15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet

Day 1 Arrive in Chengdu



Arrive in Chengdu, your gateway city of this mysterious 15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet. Be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel for a good rest.

 

In China's southwest basin, there lies one of the most leisurely and carefree cities in the country: Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province. The city was founded in 3rd century BC, when the Qin conquered all of China within two centuries. Chengdu flourished in the Han Dynasty and picked up its name of brocade city as it grew rich from the thriving silk brocade industry. Also known as the land of abundance, Chengdu boasts its pleasant climate and plentiful products. Explore Chengdu in tea-horse tour.

Day 2 Chengdu



Today you will have a city tour of Chengdu covering from Du Fu Thatched Cottage, Wuhou Temple, Jinli Street and Wangjiang Park. Optional Hot Pot in Sichuan style is available but it is exclusive in our quotation of 15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet.

 

Thatched Cottage of Du Fu: To venerate one of China's most famous poets, Dufu, people established gardens and temples from the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). Today, it is a shrine to Chinese literature and a commemorative museum in the form of a traditional garden, which is included in tea-horse tour. The Thatched Cottage of Du Fu covers a total area of 24 hectares, and is the combination of both Fan'an Temple in the east and the Plum Garden in the west.

 

Wuhou Temple: It is dedicated to Zhuge Liang, the Martial Marquis of Shu in the Three Kingdoms. Located in the south suburb of Chengdu, the temple covers 37,000 square meters. The main body of the temple is divided into five sections, the Gate, the second Gate, the Hall of Liu Bei, the corridor, and the Hall of Zhuge Liang, all of which run south to north. Inside, clay sculptures of Shu Emperor and ministers that you will see in China tea-horse road tour stand together, making them a special feature.

 

Jinli Street: Chengdu is a city brimming with a strong leisurely ambience. Jinli Street, located to the east of the Wuhou Memorial Temple of Chengdu is particularly representative of this city. In order to reclaim the street's prosperity of former days, it was restored with contributions from the Wuhou Memorial Temple and was opened to public in October of 2004. Since then, visitors from all over China and abroad gather in this ancient street to relax, admire the traditional-style buildings, and taste some local snacks. This tea-horse tour has no exception.

 

Wangjiang Park: Located on the south bank of the Jin River in Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, Wangjiang Park is a great place of interest in which to relax oneself. The former park consists of the towers and houses built for a great female poet called Xue Tao during Tang Dynasty, and then was set aside and given the name Wangjiang Park. The most splendid building in Wangjiang Park during China tour is the Chongli Building.

 

Hot Pot: The big draw of Chengdu is the delicious Sichuan Cuisine and local snacks. Sichuan is famous for its spicy food, and one of its delicacies is the hot pot. The Hot Pot in Sichuan style is a bubbling cauldron of extremely hot oil and water. You dip all kinds of food into the pot including meats, vegetables and tofu. It's a very social meal. People sit around to enjoy it and make a long evening out of it. As the saying goes, 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do', your tea-horse tour to Chengdu is completed with eating the traditional spicy hot pot.

Day 3 Chengdu - - Yaan



Drive to Yaan by bus (120 km, about 2 hours). On the way to Yaan, you will visit Shangli Ancient Town, which is the important tea-transporting hub in ancient time. Visit Han's Courtyard and Erxian Bridge inside the Ancient Town in 15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet.

 

Shangli Ancient Town: Old Town of Shangli is called an “ink and Wash Landscape” painting. Situated in the Western Sichuan Basin, the town was once the important post on the Silk Road of the South and the Ancient Tea-Horse Trail in history. Nestling among the hills, the town has a dense growth of evergreen trees. The perfect combination of history, culture and tradition with natural beauty makes the town all of mystery and vitality in tea-horse tour.

Day 4 Yaan - - Luding - - Kangding



Set off to Kangding, passing by Luding (180 km). Pass Erlang Mountain Tunnel on the way. Arrive in Luding and visit Luding Bridge in 15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet . Drive to Kangding (49 km) in the afternoon and arrive in Kangding the late afternoon. Stay overnight at Kangding.

 

Luding Bridge: Luding Bridge is located in the west of Luding County in Sichuan Province. Luding Bridge was built in the 44th year (1705) of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It is an iron suspension bridge over Dadu River. Its net length is 100 meters. It is 28 meters wide and 14 meters high from the water surface. The whole bridge has 13 iron chains, each of them weighing 2.5 tons. Among them, nine parallel chains are tied to the two banks. The wooden boards are spread on the chains for passengers to walk on by this China tea-horse road tour. 

Day 5 Kangding - - Xinduqiao - - Danba



Drive to Danba in the morning (460 km). Visit Tagong Monastery in 15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet. Arrive in Danba in the late afternoon.

 

Tagong Monastery: Tagong Monastery is a famous Nyingmapz monastery built in the Qing Dynasty to commemorate the Han Princess Wencheng and Phagspa, the Grand State Tutor of Tibetan Buddhism with Buddhism Institute inside, also named as "the small Lhasa Jokhang Monastery", is one of the 108 temples built during the reign of Songtse Gampo in ancient Tibetan times. This temple is distinctive for its four towers painted green, red, yellow and white respectively that will satisfy your eyes in China tour. About 100 chortens lie behind the monastery. The place miraculously escaped destruction during the Culture Revolution.

Day 6 Danba - - Ganzi



On the way to Ganzi (518 km), you could enjoy the unique land-grass scenery of Danba. Visit the Dong Village Natural Bonsai Scenic Area and Kandze Monastery in 15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet.

 

Ganzi, the capital of Kandze Autonomous Prefecture sits at 3800m in Cholashan mountain valley 385km northwest of Dardo, and is populated by mostly Tibetans and Khampas. Here has enjoyed a high prestige for several cultures and rich folk arts such as Tibetan opera, calligraphy, painting, engraving and clay sculpture by China tea-horse road tour, which are all very typical and famous. Additionally, the folk sports including equestrian skill, wrestling, and archery are prevailing.

 

Kandze Monastery is situated 2 km north of Garzê Town on a hilltop overlooking the town, in Tibet. The main Assembly Hall is striking building with a golden roof from which there is a magnificent view of the valley and nearby town seen in tea-horse tour. It is approached by a long flight of stairs and the inner sanctum is reached though long passageways formed by red wooden columns. Inside three sets of images are displayed high up in glass cabinets representing the founders of the Nyingmapa, Kadampa and Gelugpa lineages. There are also a number of fine tangkas representing the meditational deities, Guhyasamaja, Cakrasamvara, and Yamantaka.

Day 7 Ganzi - - Dege



Today you will keep on moving to another famous town in southwest Sichuan- Dege (207 km). Visit Yulonglacuo Lake in 15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet and arrive in Dege in the late afternoon.

 

Yulonglacuo Lake: Dege beautiful lake in Sichuan province, Tibetan name is Yulonglacuo, other Chinese name is Xinluhai. The scenery of Yulonglacuo Lake is very beautiful and attractive in 15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet.

Day 8 Dege - - Chamdo(Changdu)



Drive to Chamdo (337km), where you trace the foot of ancient horses from Sichuan to Tibet by 15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet.

 

Chamdo is Tibet's third largest city. It is located about 480km from Lhasa , and is at an altitude of about 3,600 metres. In Chamdo area, there are sceneries like "Three-Rivers-Join-Into-One", high mountains and valleys, holy mountains and sacred waters, thermal resources and hot springs, grazing lands covered by wild flowers, tents emitting cooking smoke; so are there ancient religious ceremonies, Lamaist temples and towers, old religious engravings on mountains, ancient giant wall-paintings, and colorful local conditions and customs. All these are rich natural and cultural tourist resources seen in China tour.

Day 9 Chamdo - - Ranwu



Have a beautiful sightseeing along the road. Visit Nujiang Canyon and then continue your 15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet to Ranwu (335 km) in the afternoon. Drive further 100 kilometers southward to Ranwu Lake.

 

Nujiang Canyon: Nujiang River rises at the southern foot of Tangku-la Mountains in Tibet. Nujiang Canyon, with an average elevation range of more than 2,000 meters, is called the 'first canyon in the East'. Nujiang Canyon boasts its special landforms, the biodiversity and the abundant folk customs. Along both sides of the canyon are steep mountains, magnificent flying waterfalls, the thick green primeval forest and the snow-capped mountaintops, and the colorful primitive folk customs, all inspiring adventurers to have interesting travels here. This tea-horse tour has no exception.

 

Ranwu Lake: Ranwu Lake, the largest in southeast of Tibet, is in the Village of Ran about 90 km from the Baiba Town neighboring the Nyingchi Prefecture. Ranwu Lake is a perfect blending of the Swiss Alps snow peaks and glaciers and the streams in Jiuzaigou, visited in 15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet.

Day 10 Ranwu - - Bomi



Today you will enter the most magnificent spot during the Sichuan-Tibet Road from Ranwu to Bomi. Arrive in Bomi in the late afternoon. The distance between Rawu to Bomi is 129 kilometers. Continue your 15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet.

 

Bomi is a county in the northwestern portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has four districts. Tubmanburg serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring 1,942 square kilometres. As of the 2008 Census, it had a population of 82,036, making it the twelfth most populous county in Liberia. Bomi is bordered by Grand Cape Mount County to the west, Gbarpolu County to the north, Montserrado County to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south.

Day 11 Bomi - - Nyingchi



Approach our final destination to Nyingchi (216 km). It is a paradise with the least human trace on this planet enjoying advantages in natural resources for tourist, scientific research and exploration. Drive from Pomi to Nyingchi via Lulang Forest Area. Visit the Gigantic Cypress Wood in Nyingchi by 15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet.

 

Gigantic Cypress Wood: The most impressive in Lulang Forest Area in 15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet is the forest of Tibetan cypresses of about 10 hectares at the Bagyai Village in Nyingchi County at 3,040 meters above sea level. The Gigantic Cypress Wood in Nyingchi is in the valley of the lower reaches of the Yaluzhangbu River and the Niyang River at the latitude of 3,000 to 3,400 meters. In the Giant Cypress Nature Reserve of the Bajie Township, there scatter hundreds of such huge cypresses only seen in Tibet, which are noted for their huge tree crowns and upright trunks.

Day 12 Nyingchi - - Lhasa



Drive from Nyingchi to Lhasa, via Lake Basumto. Stay overnight at Lhasa by 15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet. Lhasa is the last destination of 15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet.

 

Lhasa is rightly one of the most featured and dreamt-about cities in the world. This is not only because of its high altitude at 3,650 meters (11,975 feet) which  means remoteness and limited accessibility, but also because of its over 1,000 years' cultural and spiritual history which leaves an impressive heritage that has helped to create the romantic and mysterious Tibetan religion.

Day 13 Lhasa



Take a visit to Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery and Norbulingka in 15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet.

 

Drepung Monastery is known as the most important monastery of Gelugpa in Tibetan Buddhism, situated at the foot of the Mountain Gambo Utse, 5 kilometers from the western suburb of Lhasa. It is considered one of the "Three Great Monasteries". Covering an area of 250,000 square meters, it held 7,700 monks in total and possessed 141 fazendas and 540 pastures in its heyday, and is the largest-scale monastery among the ones of the same kind. By your tea-horse tour, seen from afar, its grand, white construction gives the monastery the appearance of a heap of rice.

 

Sera Monastery at the foot of Tatipu Hill is located in the northern suburb of Lhasa City. It is one of three famous monasteries in Lhasa. The monastery is magnificent and covers an area of 114,946 square meters. Its main buildings are the Coqen Hall, Zhacang (college) and Kamcun (dormitory). Scriptures written in gold powder, fine statues, scent cloth and unparalleled murals can be found in these halls during China tea-horse road tour. Colorful debates on Buddhist doctrines are held here and these employ a style distinctive from those at Lhasa's other famous monasteries.

 

Norbulingka, the summer palace of the Dalai Lamas in the western part of town, is your next spot. This complex was first built in 1755 as a palace and retreat; the procession of the Dalai Lama and his entourage from the Potala to here is quite a highlight for the locals. Inside the Palace, there are many interesting murals which definitely are the highlights of the Norbulingka seen in tea-horse tour. Whenever there are festivals, the dressed-up people gather here with their food and tents singing and dancing.

Day 14 Lhasa



A trip to Lhasa of 15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet would be incomplete without a visit to Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street.

 

Potala Palace is the most valuable storehouse in Tibet that is worth seeing in your tea-horse tour. It is a huge treasure house for materials and articles of Tibetan history, religion, culture and arts. The Palace is widely known for the precious sculptures, murals, scripture, Buddha figures, murals, antiques, and religious jewelry. The magnificent Potala Palace is made of wood and stone. The overhanging leaves, the upturned roof corners, and the gilded brass tiles and gilded pillars inscribed with Buddhist scriptures, bottles, and makara fish as well as the gold-winged birds.

 

Jokhang Temple is a four-storey timber complex with a golden top. The image Palden Lhamo on the third floor is the one that you can't miss in your 15 Day China Tea-Horse Road Tour to Sichuan Tibet. The exquisite deer and wheel motifs on the roof are early symbols of Buddhism. The deer and wheel symbols were especially prominent in early Buddhism, when followers were reluctant to depict the Buddha. Inside, the temple features ancient Newari door frames, columns, and finials dating from the 7th and 8th centuries.

 

Barkhor Street is a magical place showing the original outlook of Lhasa for tourists in this China tea-horse road tour. The street was paved by hand-polished stone boards. Though it is not broad, it accommodates thousands of tourists every day. Varied shops stand on both sides of the street and thousands of floating stands are on every corner. Most of them offer the prayer wheels, long-sleeve "chuba" (the Tibetan people's traditional clothes), Tibetan knives and some religious articles for sale. Furthermore, some shops sell "Thangka" (the Tibetan scroll painting), which is a unique art of Tibet with the themes of religion, history, literature, science and customs.

Day 15 Depart from lhasa



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