Sichuan Tibet Tour: STS03 Gongga Ice Glacier,Mugecuo lake,Panda Base,Sanxindui, Lhasa and Shigatse 12 days Tour

Visit The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in the morning. It is located in the northern suburb of Chengdu on Futou Hill about 10 km from downtown Chengdu. Giant pandas live in large naturalistic habitats, which help the visitor to understand how these animals live in the wild. The Research Base is one of the important centers in China for the captive conservation of giant pandas. After lunch, we drive 40km to visit Sanxindui Museum, it is situated in the northeastern part of the state-protected Sanxindui ruin by the bank of the Yazi Rive. Two large sacrificial pits were found in 1986 boast the most important archaeological finds on the Sanxindui Ruins for the past half century. The exposure of a large number of spectacular relics created a great sensation, making the Sanxindui site well known to the world.

Drive along the express way for 140 km to Ya’an, then drive for 210 km, passing Tiaquan, Erlang Moountain, to Hailuogou (Moxi County in the foot of Mt. Mingya Gonggar). Stay at base No.2. Take a bath in the hot spring. The Hailuogou Valley that lies at the foot of Gongga Mountain is world-famous for the modern glacier in low altitude (the glaciers in the world mostly lay in the region of high altitude). The sparkling modern glacier rushes down from the high and steep valley, spraying millions of water blooms, changing the quite valley into a pure water palace. Ice holes and ice Bridge make people feel like entering into a Crystal Palace.

Drive to No.3 Base Camp, walk through the virgin forest, get to the Gongga Glacier. Then drive from Luding to Kangding, You will arrive at Kangding – the capital city of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in the afternoon. Upon arrive visit Anjue monastery, experience the mysterious Tibetan Buddhism. After dinner, enjoy the hot spring at Erdaoqiao.

The natural scenery region of Mugecuo (also means Wildman Sea in Tibetan), 28km from Kangding City. Overall scenery region consists of Azalea Gorge, Seven color Sea, Fragrant Grass Lawn, Medical Boiling Spring Pool, Wild man Sea, Red sea Grassland, with a place of famous scenery region taking snow mountains, grassland, hot spring ,flying waterfall , high mountain lakes, Tibet customs as one organic whole. It is a biggest one on high mountain in west-Sichuan, with the area of 3.6sq.km and the deep most of 70m, which is situated on the mountain of 3780m. On the west lakeshore there is a lot of jungle of Azalea bushes and on hillside of the east lakeshore, there are bushes & grassy marshland. Many kinds of flowers are in bloom and dark blue in the water of lake during Spring and Summer; the forest on larger &larger turns color and ripples and sparkles on the surface of lake in the season of Autumn; the freezing of lake with ice with the thickness of 1m in the season of severe Winter.

Back to Chengdu, visit Mt. Mengding en route. Mt. Mengding is Sacred Mountain of Tea Culture, it is the first mountain en route from the Chengdu Plain to the western Sichuan highland and also the first stopover to ascend the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau from the Sichuan Basin. The mountain has long been known as the ”Home of Divine Tea” as it abounds in famous tea. A legend has it that Wu Lizhen, initial tea grower of the western Han Dynasty grew tea in the mountain, leaving the earliest record of tea growing in history. Mengding tea was always used as tribute to send to the imperial courts every. The Mt. Mengding has always been a brilliant shining pearl along the ancient southern Silk Road.

Fly to the roof of the world, Tibet is truly beyond your imagination. The blue sky, the highest mountain, lake and train, religious people, harmony between people and nature will give you a deep impression. Pickup and transfer to hotel in Lhasa . In order to acclimatize to the high altitude. No program will be arranged for the rest of the day

An extraordinary day of sightseeing shows the spectacular architecture at the world famous Potala Palace. Former home of the Dalai Lama, its massive 1000-room structure towers over this mountain city. The tour is followed by Jokhang Temple . Then visit famous Barkhor Market, where you can shop for rare Tibetan items.

Drive to Yangbacheng Hot spring 92km north of Lhasa, view the Northern Tibet grassland and NyanchengTanggula Snow Mountain on the way. Continue to Namutso lake, one of the three holiest lakes in Tibet, called “Heavenly lake”. Taking photo, yak riding lakeside, then back to Lhasa.

Yamdroktso(4441m), one of Tibet’s three holy lakes, is located 110km outside of Lhasa. It’s mostly mountain road, winding and bumpy, even thrilling somewhat. After about 3 1/2 hours’ driving, climbing over the snow pass of Kambala(5030m), the dazzling Yamdroktso just lies several hundred meters below the road, and in clear weather is a fabulous shade of deep turquoise. Far in the distance is the huge massif of Mt. Nojin Kangtsang(7191m).After down from the mountain, there’s about 30km road along lakeside, with barley fields on the other side of the road. Leaving Yamdroktso is as spectacular as arriving, since you’ll cross the 5045m Karola, with its awesome roadside views of the Nojin Kangtsang Glacier. With the Glacier scene still exciting you, after about 90km, you get to Gyantse. There stands the 35m-high famous Kumbum, packed with exquisite Tibetan sculpture and paintings, a stunning architectural wonder in Tibet. Just 4km to Gyantse, there’s the Pala Farmland which used to belong to the slave-owner family of Pala. The well-kept Farmland can bring the family’s luxurious life back to your eyes. This site deserves a quick visit of 30 minutes. Then you can leave the small town of Gyantse. With Gyantse just fades away from your sight, Shigatse becomes clearer cause it’s just 1 1/2 hours’ driving (98km).

Miles away from Shigatse, you can already see the gold tops of Tashilhunpo shinning under the sun. While Tashilhunpo’s magnificent outside leaves you gasp in admiration, the inside of this monastery introduces you more religious tranquility and sincerity. Just close Tashilhunpo is the Old Town of Shigatse, a great place to wander around: Nicely decorated Tibetan houses and interesting market and bazaar give you a vivid picture of local people’s life. Drive back Lhasa.

Airport drop off to Lhasa airport, Service end.