Day01 Arrive in Chengdu Arrive in Chengdu, capital of province Sichuan, the home town of Panda. Picked up by the local guide at airport and transferred to hotel. 1N at 4*Tianfu Sunshine Hotel Day02 Chengdu – Leshan – Emei Shan BL In the morning leave for Leshan. On the way enjoy the beautiful countryside landscape of western Chengdu Plains during about two hour’s driving on the expressway. Upon arrival in Leshan visit the Grand Buddha in Lingyun Temple. The grand Buddha was completed in 803 of Tang Dynasty after 90 year’s construction and enjoys the fame of the biggest sitting stone sculpture in the world with a 71-meter height. Carved on the cliff face, the sculpture is well designed with perfect balance and effective water drainage system. After visit the Lingyun Temple and the Grand Buddha boating on the Minjiang River to see the front site of the Grand Buddha and the “hidden sleeping Buddha”. Afterwards head for Mt. Emei, the main ritual place of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (Puxian Pusa) and one of the four most celebrated Buddhism mountains in China. Visit Baoguo Si at the foot of Mt. Emei, the biggest temple in Emei Shan. 1N at 4*Wing of Hot Spring Hotel Day03 Emei Shan – Chengdu BL Early in the morning take the sightseeing bus to the Leidongping Bus Station along the 52-kilometer zigzag mountain road. Upon arrival, take the cable car to the Golden Summit. With an elevation of 3099 meters, if it is fine, you find your visions become broadened; the verdant forest waves surge along the mountain; Min River, Qingyi River and Dadu River are like three pieces of silk; Mt. Daxue and Mt. Gongga seem to stretch to the horizon; the sun emerges with all shimmering rays through the surging cloud. Lucky enough, the Buddhist light is available to see. After visit Huazang Si Temple and the golden statue of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (Puxian Pusa), take cable car and bus down to visit Wannian Si Temple, which is located at the waist of the mountain and accessible by cable car. The importance of the temple lies at not only its long history and glorious past, but also being just the main ritual place of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. Inside the Mongolian tent-shaped beamless brick hall is a 7.3-meter statue of Samantabhadra sitting on an elephant. After the visit walk down along the zigzagging mountain pass via Qiangyin Pavilion and the “One-Thread-Sky” to Wuxiangang Bus Station. Drive back to Chengdu. 1N at 4*Tianfu Sunshine Hotel Day04 Chengdu – Jiuzhaigou BLD In the morning drive to Chengdu Giant Panda Base of Breeding and Research. Founder in 1985, today there are over 50 giant panda living here. In the afternoon transfer to airport, fly to Jiuzhaigou (Nine-villages Valley), which is listed as a World Natrual Heritage and reputed as a “fairyland” with its fantastic natural view. It is named after the nine Tibetan villages in the scenic area. 2N at 4*Gesang Hotel Day05 Jiuzhaigou BLD Walking and sightseeing the whole day in three valleys of Jiuzhaigou (Nine-villages Valley). As the water, the “soul of Jiuzhaigou”, is purely and crystal-like clear and rich in colors, there goes the saying that no water is worth your attention after your visit to Jiuzhaigou. Day06 Jiuzhaigou – Huanglong, fly to Chengdu BL In the morning drive to visit the Huanglong (Yellow Dragon) Scenic Spot which is listed as a World Natural Heritage. Huanglong is marked by its low-temperature and highly calcified Karst landform, which forms numerous valuable colored ponds. In the afternoon transfer to airport, fly back to Chengdu. 1N im 4*Tianfu Sunshine Hotel Day07 Air Chengdu – Lhasa BL Take a morning flight to Lhasa (3650m), the capital of Tibet, transfer to hotel. In the afternoon, visit the beautiful Ani Sangkhung Nunnery. There are plants everywhere and it feels like you are in a garden in the middle of the city. In the nunnery there is a little shop where they print prayer books. If the nuns are working on it you are welcome inside to see how it is done. 3N at 3*Thangka Hotel Day 08 Lhasa BL In the morning visit Potala, which was originally constructed in 637 by Songtsen Gampo, the first king of the united Tibet, and later expanded and served as the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas as well as the religious-political nexus of traditional Tibet. The crowds of pilgrims, innumerable magnificent murals, Buddhist statues, scriptures and rare treasures altogether create a dense religious and art atmosphere that impresses every visitor. In the afternoon visit Jokhang monastery, the center of the Tibetan Buddhism and the sacred land of Buddhist followers where thousands of pilgrims come for worship everyday. The temple, built in 647, is the earliest wood-and-masonry structure still existing in Tibet. Walk on the Barkhor street surrounding Jokhang, a big free market with its prolific stalls for selling local specialties. Day09 Lhasa BL In the morning visit Drepung monastery the sacred land of Gelug Sect., which was established in 1416 and the second, third and fourth Dalai Lama once resided in. Afterwards visit Norbulinka, the summer residence of the Dalai Lamas. In the afternoon visit Sera monastery, which was created in 1419 and has always been an important Buddhist seminary. As rose are planted everywhere in the monastery, it is also called “the court of wild rose”. Today still 200 lamas live in there. The "Buddhism Scriptures Debate" in Sera is very famous. Day10 Lhasa – Yamdrok Lake – Gyantse – Shigatse BL In the morning drive to Gyantse along the Kyichu River. On the Kamba La (4.796 m) have a fantastic view of the holy lake of Yamdrok Yumtso (4441 m), one of the three holy lakes in Tibet and the largest habitat of waterfowls in south Tibet. Pass by the 5.010 m high Karo La and the Simi La to Gyantse (approx. 3.900 m). In the afternoon visit Pelkor Chode Monastery as well as the splendid Kumbum Stupa (100-Thousand-Buddha Pagoda) nearby, both of them built in the15th century and situated in the northwestern edge of Gyantse. This typical Tibetan Buddhist monastery is the only one large building complex in Tibet that old monastery and stupas are completely preserved and characterized as a monument. It is recorded14,000 kilograms of copper was used to make the 8-meter-high sitting statue of Sakyamuni Buddha housed in the grand hall of the temple. The 8-storey stupa is 42m high and 62m in diameters contains a total of 76 chapels with wonderful murals revered by art scholars around the world. In the afternoon drive about 90 kilometers to Shigatse (3880m), the second largest city with 40,000 inhabitants in Tibet and the traditional capital of the Tsang. 1N at 3*Manasarovar Hotel Day11 Shigatse – Lhasa BL In the morning visit Tashilunpo monastery of Gelug Sect, the seat of the Panchen Lama built in 1447 and one of the six grand monasteries in Tibet. The monastery houses a giant statue of the Maitreya Buddha, the biggest gilded statue of Maitreya (Buddha of the future) in China, and a tomb of the 4th Panchen Lama containing masses of jewels and gold. In Tibet Buddhism, Panchen Lama is just the reincarnation of Maitreya Buddha. Today 600 monks live in the monastery. In the afternoon drive back to Lhasa. 1N at 3*Thangka Hotel Day12 Leave Tibet B Transfer to the airport or the railway station, leave Tibet.
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