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Day 01 Arrival in Chengdu
Arrival in Chengdu, capital of the Sichuan province, the home town of Panda. Picked up by the local guide at the airport and transfer to the hotel. 1N at 4*Tianfu Sunshine
Hotel Day 02 Chengdu – Yaan BLD
In the morning drive along Chengdu-Yaan Express Way to Yaan, the famous Rainy City. On the way enjoy the rural scenery in western Sichuan Plain. Visit of Shangli ancient town and the Pandas in Bifengxia near Yaan. 1N at 4*Beite Moon and Star Hotel Day03 Yaan – Danba BLD
Drive to Danba (1900 m). On the way visit of the Dengchigou Catholic Church in the Baoxing Panda Reserve. It is the place where the French preacher and biologist David discovered the giant pandas and introduced them overseas in 1869 and thus it has become an important humanistic spot as well. Drive over the Jiajin Shan Mountain to Danba. The local people are called Jiarong (Gyarong) Tibetans. Danba is claimed to be the Kingdom of Thousands of Ancient Blockhouses. Visit of the ancient block towers in village Suopo. Afterwards visit of 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 order from the bottom to the middle slope of the valley. 1N at 3*318 Hotel
Day 04 Danba – Bamei – Dawu – Luhuo BLD Drive via Bamei and Dawu (2950 m) to Luhuo (3150 m). In Luhuo visit of the Trango Monastery (Shouling Si). 1N at 2*Kasa Hotel Day 05 Luhuo – Kasa Lake – Garze BLD Drive to Garze, the real cultural and religious center for the Tibetans living in Sichuan. In Tibetan "Garze" means "white and beauty". It was named after the famous temple in the county. On the way have a rest by the Kasa Lake. Upon arrival, visit of Garze monastery of yellow sect (Gelug). The temple was built in 1552. 1N at 2*Golden Yak Hotel Day 06 Garze – Yilhun Lhatso – Dege BLD In the morning pass by Manigango to visit Xinlu Hai Lake (Yilhun Lhatso), located at the foot of Chola Mountain (Que’er Shan). It is 4040 meters above over sea level, with an average depth of 10 meters and a maximum depth of 15 meters. There are plateau spruces, firs, Chinese weeping cypresses, azalea trees and meadows around the lake. It is also a preserve for wild animals like white-lipped deer. Short walking by the lake Yilhun Lhatso. Then we drive over the Chola Pass (5,050 m) to Dege. In the afternoon we visit the Dege Printing House which has always been well reputed as the “Cultural Treasury at the Foot of the Snow Mountain.” It is the biggest printing house in Tibetan area. 1N at 2*Chola Hotel Day 07 Dege – Chamdo BLD Drive across the Jinshajiang River (upper reaches of Yangtze) Bridge connecting Sichuan and Tibet for Chamdo. En route visit of the Wara Monastery of Sakya Sect. Straddling the Lancangjiang River (Mekong), Chamdo (3200 m) is the biggest and most important city in Eastern Tibet, and has a rich history as one of the earliest centers of the Tibetan plateau. 1N at 3*Chamdo Hotel Day 08 Chamdo – Bangda – Baxoi BLD In the morning visit of the Kalden Jampaling (Qiangbalin Monastery) founded between 1436-44. Then drive to Bangda, a town junction where Lhasa connects to the Chamdo-Kunming Highway. Drive across Gama La Pass (4,618 meters) to Baxoi. 1N at simple Zhengfu Guesthouse Day09 Baxoi – Ranwu – Bome BLD On the road to Bome, we will stop in Ranwu to cast our lines in the pristine waters of Ngan Tso (Ranwu Lake), a spectacularly crystal blue lake cupped by snow peaks. After lunch drive to Bome. 1N at 2*Shenying Hotel Day10 Bome – Linzhi BLD Go down several hundred meters in altitude and reach the lowland jungle settlement of Tongmai where the Tsangpo and Parlung Tsangpo rivers meet. Crossing Serkhyem La Pass (4,515 m) we will have spectacular view of Mount Gyala Pelri (7,150 m) and Mount Namchak Barwa (7,782 m). Before we arrive in Linzhi (Nyingtri, 2900 m) visit of the two neighboring monasteries: From the golden roof of the Gelugpa monastery Buchu to view the unique scenery of the Lamaling temple which is only a few kilometers runway. 1N at 3*Shangpala Hotel Day11 Linzhi – Basum Tso – Lhasa BLD In the morning drive to the Basum Tso Lake. The more than 6000m high snow-covered mountains and the lake make the monastery Tsodzong even more beautiful. In the afternoon drive over the impressive Mi La pass (4865 m) to Lhasa (3650 m), capital of Tibet Autonomous Region. 3N in 3*Thangka Hotel Day12 Lhasa BL
In the morning, visit of the Potala, which was originally constructed in 637 by Songtsen Gampo, the first king of the united Tibet, and later expanded and used as the Dalai Lamas’ winter residence and as the religious and political center of traditional Tibet. The crowds of pilgrims, the innumerable and magnificent murals, Buddhist statues, scriptures and rare treasures put altogether create a dense religious and artistic atmosphere that impresses every visitor. In the afternoon, visit of Jokhang monastery, the center of the Tibetan Buddhism and the sacred land of Buddhist believers, where thousands of pilgrims come to worship every day. The temple, built in 647, is the oldest wood-and-masonry structure still existing in Tibet. Walk on the Barkhor street surrounding Jokhang, a big market selling local specialities
Day13 Lhasa BL
In the morning visit of Drepung monastery, the sacred land of Gelug Sect., which was established in 1416, and the second, third and fourth Dalai Lama place of living. After, visit of Norbulinka, the Dalai Lamas’summer residence. In the afternoon, visit of Sera monastery, which was created (built) in 1419 and has always been an important Buddhist seminary. As roses are planted everywhere in the monastery, it is also called “the court of wild roses”. Today 200 lamas still live there. The "Buddhism Scriptures Debate" in Sera is very famous.
Day14 Air Lhasa – Chengdu B Transfer to the airport, leave Tibet for Chengdu. Upon arrival in Chengdu, transfer to the hotel. 1N at 4*Tianfu Sunshine Hotel Day15 Air Chengdu – Europe B Spare time until transfer to the airport to fly back home.
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