Tour Features: By this nine-day self-driving tour, you will have a fantastic and brand new experience driving from Sichuan to Tibet. Although the road is rugged, numerous unique natural sceneries along this journey are really worthy of seeing. Besides, you will know more about customs and buildings of Tibetan people.
Day by Day Itinerary:
Day 1: Chengdu / Danba (350 KM) (-/ -/ -)
Drive to Luding via Chengdu-Ya’an Highway in the morning. After visiting the Luding Bridge, you will proceed to Danba via Wadan Road. Danba is a fruite village which abounds with plateau apples and snow pears. On the way you will pass the Xiaojin River Valley and Danba Bridge-the only passage between Xiaojin County and Danba County. Finally you will reach the Kingdom of Watchtowers-Danba County.
With unique architectural features, the watchtowers in Danba are more outstanding than the ones in other areas of northwestern Sichuan Province, where the Tibetan and Qiang ethnic groups live in compact communities. The watchtowers in Danba vary in height from 16 to 35 meters. They stand in knots on hillsides or alone on the tops of undulating hills. Here are the sites of ancient mankind activities 5,000 years ago, and here has completely kept the life customs of Jiarong Tibetan. Stay overnight in Danba.
Day 2: Danba / Daofu / Luhuo (230 KM) (-/ -/ -)
After breakfast, you will visit the outstanding watchtowers in Danba and experience the folklore of customs of Jiarong Tibetan.
Then drive to Daofu. On the way you can enjoy the scenery of Donggu Scenic Area and Bamei Grassland. You can also visit the Tagong Monastery. It’s the largest monastery of Sakyapa sect in Kangba area.
Daofu means foal in Tibetan. Tibetans in Daofu say themselves the descendents of West Xia(1038-1227) people; they reside in unique, white, flat-roofed houses, lined with red timbers. And houses in Daofu are called “perfection of Tibetan building” because it takes colorfulness and magnificence as its appearance, log pillars and carved girders as its inner features. Daofu Tibetan House can be called the epitome of architecture in the Tibetan area. The houses are made primarily of earth and wood. The exterior is graceful, simple, unsophisticated and surrounded by green trees. The interior is decorated with carved beams and painted rafters. The luxurious décor is a typical Kham feature, beautiful and impressive. Set off from Daofu to Luhuo via Xianshui River. An earthquake monument stands beside the Xianshui River. The largest earthquake observation point in Southwest China is in Luhuo County. Stay in the hotel of Luhuo in the evening.After breakfast you will visit the Victory White Pagoda, Shouling Temple, and Kasha Lake-an important habitat for plateau water birds in Tibet. You will also listen to magical stories told by Tibetan lama and enjoy yourself on the Jinma Grassland.
Next stop is Ganzi. Ganzi Lamasery is the biggest lamasery of “Huo’er Yellow sect 13 temples”. Over 540 years old, it glimmers with blinding quantities of gold. Encased on the walls of the main hall are hundreds of small golden Sakyamunis. In a smaller hall just west of the main hall is an awe-inspiring statue of Jampa (Maitreya or Future Buddha), dressed in a giant silk robe.
Proceed west to Dajin Monastery.
Next stop is Xinluhai Lake (Yulong Lake). It is located at the foot of Quer Mountain. The legend goes that a concubine of King Gesar likes the lake very much. Quer Mountain (6,184m) stands to the southwest of Xinluhai Lake. The road on the mountain is very steep. The lake is also called Yilhun Lhatso (Loving Heart Lake) in Tibetan, and this name originates from a local legend. In the “Epic of King Gesar,” the king’s beloved concubine Zhumu fell in love with the lake for its beauty and tranquility. Her heart fell into the lake when she was heading back to the king’s palace, and so the locals named the lake Yilhun Lhatso in memory of Zhumu.
After crossing the Quer Mountain, you will reach Dege-the birthplace of the legendary King Gesar who ruled the Kingdom of Ling. It is situated at the foot of Quer Mountain and at the east bank of Jinsha River. Dege, which in Tibetan means land of mercy, serves as one of the three ancient centers of Tibetan culture and Buddhism in China (the other two are Lhasa in Tibet and Xiahe in Gansu Province) and the seat of modern printing technology. Two attractions in this little mountainous county are the Dege Scriptures Printing House and the Gengqing Monastery. The printing house has 217,000 engraved blocks in its archives, including classics from different sects of Tibetan Buddhism. It has 100,000 blocks for books on Tibetan culture, science and technology, history, biographies, medicine, mathematics, language, and various other topics. It is estimated that materials stored in Dege make up 70 percent of Tibet’s literary heritage. Because of its role in preserving Tibetan culture, Dege ranks together with the Sakya Monastery and the Potala Palace in Lhasa in historic and cultural significance. Stay overnight in Dege.Set off from Dege to Jiangda County. Jiangda is the first county in Tibet from Sichuan. It is at the northeast of Qamdo area, the upper stream of Jinsha River. After crossing Damala Mountain, you will reach today’s destination-Qamdo.
Today you will visit Qiangbalin Monastery and Kanuo Ruins. Qiangbalin Monastery is similar to other major Tibetan Buddhist Monasteries, with well-preserved statues, frescos and Tangkas. The main Buddha here is Qiangba Buddha. The monastery is famous for its religious dance ceremony called Guqing which is performed every Tibetan New Year. Kanuo Ruins are the first sites of primitive society excavated in Tibet Autonomous Region, and are the highest, also the western most New Stone Age ruins unearthed in China. The ruins situated around 12 km from Qamdo City are full of stone built houses and primitive stone tools that date back to more than 5000 years. They are also the first excavated sites in Tibet that makes it hugely important for researchers and archaeologists. Then stay in the hotel of Qamdo.Set off from Qamdo to Bangda. Bangda is at the junction of the 317 and 318 national highway. It was on the renowned Tea-horse Ancient Road. It is connected with Sichuan, Yunnan and Qinghai by highway. In 1995, Qamdo Bangda Airport was built. It is the highest airport in the world, with an altitude of 4,334 meters.
The only airport in east Tibet, a civil airport with the highest attitude in the world is located in the Bangda grassland. The Bangda grassland at an altitude of 4,300 meters is a wonderful opportunity to see nomad people with their herds of yaks and sheep. It’s the watershed between Lancang River and Nu River.
Farewell to the beautiful grassland and head for Basu. On the way the car will cross the most dangerous part of Hengduan Range-Nu River Mountain (4,839m). After passing the 99 twists, the car will proceed along the Nu River. Finally you will reach Basu. Today you will experience the sharp temperature drop because of the altitude difference. Stay overnight in Basu.Proceed along the alpine meadow. Appreciate the snow-capped mountains and glaciers in the distance. Then you will reach today’s destination-Ranwu. The Ranwu Lake is a perfect blending of the Swiss Alps snow peaks and glaciers and the streams in Jiuzaigou (a famous area of northern Sichuan, named for the 9 Tibetan villages which are spread out amongst beautiful lakes and waterfalls). The lake, 3,800 meters above the sea level, has a water area of 22 square kilometers. The melted snow and ice supply the lake with sufficient water. The green grassland around the lake, the sky-blue lake water and the white snow mountains constitute a very pretty Alps watercolor. In the evening, you will stay in Ranwu.
Day 7: Ranwu / Bome (218KM) (-/ -/ -)In the morning you can continue to enjoy the fantastic view of Ranwu Lake.
After lunch, you will depart from Ranwu and head for Bomi. The Bomi County lies in the neighboring area between Himalaya and Nianqing Tanggula of east Tibet, somewhere between Highway No. 83 and No.103. The rugged countryside is surrounded with peaks and a river valley in the heart. Bomi has a land area of about 16,578.24 square kilometers and at latitude of 4,200 meters on the average base. Two main rivers Palongzhangbu and Yigongzhangbu meet at Tongmai and flow further to the great turning of the Grand Canyon.Depart from Bome and down along Palongzangbu River, a wed-sized water system, here you can appreciate the expansive Palongzangbu River, numerous lofty trees, majestic snow mountains and glaciers along the both sides of Sichuan-Tibet Road. Then arrive in Tongmai, known as China Geological Museum with the lowest sea level (1800m) in Sichuan-Tibet Road. Depart from Tongmai to Tongmaitianxian (Tongmai Dangerous Road), which is so dangerous with the average width ranges from 6m to 7m that it’s hard to improve the large area of collapse. Drive along Rong River and arrive in Pailong, leading to Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon.
Drive to Lulang, here you can have a fantastic view of the forests growing below the snow mountains, rural landscapes, pastures, rivers. Afterwards, drive across the 4,642m high Mt. Sejila. In low-altitude area, endless forests, coniferous forests, arbor azaleas make up of a marvelous picture, and in high-altitude area, masses of flowering large-sized shrub azaleas turn the slopes into colorful tapestries, stand in the mountaintop you can view Mt.Namjagbarwa and Jialabailei Peak (the former is the most beautiful mountain in China), as well as the prayer banners fluttering in the wind. Drive down; overlook Nyingchi county town and Niyang River. Nyingchi, known as South Yangtse of Tibet, is in front of you. Here you can view the famous King of Cypress, 2,500years old with a circumstance of 18m at breast height. Finally get to Bayi Town (2,900m), built in the alluvial plain deposited by Niyang River, is the capital of Nyingchi and the most modern city in Tibet. Lodge in the local hotel in Bayi Town.
Day 3: Luhuo / Ganzi / Dege (311KM) (-/ -/ -)
Day 4: Dege / Jiangda / Qamdo (328KM) (-/ -/ -)
Day 5: Qamdo / Bangda / Basu (265 KM) (-/ -/ -)
Day 6: Basu / Ranwu (90 KM) (-/ -/ -)
Day 8: Bome / Niyang River Scenic Area / Bayi Town (233KM) (-/ -/ -)
Day 9: Bayi Town / Lhasa (460 KM) (-/ -/ -)
Depart from Bayi Town. On the way you will enjoy the fantastic view along the Niyang River. The Nyang River is a major river in south-west Tibet and the longest tributary of the Yarlung Tsangpo River. It originates from Mila Mountain, and enters Yarlung Tsangpo River at 40km south of Bayi Town.
Head for Basomtso Lake. It is a fantastic lake that hides among the mountains and valleys. Basomtso Lake, covering 27 sq kilometers, lies in a deep valley at an altitude of 3,538 metes. In Tibetan language, Basomtso means ‘green water’. The water is green because it is so pure and clean that the surrounding green trees are reflected in the lake surface. Then drive to Lhasa along the Niyang River. You can see the majestic Potala Palace standing on the red hill in the distance. B: Breakfast AB: American Breakfast L: Lunch D: Dinner SD: Special Dinner
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