Day 1: Anywhere → or → Xining ★Gathering day
All day
Today is the gathering day for tourists from all over the country to Xining, known as the "Eastern Gateway to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau." If you arrive early, you can explore the city center. During your free time, please ensure you keep your belongings safe.
Recommended attractions: Dongguan Grand Mosque and Qinghai Museum. In the evening, head to Mojia Street, Xining Old Street, with its 600-year history and culture, for a delicious meal.
Special delicacies: Qinghai's stuffed skin, fried jelly, yogurt, fried cakes, noodles, grabbed noodles, lamb skewers, etc.
Day 2 Xining → Kanbula National Forest Park → Guide → Gonghe County
All day
After breakfast, we'll depart for the beautiful Qinghai and the secretive Nangqian. We'll first head to Kanbula National Forest Park, passing the Guide Danxia Secret Highway, where you'll find numerous viewing platforms for photo opportunities.
That night we stayed in Gonghe County, which is 3,200 meters above sea level, to prepare for the subsequent journey to the secret places on the plateau, adapt to the plateau environment in advance, and reduce the probability of altitude sickness.
Remark:
The road to Yinkanbula Scenic Area is damaged and under repair and cannot be crossed, so we will enter from Guide, visit along the way, and then return by the same route.
Day 3 Gonghe → Amnye Machen Snow Mountain → Zagda Glacier → Maduo County
All day
After breakfast, we will set off on Gongyu Expressway and head south to enjoy the grassland and canyon landscape.
We'll then travel to the Amnye Machen Snow Mountain, a cluster of 13 connected peaks rising to 5,900 meters above sea level. Amnye Machen is also the shrine of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and is considered one of the Four Sacred Mountains of Tibetan Buddhism, along with Mount Kailash in Tibet, Mount Meili in Yunnan, and Gaduo Jowo in Yushu. We'll visit the Amnye Machen Tibetan Cultural Center along the way, then take an off-road vehicle deep into the sacred mountain region, admiring the rolling hills of the Amnye Machen Snow Mountain. We'll then reach the prayer flag-lined platform, where we can get up close and personal with the breathtaking Zagda Glacier and the emerald-colored lake at its foot.
We arrived in Maduo County in the evening. Maduo means "source of the Yellow River" in Tibetan and is part of the Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province. We stayed there that night. Maduo is at a high altitude, so we went to bed early.
Day 4: Tianmaduo → Bayankala Mountain → Xinzhai Mani Pile → Tongtian River → Lebagou Rock Paintings → Princess Wencheng Temple → Qiongkongcang
All day
After breakfast, we'll travel south from Maduo along the Gongyu Expressway, passing the Bayankala Pass at an altitude of 4,700 meters. We'll then arrive at the Xinzhai Mani Pile, the world's largest, boasting over 2.5 billion mani stones, with the number constantly increasing. Just one glance is enough to astound you, as numerous Buddhists come here to kowtow and pray.
After the tour, we'll follow the Tongtian River to the Lebagou rock paintings. Lebagou means "beautiful ravine" in Tibetan. Within the ravine, you'll find statues of Buddha and Bodhisattva, as well as Mani stones crafted by Tibetans. Inscriptions of Buddhist scriptures can be found on the rock faces beside the stream and on the rocks within it. We'll then cross Lebagou, surrounded by towering mountains, to the Princess Wencheng Temple. The Tibetan-style temple, nestled against a hundred-foot cliff, offers tranquil scenery, its shimmering golden roof radiating a dazzling light.
We will then continue to Qiongkongcang, nestled on the Batang grasslands. Qiongkongcang, meaning "Home of Water Source" in Tibetan, was founded by local environmentalists from the Sanjiangyuan region and adheres to the principles of zero waste, zero pollution, and zero waste. We will also participate in this meaningful event, enjoy a dinner made entirely of local ingredients, and listen to stories shared by local environmentalists.
5. Tianqiongkongcang → Galaga Pass → Great Ashoka Stupa → Nangqian
All day
After a quick breakfast, we'll lead you on a mountain cleansing activity, contributing to the protection of the source of China's Mother River. This will be the most meaningful part of this trip. Traveling isn't just about the scenery, it's also about the stories that have been told and are still happening in the area, and what's worth protecting.
After lunch, we departed west from Qiongkongchang, passing the Galaga Pass (4,493 meters) before heading south to Nangqian, a truly hidden gem. The scenery along the way was breathtaking, each scene a memorable experience. We then journeyed to the magnificent Ashoka Stupa. With a rich history spanning over 2,300 years, the crypt containing the Buddha's relics has never been opened, holding immense historical value and auspicious power.
Arrive at Nangqian County and check in at night.
Day 6: Nangqian → Circumambulate the sacred mountain of Nagama → Gar Temple Grand Canyon → Gar Temple → Gongya Temple → Nangqian
All day
Today we begin our exploration of Nangqian. We'll first visit the sacred mountain of Nagama. "Nagama" means "the first of a hundred sacred mountains," and Tibetans believe that circumambulating the mountain once is equivalent to circumambulating a hundred sacred mountains. A complete circumnavigation of the mountain, approximately 2 kilometers long, will be completed along a wooden plank path, concluding the circumnavigation.
We'll then follow the breathtaking scenery of the Gar Monastery Grand Canyon to Gar Monastery. Nestled amidst the rugged rocky peaks, Gar Monastery resembles a sacred lotus blossoming on the cliffs. It now consists of two separate temples: the upper one, reserved for strictly disciplined monks, and the lower one, for laypeople. We'll ascend to the upper temple to explore its charm. On the return journey, we'll also visit Gongya Temple, a magnificent temple nestled against the mountainside. Its eastern section boasts a vast forest of pagodas, while the western section houses Buddhist halls, a lecture hall, and monks' quarters.
At the end of the day, we will return to Nangqian County to check in.
Day 7: Tiannangqian → Gading Temple → Sumang Five Sciences Buddhist College → Yushu Airport → Disband in Yushu
All day
After breakfast, we will continue our exploration. We will first depart for Gading Monastery, which is located at the center of the S-bend of Ziqu. We will climb the hillside opposite Gading Monastery and have a panoramic view of the temple surrounded by Ziqu. On the way, we will also visit the Sumang Five Sciences Buddhist College.
We then return to Yushu, enjoying the sights along the way. We arrive at Yushu Airport around 4:00 PM. If you need to return on the same day, we recommend booking a return flight at 6:00 PM. We will disband in Yushu approximately half an hour after the airport drop-off.
