TTC-K-09 Katok festival - The Mystery Monk Mask Dance

Festival Date:
In June of Tibetan Calendar; June 10th is the day for unfolding Thangkar.

Please contact us for the exactly dates on Gregorian calendar.

• The traditional Chinese teahouse
• Luding Iron Bridge
• Anjue monastery,
• Ming yak Chorten
• Nyitso Gonpa
• Kanze monastery
• Den Gonpa
• Pelyul monastery
• Katok monastery: Katok Monk Mask Dance Festival
• Derge printing house
• Derge Gonchen monastery
• Tangyel Lhakhang
• Yilhun Lhatso
• Serta gonpa
• Choktse Tibetan official village

Chengdu: 500m
Mt. Erlang tunnel: 3400m
Kangding 2650m
Tawu: 3100m
Mt. Dsetuo: 4230m
Kanze: 3750m
Pelyul: 3100m
Katok: 4050m
Derge: 3000m
Mt. Trola pass: 5050m
Serta: 3900m
Barkham: 2670m

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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 Kangding Drive 360km on paved road, into hill country and crossing through the Mt. Erlang tunnel, En-route we will stop by to visit Luding Iron Bridge. Then arrive at the gateway town of the Eastern Tibet of Kham - Kangding, which is cradled in a narrow gorge along the raging Dzetuo River. The river's continual rumble can be heard in its alleyways where nomads from the west come to sell Tibetan herbal medicine, Khampa knives, traditional Tibetan garments, and the ever-popular yak butter tea. For centuries the town has held the status of "Gateway to Tibet", after arrive in Kangding take an easy walk in order to acclimatizing to the altitude, visit to Anjue monastery.

Driving hours & distance: 360km on paved road, about 6 - 7 hours
Altitude: Kangding 2650m, Mt. Erlang tunnel: 3400m

Day3: Kangding - Tawu Along the Northern Sichuan-Tibet highway, we head up the first pass of this trip of Mt. Dzsetuo, which is with altitude of 4230meters, Enroute we will enjoy the beautiful nature view and touring the white Ming yak Chorten, and the first monastery of Lhagang monastery at this route which according to the legend, when Princess Wengcheng traveled to Tibet, she stayed overnight here, and the Jowo Shakyamuni image which she brought as her dowry to Lhasa was said to have spoken out aloud, requesting to be left in that idyllic setting! Subsequently King Songtsen Gampo constructed 108 temples in the direction of China mainland. Then after, driving northward to Tawu, where to visit Nyitso Gonpa - a monastery of the Gelukpa school, which formerly housed 400 monks.

Driving hours & distance: 230km on paved & dirt road, about 7 - 8 hours
Altitude: Tawu: 3100m, Mt. Dzsetuo: 4230m

Day4: Tawu to Kanze In the morning we will departure for Kanze, which located in the hills close to the bank of the Yarlung River. Since the construction of their castles in the 17th century, the town has been the largest and most important in Kham. At this town we will visit Kanze monastery, which was originally constructed by the Qosot Monglos Cira 1642 on a hilltop. It once had a population of 1500monks; currently it has an estimated population of 700 monks and 3 tulkus. And Den Gonpa that since the 17th century it has been 8maintained by the Gelukpa, an important protector temple that survived the events of 1960s and containing a revered image of Mahakala in the form Panjaranatha.

Driving hours & distance: 200km on paved road, about 6 - 7 hours
Altitude: Kanze: 3750m

Day5: Kanze to Pelyul About 10km drive from Kanze we will reach the turn off to Pelyul, from which we head into the valley, then onto the pass of one rocky mountain, about 230km drive on the less inhabitants area, enjoy the stunning nature view, Pelyul located in the wooded area, in deep mountains on both banks of the Jinshajiang River at the Sichuan-Tibet border, there live some Tibetans of patriarchal clan.

Driving hours & distance: 230km on paved road, about 7 - 8 hours
Altitude: Pelyul: 3100m

Day6&Day7: Pelyul to Katok - Katok Monk Mask Dance Festival we will drive along the east bank of Jinsar River, heading south for Horpo village, then into the forest covered valley, drive ascent to the top of the hill, where Katok monastery located, we will witness the mystery festival of Katok, during the two days we stay there.

Driving hours & distance: 110km on dirt road, about 3 - 4 hours
Altitude: Katok: 4050m

Day8: Katok to Derge Departure for Deger in the morning, after arrive in Derge at noon, there are three major sites we are going to visit that are Derge printing house, Derge Gonchen monastery & Tangyel Lhakhang Derge printing house: is a magnificent 3 floors building with original frescoes that were blackened by smoke during the destruction of the 1960s. The printing house contains exquisite images of Shakyamuni Buddha, the lineage-holds of the Sakyapa tradition. In Second floor is the collection xylograph blocks, including the Derge editions of the kangyur; Tangyur; Nyimgma Gyudbum and other works, which are constantly in demand throughout the town, villages and monasteries of Tibet Derge Gonchen monastery: the ruined monastery was reconstructed between 1987-1988,the Assembly hall with its high columns is illi8uminated by windows on the upper level it leads to a central throne, which is the seat of Sakya Trizin, the head of the Sakyapa school. Tangyel Lhakhang: is dedicated to the memory of Tangtong Gyelpo, Tibet's multi-talented bridge-builder, dramatist, engineer and treasure-finder, who consecrated the site of the Gonchen monastery in 1448. There is also a Mani Wheel in a closed building.

Driving hours & distance: 110km on paved & dirt road, about 3 - 4 hours
Altitude: Derge: 3000m

Day9: Derge to Kanze via Manigango Heading east to reach Mt. Trola, which is the highest spot of this trip, the pass we are going to get through is 5050m high, descending from this pass, the view is superb, on the way, we will stop by to wander at Yilhun Lhatso that is one of the most beautiful lakes in all Tibetan Cultural Areas, its shores bedecked with carved Mani Stone. The mountain and rocks surrounding the lake are said to assume the divine form of the Cakrasamvara Mandala to those who have pure vision to perceive them. Then proceed drive to Kanze.

Driving hours & distance: 220km on paved & dirt road, about 6 - 7 hours
Altitude: Kanze: 3750m, Mt. Trola: 5050m

Day10: To reach Serta Departure from Kanze the road turns to be narrow, and cured in the mountains, when approaching Serta, the view sudden become wide and the great grassland is beyond the small town on the plateau, in this small town we will visit to Serta gonpa.

Driving hours & distance: 260km on paved & dirt road, about 7 - 8 hours
Altitude: Serta: 3900m

Day11: Serta to Barkham Barkham County is the northern limit of the Gyarong region and the language here (considered a branch of the archaic Qangic group of Tibeto-Burman) is almost unintelligible to the Amdo populations further north, and the Khampa peoples to the west. The dress is also distinctive. Most of the women wear multicolored embroidered headscarf and elaborate belts and aprons. Fewer men wear the traditional felt tunic, which is quite distinct from the Tibetan chuba or bulky sheepskin coat. There are almost 40 monasteries in the county, representing the Nyingma, Gelukpa, Sakya, Jomang and Bonpo traditions, Before we enter the town of Barkham, we will stop by to visit one of those monastery of Trokhyab, once one of the most powerful of the 18 ancient kingdoms of Gyarong, but nowadays having the appearance of a small country village.

Driving hours & distance: 285km on paved & dirt road, about 7 - 8 hours
Altitude: Barkham: 2670m

Day12: Barkham to Chengdu Starting from Barkham about 9km, we will reach at Dzokji 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. After visit to this beautiful Tibetan village we continuing drive along Suomo River upstream to the tunnel where we turn to east, along Ming river to Chengdu via Li-xian.

Driving hours & distance: 360km on paved road, about 7 - 8 hours
Altitude: Chengdu: 500m

Day13: 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)