Gannan Grasslands And Monastery Towns – 8 Days

Drive about two and a half hours to the Liujiaxia Reservoir on the Yellow River, then take a boat of around an hour through a landscape of jagged sandstone cliffs to Bingling Temple.

Explore the Bingling Temple Grottoes, a series of Buddhist caves and niches carved into the canyon walls from the fourth century onwards, part of the Silk Roads UNESCO World Heritage Site. The great seated Buddha carved into the cliff is the centrepiece.

Return by boat and continue by road to Xiahe, about three and a half hours, climbing from the river valleys onto the grasslands of Gannan. Arrive in the evening at your hotel.

Visit Labrang Monastery, one of the six great monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and a major centre of learning. Explore its assembly halls, colleges and chapels, and join pilgrims on the long kora path, spinning the hundreds of prayer wheels that line its outer walls.

Drive up to the Sangke Grassland, a wide summer pasture outside Xiahe where yak and sheep graze. Visit a Tibetan family, share butter tea and learn about life on the grassland. Then stop at the ancient town of Bajiao, whose old walls form an unusual eight-pointed shape.

Drive about three and a half hours south across the grasslands to Langmusi, a small town that straddles the border of Gansu and Sichuan. Visit Kirti Monastery, on the Sichuan side, with its golden roofs set against the hills.

Take a soft trek along the Namo Gorge, a narrow limestone canyon with a small cave shrine and a stream that is said to be one of the sources of the Bailong River.

If it is taking place, watch a local horse racing event. There is also the option of a short horse ride on the grassland if you wish.

Visit Sertri Monastery on the Gansu side of Langmusi, whose golden-roofed hall stands above the town. Walk up the hill behind the monastery for wide views, passing the sky burial site, a place of great importance in Tibetan funeral tradition, which your guide will ask you to observe quietly and respectfully from a distance.

Drive about two and a half hours through mountains and valleys to Diebu, a scenic region of forests, rivers and Tibetan villages. The road follows deep valleys where wooden houses sit beside barley fields and the river runs fast and clear.

Explore Zhagana, a valley of Tibetan villages set beneath a great wall of grey limestone peaks, often compared to a stone city. Take a light hike through the fields and along the valley, with wooden houses, prayer flags and the mountains all around. Pause at a viewpoint above the valley to see the whole stone ridge at once.

Drive about five hours north to Hezuo, the capital of the Gannan region, with stops along the way to stretch your legs and enjoy the views.

Visit the Milarepa Buddha Pavilion, a tall tower-like temple dedicated to Milarepa, the great Tibetan poet and saint. Climb through its nine floors, each filled with statues and paintings, to the top for a view over Hezuo.

Drive about three hours back to Lanzhou, descending from the grasslands into the Yellow River valley, and enjoy the evening at leisure.

After breakfast, your private car takes you to Lanzhou airport for your onward flight.