stop by Gahai, a alpine lake at 3,400 meters on the Grassland. It is the largest fresh water lake in south Gansu. Get to Langmusi probably around lunch time. Spend whole afternoon to visit the two temples and visit a monks’ house (if possible to meet a living Buddha in Geerdi temple).If weather permits, the photography of the sunset time is great.
Overnight Langmusi Hotel
Meals:B,L,D
D8.Langmusi to Zoige
The early morning on the plateau is always nice. It will be great time for photography in the morning if weather permits.After breakfast in the hotel, board bus and drive further south into Sichuan province.
Overnight zoige hotel
Meals:B,L,D
D9.Zoige to Huanglong to Chuanzhusi town
This morning, check out of hotel after breakfast, drive about 3 hours from Zoige, firstly on the grassland, when get to Chuanzhusi, downhill to Huanglong (or the Yellow Dragon) National park. Huanglong is a great place for photography for its landscape studded with waterfalls and terraced, colored limestone ponds of blue, yellow, white and green in proper light.The tour in Huanglong is about 3-4 hours.After Huanglong, drive up to Chuanzhusi.
Overnight Minjiangyuan Hotel
Meals:B,L,D
D10.Chuanzhusi to Jiuzhaigou
This morning, after breakfast, drive about 1.5 hours downhill to Jiuzhaigou Valley and start the first day tour in Jiuzhaigou.
Today, take green bus up to the Long Lake, then follow the valley to admire the sites along the Zechawagou Vally for the first day.
Ends up with Nuorilang area.
Overnight Yihe Resort
Meals:B,L,D
D11.Whole day in Jiuzhaigou
This morning start the exploration of Jiuzhaigou with a walk down from Arrow Bamboo Lake to Shuzheng Village. On the way, see different lakes with beautiful colors, like the mirror lake, swan lake, panda lake etc, all are named after its formation.
Also we can visit a waterfall in various shape, like the pearl shoal water fall, Shuzheng Waterfall, Nuorilang waterfall etc.
This evening, if clients have interest, arrange optional Qiang & Tibetan minority culture performance.
Overnight Yihe Resort
Meals:B,L,D
D12.Jiuzhaigou to Jiuhuang airport to Chengdu
After breakfast in the hotel, check out Sheraton Jiuzhaigou and drive about 2 hours uphill to the airport for departure flight .
Trip ends.
Meals:B
