TTC-AK-01: The route from Chengdu to Lanzhou

Highlights:

• --The traditional Chinese teahouse at People's park.
• --Choktse Tibetan official village
• --Kirti Gonpa
• --Narshi monastery
• --Topgyel monastery
• --Langmu Si
• --The first bend of Yellow river
• --Labrang monastery
• --Binling Cave
• --Giant Panda Sanctuary

Chengdu: 500m
Barkham: 2750m,
Aba: 3300m;
Langmu Si: 3300m;
Labrang monastery: 2900m
Lanzhou: 1500m

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Detail program:

Day1: Arrive in Chengdu
After arrives in Chengdu airport, pickup and transfer to your hotel, assist to check in. Relax in the rest hours of this day by having visit to the traditional Chinese teahouse at People's park.

Altitude: Chengdu: 500m

Day2: Chengdu to Barkham
The road is curve along the Ming River slowly going up to reach Barkham, the Capital of Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture. Barkham is an area rich in pasture land, forest and arable alpine valleys, with a cool temperate climate, it is situated at an elevation of 2,670 meters and running in a long stretch along the Suomo Rive, has been well planned. Before we arrive at Barkham, we will visit to Choktse village, which is composed by a fieldstone 5F Tibetan house and a stone fortification built almost one hundred years ago. It's thought to be one of he oriental architecture wonders, a witness of the traditional Tibetan Official System.

Driving hours & distance: 350km on paved road, about 6 - 7 hours
Altitude: Barkham 2750m

Day3: Barkham to Aba
Departure from Barkham, following the curved road along Suomo river upstream all the way to the turn off where to take north onto Tibetan plateau, the road is getting more straight, and the view is becoming widely, the paved road crossing through the grassland, which dotted by hundreds of thousands of yaks, sheep, leads up to one unnamed mountain head north to Aba, which is located in the northwest of Kham. Aba is named after the Nga-chu tributary of Mar-chu, which flows south from Mt. Nyenpo Yurtse, is an area where nomadic groups and long established sedentary communities intermingle. Once we reach into this town we are going to visit The largest monastery of Kirti Gonpa is located in the west edge of this town, being built ion 1472, and has housed over 1000 monks. Its entrance is a hugh stupa, one of the biggest in Amdo and Kham, which helps to make this monastery being the major destinations for pilgrims from all parts of Tibet. The restored murals and images display a high standard of craftsmanship. If there would be time left, visit to Narshi monastery & Topgyel monastery, which are both lie northeast of town, and both represent the "Old Bon" tradition, which remains aloof from the 19th century ecumenical movement.

Driving hours & distance: 240km on paved road, about 5 - 6 hours
Altitude: Aba: 3300m

Day4: Aba to Langmu Si
Continuing northerward into Amdo, for about 70km drive, a turn off will be reached, from here, we turn to northeast into the area where just being visited by herds in summer time, the road turns from well paved to dirt road, and it begins bumpy, we slow down our speed to enjoy the landscape, about 3 hours drive we will reach the town of Maqu that in Tibetan means the Yellow River. The Yellow River turns abruptly, forming the first of its "eighteen bends" on its course. The Tibetan here still retain to some extent the mode of production, lifestyle, and customs prevalent among the nomadic tribes in ancient times in the area. From this town we We keep driving for Langmu si by following the dirt road along the small mountain on the edge of grassland, when sun falls on the top of the mountains in the far west, we are approaching the mountain that Langmu Si is located in the valley surrounded by those mountains.

Driving hours & distance: 280km on paved & dirt road, about 7 - 8 hours
Altitude: Langmu Si: 3300m

Day5: Langmu Si
There are two major Geluk monasteries, Sertri Gompa and Kirti monastery, situated in Gansu and Sichuan, which are divide by the Bailong (white dragon) river. Both were razed during the Cultural Revolution and rebuilt during the early 1980s. Together, they house about 1,000 monks. A magnificent view of the surrounding countryside is from Sertri Gompa. Today we are going to visit this two hidden monasteries, and if the weather would be clear enough, the holy mountain in Amdo of Mt. Amnye Marchen may be visible.

Altitude: Langmu Si: 3300m

Day6: Langmu Si to Labrang monastery
Departure early in the morning, the curved road ascending to the pass then leading the way to Luqu county, which occupies the upper reaches of Lu-Chu valley. Passing through this beautiful small town, the roads lead to Labrang monastery that is one of the Six Great Gelukpa monasteries in Tibet, although 90 damaged temples have yet to be stored, it is amongst the handful anywhere in Tibet that survived the culture revolution relatively intact. It was founded in 1709 by Jamyang Zhepa I Ngawang Tsondru, who was revered as an emanation of Tsong-Khapa's teacher Umpaa Pawo Dorje. The area, where Labrang monastery located, is auspicious and holy in the eyes of the Tibetans. Northwest of the monastery is an elephant-shaped mountain, and southeast of it is a mountain covered with emerald pine trees. The First Living Buddha Jamyang built the monastery in 1709 at the request of Beleg Chakhan Dainzin of the Qianshou Banner of the Mongol Hoshod in Qinghai. It has since grown to include six major Dzacangs (monk institute), 48 Buddha halls and residences for the Living Buddha, and some 500 living compounds for monks. In terms of size, it is referred to as "the minor U-Tsang" in Amdo.

Driving hours & distance: 230km on paved road, about 4 - 5 hours
Altitude: Labrang monastery: 2900m

Day7: Labrang monastery to Binling Cave then to Lanzhou
Binling cave located inYongjing county, and can only be reached by boating through the reservoir of Liujia Xia reservoir. The Bin-ling cave complex, where the 183 Buddhist grottoes containing 694 statues and terracotta sculpture and frescoes. The earliest date of those sculptures had been built since the Western Qin Dynasty, and the greatest period of development occurred in Tang Dynasty. After visit to this cave, drive to Lanzhou, relax in the rest hours of this day.

Driving hours & distance: 260km on paved road, about 3 - 4 hours
Altitude: Lanzhou: 1500m

Day8: Lanzhou to Chengdu
By morning flight from Lanzhou to Chengdu, after arrive in Chengdu, transfer to Chengdu Giant Panda Research Base, one of the most important centers in the world for the conservation of the Giant Panda.

Driving distance & hours: 100km on paved road; roughly 3 - 4 hours
Altitude: Chengdu: 500m

Day9: Chengdu to the airport for departure
After having breakfast, check out of your hotel and transfer to airport for your departure (transfer timings will depend on the flight schedule.)