Experience Tagong Mask Dance Festival and Litang Horse Racing Festival 2020

Home > Viaje al Festival del Tíbet • Festival Tour in Tibetan Areas Kham and Amdo

9 Days Private Tour Chengdu – Dujiangyan – Wolong – Siguniang Shan – Danba – Tagong – Litang – Xinduqiao - Kangding – Luding - Chengdu

This is a special traditional festival tour, we will experience the mask dance (Cham) festival of Tagong Si Monastery (Lhagang) and the horse racing festival in Litang in the east Tibetan area Kham of western Sichuan.

The main natural scenery and cultural elements of east Tibetan area Kham are planned in program.

Highlights

Experience Tagong Mask Dance Festival and Litang Horse Racing Festival 2020

Itinerary

Itinerary
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DAY
1

27.07.2020 Arrive in Chengdu

Home town of panda. Kuanzhai Xiangzi, drink tea in People’s Park

Arrive in Chengdu, capital of province Sichuan, the home town of Panda. Pick up and transfer to hotel. In the afternoon stroll in the beautiful old block of Chengdu - Wide Alley and Narrow Alley (Kuan Xiangzi and Zhai Xiangzi), they are the relics of the Manchurian garrison since 1718 and consist of 3 parallel lanes with the old classical houses, which are unique in southern China just like the northern Chinese architectural style presented by Hutong. After a careful renovation in June 2008, the pubs, teahouses, restaurants and guesthouses concentrate here, and in no time at all, it becomes the "lobby of leisure capital Chengdu". A walk here gives you a first impression of the "city of loafers". Then visit the People’s Park in the city center, have a seat in an old teahouse, enjoy your covered-bowl tea in a comfortable environment with bamboo chair and bamboo table, the tea culture of Chengdu is well known throughout China.

Overnight at 4*Xinliang Hotel

Tea House in People’s Park

DAY
2

28.07.2020 Chengdu - Dujiangyan - Wolong - Siguniang Shan Town

Dujiangyan Irrigation System, Shenshuping Panda Base, Sunset of Mt. Siguniangshan

In the morning we drive to Dujiangyan to visit the Irrigation System, which was built around 250 BC by Li Bin, 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 2000, Dujiangyan became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then drive to Wolong National Nature Reserve. 52 km long from east to west and 62 km wide from south to north, the whole area is 200,000 hm². It is one of the China earliest natural reverses, which is rated the preservation zones network of “mankind and living beings” by the Organization of Education, Science and Culture of United Nations (UNESCO). The virgin forest, second bush forest and bamboo groves are very green. There are over 4,000 kinds of high-level plants, 24 kinds of them are valuable plants, such as Gongtong (Chinese dove tree), red China fir, Lianxiang and so on. There are more than 450 kinds of vertebras, 45 kinds of them are rated national focal preserved animals, such as giant panda, golden monkeys, antelopes, white-mouth deer etc. The natural beautiful scene is quiet and secluded. Visit the Shenshuping Panda Base in Wolong, about 50 pandas live here, it is the largest breeding center for giant pandas, integrating scientific research, feeding, breeding, reproduction, wildness training, etc. Then drive through the Balang Shan tunnel. If the weather is good, we can enjoy the great panoramic view of Mt. Siguniang at Maobiliang at sunset.

200 km
4 hours
Overnight at Yunshang Hotel

Breakfast

Sunset of Mt. Siguniangshan

DAY
3

29.07.2020 Siguniang Shan Town – Danba

Sunrise of Mt. Siguniang, Shuangqiao Valley, Wori Tusi Manor, Tibetan village Jiaju

If the weather is good, you’ll get early to enjoy the great panoramic view of Mt. Siguniang (Four Sisters Mountain) at Maobiliang at sunrise. And then visit the Shuangqiao Valley in the Siguniang Mountain. Afterwards drive to visit Wori Tusi Manor, the former official residence of the local Tusi, a kind of imperial kingship leader. After that drive to visit Tibetan village Jiaju, the most beautiful village of China. In Danba, the local people are called Jiarong (Gyarong) Tibetans. Walking and visit in the Jiaju village. 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 school from the bottom to the middle slope of the valley.

110 km
2 hours 26 minutes
Overnight at Jiarongsangzhukang Hotel

Breakfast

Tibetan Village Jiaju

DAY
4

30.07.2020 Danba - Bamei - Tagong (3729 m)

Block towers in Suopo, Huiyuan Temple, Gyergo Nunnery and the grand mani wall of Hepingfahui, sunset of Yala Mountain

Danba has long been acclaimed as the Kingdom of Thousands of Ancient Blockhouses. 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. Then drive to Bamei, on the way visit the Huiyuan Temple and the beautiful villages. Upon arrival at Tagong, visit the impressive Gyergo Nunnery and the grand mani wall of Hepingfahui. And from the hillside next to the Muya Golden Pagoda, you can enjoy the panoramic view of the Zhara Lhatse (5.820 m, also Jara or Yala), when the weather is good, the scenery at sunset is especially spectacular.

117 km
2 hours 43 minutes
Overnight at Duwang Hotel

Breakfast

Nunnery of Hepingfahui in Tagong

DAY
5

31.07.2020 Tagong

Mask dance (Cham) festival in Lhagang Monastery

Today watch the mask dance in Lhagang Monastery (Tagong Si) of Sayka Sect. And visit Lhagang Monastery (Tagong Si) 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 the Lhasa Jowo Shakyamuni image in Lhasa.

Overnight at Duwang Hotel

Breakfast

Mask Dance in Lhagang Monastery (Tagong Si)

DAY
6

01.08.2020 Tagong - Xinduqiao – Litang (4014 m)

Sunrise of Yala Mountain, Mask dance (Cham) festival in Lhagang Monastery

If the weather is good, enjoy the beautiful landscape of sunrise of Yala Mountain. Then watch the mask dance in Lhagang Monastery (Tagong Si) of Sayka Sect. In the afternoon dive to Litang, arrival in the “world highland city" Litang (4014 m) which is the homeland of 7th Dalai Lama.

225 km
4 hours 32 minutes
Overnight at Litang Snow Love Song Hotel

Breakfast

Mask Dance in Lhagang Monastery (Tagong Si)

DAY
7

02.08.2020 Litang

Horse Racing Festival in Litang, Litang Monastery

In the morning visit Changqingchunke'er Monastery (also admits as Litang Si monastery) in the western suburb. The Litang Monastery, developed by the 3.th Dalai Lama in the year 1580, today, becomes the largest monastery of the Gelukpa Sect in south Kham. In late July or early August, the Litang Horse Racing Festival will be held in Litang and lasted about 7 days, which attracts many domestic and foreign visitors. This afternoon, you’ll may have the opportunity to take part in the Litang Horse Racing Festival. 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.

Overnight at Litang Snow Love Song Hotel

Breakfast

Horse Racing Festival in Litang

DAY
8

03.08.2020 Litang – Xinduqiao (3460 m)

Horse Racing Festival in Litang

In the morning take part in the Litang Horse Racing Festival. In the afternoon drive to Xinduqiao, the “Paradise of Photographers”, 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. When the weather is good, you can see the main peak of Gongga Mountain (7556 m, Minya Konka, “the King Peak of Sichuan”) from Xinduqiao.

196 km
3 hours 43 minutes
Overnight at Black Highland Barley Farm Hotel

Breakfast

Horse Racing Festival in Litang

DAY
9

03.08.2020 Xinduqiao - Kangding – Luding - Chengdu

Travel to next destination

Cross over Zheduo Shan Pass (4298 m) to visit Kangding, the capital of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and the important juncture of Tibetan and Han People in history. Keep driving to Chengdu. On the way visit Luding Chain Bridge. Luding Chain Bridge (Iron Chain Bridge) on the Dadu River is a treasure of Chinese ancient architecture. The bridge was built in the 44th years of Kangxi in Qing Dynasty (1705) in order to enhance the connection of Tibetan culture. On May 29th, 1935, the Chinese Red Army reached Luding Bridge during the Long March. Facing a hail of bullets, the Chinese Red Army, with 22 warriors as the pioneers of the commando, destroyed the bridge’s guards in one fell swoop, which is an important historical monument of the Communist Party of China.

352 km
5 hours 53 minutes
Overnight at 4*Xingliang Hotel

Breakfast

Mural

DAY
10

04.08.2020 Leave Chengdu

Travel to next destination

Today transfer to airport or railway station, leave Chengdu.

Breakfast

Tailor-make this tour

This trip can also be tailor-made, please let us know your travel idea: travel date, duration, number of travelers, child (2 - 12 years old), baby (0 - 2 years old), other travel destinations, meals, accommodation category, boutique hotel, special interest ...

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Private travel, great experiences! Please contact us for your tailor-made travel offer.

With individual China Tibet travel, you can decide when, where and how you go on tour by yourself. What's more, you can choose the length of travel and whom you go with.

Information

Hotel, program and itinerary are subjected to change with prior notice.
We must point out that, in this region you counter a basic tourism infrastructure. You stay overnight mostly at simple hotels/guesthouses. Long journeys on bad roads on high altitude and delays require good physical fitness, resilience and flexibility of the participants. Program and route changes due to unforeseen events are expressly reserved. If you desire the unknown and have an understanding of contingency, this is the right trip for you.

More Impressions

Horse Racing Festival in Litang | Foto por Liu Bin

Mask Dance Festival in Tagong Monastery | Foto por Liu Bin

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