Ganzi and Xinlong Travel Guide
Basic information Area code: 0836 Emergency phone: 110, 120, 119 Sichuan Provincial Tourism Bureau complaints phone: 028-86702855 Ganzi Prefecture Tourism Bureau Complaints Telephone: 0836-28354692 Ganzi County Tourism Bureau Complaints Telephone: 0836-7521749 Travel information Bring warm clothes with you because […]
Contents
Basic information
Area code: 0836
Emergency phone: 110, 120, 119
Sichuan Provincial Tourism Bureau complaints phone: 028-86702855
Ganzi Prefecture Tourism Bureau Complaints Telephone: 0836-28354692
Ganzi County Tourism Bureau Complaints Telephone: 0836-7521749
Travel information
- Bring warm clothes with you because weather in the mountains are changeable;
- Wearing sunglasses so as to protect yourself from the strong light reflected from the ice and snow;
- Ganzi and Xinlong are in plateau area. Visitors to the plateau may have altitude sickness, remember to drink plenty of water, try to eat light food, eat more fruits and vegetables, and avoid heavy exercise.
Medical treatment
Ganzi County People’s Hospital
Address: 140 East Main Street, Ganzi County
Tel: 0836-7523539
Ganzi County Hospital Comprehensive Outpatient Department
Address: 6 Golden Beach, Ganzi County
Tel: 0836-7522106
Destination Overview
Destination sketch
It is an important city in what is still seen by the indigenous Tibetan population as the historical region of Kham. Situated in a large valley with grassy hills at an elevation of 3,400 meters (11,155 ft), Ganzi lies tucked north-east of the gorgeous snow-peaked mountains of the Gongga Shan range. Tibetan culture is abundant and vibrant here, and the friendly people won’t let you go by without offering you the Tibetan greeting ‘Tashi Dele’! The town is set along the main road passing from east to west towards Dege or Kangding, (technically south). Visitors are unheard of in the cold winter months, but if you come then, you would be the guest of the entire town!
Local life
Usually the Tibetan people eat three meals a day, but during the busy harvest season they will have four, five and often more. Their staple foods are tsamba, yak butter tea, mutton, and beef. Tsamba, made of highland wheat (Qingke) is convenient to carry around and eat whenever you want, so you can see many of them carrying tsamba bags. As for drinks, they enjoy chang, a type of wine also made from Qingke, and milk tea. The Tibetan knife, sharp and delicate, is often used to cut meat.
Beliefs and taboos
People living here believe in Tibetan Buddhism.
You can find many Mani stone piles and prayer flags along the way. Both of them are the way that Tibetan people use to pray.
Culture
Ganzi Step-dance
Ganzi County is known as the “hometown of song and dance”. As the main representative of Ganzi Song and Dance, “Ganzi stepdance” is highly expressive. During the festival celebrations, there are performances of step-dance in various regions. This has become an indispensable part of the Ganzi people’s life.
Local Festival
Tibetan New Year the first day of tibetan calender
It is the most important festival there. It is an occasion when Tibetan families reunite and expect that the coming year will be a better one. Known as Losar, it starts from the first to the third day of the first Tibetan month. Preparations for the happy event are manifested by special offerings to family shrine deities, painted doors with religious symbols, and other painstaking jobs done to prepare for the event.
The Butter Lamp Festival the 15th day of the first month in Tibetan calender
The Butter Lamp Festival, Chunga Choepa in local language, falls on the fifteenth day of the first Tibetan month. The event was also established by Tsong Khapa to celebrate the victory of Sakyamuni against heretics in a religious debate. Giant butter and Tsampa sculptures varying in forms of auspicious symbols and figures are displayed on Barkhor. People keep singing and dancing throughout the night.
Tsong Khapa Butter Lamp Festival twenty-fifth day of the tenth Tibetan month
It is an event when myriads of butter lamps are lit on rooftops with prayers chanted to commemorate the loss of Tsong Khapa who was a great religious reformer adept in Buddhism. Paying homage to the Holy Mountain Festival (Choekhor Duechcen in local language) falling on the fourth day of the sixth Tibetan month commemorates Sakyamuni’s first sermon. People, in their best conduct during the occasion, go to monasteries to pay their respects to the Buddha. Circumambulation around the mountains is the popular practice during the event. Picnicking, singing and dancing are also part of the event.
Language
Almost none of them can speak English.
Best Travel season
Ganzi should be visited in the spring and autumn. Every year best travel season is from June to October.
Consumption level
Travelers come to Ganzi and Xinlong and their average daily consumption is around 300 to 400 yuan. The big expense part for travelling in this area is chartering car.
Practical information
Ganzi Prefecture Tourism Bureau
Address: No. 189 Yanhe West Road, Kangding City
Tel: 0836-2835469
Www.gzzta.gov.cn
Xinlong Tourism Bureau Tourist Service Center
Address: 143 Renmin Road, Xinlong County
Tel: 0836-8122033
Xinlong County Transportation Bureau
Address: No. 6 South Section of Yanjiang Road, Xinlong County
Tel: 0836-8122092
Intercity traffic
The best way for travelers to travel to Ganzi is arriving in Chengdu first. charter a bus in Chengdu, or travel long distances bus in chengdu bus terminal station. There are many chartered drivers at the bus terminal and at the airport. You can choose an experienced driver. The charter fee is between 200 and 300 yuan per day.
Chengdu Xinnanmen Station
There is a shuttle bus to Ganzi at 10:00 every day, and the fare is 255 yuan.
Address: 57 Linjiang Road, Xinnanmen, Wuhou District, Chengdu
Arrival method: You can take bus 6,10,28,35,48,306,343,904
Business hours: 6:30-19:30
Tel: 028-85433609
Chengdu Chadianzi Station
There are two shuttles to Setar County at 6:15 and 6:20 every day. The fares are 231 yuan and 209 yuan.
Address: No. 289, Section 5, West 3rd Ring Road, Jinniu District, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
Bus line: You can take Bus 4,79,82,108,310,337,716,805
Business hours: 6:00-19:30
Tel: 028-87506610
Ganzi Passenger Transport Center
Every day at 6 o’clock, there are buses sent to Chengdu, Kangding, Dege, etc. Chengdu’s shuttle bus is a sleeper, fare 267 yuan, 129 yuan to go to Kangding, 80 yuan to Dege fare, 114 yuan to Shiqu ticket, 113 yuan to Danba, and 93 yuan to Baiyu.
Address: Near Ganjitan, Ganzi County, No. 6
Tel: 0836-7522353
Yarchen Gar Station
There are shuttles to Seda and Shiqu in the hotel compound. They start at 5 or 6 o’clock in the morning. It is best to purchase tickets one day in advance and go to Yarchen Gar at 40 yuan, Shiqu and Seda 100 yuan.
Address: Ganzi County Liangjia Hotel entrance
Xinlong Station
Only the shuttle bus to Kangding is available at the station, and the ticket fare is 129 yuan on time at 6:00. There are many chartered drivers at the entrance of the station, and they travel between Ganzi and Xinlong. Tickets cost 40, 50 yuan.
Address: 46 West Yanjiang Road, Xinlong County
Tel: 0836-8122074
Attractions in Ganzi
Garze Monastery
A short walk north along the river dividing the town or the street running parallel to the west leads you to the Tibetan quarter of the town, which lays at the foot of the monastery. Follow the narrow paths between the houses to reach the site. Look out for little chapels containing giant prayer wheels circambulated by devotees on the way. Though being the most important of its likes in the Ganzi region and being more than 540 years old, Garze Monastery is not as spectacular as other monasteries in Kham, since the greater parts of its temples had been rebuilt using Han-Chinese-style white-tile facades and plastic-pane windows. Still the views over the valley from its terraces and the maze of the approach through the old Tibetan quarter plus gaudy mix of Tibetan and Chinese architecture make it well worth a visit.
Address: Ganzi County
Arrival method: walk for half an hour, taxi around 10 yuan
Opening hours: From sunrise to sunset, open all day when there is a ceremony event in the temple
Tickets: 10 yuan
Tel: 0836-7526176
Yarchen Gar
It lies 400 km west of Chengdu, in the old Tibetan province of Kham. It is reported that there are 10 000 monks and nuns, making it possibly the largest monastery in the world. Larung Gar is even larger, but is considered a monastic encampment rather Than a monastery. Most of the inhabitants are nuns. It was established in 1985.
Many monks and nuns came to Yarchen Gar when Larung Gar was part of demolished in 2001.
The abbot, Achuk Rinpoche is one of the seniormost Nyingma masters in Tibet and he purposes mainly Dzogchen. He teaches in both Tibetan and Chinese language and attracts students from all over China.
Address: Acha Township, Changtai District, Baiyu County
Arrival method: There is a shuttle bus to Yarchen Gar in front of Liangjia Hotel, Ganzi County, 6:30 departure
Ticket: Free
Www.yqwjcl.com
Den Gompa
It is much smaller but the structures are supposed to be more traditional. It’s in the southern part of Ganzi.
Address: Deba Village, Ganzi County
Arrival way: Beside the junction of Qinghe Street and National Highway 317 at Liangjia Hotel, walking distance
Tickets: Free
Arrival method: chartered car around 50 yuan
Grand Golden Temple
Grand Golden Temple faces to south direction and covers an area of 148,000 square meters. The main hall is a reinforced concrete structure built on the model of the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa.
Address: Gansu County, Kajeng Township
Arrival method: Travel 27 kilometers along State Road 317
Milk Dragon Mountain
Milk Dragon Mountain consists of three peaks, and there are caves on the three peaks. At the bottom of the mountain, there are clear springs rushing out of the stone seams. The water is sweet and clean, so many people come here to drink spring water.
Address: Gantong County Sitong Daxiang, 70 kilometers from the county
Arrival method: From Ganzi County chartered bus, one round way can be about 200 yuan within a day.
Zaryong Kang Holy Mountain
Zaryong Kang Holy Mountain is an oval hill about 50 meters high and 500 meters in circumference with beautiful scenery. Today, on the 15th of May in Tibetan calendar each year, there are tens of thousands of Tibetans who have spent several days worshipping, horse racing, and singing and dancing on Layi Grassland near Zaryong Kang.
Address: Laima Township, Ganzi County, north side of Sichuan-Tibet Highway
Arrival method: chartered to go, the day and return about 150 yuan
Donggu Temple
Donggu Temple belongs to the Gelu School of Tibetan Buddhism and is located in the northeastern part of Ganzi County. It is 60 kilometers from the county and 3,500 meters above sea level. For centuries, monks left a lot of cultural relics in the temple, especially the Golden Buddha of the temple. , Thangka paintings and so on can be called a Tibetan masterpiece.
Address: Ganzi County, 60 kilometers from the county
Arrival method: Cars can be chartered to the junction of Datong River East and Xilonghe West Bank
Datongma Prairie
Datongma Prairie is in the northwestern part of Ganzi County. Since Datongma is located in the hinterland of the Sichuan-Tibet Plateau, it has had little interaction with the outside world for thousands of years. As a result, religious activities have developed very well here and there are still many ancient and mysterious religious cultures. The famous Zara Temple in the Datongma Prairie is currently the most famous of the Nyingma (Red) temples in Ganzi County.
Address: Northwest Ganzi County
Arrival method: Can be chartered or go by car
Attractions in Xinlong
Tumu temple
The temple is built by the Rongrong Lama in Xinlong County and is a Tibetan Buddhist Nyingma temple.
The wooden temple is surrounded by verdant trees. The architecture of the temples is magnificent. The temples and houses are all antique stone structures. The pillars of the main hall have more than 100 columns painted with double dragons.
Address: Tumu Village, Dagai Town, Xinlong County
Arrival method: Chartered to 86 km
Geri Valley Cave
Geri Valley Cave is 4,808 meters above sea level. The mountain is full of white rocks and there are many natural caves in the mountains.
Address: Heping County, Xinlong County
Arrival method: chartered to about 200 yuan
Riba Snow Mountain
Riba Snow Mountain is also known as the “Kawaluo Mountain”. The Tibetan language means “Snow does not change throughout the year.” It is one of the four major mountain areas in Xinlong County. The snow-capped mountains at 5,982 meters above sea level have modern glaciers.
Address: Sandy Township, Xinlong County
Arrival method: You can see the way from Xinlong to Ganzi.
Larima Prairie
The grasslands of Lajma are vast. Every spring, the endless meadows are full of wild flowers. In July and August, local Tibetans will come here from all sides to hold grand horse racing events and trade fairs.
Address: In the town of Lagima, Xinlong County.
Arrival method: Chartered to about 400 RMB
Cuoka Lake
Cuoka lake lies on the foothills with three sides of a mountain surrounded. the fish in the lake shuttles between the grasses and plants. The shores of the lake are rich in Cordyceps, Saussurea, Fritillaria and other rare plants. Wild animals such as snow pigs, horses, and red deer are found in the forests of Shanluan pastures. In the heart of the Tibetan people, the Cuoka Lake is a sacred lake, and there must be no loud noise during walking.
Address: within the territory of Mauri Town, Xinlong County
Arrival method: chartered for about 400 yuan, SUV 800 yuan
Zhaga Holy Mountain
Zhaga Holy Mountain is surrounded by mountains and waters, with an altitude of 4,601 meters. There are many temples in the mountains, Garong Temple, Zuojing Temple, Powa Temple, and Waqiu Temple.
Address: Xionglong Xixiang, Xinlong County
Arrival method: Chartered to about 40 kilometers
Itinerary
Ganzi and Xinlong self driving route
DAY 1: Chengdu – Aba Malcom
DAY 2: Malcom – Ganzi
DAY 3: Ganzi – Xinlong
Food
Tsampa
It is a Tibetan and Himalayan Nepalese staple foodstuff, particularly prominent in the central part of the region. It is roasted flour, usually barley flour and sometimes also wheat flour. It is usually mixed with the salty Tibetan butter tea.
Butter tea
Traditionally, it is made from tea leaves, yak butter, water, and salt, although butter made from cow’s milk is increasingly used, given its wider availability and lower cost.
Accommodation
There are no professional backpacker hostels in Ganzi. Travelers can choose hostels or hotels, mainly around the station and along the river. Most of the hotels are comfortable and clean, with basic facilities, and most of them have hot water baths. Standard room prices range from 100 to 200 yuan.
shopping
Morel
Cordyceps
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