15 Days Tour to Yushu Horse Racing Festival

Trip Length

15 Days

Route

Xining-Mardo-Jyekundo(Yushu)-Shiqu-Derge-Baiyu-Ganzi-Daofu-Tagong-Rilong-Wolong-Chengdu

Attractions

Ta’er Monastery, Gyanha Mani Stone Piles, Litang Monastery,Yushu Horse Racing Festival, Seashuel Monastery, Dzochen Monastery, Dzochen Five Sciences Academy of Buddhism Study, Xinlu Lake, Derge Scriptures Printing Hall, Baiyu Monastery, Danba Village, Mt. Siguniang, Panda Feeding Center

Itinerary Day by Day

Day 1: Arrive in Xining

Today's highlights:

Airport/train station transfer to hotel

Details:

Arrive in Xining by train or air. Our guide will meet you, and pick you up at the airport or train station to transfer to your hotel. Stay overnight in Xining.

Day 2: Xining-Mardo

Today's highlights:

Ta'er Monastery, Mardo Yellow River Bridge

Details:

After breakfast leave Xining in the early morning, visit Ta'er monastery, the Kumbum monastery to Gelupa founder: Tsongkaba; drive directly to Mardo from Huangzhong county after lunch; set up tripods to shoot pretty pictures at Mardo Yellow River Bridge; the first bridge over Yellow River.

Day 3: Mardo-Jyekundo (Yushu)

Today's highlights:

Bayanka-Lha Mountain Pass, Gyanha Mani Stone Piles

Details:

Drive around 7 hours to reach Jyekundo (Yushu); on the way, drive over the Bayanka-Lha mountain pass (5,249m) Yushu is the political and economic center to Yushu prefecture. Before going into Yushu town, visit Gyanha Mani Stone Piles.

Day 4: Sightseeing in Jyekundo (Yushu)

Today's highlights:

Dangkha Monastery, Litang Monastery

Details:

Sightseeing in and around Jyekundo. Visit Dangkha monastery and Litang monastery at Litang village

Day 5: Yushu Horse Racing Festival

Today's highlights:

Yushu Horse Racing Festival

Details:

Join the Yushu Horse Racing Festival celebration and participate in the local activities.

Day 6: Yushu Horse Racing Festival

Today's highlights:

Yushu Horse Racing Festival, Princess Wencheng Temple

Details:

Morning time spent at the festival and celebrating activities. In the afternoon, festival sightseeing and a visit of Princess Wencheng Temple.

Day 7: Jyekundo (Yushu)-Shiqu-Dzochen

Today's highlights:

Seashuel Monastery, Dzochen Five Sciences Academy of Buddhism Study

Details:

Leaving in the early morning, visit Seashuel monastery before arrival in Shiqu. Go on towards Manigange. Visit Dzochen monastery and Dzochen Five Sciences Academy of Buddhism Study on the way.

Day 8: Dzochen-Derge

Today's highlights:

Xinlu Lake, Derge Scriptures Printing Hall, Gengqing Monastery

Details:

Drive over Cholha mountains to reach Derge. Derge is said to be the home of Khambha people and the birth palce of King Gesar, the legendary hero of Kham people. At Manigange, we will visit Xinlu Lake (4,040m), close to the lake is the base camp for climbing Cholha mountain. Arrive at Derge to visit the famous Derge Scriptures Printing Hall, and only 5 mintues' walk we could see Gengqing monastery.

Day 9: Derge-Baiyu

Today's highlights:

Katoc Monastery, Barbang Monastery, Baiyu Monastery, Jinshajiang River

Details:

Leave Derge early as the best time for photo taking on this highland is in the morning and in the late afternoon that you can avoid strong sunshine and hot weather. On the way to Baiyu, you go and visit Katoc monastery (Gatuo Si) at Hepo village and Barbang monastery (Ba Bang Si). In July, the road to the two monasteries will be very hard due to mosoon. If time allowed, you can go and visit Baiyu monastery for photo taking. Baiyu town is built along the river, the view is marvelous. On your way down to Baiyu from Derge, you will be driving along the famous Jinshajiang River, the upper reach of Yangtse River.

Day 10: Baiyu-Ganzi

Today's highlights:

Small lakes on the way to Ganzi, Ganzi Monastery

Details:

Get up early to go out for photography, the driver could send you to the place where you like to take pictures. On your way to Ganzi, you will drive over grand rocky mountains and see beautiful small lakes scattered on the highland. Upon your arrival in Ganzi, you will be sent to pay a visit to Ganzi monastry and take photos at Ganzi monastery, which overlooks the city. Between your hotel and the monastery are huge stretched villages and house built by old style.

Day 11: Ganzi-Daofu-Tagong

Today's highlights:

White Pagodas, Tagong Monastery, Tajin Temple

Details:

On the way to Tagong, you pass by Luhuo and Daofu, there is a monastery at Luhuo town, but it will take about 1 hour to reach; at Daofu, you can see white pagodas in the countryside. Tagong is a very interesting and pretty place, where you can visit Tagong monastery (Sakya order) and watch snow capped mountains and shining Tajin temple.

Day 12: Tagong-Rilong

Today's highlights:

Danba, Guozhuangping

Details:

Drive to Rilong, on the way pay a visit to Local tower-style buildings at Danba. In the sunset time, we go to Guozhuangping for picture shooting; Guozhuangping is the best place to appreciate the four peaks of Mt. Siguniang.

Day 13: Rilong

Today's highlights:

Mount Siguniang

Details:

It's optional for you to visit Shuangqiaogou Valley or Haizigou Valley.

Day 14: Rilong-Wolong-Chengdu

Today's highlights:

Wolong Giant Panda Breeding Center, Dujiangyan Irrigation System

Details:

Drive to Wolong to visit Giant Panda Breeding Center. Then, another 160 kilometers drive. Between Wolong and Chengdu downtown is Dujiangyan where a hydraulic and irrigation project is famous through the world for its history and its lasting function on irrigating farmland since its construction in 250 B.C. It's optional to visit it or not. In the late afternoon, we get to Chengdu, check into the booked hotel. Rest time is free.

Day 15: Leave Chengdu

Today's highlights:

Hotel shuttle to airpor or train station

Details:

Our guide will meet you at your hotel. You will be transferred to airport or train station to take the flight or train to next destination.

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