The Last Shangri-La

After breakfast, your guide and driver from Sichuan Adventure will pick you up from your hotel in Chengdu. After that we’ll drive for about 2.5 hours to Bifengxia Park of Ya’an. It’s a beautiful park with a panda base and two valleys inside. We will take a close look at China’s national treasure-the giant panda at the panda base of Bifengxia. Then if you like, you may hike at one of the valleys which are scattered with lush trees and small waterfalls.

We will also take a visit of Shangli Ancient Town located about 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Bifengxai. Shangli used to be an important town along the Ancient Tea and Horse Route. It’s a trading route along which the merchants used horses to transport tea and silk products from Chengdu to the Tibetan area in ancient times.

We will continue to drive to Kangding in the afternoon.

Driving Distance: 285 kilometers (177 miles)
Overnight: Kangding Kamba Hotel (4-star)
Altitude: 2,560 meters (8,399 feet)

Today we will continue to drive on 318 National Road of China, which is also known as Sichuan Tibet Highway North Route. We will first drive on the winding mountain road leading to Zheduo Mountain Pass, which is 4,298 meters (14,101 feet) above sea level.

Then we will head for Tagong Grassland where you can ride a horse if you are interested. If the weather is good and clear, you could see Yala Holy Mountain, which is worshipped by local Tibetans and has an altitude of 5,800 meters (19,029 feet) above sea level. We will also explore Tagong Monastery and learn about Sakya Sect of Tibetan Buddhism culture there.

In the afternoon we will continue to drive westwards along Sichuan Tibet Highway North Route. Our destination is Litang, the birthplace of the 7th and 10th Dalai Lamas.

Driving Distance: 272 kilometers (169 miles)
Overnight: Litang Caterpillar Hotel (4-star)
Altitude: 4,014 meters (13,169 feet)

In the morning we will visit Litang Monastery and the birthplace of the 7th Dalai Lama. Litang Monastery was first built in 1580s by the 3rd Dalai Lama and it is the oldest and largest Buddhism monastery of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism in Kham Tibetan area. And Litang is also the birthplace of the 7th and 10th Dalai Lamas.

In the meanwhile, Litang is a place where the 6th Dalai Lama Tsangyang Gyatso wanted to visit very much. He had been probably the most well-known Dalai Lama, because of his romantic love poems. Some experts believe the he once fell in love with a girl from Litang and then wrote the following poem:

“White cranes flying in the sky,
Please lend me your power to fly,
I won’t fly far,
But just go to Litang and come back.”

Driving Distance: 228 kilometers (142 miles)
Overnight: Ramada Encore Hotel (4 star)
Altitude: 2,900 meters (9,514 feet)

After breakfast, we will take a sightseeing bus for about 1.5 hours to arrive at the beautiful Yading Nature Reserve. On the way, we’ll see the spectacular view of snow-capped peaks. Then we’ll take a battery car to reach Luorong Pasture, which is about 4,100 meters (13,451 feet) above sea level and is also the beginning of the hiking trip leading to the Milk Lake (4,500 meters / 14,764 feet above sea level) and Five-Colored Lake (4,600 meters / 15,092 feet above sea level).

At Luorong Pasture you can see holy snow mountains worshipped by local Tibetans. Those who would like to take the challenge of alpine hiking will start the 6-kilometre (3.7 miles) trek from here. While those who prefer a relaxing visit might just do some hiking around, or maybe just sit down for a cup of coffee or tea while enjoying the scenery of the holy snow mountain called Yangmaiyong. In the late afternoon, we’ll take the sightseeing bus down the mountain to our hotel.

Overnight: Ramada Encore Hotel (4 star)
Altitude: 2,900 meters (9,514 feet)

We’ll take the sightseeing bus to the nature reserve again and do a short hiking to see the beautiful lake at the foot of Xiannairi, another holy snow mountain worshipped by locals.

In the late afternoon we will drive to Daocheng and stay overnight there.

Driving Distance: 75 kilometers (47 miles)
Overnight: Daocheng Sunshine Hotel (4-star)
Altitude: 3,700 meters (12,139 feet)

Today we will drive back to Xinduqiao along the same road as when we came. However, you won’t feel boring when seeing the same scenery, because the breathtaking views of the high plateau are quite unique and spectacular. And the scenery might look different when the weather changes.

Xinduqiao has been known as Photographers’ Paradise in China. When arriving, you may walk around outside to see the grassland, yaks, river, and Tibetan style houses.

Driving Distance: 357 kilometers (222 miles)
Overnight: 318 Motel (3-star)
Altitude: 3,400 meters (11,155 feet)

We will drive back to Chengdu today, and your guide and driver will send you back to your hotel in Chengdu. After that, you may relax and walk around to see the city at night.

Driving Distance: 348 kilometers (216 miles)