Explore the Mystery of Tibetan Culture Festival by Festival
Engage with authentic Tibetan culture and take part in dazzling traditional festivals on this once-in-a-lifetime trip.
From lively competitions to vibrant performances of folk song and dance, festivals provide a unique window into the culture and history of the local people. Taking part in a festival is like wandering through a living museum, where you get to engage directly with authentic local culture and savor moments that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
During this unforgettable tour, we’ll have the opportunity to take part in the June Festival (Shaman Festival ), the Yushu Horse Racing Festival, the Mask Dance Festival, and the Litang Horse Racing Festival.
Along the way, we’ll visit historic Tibetan monasteries, wander along the banks of sacred lakes, marvel at panoramic views of holy mountains, and climb to altitudes of over 4,000 metres. We’ll even have the chance to meet China’s national animal, the giant panda, so that we end the tour on the happiest note possible!
Our epic Tibetan Festival tour will be concentrated on the ancient regions of Amdo and Kham, which were once part of the Tibetan Kingdom and are now located in the modern-day provinces of Qinghai and Sichuan. Traditional Tibetan culture still forms the lifeblood of villages and settlements throughout these regions, which have remained in the shadow of the Tibet Autonomous Region and are thus far less popular with tourists. For this reason, the cultural customs of Kham and Amdo have not been altered by tourist demand or preference, so you will have an unprecedented opportunity to witness the local culture at its most authentic.
Participants Max: 14
Duration: 18 days and 17 nights
Tours in 2024: The exact itinerary is coming soon
The June Festival in Tongren (Shaman Festival )
A mysterious local festival known for its fascinating "gruesome" customs
According to legend, the land was once plagued by venomous snakes and fearsome beasts. One day, a giant bird, known as Peng in Chinese, flew to the region and defeated all of these dangerous creatures, thus ridding the land of a terrible blight. It turns out that the winged savior was actually a god known as Xiaqiong, so every year people in this area host the June Festival in honour of this beneficent deity.
This traditional folk festival is celebrated widely among the Tibetan and Tu ethnic minority communities in Regong (Tongren) of Qinghai province. Held every year between the 17th and 25th day of the sixth lunar month according to the Chinese Lunar calendar, it has been an integral part of the festival calendar for over 1,400 years.
Only young men and unmarried young women are allowed to actively participate in the festival, but children and married women are allowed to watch and dance together during the end of the ceremony.
Throughout this magnificent festival, the local people pray for a good harvest, peace, prosperity, and a happy life. Many sacred ceremonies can be seen during the festival, such as: Shang Kou Qian, where the master of ceremonies uses two steel pins to pierce the cheeks of a volunteer; Shang Bei Qian, where the master of ceremonies uses between 10 to 20 steel pins to pierce a volunteer’s back; and Kai Shan, where the master of ceremonies makes a small mark on his own forehead using a knife and then ceremonially sprinkles a few drops of his own blood on the surrounding ground. Many people regard these ceremonies as having an air of magic about them, since the steel pins that the master of ceremonies uses never seem to draw blood and do not leave a scar on the volunteers.
Alongside these holy rituals, the entire festival is conducted by the master of ceremonies, who will either be a shaman or the head of the local religion. During the festival, women will assemble at the Mountain-Gods Hall, where they will sing and dance to appease the God of the Mountain.
The Yushu Horse Racing Festival
A Thrilling Traditional Festival in the Kham Region of Qinghai
In the province of Qinghai, the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture is known by many poetic nicknames, including the “Master of Famed Mountains,” the “Source of Rivers and Lakes,” the “Land of Yaks,” and the “Home of Traditional Song and Dance.” Most of Qinghai province's Tibetan residential areas are referred to as being part of the “Amdo” region, but Yushu Prefecture is said to be part of “Kham,” because the local Tibetans are characterized by traditional Kham culture. These local Khampa Tibetans are known for their colourful costumes, alongside their talent at singing and dancing. Their music is deeply expressive, which demonstrates their artistic talent.
Located within ethereally beautiful alpine meadows, Yushu is considered to be a paradise for singing and dancing.
From July 25th until August 1st each year, the Yushu Horse Racing Festival (the Nomad Festival) is celebrated, with a focus on traditional songs and dances, horse racing, and trade. It is widely considered to be the largest Tibetan national event to take place in Qinghai province each year. During the festival, Tibetans will don their colourful traditional dress and set up their tents on the meadow. From there, they can participate in horse racing, equestrian sports, yak racing, Tibetan wrestling, archery, an exhibition of traditional Tibetan dress, performances of Tibetan folk songs and dances, and other cultural activities.
The Mask Dance Festival at the Huiyuan Monastery
A Beautiful Monastic Festival in the Kham Region of West Sichuan
The Huiyuan Temple, known as Gatar Qiangbaling in Tibetan, is located in the village of Xiede within Daofu County of the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.
The temple was built in 1728, during the reign of the Yongzheng Emperor of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). After the temple was completed, the Yongzheng Emperor gave it the name of “Huiyuan Si” or the Huiyuan Temple and sent his officers to invite Kalzang Gyatso, the 7th Dalai Lama, to live in this illustrious monastery. Kalzang Gyatso would end up spending 7 years here, from 1728 to 1735.
Later on, the 11th Dalai Lama Khedrup Gyatso would be born near here, in the same village where Kalzang Gyatso was born, which would further contribute to the profound influence and reputation that the Huiyuan Temple had among the Tibetan people.
Every year, from the 1st to the 7th of June according to the Tibetan Calendar, a prayer ceremony and other religious activities will be held in the Huiyuan Temple. On the first day, the monks who inhabit the temple will dance in gorgeously decorative dress, but without their iconic masks. The next day is dedicated entirely to the prayer ceremony, where worshippers pray for blessings and a brighter future. On the third day, the local people and monks will burn incense and make sacrifices to the gods in the hopes that their homes will be protected from future disasters. On the fourth day, the monks don their traditional dress again, along with their iconic masks, and perform the mask dance, which is known as the Cham Dance. From the 5th through to the final 7th day, there are horse racing events and other folk activities.
The Litang Horse Racing Festival
A Grand Traditional Festival in the Southern Kham Region
Known as “Hometown of Horsemanship,” the main event in Litang every year is undoubtedly the horse racing festival. The Litang Horse Festival is held during summer in the county of Litang, which lies in the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan province. The Khampa people come from all over the Tibetan Plateau to show off their riding skills, trade, celebrate, dance, and sing. The term “Khampa” refers to Tibetan people from the Kham region, and they are typically nomadic.
The festival is generally held during the first week of August, and it usually runs from August 1st to August 7th. During the festival, horsemanship and horse races are the order of the day! Riders will exclusively ride an indigenous breed of horse, which is rather confusingly known as the Tibetan Pony. These notoriously small yet hardy and fast horses are put to the test in a lively race to show whose horse is superior.
As you may have guessed, the most exciting part of this festival is indisputably the horse racing. Brave riders take their beautifully decorated horses to participate in the races and to show off their exceptional horse-riding skills. They’ll take part in spectacular stunts, such as picking a scarlet cloth up from the ground while on the back of a moving horse or shooting at targets while galloping. The local men and women will be decked out in finery, wearing their colourful traditional dress and donning their most valuable jewelry.
Alongside horse-racing, it is also an ideal time for trade. Various locally produced wares such as hides, medicinal materials, yak milk, and yak butter are on sale at the festival stands. Throughout the festival, there are splendid Tibetan opera performances, Tibetan Xianzi dances, and Tibetan Guozhuan folk songs and dances.
The Regong Arts
Inscribed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2009, the Regong Arts is an umbrella term used to describe three distinctive art styles that originated from Tongren County, which was once known as “Regong” or “Golden Valley” in Tibetan. In fact, this type of art has become such an integral part of the local peoples’ culture that, by the 17th century, it was rumoured that nearly everyone in Tongren County could paint, and that almost every family was involved in the arts in some way.
The Regong Arts are largely the work of folk artists or monks from the Tibetan and Tu ethnic minorities. For this reason, they mainly revolve around themes related to Tibetan Buddhism. The three main types of artistic work covered under the term are: thangka paintings, patchwork barbola, and sculpture.
Thangka paintings are religious scrolls that can be used by Tibetan Buddhist monks or laymen in worship. First, a pattern is sketched onto a strip of cotton or linen cloth using charcoal and then natural dyes are applied using a special brush. These intricate paintings can take anywhere from a few months to several years to complete, and their primary function is as a tool for meditation.
Barbola, by contrast, is a special type of art that involves the cutting and piling of different materials to produce an image. Barbola artisans use silks and satins in a variety of colours, which they cut into the shapes of humans, animals, flowers, birds, or other recognizable objects. From there, they paste these pieces of cloth onto pre-cut paper models and overlay them one on top of the other, starting from the darkest colours and ending with the lightest colours. This produces a three-dimensional effect that looks as though the silk or satin has been embossed. This style of barbola is known as “jian dui” or “cutting and piling.” There is another style, called “ci xiu” or “embroidery,” where the fabric is instead embroidered to produce the three-dimensional effect.
Finally, the sculptures associated with the Regong Arts can be made from clay, wood, brick, and even yak butter, although clay sculptures tend to be the most common. They are renowned for their lifelike features and impressive attention to detail. Like the thangka paintings and patchwork barbola, the sculptures tend to focus on religious imagery and they are often included as decorations within temples.
Tibetan Monasteries
From their grand festivals to their elaborate works of art, every aspect of Tibetan culture has been saturated with their piety and spirituality. It goes without saying that, in order to understand Tibetan culture, you must develop an appreciation for their devotion to their religion.
Tibetan Buddhism is the dominant religion within the region. This unique sect of Buddhism represents a mixture of beliefs from the Mahayana and Vajrayana branches, which in turn stem from the late stages of Indian Buddhism. Alongside the practices that it inherited from Indian Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism has several unique qualities, such as certain Tantric practices and spirited scripture debates within the monasteries.
There are four major sects of Tibetan Buddhism, known as Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelug. Of these, the Gelug or “Yellow Hat” sect is by far the most prevalent and is so named because the monks wear traditional yellow hats when they debate scripture. Unlike other tours, however, we will be visiting monasteries dedicated to the Sakya and Nyingma sects, as well as those belonging to the Gelug sect.
When you visit a temple or monastery in Tibet, you'll undoubtedly see countless worshipers spinning prayer wheels, circumambulating the temple grounds, or kowtowing within the temple halls. If we arrive at the right time, we may even have the opportunity to catch the monks during one of their scripture debates, which are often lively and sometimes even a bit heated! These temples and monasteries are an ideal place to get in touch with the local culture and to feel the depth of faith for which Tibetan people are so well-known.
Itinerary
Day 01 Arrive in Chengdu
Meeting point: Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, or you can come to the hotel directly and meet us there.
Suggested flights:
There is a direct flight that leaves from London Heathrow every Saturday and arrives into Chengdu: London (LHR) to Chengdu (Saturday 22:00 – Sunday 15:30)
We will come to the airport at 16:15 to arrange a pick-up service.
Please Note: If you decide to take the train from another city in China to Chengdu, please let us know in advance and we can meet you either at the hotel or the railway station. If you need any help making travel arrangements, please don’t hesitate to ask us!
Day 02 Venturing into the Tibetan Region
We will take a flight from Chengdu to Xining, the capital of Qinghai province, and arrive before noon. In the afternoon, we will go to Tongren, where we will also visit the Guo Ri Ma Monastery and the Wu Tun Monastery.
The pagoda in Guo Ri Ma Monastery is the largest and tallest pagoda in the whole Amdo Tibetan area. By contrast, the Wu Tun Monastery is one of the best and most representative places to admire the Regong Arts.
We will have an opportunity to enjoy more examples of the Regong Arts in the Regong Art Museum. Within the museum, there are 870 collections that span a time period from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to the present day, including a wide variety of Regong Art pieces.
Itinerary
Day 03 The “Army Dance” a June Festival Tradition
In the morning, we will go to a small village named Halabatu, where we will see the Shang Kou Qian ceremony. This is when the master of ceremonies uses two steel pins to pierce the cheeks of a volunteer.
Although this “gruesome” custom might be quite shocking, the performance of the traditional “army dance” is sure to put you at ease. It may even help to calm you down, or leave you feeling more excited because of how spectacular it is!
Day 04 The Dragon Dance of the June Festival
In the morning, we will go to another village called Langjia, where we will get to see other “gruesome” customs associated with the June Festival.
On this day, the master of ceremonies will not only pierce the cheeks, but will also pierce some men’s backs with 10 or 12 pins, which is known as Shang Bei Qian. Once this is done, all of these brave men will band together and perform the Dragon Dance!
In the afternoon, we will head back to Tongren in order to visit the most important Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. It is also the third largest monastery in the Amdo area. It was built in 1301 and was originally dedicated to the Sakya sect of Tibetan Buddhism, but it was converted to the Gelug sect during the Wanli Regime (1578-1620) of the Ming Dynasty, when the entire area switched to the Gelug sect.
Itinerary
Day 05 The End of the June Festival
On this day, we will go to the third village to continue our exploration of the “gruesome” customs associated with the June Festival. We will also have one more chance to see the Dragon Dance.
What’s more, we will also have the opportunity to watch the traditional Shaman dancing and the ending ceremony of the June Festival. During the finale of the festival, the master of ceremonies will take part in a custom known as Kai Shan, where he will offer a small amount of his own blood as a sacrifice.
After lunch, we will drive to the Labrang Monastery, which is the largest monastery in the Amdo area and one of six great monasteries dedicated to the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism.
Day 06 The Beginnings of the Yellow River
The Yellow River is so named because the colour of the water has a distinct yellowish hue, due to the sediment that flows into it every day. However, we will not see a “yellow” river today because we will be in the uppermost part of the stream, where the Yellow River looks as clear as a mirror.
On this day, we will drive across the mountains and climb from an altitude of 2,500 metres right up to 3,700 metres. On the way, we will stop off at a Gelug monastery which was built right on the bank of the Yellow River.
The Rakya Monastery was built in 1769, by a famous monk from the Sera Monastery, which is considered to be one of the "great three" Gelug university monasteries of Tibet. Rakya is one of the branch monasteries of the Sera Monastery.
We will stay overnight in the county town of Maqin, which is the central town of the Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.
Itinerary
Day 07 The Holy Mountain
We will climb to the highest heights on this day as we reach an altitude of over 4,000 metres! But we will be on the highway so it will not be a tough trip.
Along the way, we will see Amne Machin, which is considered to be a holy mountain by the Tibetan people. According to legend, it is the hometown of King Gesar, a hero and fearless lord of the legendary Tibetan Kingdom of Ling.
Besides the magnificent snow-capped mountains, we will also see beautiful lakes and grassland. In other words, it is a day solely dedicated to enjoying nature’s beauty.
Day 08 A Tranquil and Beautiful Paradise
We will continue our journey passed shimmering lakes and snowy mountains as we venture into the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. We will head down from our altitude of 4,200 metres, but we will still be traveling at an altitude above 3,500 metres.
We will visit a special village, where all of the villagers have dedicated their whole lives to making mani stones[1]. It should therefore come as no surprise that they have the largest mani pile in the world, which is 283 metres (928 ft.) long, 74 metres (243 ft.) wide, and 2.5 metres (8 ft.) high. In 2002, it was formally awarded the Guinness World Record.
Note:
[1] Mani stones: A mani stone is a stone plate, rock, or pebble that has been inscribed with the six-syllabled Buddhist “Om Mani Padme Hum” mantra. They are usually placed by roadsides or rivers either alone, as part of a large mound, or arranged into a wall. According to Tibetan Buddhism, they serve as a form of prayer or religious offering.
Itinerary
DAY 09 A Live Show Encapsulating Tibetan Culture
Horse racing isn’t the only cultural offering on display at the Yushu Horse Racing Festival. There will also be other shows involving yak racing, Tibetan wrestling, archery, and folk singing and dancing performances. In short, you could say that traditional Tibetan culture and customs have been encapsulated into this one lively event!
DAY 10 Cheer On Your Favourite Horse!
Let’s enjoy another morning watching the beauty and majesty of horses, as they fiercely compete for first place and we cheer our favourites on!
In the afternoon, we will say goodbye to Qinghai province, head into the mountains again, and stay in a border town named Shiqu, which is located in Sichuan province and sits at an altitude of 4,250 metres. Before entering into Shiqu, we will stop to admire the longest mani wall in the world! The Bage Mani- Sutra Wall, which is 1.9km (1.1 mi), has formed a major part of the landscape for over 300 years.
DAY 11 Wander Through Ancient Towns
In the morning, we will head deeper into the prairie, where we’ll find the hidden “sutra city.” Locals believe that construction of the Songge Mani-Sutra City started during the reign of King Gesar, which means its history is nearly 1000 years long.
Once we’ve explored the ‘city', we will spend the whole afternoon journeying through the mountains, where the altitude is above 4,000 metres. On either side of us, sunlight will glint off the snow-white peaks of the mountains.
Our final destination on this day is a small town called Manigango, which was an important centre for trade in ancient times. Nowadays, it is a peaceful Tibetan town.
Itinerary
DAY 12 Explore a Buddhist Printing House
In the morning, we will go to see one of the most beautiful natural attractions in Western Sichuan, the Yihun Lhatso Lake. This glacial lake is famed for its emerald waters, which reflect the surrounding snow-capped mountains.
Our next big stop will be Derge Parkhang. On our way there, we will have the chance to visit some very special murals.
Derge Parkhang is an active printing house for publishing Tibetan Buddhist sutras and thangka paintings, as well as works of history, technology, biography, medicine, and literature. Derge Parkhang belongs to the Gonchen Monastery, which is a Sakya Tibetan Buddhist monastery.
There is another magnificent monastery waiting for us in the afternoon, known as the Palyul Monastery, which is one of the six mother monasteries of the Nyingma school.
After visiting the Palyul Monastery, we will climb up the hill opposite to enjoy a panoramic view of the area. Although the hill is only small, the change in altitude that we’ve experienced over the past 2 days may mean that the climb is harder work than you think!
Itinerary
DAY 13 The Mysterious Nunnery
We will have a day-long journey driving along a small country road through the mountians. After all, the most mysterious and fascinating places are always the most remote, like the Yarchen Temple, which is the largest nunnery for female Buddhist nuns (Jue Mu) in the world. However, visitors may not be allowed to come in. If this is the case, we will still have a look from the outside.
We will climb up a nearby hill, where we will enjoy a breathtaking view of the Yarchen Temple and the Jue Mu Island. You may notice that the island is dotted with lots of small wooden houses, which is where the nuns live.
On the way to Garzê in the afternoon, we will stop at the Dargye Monastery if we have enough time. The Dargye Monastery is on a hill and you may notice that the design of its main hall has been copied from the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa.
Itinerary
DAY 14 A Rest Day on the Banks of a Crystal Clear Lake
After so many long days on the road traveling through mountainous terrain, we will get to relax for a while. On this day, we will take a day trip to visit the beautiful Tsoka Lake. We can go for a hike along the banks of the emerald-hued waters and pay a visit to the tranquil Tsoka Temple nearby.
“Tsoka” actually translates to mean “the black water in the stone forest,” so you may be surprised to find that the waters of the lake are clear. As you peer down into these shimmering waters, you’ll see a perfect reflection of the lofty mountains, bright blue sky, and burnished red walls of the nearby temple.
Itinerary
DAY 15 A Land Among the Clouds
In the morning, we will visit the Garzê Monastery, where the monks take part in the traditional exercise of debating sutras every day at 9:00 AM.
The second monastery we will visit is the Degongbo Monastery, which has been nicknamed the “Han Monastery.” This is because, according to legend, the third Rinpoche who oversaw this monastery was from the Han ethnic group.
The Han Monastery is the oldest building in Garzê County, with a history that stretches back over 700 years ago. The architecture is a breathtaking intermingling of traditional Han and Tibetan features.
After paying our visit to these two monasteries in Garzê County, we will make our way to another beautiful nearby lake. Embraced on all sides by towering mountains, Kasha Lake is considered to be a sacred lake by the local people, and also serves as the home for a large population of water birds.
After that, let’s go on an adventure and make our way to altitudes of around 3,500 metres! The landscapes you see outside of the window may be etched into your memory forever. If you believe that paradise is a place with clear skies, quiet mountains, and blossoming wild flowers, then you’ll find it here.
Our final destination of the day is the Huiyuan Monastery, where we will enjoy the Mask Dance Festival the next day. Read more about the Huiyuan monastery.
Itinerary
DAY 16 The Enigmatic Mask Dance
We will go to the Huiyuan Monastery to take part in the festival, where we will have the opportunity to watch the mask dance being performed.
The Huiyuan Monastery belongs to the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism. During its long and venerable history, it was even supported directly by the royal family of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The buildings and Buddhist art in the monastery, however, were tragically damaged during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). In 1982, the government provided grants to the complex so that it could be repaired.
DAY 17 One of the Highest Towns in the World
On this day, we will head back up to the highest heights! The altitude of Litang is 4,014 metres and it is also the place where several famous Buddhist figures, such as the 7th and 10th Dalai Lama, were born.
In the morning, we will drive to Yajiang and we should arrive just before noon. We will spend the whole afternoon enjoying the Litang Horse Racing Festival. We hope that, after the excitement of the Yushu Horse Racing Festival, you’ve been excited to join in another horse racing extravaganza!
Itinerary
DAY 18 Embrace the Excitement of Another Horse Racing Festival!
After watching the expertise of the horsemen at the Yushu Horse Racing Festival, you may start to notice which horses and horsemen are stronger and cleverer. Do you think it is the ones of Yushu, or does Litang take the top prize?
We will also have the chance to enjoy traditional Tibetan art and music. After all, every horse racing festival is a live museum of Tibetan culture. You may notices some differences between Litang and Yushu in terms of the people and local culture. We personally would say that the people of Litang are savvier when it comes to trading. For hundreds of years, local vendors in Litang have come to the festival to exchange furs, medicinal herbs, yak butter, and other locally produced goods.
Itinerary
DAY 19 The Tibetan Buddhist Ceremony and the Holy Yala Mountain
The Tagong Monastery is one of the most important Sakya monasteries in the Kham area. It has a statue of Gautama Buddha, which is modelled after the one in the Jokhang Temple of Lhasa. According to legend, Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty, who married the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo, was given a statue of Gautama Buddha by the Emperor, who instructed her to house it in a temple within Lhasa. The statue, however, had other ideas and supposedly refused to move when they passed Tagong. Seeing this as a sign from the Buddha himself, Princess Wencheng instructed artists to make an exact copy of the statue and build a temple in that spot to house it. Read more about the Tagong Monastery.
We will also have the opportunity to visit the nearby Gyergo Nunnery, which contains a gigantic Sutra Wall. Here, we will get to see a Jhator, which is a traditional place used by the Tibetan people for their Sky Burial. If someone has passed away recently, we may even catch a glimpse of the funerary ceremony, although we advise that you be respective of the family and do not approach the Jhator if this is the case.
Once we have completed our tour of the monastery and the nunnery, we will climb up a hill in order to get a better view of the sacred Yala Mountain, which is right behind the Tagong Monastery. The combination of the elegant monastery with the lofty mountain at its back makes for a breathtaking scene.
Itinerary
DAY 20 Back to the City
We will gradually make our way down from the mountainous landscape back to reality. It will still be a pleasant journey, because the surrounding landscape is so beautiful. The road trip will take us about 6 hours, butwe will stop several times to rest and enjoy the view.
After checking in to our hotel and taking a short rest, we’ll head out to explore the city of Chengdu, which has garnered the reputation of being the most relaxing city in China! As the most attractive place in Chengdu, a trip to the Lanes District will show us how traditional Chinese culture mingles with the modernity of the city.
DAY 21 Say Hello to Giant Pandas!
Once you come to a city in China that is so close to the home of the giant panda, it is too difficult not to pay them a visit.
Before saying goodbye to China this time around, let’s meet a few of the country’s most lovable residents.
Note:
The direct flight from Chengdu to London will depart at 15:55.
If you have booked a different flight and need to go to the airport earlier, please let us know in advance and we will arrange a taxi for you.
Prices and What’s Included
Unlike other tours in China, we do not ask you to tip your tour guides and drivers each day. Instead, we pay our tour guides and drivers a fair wage, so they do not need to ask for tips.
Cost pp: £2,850/10-14 people in one group; £3,250/7-9 people in one group; £3,850/5-6 people in one group; £4,350/4 people in one group
Single supp: £450 (Please be advised that, if you are the last person joining the tour or if there is no one in the group who you can share with, you may need to pay for the single supplement. We will advise you if this is the case when you enquire about the tour).
Including: 20 nights of accommodation; all entrance fees to the attractions mentioned in the itinerary; meals; private mini coach; the services of an English speaking guide; a pdf file with useful information about the Tibetan culture; and any further help or information we can provide if you decide to continue traveling in China after the tour.
All three meals included: We’ll enjoy 3 meals together made up of dishes from traditional Chinese cuisine, with the exception of Day 1 and Day 21. On Day 1, we will enjoy a special welcome dinner in the evening, but other meals are not included. On Day 21, only breakfast will be provided.
Accommodation: 4-star hotel in Chengdu; 3-star, boutique, or Tibetan-style hotels in all other places.
Transportation: private mini coach
If you like the look of this tour but would prefer to take it privately, we can tailor it to your specifications and design a bespoke tour for you or your group. Simply contact us on info@asiaculturaltravel.co.uk for a free email consultation with one of our travel experts.
Please click here to download the brochure for this tour.
How can I sign up to this tour?
Step 1 ⇒ Contact us directly to talk about the tour in more detail.
Step 2 ⇒ Book online and pay the £100 deposit. If you have an exclusive discount code, please enter it into the Enquiry box.
Step 3 ⇒ We will send you the invoice confirming you have been booked on the tour. Once you receive the invoice, you have 30 days to pay an additional £500, which will secure your place on the tour.
Step 4 ⇒ Please note that the final cost of the tour will be based on the number of participants and will be split into two payments. The first payment must be made within 3 months of the tour’s start date and is based on the minimum price of the tour minus your £600 deposit. After that, you will need to pay the remaining balance one month before the tour is due to leave based on the tour subscription. In the meantime, we will advise you on how to apply for your visa and keep you updated on the subscription of the tour.
Step 5 ⇒ Once you have made the final payment, we will send you our exclusive tour e-book, which contains a detailed itinerary of the tour and in-depth information on the areas we’ll be visiting.
Step 6 ⇒ Prepare yourself for an unforgettable adventure!
We are happy to answer any questions you may have and we will always keep you up to date on the progress of the tour subscription.