15 Day Chengdu to Tibet Overland Tour via Daocheng Yading

Welcome to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan! Upon your arrival at the Chengdu airport or train station, your local tour guide will meet you to take you to your private car to transfer to your hotel and help you check in. You will have the rest of the day free to rest and relax in your hotel, or you can begin to explore the local area on your own. You might consider a stroll along the Chunxiu Pedestrian Street, the Broad and Narrow Alleyway, Jinli Ancient Street or if you arrive early enough, you can visit the Wenshu Temple.

Accommodation: Overnight in Chengdu

Today’s travel distance: 330 kilometers / 205 miles

Expected travel time: 6.5 hours

We begin our road trip journey by traveling from Chengdu to Kanding, also known as Lucheng, the prefectural capital of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in western Sichuan province. This city lies on the historical border between China and Tibet, wedged into a valley surrounded by mountain peaks at an elevation of 2560 meters above sea level (8,399 feet). This interesting city offers a blend of Han Chinese and Tibetan cultures, so we will visit a local market to learn about how the locals live together and then enjoy a music and dance performance in the public square in the evening before retiring to our local accommodations for the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Kangding

Today’s travel distance: 130 kilometers / 81 miles

Expected travel time: 3 – 4 hours

This morning we will depart from Kangding and head through beautiful grassland scenery to reach Tagong, which is situated in the foothills of the Tibetan Plateau. We will visit the historic Tagong Monastery, which according to legend was founded in the 7th century A.D. by Princess Wencheng, a Chinese princess that married the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo. Supposedly a statue of the Jowo Sakyamuni Buddha that was being carried by her guards fell, and the monastery was founded in that exact spot. The monastery still has a replica of that statue, with the original held at the Jokhang Temple where we can see it later when we visit Lhasa.

Moving on from the Tagong Monastery we wil visit the Ani Gompa Nunnery, the largest nunnery in the area. We can visit a local nomad family and enjoy the fantastic view of the Yala Holy Mountain off in the distance. A horseback ride can also be arranged for today if you would like.

After we have spent most of the day in the Tagong area, we will travel on to Xinduqiao and check into our local accommodations for the night. If we arrive here early enough, we can get some fantastic photographs of the breathtaking views around the area.

Accommodation: Overnight in Xinduqiao

Today’s travel distance: 350 kilometers / 217 miles

Expected travel time: 6 – 7 hours

Xinduqiao is often referred to as a “photographer’s paradise” due to its stunning scenery, so we will take some time in the morning to take all of that in. After departing Xinduqiao, we will travel over the Gao’ersi Pass (elevation 4412 meters / 14,475 feet) to reach Yajiang County in the traditional Kham Region of eastern Tibet (now western Sichuan province). From here we will travel on through two other high mountain passes, Jianziwan and Kazila, each at an elevation of about 4700 meters (15,420 feet). The surrounding scenery is incredible, from the snow-capped mountains surrounding us to the deep valleys and fertile green pastures hosting sheep and yaks. We will stop for lunch in Litang, reportedly one of the highest towns in the world at an elevation of 4014 meters (13,169 feet) above sea level. Along with beautiful scenery and traditional Tibetan customs, Litang has a world-famous Horse Racing Festival every August so you may want to time your tour to be able to attend this spectacular event.

After lunch in Litang, we will travel on for another 146 kilometers (91 miles) to Daocheng to rest up before our visit to the Yading Nature Reserve. If time allows, there may be an opportunity to bathe in the local hot springs or experience a local Tibetan dance show.

Accommodation: Overnight in Doacheng

Today’s travel distance: 110 kilometers / 68 miles

Expected travel time: 2.5 hours

After a nice breakfast at our hotel, we will start our two-day exploration of the wonderful Yading Nature Reserve with a drive to Riwa, a charming little town that serves as the entry point to the nature reserve. Here we will catch the (government required) sightseeing bus to Yading Village from which we can either walk or pay a bit extra to ride a horse to visit the Chonggu Temple, an interesting old temple with the holy Mt. Xiannairi as a backdrop. From Chonggu Temple we travel on by walking or by horse to reach Drolma-la Tso, also known as Pearl Lake. Pearl Lake is an incredibly beautiful and scenic lake at the foot of Mt. Xiannairi so it’s a great place for photography. After plenty of time exploring this otherworldly lake, we will head back to Yading Village to spend the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Yading

Today’s travel distance: 110 kilometers / 68 miles

Expected travel time: 2.5 hours

If you don’t mind getting up very early this morning, we can enjoy the sunrise over the Chonggu Temple and then visit the Luorong Grassland, an alpine meadow at an altitude of 4150 meters (13,615 feet) that is surrounded by three sacred mountain peaks (Xiannairi, Yangmaiyong and Xialuoduojie) with a scenic river running through it. Luorong is one of the most beautiful spots in the Yadong Nature Reserve. We can spend some time here, or we can continue on up to Milk Lake and Five Color Lake, although the round-trip trek takes about 4 to 5 hours on foot or 3 to 4 hourse on horseback. Late in the afternoon we will need to take the government-required sightseeing bus back to Riwa to meet our driver and then drive back to Daocheng to check back into our local accommodations for the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Daocheng

Today’s travel distance: 320 kilometers / 68 miles

Expected travel time: 2.5 hours

This morning after breakfast we will travel back to Litang to visit the Litang Monastery, the most important Gelugpa (yellow hat) monastery in the Kham region. Construction began on the monastery in 1580 A.D. at the request of Dalai Lama III.

After visiting the Litang Monastery and having a nice local lunch, we will travel on to the Batang Grasslands, some of the most beautiful grasslands that we will see on the entire trip. We can also visit the Haizi Mountain Scenic Area before checking into our local accommodations in Batang to spend our last night in Sichuan Province as tomorrow we will enter the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Accommodation: Overnight in Batang

Today’s travel distance: 260 kilometers / 162 miles

Expected travel time: 7 – 8 hours

This morning we will cross over the Jinsha River into Tibet, and then travel on another 2 hours to reach the first Tibetan town on our journey at Markham, which for centuries has served as a strategic crossroads along the ancient salt and tea routes between China and Tibet. After lunch, we will continue on over the high mountain passes of Mt. Wula (5210 meters / 17,092 feet) and Dongda (5008 meters / 16,430 feet) through fantastic scenery to reach Dzogong where we will check into our local accommodations to spend the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Dzogong

Today’s travel distance: 290 kilometers / 180 miles

Expected travel time: 5.5 hours

This morning we will drive around 2 hours to Pomda, where the landscape begins changing to never-ending grasslands that are sparsely inhabited due to the extremely harsh climate. From there we will head on to Yela Mountain Pass (4839 meters / 15,876 feet), a precipitous pass through the Hengduan Mountain Range. Yela Mountain itself stands at an imposing 5820 meters (19,094 feet) and it is a popular destination for Tibetan mountain trekkers. From there we will descend from the mountain along the Seventy-Two Bends, a famous stretch of zigzagging road named for the seventy-two bends in the highway as it winds its way down the mountain.

Continuing on to the west, we will pass through Pasho and many snow-capped mountains, pristine forests and idyllic villages, sometimes experiencing all 4 seasons in a single day due to the changes in altitude. This evening we will reach Ranwu where we will spend the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Ranwu

Today’s travel distance: 250 kilometers / 155 miles

Expected travel time: 4 hours

Rakwa Tso, also known as Rawu Tso or Ranwu Lake, is a beautiful glacial lake in Baxoi County, Tibet. Formed by a landslide dam, this lake is incredibly beautiful as it is surrounded by snowy mountain peaks and pristine forests. After some time here for enjoying its unique beauty, we will travel on to the Midui Glacier, the lowest altitude glacier in the world and ranked as one of the most beautiful glaciers in all of China.

Along the way to our destination of Bomi, we will be traveling alongside the Parlung Tsangpo River, so there will be continuously beautiful scenery all along the way. Once we reach Bomi, we will check into our local accommodations for the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Bomi

Today’s travel distance: 240 kilometers / 149 miles

Expected travel time: 6 - 7 hours

This morning we will depart from Bomi and travel through the wide valleys and canyons of the Parlung Tsangpo River. Raging river flows and numerous waterfalls can be seen along the way as we pass through Tongmai to reach the stunning alpine scenery of the Lulang Forest. Here we will visit a local Tibetan village to meet some of the local people and enjoy some local snack foods. From the plateau of the Lulang Forest we can have a fantastic view of one of the tallest mountains in the world - Mt. Namcha Barwa (7782 meters / 25,531 feet). We will move on from there to Bayi to check into our local accommodations to spend the night. Bayi is a small town situated on the banks of the Nyang River at an altitude of 2994 meters (9,826 feet).

Accommodation: Overnight in Bayi

Today’s travel distance: 490 kilometers / 304 miles

Expected travel time: 8 - 9 hours

This morning we will visit the Bayi Cypress Park, a stand of cypress trees about 2 kilometers from Bayi that reportedly includes one cypress tree that is 2,500 years old – as old as the Buddha himself. From there we will follow the beautiful Nyang River as we travel on towards Lhasa, with a detour along the way to the spectacular Draksum Tso (Lake). As one of the most beautiful lakes in eastern Tibet, it is also considered one of its holiest lakes with connections to three powerful figures in Tibetan Buddhism. We can visit the Tsodzong Gongba Monastery, situated on a small island in the lake and founded in 1400 A.D.

After visiting the lake and the monastery, we will return to following the Nying River, crossing over another high mountain pass at Mila Mountain Pass (5013 meters / 16,447 feet) before descending into Lhasa and checking into our local hotel for the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Lhasa

We will begin your exploration of Lhasa today with a visit to a world-famous landmark - the Potala Palace, widely regarded as one of the most beautiful examples of architecture in the world. Climb up to the palace along zig-zagging stone paths alongside the white and red walls to the top of the palace where you can gain a greater appreciation of the exotic Tibetan-style buildings as well as for a great view of Lhasa's entire urban area. After admiring the sweeping outside views, explore the inner spaces of the Potala Palace to find the stately chapels and learn more about the fascinating history of this special place.

From one historic landmark to another, your next stop will be at the Jokhang Temple, considered as the spiritual heart of Tibetan Buddhism. Every day thousands of pilgrims come from all over Tibet and other places to the temple to worship the Buddha. The Jokhang Temple is also known as the "House of Buddha" because it houses the precious Jowo Rinpoche, a life-sized (1.5 meter/5 feet) image of the Sakyamuni at the age of 12.

The last stop for today's Lhasa exploration is Barkhor Street, the wide, circular street that surrounds the Jokhang Temple. Local residents enjoy walking on the street, completing several circuits around the temple as a daily tradition of pilgrimage. The street also has many small shops selling a wide variety of traditional Tibetan goods, religious items and handicrafts.

After your visit to the Jokhang Temple, we will take you back to your hotel for the evening.

Accommodation: Overnight in Lhasa

This morning we will visit the beautiful Norbulingka Palace and Park, the location of the former summer palace of the Dalai Lamas from the 1780s up until 1959. It features the famous Potrang, the private palaces of former Dalai Lamas built in the grandiose style of traditional Tibetan architecture.

After visiting the palaces and park at Norbulingka, we will travel around 5 kilometers to the western outskirts of Lhasa to visit the Drepung Monastery, the largest monastery in Tibet. The word "drepung" in Tibetan language means "prosperity". Since its establishment in 1416, Drepung Monastery has served as one of the most important Buddhist monasteries in Tibet. During its prime, more than 10,000 monks lived and studied in the monastery. Throughout its history, many important and famous Tibetan leaders studied at this monastery, including the Dalai Lamas. Accordingly, Drepung Monastery is also respectfully known as the “Mother School of Dalai Lamas”.

In the afternoon, we will escort you on to another famous monastery in Lhasa - the Sera Monastery. Sera Monastery is famous for its spectacular “Buddhist Debates”. As a daily routine, the monks gather in a courtyard, and debate on the various Buddhist doctrines with exaggerated gestures, which is thought to be helpful in facilitating a better comprehension of the Buddhist philosophy to attain higher levels of study. After enjoying the "Buddhist Debates", we will take you back to your hotel with the rest of the day and evening to relax or explore on your own.

Accommodation: Overnight in Lhasa

Today you will have free time until we meet you in the lobby of your hotel to transfer you to the Lhasa airport or train station for your departing flight or train.

Today's Tips:

1) Please take care to pack all of your belongings, particularly the small things that are easy to forget about, such as phone and camera chargers, power adapters, mobile phones, wallets, etc.

2) If your flight or train is in the afternoon, please be sure to check out of your hotel room by 12 p.m.

Accommodation: None