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 Nomads Festival in Litang.
Adventure in Kham and Amdo – Ganzi and Aba.
Gyarong Tibetan and Qiang-Minority.
Tibetan Buddhismus: Gelug Sect, Sakya Sect, Nyingma Sect, Karma-Kagyuepa Sect, Jonang Sect.
Bon monastery.
Panda in Wolong.
During this journey, you experience Kham and Amdo Tibetan religion, culture and people as well as beautiful natural scenery in Garze and Aba prefectures, the Kham and Amdo Tibetan areas in province Sichuan.
Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture is located on the South-eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau, in the western part of Sichuan Province. It has 18 counties covering an area of 153,000 square kilometers with a population of 890,000. The capital is Kangding. Garze Prefecture is the center of the Kham region-one of the three branches of Tibetan Culture. It is also the center of the Shangri-La ecological travel region, which include parts of Sichuan, Yunnan and Tibet. As Wei Ciao’an says, “In this place the very best of natural sights and national cultures of China are collected. It is a world class travel destination.” Garze is the center of tea trade, the hometown of the famous Kangding Love Song, and of Tibetan cultural hero King Gesar. It is a gallery of local cultures and history.” As Fei Xiaotong says, “This gallery is located between the Tibetan and Yi Cultures. There are many exciting historical artifacts. The area should be considered a precious preserve of history and linguistic.” Garze Prefecture is the closet Tibetan area to Chengdu.
Aba Tibetan and Qiang prefecture lies near the east southern edge of Qinghai-Tibet plateau, in the northwest of Sichuan province, at 10031’-104027’E and 30°25’-34°19’N, mastering 13 counties: Wenchuan, Li, Miao, Jinchuan, Xiaojin, Ma’erkang, Aba, Ruo’ergai, Hongyuan, Rangtang, Songpan, Jiuzhaigou,and Heshui, with an area of 83,426 square kilometers and a population of 820,000. It enjoys the charming natural landscape, the exotic minority custom and the rich tourism resources. It boasts for its numerous hot spots including Juizhaigou Valley - the Fairy Land, Huanglong Scenic Spot, both of which have been recognized as the Natural Heritages of the World by the UNESCO; the state-level scenic spot Siguniang Shan Mountain in Xiaojin County; Miyaluo Red Leaves and hot springs scenic spot; Kalonggou Valley scenic spot in Heishui County; Hongyuan Grassland, Diexi - Songping scenic resort, the natural preserves of Baihe, Wujiao, Baodinggou, Baiyang, Xiaman; Zhuokeji tusi (local chieftain) official village; Zhibuo blockhouses; Songpan ancient walls; the relics of Lianghekou Meeting in Xiaojin, Mao’ergai Meeting in Songpan and Baxi Meeting in Ruo’ergai, all of which are important meetings in the history of the CCP; Hongyuan martyr graveyard; the Long March Monuments Garden of the Red Army in Songpan, and so on. And it is famous for its colorful festivals and unique Tibetan and Qiang lives and customs, including Yellow Dragon Temple Fair, festivals on Tibetan calendar, Walking Around Mountain Festival, Lighting Lanterns Festival, festivals in Qiang calendar, Worshipping Mountain Festival, Girls Festival, and many other pageants. Many rare animals live there, including giant pandas, golden monkeys, roes, deer, bears and panthers.
Itinerary:
28.07. Arrive in Chengdu (D)
Upon arrival at Chengdu airport, meet with guide and transfer to hotel. 1N at 3*Xinliang Hotel
29.07. Chengdu - Danba (B/L/D)
In the morning leave Chengdu for Danba. On the way visit the Wolong Giant Panda Natural Reserve where about 50 giant pandas are bred in a semi-natural environment. After lunch at Wolong, drive to cross the foggy Balang Mountain (4,523 meters) and reach Rilong Town which is located at the foot of the Siguniangshan Mountain. If it is clear, far view the four peaks of the Siguniang Shan Mountain, the highest one Forth-Girl Peak of which is acclaimed as the "queen of mountains in Sichuan” with an altitude of 6250 m. Via Xiaojin County, head for Danba County (1900 m.) The local people are called Jiarong Tibetans. It is said that they are the descendants of the people of the ancient Xixia Kingdom, who merged with the local people after they fled from Gansu and settled here. Danba has long been acclaimed as the Kingdom of Thousands of Ancient Blockhouses. 1N at 2*Danba Hotel
30.07. Danba – Bamei - Xinduqiao (B/L/D)
In the morning visit the ancient block towers in Suopo. They were made of clay and block and look fine from outside with solid thick walls; and then visit the Jiaju Tibetan Hamlet. Jiajv, 10 kilometers away from the county city, is one of the rare places in China that has preserved complete Tibetan style residences. More than one hundred buildings keep the same architectural style with a complete and unique character of 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. Afterwards Head for Bamei and Tagong Grasslands and visit Lhagang Monastery of Sayka Sect, which is surrounded by three hills symbolizing three Budhisattvas. It is said that the blessing of a reserved Jowo Shakyamuni image left by Wencheng Princess in this monastery to the pilgrims resembles that of seeing the Lhasa Jowo Shakyamuni image itself. In the late afternoon reach Xinduqiao, a small but import town at the juncture of the North and South Sichuan-Tibet Highway. 1N at Baijiale Guesthouse
31.07. Xinduqiao - Litang (B/L/D)
Cross over Mt. Gaoershi. Have lunch at Yajiang, a small county at the foot of the mountain. Keep on driving to Litang after the crossing of the Mt. Jianzhi Wan and Mt. Kazila. During the first week of August (01/08 - 07/08.) in every year, a grand horse-racing festival takes place on the vast Maoya Grassland here. Upon arrival at the “High City of the World”(4,014 meters), visit Litang monastery lying in the western suburbs of the city. The monastery, also called Changqingchunker in Tibetan meaning Maitreya-Holy Wheel Temple in Chinese. As the most important temple of Gelug Sect in the south of the Kham region, It was originally under the control of the Bon religion but converted into a Gelug Sect monastery in 1580 in the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) by the third Dalai Lama. 3N at simple Guesthouse
01.-02.08. Litang (B/L/D)
Among all the traditional Tibetan festivals, horseracing is almost a must. It is common to select the group leader by means of horseracing and martial arts competition in ancient times when fights were frequent. The Litang Horseracing Festival is held on the first of August and lasts about 7 days. Currently the traditional festival has further developed. Besides the traditional horseracing, other activities like horsemanship, singing, dancing, national costume show, etc. have become part of the grand festival. Large-scale material exchange also takes place during the festival. During the two days we will take part in the festival.
03.08. Litang – Xinlong - Garze (B/L/D)
Drive to Xinlong by the zigzag path in Hengduanshan Mountain Ranges, which stretches from north to south at the east edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Out of windows of the vehicle, snow mountains, glaciers and highland lakes, green meadow with little wild animals, herds of cattle and the tents of herdsmen, the remains of primitive forest, lush wild flowers by the river, and the Tibetan villages scattered look like a magic picture. After have lunch at Xinlong, keep on driving to Garze. Upon arrival, visit Garze Monastery of Yellow Sect (Gelug). The temple was built in1552 by Jvji Angwengpencuo, the disciple of the Fifth Dalai Lama. 1N at 2* Golden Yak Hotel
04.08. Garze – Manigango - Dege (B/L/D)
In the morning pass by Managing to visit Xinluhai Lake. Located at the foot of Queer Mountain in Dege County, Xin luhai Lake Scenic Spot is 98 kilometers from Ganzi County and 100 kilometers from Dege County. It is 4040 meters above sea level, with an average depth of 10 meters and a maximum depth of 15 meters. There are plateau spruces, firs, Chinese weeping cypresses, azaleo trees and meadows around the lake. It is also a preserve for wild animals like white-lipped deer. Afterwards get across the steep Chola Mountain, the highest peak of which is 5,650 meters. Upon arrival in Dege visit the Printing House has always been well reputed as the “Cultural Treasury at the Foot of the Snow Mountain.” As the national leading protected entity of cultural relics, it is the biggest printing house in Tibetan area. 1N at 2*Chola Hotel
05.08. Dege - Pelyul (B/L/D)
Today drive along the Golden Sand River the upper reaches of Yangtze River to Pelyul. Upon arrival visit Pelyul Monastery of Nyingma Sect. 1N at 2*Shaluli Hotel
06.08. Pelyul – Garze - Luhuo (B/L/D)
Leave for Ganze via Haizi Shan. On the way appreciate the snow mountains and vast grasslands. In the afternoon reach Luhuo, which was called "Huoer zhanggu" In the past. In Tibetan, "Huoer" means Mongolians and Zhanggu on the mountain rock. 1N at 2*Kasa Hotel
07.08. Luhuo - Rangtang (B/L/D)
After breakfast head for Rangtang. After crossing the high Laowozeshan Mountain visit Sirin Kar Monastery (Zeng Ke Si) of the Karma-Kagyuepa order, having more than 300 monks under one incarnate lama's guidance. With an elevation of 3,285 meters above sea level and covering an area of 6,600 square kilometers, Rangtang County has a population of about 30,000. Of the total population, Tibetans accounts for 80 percent and the rest are Han people, Huis and Qiangs. In Tibetan Rangtang means the Treasure God’s Flat Land. 1N at 2*Rangtang Hotel
08.08. Rangtang - Aba (B/L/D)
In the morning drive on gravel road to Aba. On the way visit Rangtang Temple 60 kilometers away from the county seat, the biggest monastery of the Jonang Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Belonging to Dadanpingchuo Monastery in U area, it is composed of three monasteries: Quji, Zhebuji and Zangwa built separately in 1307, in 1367 and in the 17th century. Though being close to each other, the three small temples have their own scripture halls, sermon halls, practice halls, printing houses and monk quarters and carry out activities independently. Another program is Bangtuo, a monastery pf Nyingma Sect under the Provincial level protection. Originally built in Yuan Dynasty, the temple has preserved the stupas built in Ming and Qing dynasty. No. one stupa of the five ones in the temple is 32 meters high covering an area of 90.25 square meters. Another wonder of the temple is its stone carvings of scriptures, about 500,000 pages of Tibetan Buddhist sutra carved on flat stones. The endless grasslands and beautiful valleys indicate that we are just driving on the vast Northwest Grassland of Sichuan. Aba means people coming from Ngari in Tibetan. In this area all the sects of Tibetan Buddhism remain and exist in harmony. 2N at 2*Jingu Hotel
09.08. Aba (B/L/D)
In the morning visit Gelden Monastery 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. Covering an area of 1.8 square kilometers, this monastery is well famed for its seven-storey white pagoda, 39 meters high with a square base 25 meters long each side. After that visit Nangyi Monastery, located at a hillside to the northeast of the Aba County. Nangyi Monastery is one of the biggest Bon monastery in China and has a history of about 900 years after it was built in 1107. The monastery is very strong in economy and the temple halls are built and decorated magnificently. Besides, its differences from Buddhism in religious rituals and taste of art have a great appeal to people.
10.08. Aba – Miyaluo – Gu’ergou (B/L/D)
Drive to via Miyaluo to Gu'ergou, where you can enjoy bath in the hotspring. 1N at 3*Wenquan Villa Hotel
11.08. Miyaluo - Chengdu 263 Km (B/L/D)
In the morning leave for Chengdu. Upon arrival of Wenchuan County, visit Taoping Qiang People’s Stocked Village, 16 kilometers far away from Lixian County. The ancient Taoping Village has a great appeal for the numerous experts and tourists with its odd and wonderful fortress buildings. The bottom parts of these tower-shaped buildings are in width and length, and then upon them the main bodies become contracted storey by storey, which makes the building operated by means of centripetal force and become firm. These blockhouses are over ten floors and can be regarded as the skyscrapers of the old times. Built by lying stones, the outside edges of every stone are sharp while every side of the tower looks flat and straight. Though they have had experienced as long as one thousand years, they do not collapse and keep steady. That is why people acclaim them as the peak of perfection among the same kinds of buildings. Afterwards drive to Dujiangyan City to visit the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, which was built around 250 BC by Libin, a governor of Shu Prefecture in Qin State. The great project still works well today after more than two thousand year’s function, which not only puts an end of the water disaster to the local people but also makes Chengdu Plain “the land of abundance”. While visiting the water conservation work, you may find that the methods of harnessing the river the ancient people used are so simple but useful. In the afternoon reach Chengdu. 1N at 3*Xinliang Hotel
12.08. Chengdu - Home (B)
Free until transfer to airport, fly back home.
Included:
1. 15N (N=overnight) accommodation at hotels and guesthouses based on two persons sharing one standard twin room.
2. Full board service as specified. (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner).
3. All transfers, excursions, overland trips, sightseeing tickets.
4. English speaking guide.
Excluded:
1. China visa.
2. Air tickets and airport tax.
3. Tip to guide and driver.
4. Personal expenses.
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