Trip Overview
Amdo & Kham, the most beautiful land of Tibet, are various in geographic land forms of grassland, marshy grassland, gorges, valleys, forest, alpine lakes, glaciers and rivers. And it is rich in culture as well.
Labrang is the one of the largest Monastery of Gelukpa in Amdo & Kham, Zoige (Nuoergai) marshy grassland is reputed as the most beautiful marshy grassland in China, while Minya Konka is crowned as the King of Sichuan Mountains. The spectacular Tibetan architectures, the arduous Dadu River,a tributery of Yangtze River etc…
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Lanzhou
Fly to Lanzhou. Take a half day tour of Lanzhou to the museum, market and take a glimpse of Zhongshan Bridge, the First Iron Bridge on the Yellow River which was built in 1907.
Enjoy the handle-made noodle in a local restaurant in Langzhou.
Overnight Lanzhou Legend Hotel
Day 2 Lanzhou to Labrang Monastery
Linxia, one of the two Hui Autonomous Regions in China, has played a key role on the Tea-Horse Caravan in the north. It is well known as Oriental Mecca by Muslims and also the home of Flower Songs. Most of Dongxiang and Bao’an nationality are also inhabited in Linxia.
We will take a stop in Linxia to visit the architectures in Linxia and explore a local market.
Keep on driving to Xiahe followed lunch. Xiahe is a small and tranquil town around Labrang Monastery.
Overnight Labrang Civil Aviation Hotel
Day 3 Labrang
Labrang Monastery, one of the six greatest monasteries of Gelukpa Tibetan Buddhism, was built in 1709, by a monk from the nearby village of Ganjia named E\'angzongzhe, who was to become the first Living Buddha (Jiemuyang) of the monastery. The present head monk, 3rd in religious importance behind the Dalai and Panchen Lamas, is the sixth incarnation of the Jiamuyang. Every day, thousands come to the monastery for pilgrims.
In the morning, start your visit to Labrang for pilgrims as most people do. We drop in its main hall, the six colleagues and communicate with the monks.
In the afternoon, explore around the monastery or drive out of the town to the grassland.
Overnight Labrang Civil Aviation Hotel
Day 4 Labrang to Langmusi
Langmusi, actually is a town instead of a temple as most people thought. It is located on the border of Gansu and Sichuan. Meanwhile, it is also a meeting place of Muslim and Buddhism. The Ge’erdi Monastery in Sichuan and Saichi Monastery in Gansu are nestling face to face across the running brook.
This morning, we drive from Labrang to Langmusi via Gahai, a lake with birds flying around.
En route, visit Milariba Pagoda.
Enjoy our leisure afternoon in Langmusi for exploration of the two temples.
Overnight Langmusi Hotel
Day 5 Langmusi to Tangke
The Yellow River has always been known as Yellow. But Tangke will change the dated impression of the Yellow river because it is so blue. And we fortunately can get up to the hill behind Jiazang temple to view all its bends in early morning on sunrise and later afternoon on sunset. The breath-taking scenery will be an unforgettable throughout your life.
This morning, depart Langmusi firstly for Huahu, the Flower Lake, where is a habit of birds and flowers, then drive to Tangke for the sunset over the blue winding river. And also today, we could enjoy a peaceful day in a small village nearby.
Overnight Yellow River Bay Hotel in Tangke
Day 6 Tangke to Hongyuan
After morning sunrise photo shooting in Tangke, drive to Waqie, another small village peacefully locates by a small brook. Enter a world of flying prayer flags of yellow, green, and mostly red in the sunshine shows up you a totally unbelievable world.
After Waqie, drive to Hongyuan in the inner area of Zoige marshy grassland.
Hongyuan, on the eastern edge of Tibetan Plateau, once was a stop of the red army on their rigorous and dangerous Long March in 1935, now is a small but prosperous town.
Overnight 318 Panorama hotel in Hongyuan
Day 7 Hongyuan to Barkham
The tributaries of the Gyarong converge in the rocky gorges of Trokhyab where you will drive through. Barkham (Ma’erkang) was one of the 18 small kingdoms of Gyarong up until 1949, and is today the capital of the Aba Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.
We will spend the day exploring small villages and take a short hike to hike to the Gyidruk Monastery, from where you can have a spectacular view of the villages below and get great shots of the scenery.
Overnight Jiarong Grand Hotel in Barkham
Day 8 Barkham to Rilong
Depart Barkham, drive along Fubian River to Rilong where you could take an intimate contact with Siguniang (Four Maids) Snow Mountains. Of course the sunset of the Siguniang Mountains is unspeakable beautiful. En route, come to visit some villages with architectures of typical Gyarong Tibetan.
Overnight Icedrock Bar Guest Hotel (Altitude 3600 meters)
Day 9 Rilong to Xinduqiao
Reluctantly to part Rilong, drive westwards to Danba where we could see more beautiful Gyarong villages. Followed the mountain pass of Yala holy mountain, overview Bamei village with pagodas and prayer flags. The 7th Dalai Lama once took sanctuary there.
In the afternoon, pass Tagong grassland with the fabulous view of Yala holy mountain as back ground.
Overnight Xinduqiao Muya Guest house
Day 10 Xinduqiao to Dartsedo (Kangding)
When the sun is rising over Yala mountain, it will remind you that why all the Chinese photographers name Xinduqiao area the Paradise of Photography.
After morning shooting, drive over Tsedo Mountain to Dartsedo (Kangding)
Dartsedo, or Kangding in Chinese, with rushing Tsedo River flows through the center, was an old Tibetan Province of Kham. As the capital of the Kantze Tibetan Ethnic Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan, Kangding now is a culturally rich area, home to several lamaseries in and around the city.
Overnight King Gesar Hotel in Kangding
Day11 Dartsedo (Kangding) to Hailougou
Today, drive of Dartsedo to Mugetso Lake where you would enjoy the alpine scenery with forest and lakes. Then drive to Hailuogou.
Hailuogou is a valley nestling down Minya Konka and believe to be one of the glaciers with lowest altitude of the world, where you spend a night in the tranquil valley and admire the sunset of the mountain if weather permits. Enjoy hot spring this evening.
En route, take a stop in Luding Iron Bridge which firstly was built in 1706, with nine iron chains spanning the roaring Dadu River.
Overnight Hailuogou Pearl Garden Hotel
Day 12 Hailuogou to Chengdu
Weather permitting, shoot sunrise over Minya Konka and then depart for Chengdu.
After driving 3 hours, wave goodbye to the gorges Hengduan Mountains and entered to Sichuan Basin.
We will get to Chengdu in the afternoon and check in hotel in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, the Kingdom of Abundance.
Enjoy Sichuan Hotpot as farewell dinner.
Overnight Sheraton Lido in Chengdu
Day 13 Depart Chengdu
Fly back home or to your next destination.
Trip ends.
