Many lakes and hot-water pools at the bottom of the valley create a world of steam. Too many wizardly sceneries to see, just like the fairyland on the earth. On the way visit Huiyuan Temple 98 kilometers away from Dawu County in the southeast. It is called Gedajampaling in Tibetan. In 1729 the seventh Dalai Lama, Kelzang Gyatso built the temple to reside in order to avoid the rebellion caused by Dzungar Mongols. Surrounded by three circles of walls, the temple covers an area of 500 mus (1 hectare = 15 mu) with more than one thousand of storied buildings and about four hundred of bungalows. There is a hanging stele with the inscription of Huiyuan Temple at the upper of the gate and a stone tablet standing in the front of the temple gate, which were obliged by the emperor Qingshizhu of Qing Dynasty to Dalai Lama then. We reach Bamei in the late afternoon.
Day04 Bamei - Kasa Lake – Garze 1N in 2*Golden Yak Hotel (B/L/D)
Drive to Garze, the real cultural and religious center for the Tibetans living in Sichuan. In Tibetan "Garze" means " white and beauty", named after the famous temple in the county. On the way have a rest by the Kasa Lake. Upon arrival, visit Garze monastery of yellow sect (Gelug). The temple was built in1552 by Juji Angwengpencuo the disciple of the Fifth Dalai Lama.
Day05 Garze - Yilhun Lhatso – Dege 2N in 2*Chola Hotel (B/L/D)
In the morning pass by Manigango to visit Xinlu Hai Lake (Yilhun Lhatso). Located at the foot of Chola Mountain in Dege County, Xinlu Hai Lake Scenic Spot is 98 kilometers from Garze County and 100 kilometers from Dege County. It is 4040 meters above the sea level, with an average depth of 10 meters and a maximum depth of 15 meters. There are plateau spruces, firs, Chinese weeping cypresses, azalee trees and meadows around the lake. It is also a preserve for wild animals like white-lipped deer. We walk on the left side of the lake to its top, the gate of a short valley where the melted snow and ice pour into the beautiful lake Yilhun Lhatso. After that we drive up to the Chola Pass (5,000 meters), get across the steep Chola Mountain, the highest peak of which is 5,650 meters.
Day06 Dege
Today we visit the Dege Printing House which has always been well reputed as the “Cultural Treasury at the Foot of the Snow Mountain.” As the national leading protected entity of cultural relics, it is the biggest printing house in Tibetan area. Another program is Gengqing, meaning big temple in Chinese. In 1445 (the thirteen years of Emperor Zhengtong’s reign in Ming dynasty), Bota.zhaxishenggen, the first tusi of Dege family which had been in a long line of hereditary of Dege rulers, and Tangdongjiebyu the famous monk with great achievement built a Buddhist chapel in Gengqingshigengnon. The chapel was called Tangjia in honor of Tangdongjiebyu’s merits and virtues. As completed, the chapel became more and more popular with the most support of the Dege tusi. In the afternoon visit the Traditional Tibetan Medicine Hospital.
Day07 Dege – Chamdo 1N in 3*Chamdo Hotel (B/L/D)
Drive across the Jinsha River (upper reaches of Yangtse) Bridge connecting Sichuan and Tibet heading for Chamdo. We will cross over no less than four passes: Khargang La (4,352 m), Lashi La (4,450 m), Jape La (4,680 m), and Tama La (4,511 m), with clutters of prayer flags waving in the wind on the peaks and friendly nomads waving at us from the grasslands. Straddling the Mekong river, Chamdo (3200 m) was the former capital of Kham in East-Tibetan area and has a rich history as one of the earliest centers of the Tibetan plateau and home of Kalden Jampaling of Gelugpa sect, the great monastery founded between 1436-44 and developed through the centuries by successive Living Buddhas.
Day08 Chamdo – Riwoche Jeep 105 km 1N in simple Guesthouse (B/L/D)
In the morning visit Galden Jampaling monastery. In its earlier prime time there were more than 1000 monks in the monastery. In the afternoon drive over the Zholpel La pass (4688 m) to Riwoche (3810 m). Riwoche means in Tibetan „mountain”.
Day09 Riwoche - Dengchen Jeep 185 km 1N in simple Guesthouse (B/L/D)
Drive on very bad road to Dengchen. Dengchen means in Tibetan „great terrace”. Dengchen is the center of the Boen-Religion, which is a primitive religion based on ancient witchcraft and the worship to god and ghost, and was spread through the whole Tibet before the Buddhism was introduced into Tibetan area. Here visit two monasteries: Tengchen and Ritro Lhakhang.
Day10 Dengchen - Bachen – Sok Dzong Jeep 255 km 1N in simple Guesthouse (B/L/D)
After master Tsuri La Pass (4200 m) and Shel La Pass (4750 m) we arrive at Bachen, the “big Yak hair tents”. Continue to drive 30 km we reach Sok Dzong, Sok means in Tibetan “Mongolia”. At the junction of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), 39 Hoer tribes of Mongolians migrated to the present day areas of Dengchen, Bachen and Sok Dzong; hence the name of "the Land of the 39Tribes". Besides, the three counties are rich in Chinese caterpillar fungus.
Day11 Sok Dzong - Naqu Jeep 230 km 1N in 2*Qiangtang Telecom Hotel (B/L/D)
Drive to the Sok Tsanden Zhol village, and visit the monastery of Nyimpa sect - Sok Tsanden Gompa. After that cross over two passes and reach the city of Shakchuka. Still just 100 km and two other passes have to be mastered before arrive at the today's destination Naqu. The northern route of Sichuan – Tibet Highway (Chengdu - Lhasa) and the Qinghai-Tibet Highway (Golmud – Lhasa) meet in Naqu.
Day12 Naqu – Nam Tso Lake Jeep 240 km 1N in simple Guesthouse (B/L/D)
Drive on the vast Qiangtang Grassland for Nam Tso. Cross the 5,150 m Lhachen La Pass and reach the Namtso or Tengri Nor (“Heaven Lake” in Mongolian) along the newly paved way and set up camp at Tashi Dorie peninsula. Nam Tso, the biggest salty lake of Tibet, is 70 kilometers long from east to west and 30 kilometers wide from north to south, covering an area of 1,920 square kilometers with an altitude of 4,700 meters above sea level. It is said the holy lake and the holy mountain Nyenchentangla are a couple of lovers, who altogether guard the vast pasture and cattle. Take a walk on the peninsula and visit a small nun temple of Nyingma Sect.
Day13 Nam Tso Lake - Lhasa Jeep km 3N in 3*Dhood Gu Hotel (B/L/D)
In the morning walking and sightseeing by the Nam Tso lake. After lunch drive to Lhasa (3650 m), capital of Tibet Autonomous Region. The city is situated on the bank of the Kyichu River and has long been the "Holy Land" of Tibet.
Day14 Lhasa (B/L/D)
In the morning visit Potala, which was originally constructed in 637 by Songtsen Gampo, the first king of the united Tibet, and later expanded and served as the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas as well as the religious-political nexus of traditional Tibet. The crowds of pilgrims, innumerable magnificent murals, Buddhist statues, scriptures and rare treasures altogether creative a dense religious and art atmosphere that impresses every visitor. In the afternoon visit Jokhang monastery, the center of the Tibetan Buddhism and the sacred land of Buddhist followers where thousands of pilgrims come for worship everyday. The temple, built in 647, is the earliest wood-and-masonry structure still existing in Tibet. Walk on the Barkhor street surrounding Jokhang, a big free market with its prolific stalls for selling local specialties.
Day15 Lhasa (B/L/D)
In the morning visit Drepung monastery the sacred land of Gelug Sect., which was established in 1416 and the second, third and fourth Dalai Lama once resided in. In the afternoon visit Sera monastery, which was created in 1419 and has always been an important Buddhist seminary. As rose are planted everywhere in the monastery, it is also called “the court of wild rose”. Today still 200 lamas live in there.
Day16 Air Lhasa – Chengdu 1N at 3*Xinliang Hotel (B/L/D)
In the morning transfer to Gongga airport (100 km), fly to Chengdu. In the afternoon visit the Daoism Temple Qingyang Gong.
Day17 Chengdu – Home (B)
Transfer to aiport, fly back home.