This adventurous journey leads you to some important monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism in east Tibet. You will be very impressed by the dense religious atmosphere, exotic custom, snow mountains, lakes, peculiar plants and rare wild animals in this highland.

15-day's tour with the following route:

Beijing - Lanzhou (2N) - Xiahe (1N) - Tongren (1N) - Xunhua – Lijiaxia (1N) – Guide - Tongde (1N) – Huashixia (1N) - Madoi - Yushu (2N) - Madoi – Huashixia (1N) - Koko Nor Lake (1N) - Kumbum - Xining (1N) - Beijing (1N)

Itinerary:

Day01 Beijing - Lanzhou (D)

In the morning arrival at Capital Airport in Beijing, then fly to Lanzhou (CA1221 1440/1645), transferred to hotel. Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu province, is in the middle of loess plateau of China and has long been an important city on the Silk Road in history. The Yellow river flows through the whole Gansu province. 2N at 3*Bauhinia Hotel

Day02 Lanzhou (B/L/D)

After the breakfast visit the grottos of 1000-Buddha's-temple in Bingling over the yellow river by boat. The grottos of the monastery are firstly built in 420AD. Figures here are older than those in Dunghuang-Grottos.

Day03 Lanzhou – Xiahe 280 km (B/L/D)

In the morning drive to Xiahe, which is 2,900 meters above the sea level and almost exclusively inhabited by Tibetans. In the afternoon visit Labrang monastery, the most important religious centre on the northeast border of the Tibet region. The monastery created in 1710, as one of the six grand monasteries in Tibet area, has served for centuries there to connect the Tibetan and Mongolian Lamaism. 1N at 2*Labuleng Xiling Hotel

Day04 Xiahe - Tongren 210 km (B/L/D)

Drive to Tongren, visit Longwu monastery of Gelukpa sect which was initially constructed in Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) as a monastery of Sakya-sect and Wutun village the center of Tibetan Regong-Art, which is a successful mixture of religion and folk art. 1N at simple Huangnan Hotel

Day05 Tongren – Xunhua – Lijiaxia (B/L/D)

On the way to Lijiaxia make a stop in Xunhua (the first station in Qinghai province), to visit the hometown of the 10th Panchan lama and especially the divine lucky tree. In the legend he was finally recognized as the "holy child" by help of recognition of the Poplar tree near the house his family lived. Upon arrive at Lijiaxia, take boat to visit the Achung Namdzong Monastery, Namdzong Nunnery, Benben Monastery and the Campola Forest Park with beautiful Danxia Landform(red cinnabar- like rock landform. Namdzong is one of Amdo's four main power-places called dzong or djung, designating natural chasms, which became famous meditation spots of Tibetan monks and are 'specifically symbolizing the mind aspect of Buddha-mind' (Gyurme Dorje). In a richly forested area surrounded by red earth pinnacles and steep mountain slopes, we find a number of monasteries and temples, all with some connection to the holy site. 1N at 2* Lijiaxia Hotel

Day06 Lijiaxia – Guide – Tongde (B/L/D)

Driving to Tongde via Guide while enjoying the fantastic landscape of Gobi (desert) and grassland. 1N at simple guesthouse

Day07 Tongde – Maqen (B/L/D)

Drive to Maqen, on the way visit the Ragya Monastery. Buddhist faith in the Ngolok area is predominantly imprinted by the teachings of the Nyingmapa order, which holds about 45 out of 63 monasteries in Ngolok Prefecture. Nevertheless, the most famous and most important monastic institution there is said to be the Gelugpa lamasery of Ragya Gompa) It is situated on the northern bank of the Yellow River. 1N at 2*Xueshan Hotel

Day08 Maqen – Huashixia (B/L/D)

Transfer to Huashixia, a village with beautiful white rock cliff on which grows dense green vegetations. Get a nice view to the majestic mountain Amnye Machen. 1N at simple Xueshan Guesthouse.

Day09 Huashixia – Madoi – Yushu (B/L/D)

Madoi, a small city in the upper reaches of the Yellow river. The Yellow river is the second longest river in China with a length of 5,464 km. It is just in Madoi that the Yellow river takes its original course. If time is enough, go to the source of the Yellow river. It is hard to believe that these small trickles have formed the great Yellow River. Across the first Bridge of Ma Chu( the Yellow River), get a view of the source of Ma Chu. The Zhujiesi Temple, belong to the Kagyu Sect tradition, completed in AD.1668, the biggest Lamasery in the Yushu(Jyekundo) area, today still shows great influence over the Amdo people. 2N at 3*Labusi Hotel

Day10 Yushu (Jyekundo) (B/L/D)

There are totally 43 monasteries in Yushu region, of which 12 belong to Sakya-sect, 8 to Gelukpa-sect, 2 to Nyingmapa-sect, 21 to Gagyuepa-sect. visit three monasteries in a whole day: Jiegu monastery of Sakya-sect,. Dongkar monastery of Gagyuepa-sect. Besides, it is worthwhile to visit monastery of Wencheng princess. In the legend the princess of Tang Dynasty once stayed in this monastery for a month.

Day11 Yushu – Madoi - Huashixia (B/L/D)

Leave for Huashixia, accompanied by beautiful landscape. On the way, see the most enormous Mani-stone in the earth – Jiana Mani-stones. In Xinzhai village the last lama named WenBaoJianGong of the Jiegu monastery had led his old life there and he promised to try his best to build as more Mani-stones as possible. Till 1955, 250 million Mani-stones had already been piled up on top of each other. In 1958 the lama came into Nirvana. Then arrive at Huashixia, a small village. 1N at Snow Mountain Guesthouse

Day12 Huashixia - Koko Nor Lake (B/L/D)

Drive to Koko Nor Lake, the pearl of the plateau. The Koko Nor lake, the biggest salty lake in China, with an area of 4,500 square kilometers and an altitude of 3,194m high above sea level. The big lake is acclaimed as "pearl on the highland" and the scenery of which is unusually fascinating and appears different shapes even at the same time. "Koko Nor" in Mongolian language means "blue sea” because of the lunar shape and the color of the lake. 1N at 2*Tent Hotel

Day13 Koko Nor Lake - Kumbum – Xining (B/L/D)

In the morning departure for Xining. On the way, we cross over Sun-and-Moon Mountain (Ri Yue Shan). In 641 Wencheng princess of Tang Dynasty passed by this mountain where today a sun-pavilion and a moon-pavilion are built on the summit for people to have a break. The Sun-and-Moon mountain has always been an distinguish line between meadow and agriculture area. Then drive to Kumbum Monastery (Ta'er Si) of Gelukpa-sect. It was built in 1560 in Huangzhong county and also one of the six grand monasteries in Tibet. Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Lamaistic "yellow hat sect", was born here. As Kumbum-monastery has always been playing an important role to connect the Mongolian with the Lamaism, today many Mongolian come to this place for worship. Then go to Xining, the capital of Qinghai province. This city is mainly inhabited with Tibetan but also a home of Uigur, Kazak and Hui minorities. 1N at 3*Xining Hotel

Day14 Xining – Beijing (B)

Free till transfer to airport, fly to Beijing (CA1208 1730/2000). Transfer to hotel. 1N at 3*Taiwan Hotel

Day15 Beijing – Home (B)

Free till transfer to airport, fly back home.