Culture and Nature Tour in Sichuan, Gansu and Qinghai

Itinerary

Itinerary
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DAY
1

Arrive in Chengdu

Enjoy Chengdu leisurely daily life, Kuanzai 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

Chengdu - Dujiangyang - Wolong - Siguniang Shan Town

Dujiangyan Irrigation System, Panda in Wolong, Sunset of Mt. Siguniangshan

In the morning 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. After that 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 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 to Siguniang Shan Town (former Rilong) through the Balang Tunnel, if the weather is good, enjoy the beautiful landscape of sunset of Siguniang Shan Mountain at the Maobiliang.

221 km
4 hours 10 minutes
Overnight at Yunshang Hotel

Breakfast

Pandas in Wolong

DAY
3

Siguniang Shan Town – Wolong – Taoping

Sunrise of Sguniangshan, Shuangqiao Valley

If you have interest, if the weather is good, you can get early to enjoy the great panoramic view of Mt. Siguniang at Maobiliang at sunrise. The Siguniang Shan Mountain (also Four Sisters Mountain, Four Girls Mountain, Four Maidens Mountain) has four over 5000 m peaks, legend has it that each peak represents a girl of the 4 sisters. The highest peak, Yaomei Feng, the youngest girl and at 6250 m, is also known as the “queen of Sichuan's peaks”. Soft hiking in the Shuangqiao Valley (Double-bridge Valley) of the Siguniang Shan Mountain, the scenery is concentrated and charming. Afterwards drive to Taoping Village of Qiang Minority.

190 km
3 hours 27 minutes
Overnight at Shalang Hotel

Breakfast

Sunset of Mt. Siguniangshan

DAY
4

Taoping – Maoxian – Songpan – Jiuzhaigou

Taoping Village of Qiang Minority, Songpan Ancient Town

In the magnificent valleys along the upper Min River, picturesque villages of the Qiang nationality with their characteristic stone houses and striking towers attract visitors’ eyes: beautiful, idyllic, prominent and mystical. The Qiang nationals are descendants of an ancient ethnic group of China. "Qiang" is a historical ethnic group of China, which was found on 3,000-year-old oracle bones. Over time, records of other nationalities in China such as Han (Han Chinese), Zang (Tibetan), Yi, Naxi, Bei, Hani and Lisu emerged. Their way of life is the evidence of ancient traditions practiced. The villages with the tower-like stone houses testify the advantageous of a high-building life, especially in the epochs of warlike conflicts. In the morning visit the Taoping village of Qiang minority. The village is located in the epicenter of Sichuan's major earthquake on May 12, 2008 and has been severely damaged. As part of the reconstruction program, the Qiang national stonemasons and villagers have masterfully restored their village from the rubble heaps. Then drive to Jiuzhaigou, on the way visit Songpan Ancient Town.

298 km
5 hours 26 minutes
Overnight at 4*Jiuzhai Resort Hotel

Breakfast

Taoping Village of Qiang Minority

DAY
5

Jiuzhaigou

Jiuzhaigou - the Nine-villages valley

In western China, in the north of Sichuan Province, between the Sichuan Red Basin and the eastern foothills of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau lies Jiuzhaigou - the Nine-village valley. In the midst of the magnificent mountains of the Minshan Mountains, Jiuzhaigou stretches for 50 kilometers and covers a total area of 720 square kilometers at an altitude between 1900 and 3100 meters. The Nine-village valley includes two mountain rivers, which merge in the middle of the area Y-shaped and thus form a chain of countless lakes, which string like pearls. According to a traditional story, a Tibetan mountain god fell in love with a goddess and one day gave her a precious mirror, brilliantly polished with wind and clouds. But the mirror fell out of her hand, splintering and tumbling down into the valley, where the 108 pieces of shards turned into crystal-clear mountain lakes shining in bright blue or dark blue, turquoise and green. There are lush brooks and waterfalls everywhere, magnificent bamboo groves and mixed deciduous and coniferous forests, snow-capped peaks and picturesque Tibetan villages. The Jiuzhaigou Natural Park was protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1992. With the help of the environmental buses of the National Park, which commute between the Scenic areas, you have a fantastic view of Jiuzhaigou.

Overnight at 4*Jiuzhai Resort Hotel

Breakfast

Jiuzhaigou Nature Park

DAY
6

Jiuzhaigou - Huanglong – Chuanzhu Si

Walking and sightseeing in national park Huanglong (Yellow Dragon)

Not far from the Jiuzhaigou National Park (128 km away), on the southern mountain range of the Minshan Mountains, is the Huanglong National Park (since 1992 UNESCO World Heritage Site). The main attraction of Huanglong National Park is Huanglong Valley, with 3.5 km long, at an altitude between 3100 and 3600 meters and with countless travertines. The water, which origins from the snow-capped peaks and irresistibly makes its way down into the valley, over time created a spectacular and breathtaking karst landscape with countless terraced pools or ponds, often shining in blue, turquoise and green. Running from south to north, the valley is located below the snow-capped main summit of the Minshan Mountains - Xuebaoding (5588 m). The Yellow Dragon Valley, according to the Huanglong Valley Translation, allegedly owned its great name from the Huanglongsi Monastery, which is located in the upper part of the valley and is originally a Taoist monastery from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). When see from a distance, a yellow, scaly dragon winds in the midst of lush forests to the valley. Welcome to a magnificent natural landscape of China: The wooden walkway with numerous wooden promenades invites you to have a hike. Finally, take the cable car back down. Then short drive to Chuanzhu Si.

132 km
2 hours 39 minutes
Overnight at 4* Jiarong Xingong Hotel

Breakfast

National Park Huanglong

DAY
7

Chuanzhu Si – Ruoergai – Tiebu

Watch Sichuan sika deer in Tiebu Nature Reserve

Today drive through the wide grasslands of Ruoergai and into the Tiebu Nature Reserve, watch the Sichuan sika deer at Donglie Town and Re’er Town.

238 km
4 hours 5 minutes
Overnigth at Yiguowa Hotel

Breakfast

Tiebu Sika Deer

DAY
8

Tiebu – Langmusi

Watch Sichuan sika deer in Tiebu Nature Reserve. Monastery Taktsang Lhamo

Departure in the early morning into the Tiebu Nature Reserve to watch the Sichuan sika deer at Chong’er Town. Then drive to Langmusi at the border of provinces Sichuan and Gansu. Visit the monastery Taktsang Lhamo (Langmu Si).

72 km
2 hours
Overnight at 3*Langmusi International Hotel

Breakfast

Tiebu Sika Deer

DAY
9

Langmusi – Hezuo – Xiahe

Milarepa Monastery. Labrang Monastery

Drive to Xiahe, which is 2,900 meters above the sea level and almost exclusively inhabited by Tibetans. On the way visit the Milarepa Monastery in Hezuo. In the afernoon visit Labrang Monastery in Xiahe, the most important religious centre on the northeast border of the Tibetan region. The monastery created in 1710, as one of the six grand monasteries in Tibetan area, has served for centuries there to connect the Tibetan and Mongolian Lamaism.

227 km
3 hours 40 minutes
Overnight at 3*Labrang Civil Aviation Hotel

Breakfast

Labrang Monastery

DAY
10

Xiahe – Tongren – Xining

Longwu Monastery, Tibetan Rebgong Art

In the morning drive to Tongren, visit Longwu monastery of Gelugpa, which was initially constructed in Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) as a monastery of Sakya-sect and Wutun village. It is the center of Tibetan Regong-Art, which is a successful mixture of religion and folk art. Then drive to Xining, the capital of Qinghai province. This city is mainly inhabited with Tibetan but also a home of Uygur, Kazak and Hui minorities.

265 km
4 hours 32 minutes
Overnight at 4*Rezen Jingding Hotel

Breakfast

DAY
11

Leave Xining

Kumbum Monastery, Grand Dongguan Mosque. Travel to next destination

In the morning drive to Kumbum Monastery (Ta'er Si) of Gelukpa-sect, which was built in 1560 in Huangzhong county and also one of the six grand monasteries in Tibetan area. 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 visit their Grand Dongguan Mosque, located directly on Dongguan Street in the old district of Xining. Originally built in the 14th century during the Ming Dynasty, it has been destroyed and rebuilt several times throughout history, most recently in the 1910s. The architecture reflects the multicultural character of the city: a temple built in the Han-Chinese tradition combined with Islamic and Tibetan cultural features. The entire building covers a total area of 13,602 square meters. And the main building, the imposing prayer hall with around 1102 sqm offers seats for three thousand believers. Obviously, it cannot satisfy the numerous prayers - for the Friday prayer (Jum'a) almost ten thousand believers gather and transform the huge courtyard and the adjacent Dongguan Street to the prayer area, of course with the help of the local administration. In the afternoon transfer to railway station or airport, journey ends.

Breakfast

Kumbum Monastery (Ta'er Si)

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