Tibetan Festivals in Aba and Tagong

Highlights:

1.On the 13th day of January according to Chiense lunar calendar, the Monlam festival will be hold in the Kirti Monastery in Aba Tibtean and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture. At the same time, various religious Buddhist activities are held in various temples. It is an excellent opportunity for photographers to capture Tibetan customs.
2.From October to the 15th day of January next year in Chinese lunar calendar, the Tibetans from the Kham Tibetan region have come to the Gerima village in Tagong grassland under the Yala Mountain. Thousands of Tibetans will turn scripture here and they measured every inch of land here with devout steps.
3.Xinduqiao is known as “the paradise of photography”, while the Xinduqiao in winter is more like an elegant ink painting.
4.Winter is the most beautiful season of Hailuogou National Forest Park. The virgin forest is like the forest snowfield.

Itinerary:

Day 1 February Chengdu

Warm welcome by your guide at airport or train station and private transfer to hotel.
Accommodation: Babao Grand Hotel

Day 2 February Chengdu – Aba (480km, altitude 3290m ) (B,L,D)

The driver will pick up you at the lobby of hotel at around 7:30 am. We start the trip down Chengguan highway. After corss one tunnel after Dujiangyan, that means you step into the scope Aba Tibtean and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture.
You will arrive in Lixian at around lunch time. After lunch, you will pass parts of Hongyuan grassland, which is known as “Gold Sands and Silver Sands” of plateau for its unique natural landscape and abundant natural resources.
We will arrive at about 18:00pm, you can watch the starry sky of grassland during the night.
visit / photography / activities: winter view in Tibetan area, grassland landscape, Tibetan buildings
Accommodation: Ande Xi’na Hotel

Day 3 February Aba (B,L,D)

visit / photography / activities: take photos about Aba in the mist in the early morning, After breakfast, according to the situation of each temple, we will arrange visiting to folk customs.
We will photograph the villages and temples in the Aba wilderness in the sunset.
Accommodation: Ande Xi’na Hotel

Day 4 February Aba – Barkam (243km, altitude 2600m ) (B,L,D)

visit / photography / activities: On the 13th day of lunar calendar, you will visit the grand Monlam festival in Kirti Monastery. And heading to Barkam in the afternoon. Barkam is the prefectural capital of Aba Tibetan & Qiang Autonomous Prefecture. It is also known as Ma’erkang. The population is largely Han Chinese, although there are also Tibetans living in town and passing through.
Accommodation: Dongzang Rongba Hotel

Day 5  February Malcom – Tagong (292km, altitude 3700m) (B,L,D)

visit / photography / activities: driving along the Dadu river and passing Jinchuan and Danba, you will arrive Tagong grassland in the afternoon.
Tagong grassland is at the altitude over 3700 meters above the sea level.There are the biggest Mani stone in Kham area and monastery especially for Juemu (the female monks).
If you have a good weather, Muya golden pagoda is a good place for photographing too, with the Yala snow mountain as background.
Accommodation: Herui hotel

Day 6  February Tagong – Xinduqiao (40km, altitude 3700m) (B,L,D)

visit / photography / activities: visiting thousands of people turning Scripture in Gerima village. Feel the religious atmosphere here which is praised as the second Jokhang Temple and capture a view of the holy Yala Kamiyama; And continue driving to Xinduqiao in the afternoon.
Accommodation: Xinduqiao Yangzongling Hotel

Day 7  February Xinduqiao – Moxi (150km, altitude 1580m) (B,L,D)

visit / photography / activities: Wander at Xinduqiao paradise only existed in the marvelous photos and take some photos. After breakfast, You will pass Yajiageng on the way. Yajigeng also called Yajia Loving Sea, is the landscape corridor between Hailuohou and Kangting county, honored as the World’s Red Rock Park. There are the only Red Rock valley in the world, the glistening highland lake, the vast snow mountains, the multicolored flower sea, the pristine ruin site of the ancient tea horse road, the cute red panda, as well as the famous Xikang Magnolia.
Moxi Ancient town in the destination of today, that is situated at the entrance of the Conch Gully/Hailuogou Glacier Forest Park.
Accommodation: Qiman hotel

Day 8  February Moxi – Hailuogou glacier – Moxi (B,L,D)

visit / photography / activities: Take the cableway to feast your eyes on the low altitude modern glaciers, grand ice falls, virgin forests and highland hot springs
Accommodation: Qiman hotel

Day 9  February Moxi – Chengdu (B,L)

visit / photography / activities: heading back to Chengdu, you will arrive Chengdu at aroud 16:00pm in the afternoon.
Accommodation: Babao grand hotel