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*Minshan Lhasa Hotel Day02 Chengdu – Yaan – Kangding BLD Leave in the morning for Kangding. En route at Yaan, the famous rainy city, we will visit the Giant Panda Breeding Centre and Research Institute, the home to many giant pandas. In addition, we will make a short visit to the ancient town Shangli in an extremely serene and beautiful surroundings. In the mid afternoon we will drive cross the Tunnel of Erlang Mountain, the mountain was traditionally the natural limits of Han Chinese villages and the Tibetan communities. Arrive in Kangding, the capital of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and the important juncture of Tibetan and Han People in history. 1N at 3*Gesar Hotel Day03 Kangding – Xinduqiao – Tagong – Bamei – Danba BLD Cross over Zheduo Shan Pass (4298 m) to Xinduqiao, a small town on the road juncture where the northern route of Sichuan-Tibet Highway (Chengdu - Lhasa) and the southern route of Sichuan-Tibet Highway (Chengdu - Lhasa) meet. Drive to Tagong, visit the Lhagang Monastery (Tagong Si) of Sayka Sect, which is surrounded by three hills symbolizing three Bodhisattvas. Keep drive via Bamei to Danba (1900 m), the most beautiful village of China. The local people are called Gyarong (Jiarong) Tibetans. Overnight at a Tibetan family in Jiaju Village Day04 Danba – Rantang BLD In the morning visit the Jiaju Tibetan Residence. More than one hundred buildings keep the same architectural style with a complete and unique character of Gyarong (Jiarong) Tibetan residences. Under the blue sky, the Tibetan residences decorated in red, white and black are strewed at random but also in order from the bottom to the middle slope of the valley. Danba has long been acclaimed as the Kingdom of Thousands of Ancient Blockhouses. Visit the ancient block towers in village Suopo. In the afternoon drive to Rangtang (Dzamthang). On the way visit Sirin Kar Monastery, 30 km before arriving at Rangtang. Sirin Kar (si tin kar dgonpa) is an institution of the Karma-Kagyuepa order, having more than 300 monks under one incarnate lama's guidance. Late in the afternoon arrive in Rangtang. In Tibetan Rangtang means the Treasure God’s Flat Land. 2N at 2*Rangtang Hotel Day05 Rangtang BLD Visit Rangtang (Dzamthang) Monatsery, the chief institution of the Jonangpa order. Then drive to the nearby Nyingmapa lamasery Bangtuo. Bangtuo Si was already famous for the throngs of choerten built from the 17th century up to 1910. The oldest of the Bangtuo choerten was built in 1618 and shelters a small number of 17th century murals. Day06 Rangtang – Banma BLD Drive to Banma (Pema), about 12 km southeast of Pema county town, the historically oldest monastery of the whole Ngolok region is reached: Achonggya Gompa (Yaritang Si), the Ngolok's Jonangpa monastery with the longest history and one of the largest among them. Continue to drive to Cagri Gompa (Jiangritang Si), was only built in 1937, but due to its extraordinary features should be seen among the most remarkable sites in Ngolok. It is located southeast at the roadside about two to three kilometers after the bridge across Mar Chu river. This complex was constructed under the guidance of Khempo Ngaga and Baizha Lama of Kathog Monastery in Kham. 1N at simple Lotus Hotel Day07 Banma – Shim Tso Lake BLD After breakfast drive to Shim Tso Lake. On the way visit the Peyuel Darthang Ling (Baiyu Si). It is the fastest developing Nyingmapa monastery in the Ngolok grasslands. The history of the monastery dates back to 1857 when Gyatruel Lama of Peyuel Monastery in Kham, Pema Dongak Tendzin (1830-1891), came here for the first time to propagate the Buddhist Doctrine. Afterwards drive to visit the Longge Monastery, a subtemple belonging to Ragya Monastery. In the afternoon reach Shim Tso Lake, the start point for the trekking at holy mountain Nyenpo Yutse. Camping Day08-11 Trekking Shim Tso – Larza Tso – Marze Tso – Mardong Tso – Ngomu Tso BLD Four days trekking start from Shim Tso via Larza Tso, Marze Tso and Mardong Tso Lake to Ngomu Tso trekking ended here. The trekking will go through the core areas of Nyenpo Yutse: canyon, alp meadow, mountain pass, glacier, prayer flags and the tents of nomads. The beautiful scenes, unique life style of the nomads, strong atmosphere of the religion tell us the true significance of the trekking. Camping Day12 Ngomu Tso – Cigdril – Aba BLD Say goodbye to the trekking crew and the pack-yaks drive via Cigdril (Jiuzhi) to Aba (Ngawa). Like Banma and Jiuzhi Aba is also hometown of Ngolok people. Aba means people coming from Ngari in Tibetan. In this area all the sects of Tibetan Buddhism remain and exist in harmony. The warlike behaviour and the fact that almost extinct religious traditions - such as Boen and Jonangpa - had taken refuge in the greater Ngawa area, suggest reasons for an enduring religious diversity. The history of southeastern Amdo, which is quite different from both central Tibet and central Amdo, is not very well known so far. 2N at 2*Nianbaoyuze Hotel Day13 Aba BLD In the morning visit Kirti Monastery (Ge’erdeng Si) of Gelug Sect. Originally built in 1870, it has become the biggest monasteries in Kham-Amdo region of Sichuan after more than 100 years of development. After lunch drive to Nangshig Monastery, located at a hillside to the northeast of the Aba County. Nangshig Monastery is one of the biggest Bon monastery in China and has a history of about 900 years after it was built in 1107. Then visit the nunnery Jomo Gompa. Located at the Mami Mountain of Siwa Town six kilometers to the west of the county seat, the nunnery of Gelug Sect is the biggest one of its kind in Amdo-Kham regions. It was built in 1894 and has a history of more than 100 years. Day14 Aba – Miyaluo – Gu’ergou BLD Drive via Miyaluo to Gu’ergou. In the hotel in Gu’ergou you’ll enjoy bath in hot spring. 1N at 3*Wenquan Hotel Day15 Miyaluo – Taoping – Chengdu BLD In the morning leave for Chengdu. On the way visit Taoping, a Qiang People’s stocked village. The ancient Taoping village has a great appeal for the numerous experts and tourists with its old and wonderful fortress buildings. 1N at 4*Minshan Lhasa Hotel Day16 Leave Chengdu B Transfer to airport and see off.
|