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Day01 05.02. SAT Arrive in Chengdu
Arrive in Chengdu, capital of province Sichuan, the home town of Panda. Picked up by the local guide at airport and transferred to hotel. 2N at 4*Minshan Lhasa Hotel Day02 06.02. SUN Chengdu B/L/D
In the morning drive to the Giant Panda Base of Breeding and Research. Founder in 1985, today there are over 50 giant panda living here. In the afternoon walking through the old wide and narrow laneway (Kuan XIangzi and Zhai Xiangzi), experience the traditional spring festival of Chengdu. Day03 07.02. MON Chengdu – Yaan – Luding B/L/D
Drive along Chengdu-Yaan Express Way to Yaan, the famous Rainy City. On the way enjoy the rural scenery in western Sichuan Plain. Visit the ancient town Shangli near Yaan. After crossing through the 4.1 km long tunnel of Mt. Erlang Shan arrive in Luding. 1N at 3*Ludingqiao Hotel Day04 08.02. TUE Luding – Danba B/L/D
Drive along the Dadu River to Danba, the most beautiful village of China. The local people in Danba are called Gyarong (Jiarong) Tibetans. It is said that they are the descendants of the people of the ancient Xixia Kingdom, who merged with the local people after they fled from Gansu and settled here. Danba has long been acclaimed as the Kingdom of Thousands of Ancient Blockhouses. In the afternoon visit the ancient block towers in village Suopo. They were made of clay and block and look fine from outside with solid thick walls. Afterwards visit the Jiaju Tibetan Residence. Jiaju, 10 kilometers away from the county city, is one of the rare places in China that has preserved complete Tibetan style residences. More than one hundred buildings keep the same architectural style with a complete and unique character of Gyarong 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*Dngnvguo Hotel Day05 09.02. WED Danba – Rangtang B/L/D
Drive to Rangtang. In Tibetan Rangtang means the Treasure God’s Flat Land. On the way visit the Kargyuepa Monastery Sirin Kar (Zengke Si), who's sign are the three nine storey "Milarepa Stone Tower". 1N at 2*Rangtang Hotel Day06 10.02. THU Rangtang – Aba B/L/D
In the morning drive to Rangtang (Dzamthang) Monatsery in the valley of the Dzi Chu. It is the main lamasery of the entire Rangtang area and the chief institution of the Jonangpa order. Then drive to the nearby Nyingmapa lamasery Bangtuo. The monastery was established during the Mongol Yuan reign of China (1274-1368). Bathong Gompa or Bangtuo Si was already famous for the throngs of choerten built from the 17th century up to 1910. Three of the choerten at Bangtuo Monastery are said to exhibit murals of or near the time of construction. The oldest of the Bangtuo choerten was built in 1618 and shelters a small number of 17th century murals. Late in the afternoon reach Aba (Ngawa). Aba means people coming from Ngari in Tibetan. In this area all the sects of Tibetan Buddhism remain and exist in harmony. 5N at 2*Nianbao Yuze Hotel or similar Day07 11.02. FRI Aba B/L/D
In the morning visit Kirti Monastery (Ge'erdeng Si) of Gelug Sect. Originally built in 1870, it has become the biggest monasteries in Kham-Amdo region of Sichuan after more than 100 years of development. After lunch drive to Nangshig Monastery, located at a hillside to the northeast of the Aba County. Nangshig Monastery is one of the biggest Bon monastery in China and has a history of about 900 years after it was built in 1107. The monastery is very strong in economy and the temple halls are built and decorated magnificently. Besides, its differences from Buddhism in religious rituals and taste of art have a great appeal to people. Then visit the nunnery Jomo Gompa. Located at the Mami Mountain of Siwa Town six kilometers to the west of the county seat, the nunnery of Gelug Sect is the biggest one of its kind in Amdo-Kham regions. It was built in 1894 and has a history of more than 100 years. Day08 12.02. SAT Aba B/L/D
From today onwards we will join the new year festival Losar at Aba. At about 09:40pm, a ceremony for Sunning the Buddha begins and a big Tangkha of Tsongkhapa displays in front of Assembly Hall in a quite different way from other Gelupa monasteries in Amdo area. The ceremony of Buddha Sunning initiated from 1468AD in the rein of the 1st Dalai Lama, and much bigger sized Thangka paintings of Buddha has been utilizing from the time of the 4th Dalai Lama to this day. In the afternoon go and see the monks of Kirti who are participating the Buddhist Debating. Day09 13.02. SUN Aba B/L/D
In the morning drive to Kirti again. Enjoy the performance of monk masks dancing. In the afternoon visit Ngayul Monastery (Saige Si), a Jonangpa order temple in the vicinity of Aba Town. See how they are sunning the Buddha and turning the Buddha. Day10 14.02. MON Aba B/L/D
Drive to Nangshig Monastery again. In the morning, we can see the circling dance in the monastery. The monks walk around the temple while playing religious musical instruments. It is an amazing exotic experience to us all. After the visit we drive back town. On route pay a visit to a local Tibetan family and see how the life of the locals are in today. Day11 15.02. TUE Aba B/L/D
Experince the Losar at Nangshig Monastery again. Today we will see the grand prayer ceremony at the Guardian Deity hall. Many locals gather around here and what they like to do is burning the pine twigs, Tibetan joss-sticks or tsamba. They share the faith that the smokes they burn will open the `sky gate' and will carry their prayers to the deities. It is a good chance to view the traditional costume of the Tibetans as they will put on the most beautiful ones to the monastery. For them, it is indeed the big feast. The monks today at Nangshig will perform their traditional masks dancing. A big treat for us today! Day12 16.02. WED Aba – Taoping - Chengdu B/L/D
Drive back to Chengdu. On the way we will visit Taoping Qiang People's Stocked Village. The ancient Taoping Village has a great appeal for the numerous experts and tourists with its odd and wonderful fortress buildings. 1N at 4*Minshan Lhasa Hotel Day13 17.02. THU Leave Chengdu B
Transfer to airport and see off.
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Danoe is one of the best guides I ever had in the time I travelled around the world for his excellent guide, euthusiasm and passion to service delivery. He was beyond expection for caring about our health and interest. He has shown a high level of professionalism and enthusiasm.
