Amdo-Eastern Tibet culture and landscape discovery
18 Day Eastern Tibet culture and landscape discovery plus Amnye Machen Trek (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner-full package service by Tibetan Amdo Region people)
Day1: fly from Beijing to Xi’ning (MU2078, 10:45am-1:30pm), Arrive in Xining airport, transfer to downtown Xi’ning, overnight stop in 3 star Hotel (Dinner)
Upon arrival at Xi’ning Chaojiabao Airport, your Tibetan tour guide and driver will meet you and transfer to the hotel. On available time, to see the Xining food market and the mosques of Hui minority in the center of the city in the afternoon, Muslim dinner can be served, enjoy the local meal.
Day2 Drive to Trika (guide) (B+L+D)
we have the opportunity to view the water-forged landscape of the Yellow River Valley. This early stretch of the river is a jade green color; it reflects the surrounding mountains will mirror-like clarity. In Trika, we will visit the Jokhang Temple and King Gesar Art Center.
Day3 Drive from Guinan to Machen via Ragya Monastery, Hotel (B+L+D)
Set out for Machen county along with the beautiful landscapes, Lhakyi mountain, the yellow river ec. En-routes, Ragya Monastery and a nomad residents encampment before arriving in Machen and they are value for something to visit. Machen is the capital town of Golok Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture GTAP populated most of Amdo Tibetan nomads.
Day4 Drive to Tsanak Kamdu and Star trek (Camp) (B+L+D)---lunch box, dinner by cook
After having breakfast, drive to the trail head (4100m) of our trip, adventure challenge awaits us a total of 6 hours hike. Just top of a slight mountain will keep us helping to glimpse the first sight of Mt. Amnye Machen, the most worshiped sacred mountain in Eastern Tibet. Continue your hike to Tsanak Kamdu, where meet the yak supporters to join in hand to make about 15 km day trek along the Yankhor-chu River to Langri. The Yangkhor-chu River is the place where monks and traditional Tibetan medical practitioners receive blessings from Naga, the God of underworld after collecting herbs.
Day5 Trek to Halong Langri-Chu (Camp) (B+L+D by Tibetan cook)
Average altitude 4400m. This day you will cross the second highest pass called Tamchok Gongkar (4600m) after a smooth trek through the Halong Langri-chu valley. This day-hike takes a total 8 hours along with 24km trail long.
Day6 Trek to Mowatowa rock valley (Camp) (B+L+D by Tibetan cook)
Trekking about 7 hours (20km) to the rock valley nearby Mowathowa, Average altitude runs approximately 4300m.
Day7 Trek to Deleni (Camp) (B+L+D by Tibetan cook)
Today, reach the most unique places throughout the trek, to visit the meditation caves and the cliffs of Goku Chenmo, which are said to mark the entrance to the palace of the protector Machen Bomra. 22km long trail in total and 8 hours time taking until Deleni. Average altitude is 4300m.
Day8 Trek to Jomolangra (Camp) (B+L+D by Tibetan cook)
Trek through gorge of the Chushen River. Along the way, we will stop at the Dolma Gur-chu spring, where we may enjoy the water of a cool mountain spring. This is the famous location at which King Gesar was said to have tied his horse. This day-hike summery to be caculated about distance of 14km (6 hours) until Jomolangra, with 4300m rise from the sea level
Day9 Trek to Jiashinongke (4200m) (Camp) (B+L+D by Tibetan cook)
On the way to Jiashinongke (15km, 6hours), we will visit the reclusive Guru Monastery. This temple’s monks belong to the Nyingma school branches of Dzongchen and Dodrub Chode.
Day10 Trek to Chablong (Camp) (B+L+D by Tibetan cook)
On the way to Chablong (18km, 6 hours), we shall enjoy spectacular views of Tibetan grasslands and native flora and fauna. For this night, we will camp outside of the nomadic village of Chablong. Altitude is 4300m in average.
Day11 Trek to Halong-Chu Valley (Camp) (B+L+D by Tibetan cook)
Trek to Halong-Chu Valley (22km, 8 hours), we will cross over the Drakdar Pass (4700m), the highest pass in this hike. This vantage point reveals a beautiful vista of the ancient Rikar Tongshang Glacier.
Day12 Drive through the Chu Valley to Maduo (B+L+D)
On the eleventh day of our journey, We will drive to the beautiful Lake Kyarang and lake Ngorang and then drive to Maduo (200km)
Day13 Drive from Maduo to Yushu (335km) (B+L+D)
Beautiful landscape until Yushu. Yushu has its own unique character of natural and cultural landscapes. Yushu’s folk songs and dances are extremely well known all over the Tibetan world. We can also experience Tibetan circle dance with the local people in the evening time.
Day14 Yushu to Zangnian, back to Yushu (160km) (B+L+D)
Zangniang pagoda is dating back to more than one thousand years. There is also the Princess Wencheng Temple 20km south of town (easy to get there by van taxi) and the Batang Sky Burial (just before you head up to the Princess Wencheng Temple)
Day15 Yushu to Huashixia town (400km) landscape adventure, we will drive to visit lakes nearby the main road, eg, the Dongkar Tsona and we will stay in Huashixia Town (B+L+D)
Day16 Drive to Qinghai lake (also called Kokonur lake in Mongolia language)- (B+L+D)
Qinghai lake is the most beautiful lake in Asia and it is a must for all travelers to see it before leaving. At the lake, we will have bird sanctuary, the island at the center of the lake, Tibetan nomad residents nearby etc. Overnight in Qinghai lake hotel (3star)
Day17 Xining's Final Day (B+L+D)
Drive to Xining early in the morning.we will visit Tibetan Medical Museum. This museum is home to the largest Thangka painting in the world. This Guiness-record setting Thangka was painted by hundreds of individual artists and is over 600 meters long. The degree of detail is dizzying, and its subject matter ranges from Tibetan cosmology to folk tales to Buddhist deities. Today another visit we will take is to visit Taer Monastery. We will stay in Xining in the night
Day18 Depart Xining (B+L)
Free morning in Xi’ning before leaving China, after lunch, transfer to airport, fly to Shanghai by MU2310 2:30pm-5:30pm, connect flight MU725, 9:10pm-11:35pm to Hongkong