8 Days Overland Tour Qinghai-Gannan-Ruo'ergai-Jiuzhaigou Valley-Chengdu

Trip Length

8 Days

Route

Xining-Xiahe-Songpan-Jiuzhaigou-Mao county-Chengdu

Attractions

This tour is similar to the 6 days Qinghai-Gannan-Sichuan tour. The only difference is the last part is focused on the Jiuzhaigou Valley, the Fairy Paradise on the earth for its pure land with crystal lakes and waterfalls, virgin forests, rare animals, and birds.

Itinerary Day by Day

Day 1: Arrive in Xining

Today's highlights:

Transfer from airport/train station to hotel

Details:

Arrive in Xining Caojiabao Airport by air or Xining Railway Station by train. Our guide in Xining will pick you up, and transfer to your hotel to check in.

Day 2: Xining-Qinghai Lake-Xining

Today's highlights:

Jinyintan Prairie, Qinghai Lake, Birds Island

Details:

Drive to Jinyintan Prairie to appreciate the beauty of highland grassland. Jinyintan Prairie comprised of 2 prairies, Jin Tan and Yin Tan. These two prairies cover nearly 1,100 square kilometers. Head to Qinghai Lake, also called Koko Nor in Mongolian through Riyue mountain pass (The Sun and the Moon mountain). It is the biggest inland salt lake in China . The most charming and attractive places in Qinghai Lake are the Birds Island and Rape Flowers Sea.

Day 3: Xining-Ta'er Monastery-Xiahe Labrang Monastery

Today's highlights:

Ta'er Monastery, Xiahe Labrang Monastery

Details:

Visit Ta'er Monastery in the morning. It's the birth place of the founder of the Yellow Sect (also called Gelu Sect) Tsong Khapa. In the Tibetan language, Ta'er Monastery is called "gongben" which means 100, 000 figures of Buddha. Ta'er monastery is famous for its butter sculptures, the barbolas, and the murals.

Drive directly to Xiahe. 1km west away from Xiahe county is Labrang Monastery, together with Tibet's Drepung, Sera, Ganden, Tashilumpo monastery and Qinghai Ta'er monastery, they are the six grand monasteries belonging to Gulug (Yellow Hat). Labrang Monastery has a large scale second only to the Potala Palace.

Day 4: Xiahe-Sangke Prairie-Flower Lake (Hua Hu)-Songpan

Today's highlights:

Sangke Prairie, Langmu Monastery, Flower Lake (Hua Hu Marsh)

Details:

Get up early to go through Sangke Prairie to arrive at Langmu Monastery and Gerdi Monastery via Luqu. Langmu is on the border of Gansu and Sichuan Province. There, you can find the sky burial ground, the only place we can visit the special ceremony of the Tibetans and Mortal Body Bodhisattva which has been existing for 300 years, but still lifelike.

Drive to Flower Lake (Huahu Marsh) famed for its flowers growing under water. It's a nature reserve for protection of black-necked cranes. This is the largest and flattest marsh prairie in China.

Drive to Songpan for accommodation

Day 5: Songpan-Huanglong-Jiuzhaigou Valley

Today's highlights:

Huanglong Scenic Area

Details:

We enter into Huanglong (Yellow Dragon) Scenic Area in Songpan. The most remarkable scene in the area is the Huanglong Valley noted for its unique open karst landscape. The main attraction of the valley is the 3.6-kilometer-long and 30 to 70-meter-wide pale yellow calcareous deposits. The water is crystal clear. The mineral deposits at the lake bottom look like jadeite and agate - magnificent and beautiful. The Huanglong Temple is situated on the top of the scenic area. South of the temple is Xuebaoding, the main peak of the snow-capped Minshan Mountain. Rising 5,588 meters above sea level, it is covered in snow all year round.The scenic area was made a world natural heritage site in 1992.

Day 6: Full day sightseeing in Jiuzhaigou Valley

Today's highlights:

Jiuzhagou Valley

Details:

Head to the Jiuzhaigou portal and transfer to Jiuzhaigou non-pollution bus, visit Shuzheng and Zezawa Valley; Pearl Sands and Shuzheng Waterfall; Shuzheng, Panda, Chang, Rainbow, Tiger, Rhinoceros Lake and the Tibetan mills. The countryman's local Tibetan culture show is available in evening (optional, self paied).

Day 7: Second visit to Jiuzhaigou

Today's highlights:

Jiuzhaigou Valley

Details:

Enter the Valley in the early morning to enjoy the fresh air (open time 08:00 a.m). Please remember to take the yestaday's entrance ticket ,enjoy your whole day in the Jiuzhaigou Valley.

Day 8: Jiuzhaigou Valley-Mao County-Chengdu

Today's highlights:

Transfer to airport or drive directly to Chengdu

Details:

After breakfast leave the valley for Chengdu by air or bus.

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