Sichuan Yunnan Tour: SYS03 Gongga Ice Glacier,Mugecuo lake,Panda base,Sanxindui, Chengdu, Lijiang, Shangri La 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.

Take flight to Lijiang old town, be met at the aiport, transfer to hotel. Afternoon, explore Lijiang Old Town by yourself. Lijiang Old Town has a history more than 800 years; it was listed as the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997.Here you will see the wonderful wooden architecture of Naxi ethnic people.

Visit Ganhaizi Meadow, Baishui(White Water) River; take the chairlift to Yak Meadow(3700M) in the Yulong Snow Mountain —Jade Dragon Snow Mountain stretches a length of 35 kilometers (22 miles) and a width of 20 kilometers (13 miles). Looking from Lijiang Old Town in the south which is 15 kilometers (nine miles) away, the snow-covered and fog-enlaced mountain resembles a jade dragon lying in the clouds, hence, the name Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The highest peak named Fan Peak (Shanzidou in Chinese) which is about 5596 meters above sea level. There are three cable cars in the mountain, the fist to the Glacier Park(4500M),the second to Spruce Meadow(3200M),the third to Yak Meadow(3700M). In the afternoon, you’ll stroll through Baisha Village, which is an enchanting traditional Yunnan village. Visit the Baisha Mural about 600 years old, which is one part of the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997. After dinner, Enjoy the Naxi Orchestral and Show in Dongba Palace.

At 6:00, drive to Qiaotou Town, it takes 2 hours on the trip. Your hiking trip starts from here, the 28 zigzaging turns will be a real text. The total trekking route is 28 km, and it takes about 6-8 hours. You will arrive at Half-Way Guest House to finish today’s trekking. While you are walking in the gorge, our support team will take all of your luggage to meet you at Tina’s Inn, so you only need to carry two bottles of water, chocolate and camera on the trip. The Tiger Leaping Gorge: one of the world’s four great gorges – is located in Hutiaoxia Town in Shangri-La County, is honored as one of the deepest and most marvelous gorges on the globe.

In the early morning, continue hiking to Tina’s Inn, after lunch break, 1 hour walking down the steep cliff to the bank of Jinsha River, worship the dangerous shoal of ”Starriness”, it is the most narrow part of the gorge, where a tiger can easily jump over the Jinsha River, 1 more hour to climb up the gorge. The driver will meet you in Tina’s Guesthouse and send you to Shangri La in the afternoon.

In the morning, you’ll visit the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan. And afterwards you’ll go and visit the tranquil Bita Lake & Shudu Lake. After having finished touring the Bita Lake & Shudu Lake, you’ll visit the Old Town of Shangri La and the Guishan Park. Tibetan home made at night and have dinner in Tibetan family with butter oil tea and Tibetan food.

Airport drop off. Take the flight to Lhasa or your next destination.