SCYTS-001: 20-DAY LITANG HORSE RACING FESTIVAL, MONASTERIES, NOMADS AND CULTURES OF KHAM AND AMDO TIBETANS

Horseracing is one of the most favorable activities of the Tibetans. It's not only an assembling after their busy times, but also a good chance to show the soul, the spirits of Tibetans. Nearly all kinds of civilian activities contains horse racing and this already has a very long history (except the Cultural Revolution.) So this route is a special offer to our clients who are keenly interested in Kham and Amdo Tibetan Culture. It is designed on purpose of letting our cilents jump-in Tibetans happiness during yearly great festival in Litang, the second highest county in the world, which elevation is 4,700 meters above sealevel. So far, it has been settled that every year, it is held from 10th July to 16th July. (If there will be any change, we'll inform all of you quickly by fax or email.) In this tour, you will also have chances to see very tipical Yellow-hat Monasteries as well as the true lives of both Kham and Amdo Nomads.In Hongyuan, you will also visit the largest Nyingma or "Red Hat" Meiwa Monastery, in which there are so far more than 2000 Tibetan monks. In Aba, you will have chances to visit the Yellow Hat Gerdeng Monastery, so far there are more than 3000 monks there, the biggest numbers in Amdo areas.

Day 1: Arrive Chengdu. Visit free markets and tea houses if there's time.             Overnight at Chengdu Hotel
Day 2:Chengdu/Hanyuan(319km)                  Overnight at Hanyuan Hotel
Day 3:Hanyuan/Dartsedo(268km)                Overnight at Kangding Hotel
Day 4:Dartsedo: Dartsedor is the historic border town and gateway to Tibet.It is the capital of Kanze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and it is surrrouded by mountains in three sides and two rivers flow through it. The elevation of which is 2600m. Since 1253, it has been a very important town between Sichuan and Tibet.Visit Yellow Hat Ngachu Monastery. This monastery was founded in 1653 A.D.Visit Local Market and have hot spring bath.                                      Overnight at Kangding Hotel
Day 5: Dartsedo/Litang: (294km)On this day, we drive from about 2600m to 4700m,and after driving over Tsedo Mountain, we gradually drive into grasslands inhabited by Kham nomads.                              
Overnight at Litang Hotel
Day 6-8: Litang: The Horse Racing Festival, Traditional Tibetan Dance and Singings, Horse racing and other sports and activities. Visit the people, local market, trade fare and Litang Yellow-hat Monastery.
                                              Overnight at Litang Hotel
Day 9: Litang/Pel Lhagon Monastery (250km).  Overnight at Litang Hotel
                                            
Day10: Visit Pel Lhagon Monastery,the monastery with the biggest number of Mani Dagobas in this area. Then drive to Danba(121km).
                                             Overnight at Litang Hotel
Day11: Danba/Markam(190km). Markam in Tibetan means Flurishing or Fourtune and wealth. Markam is the capital of Aba Tibet and Qiang Automos Prefecture.                            Overnight at Markam Hotel                                                                            
Day12: Markam: Visit Zhuoker Heditary Headman's Old House and Zhibuo Strongholds with a history of more than 300 years and very tipical Tibetan style. And this covers an area of more than 1,400 square meters.                                Overnight at Markam Hotel
                                   
Day13: Markam/Aba(235km): Visit Chali Monastery on the way if there's time.
       There are more than 1000 monks in this monastery.
Overnight at Aba Hotel
Day14: Aba: visit Yellow Hat Gerdeng Monastery with more than 3000 monks and an attached primary school.          Overnight at Aba Hotel
Day15: Aba/Hongyuan(158km):visit the local Tibetans' tents on the way.                          Overnight at Hong Yuan Hotel
Day16: First visit the biggest Nyingma Monastery of Maiwa. Then drive to Shuamalukou.                         Overnight at Markang Hotel
Day17: Shuamalukou/Dujiangyan(274km)       
Overnight at Dujiangyan Hotel
Day18: Dujiangyan: Visit Dujiangyan Irrigations System in the morning. This irrigation system was built in 276BC,but now still plays it's role in agriculture. Drive to Chengdu in the afternoon.  
Overnight at Chengdu Hotel
Day19: Chengdu: Visit Dufu's Thatched Cottage, Embroidery Factory and shopping.(Here please note that because in all these areas there are sometimes landslides, so we arrange this day here for flexibility, just in case that if we wasted some day on the way, we can use this day to make
it up. Otherwise, we sightseeing Chengdu.)
Overnight at Chengdu Hotel
Day20: Leave Chengdu for Hong Kong or other places.  END OF TOUR