- A 10-Night 11-Day Amdo Tibetan & Hexi Corridor Humanities and Arts Journey
- Buddha’s Light & Sacred Cham — A 12-Day Losar Festival Journey Through Amdo Tibet
- The Silk Road Heart — 9-Day Hexi Corridor Humanities and Arts Journey
- Heart of the Silk Road — 21-Day Grand Journey Through Northern and Southern Xinjiang
- Buddhism Spreads East — 18-Night 19-Day Central Plains Buddhist Art and Eastern Silk Road Journey
- Camel Bells, Prayer Wheels and the Call to Prayer — 14-Day Alxa-Gannan-Rebgong Journey
- Rainforest Secrets & Dai Culture — 8-Day Xishuangbanna and Pu’er In-depth Vacation
- Echoes of the Tea Horse Road — 7-Day Dali, Shaxi and Weishan In-depth Cultural Journey
- The Tea Horse Road — 15-Day Cultural Journey from Amdo Pastures to Jiarong Tibetan Villages
- Song of the Snowy Pasture – 8-Day Tibetan Nomadic Journey
驼铃、经筒与宣礼声 — 阿拉善+甘南+热贡14天三族三教之旅
Camel Bells, Prayer Wheels and the Call to Prayer — 14-Day Alxa-Gannan-Rebgong Three Peoples Three Faiths Journey
Design Philosophy
How This Journey Was Crafted
On the Alxa Plateau, three great deserts converge. For centuries the Mongols have still driven their camels, migrating across the heart of the Gobi in pursuit of water and pasture. This is a crossroads of the Steppe Silk Road, linking the Central Plains with the northern grasslands, the Western Regions, and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. In the fourteenth century the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism arrived. The bells of Guangzong Monastery still echo; the legends of Tsangyang Gyatso live on in Mongol oral traditions. Tibetan Buddhism and shamanic faith met and mingled here. Across the Qilian Mountains lies Qinghai—home to Kumbum (Ta'er) Monastery, birthplace of Tsongkhapa, and Qinghai Lake, the sacred lake of Tibetan people. Further east lies Labrang Monastery, the "Second Tibet."
On this journey we cross Alxa, traverse the Qilian Mountains, enter Qinghai, and finally reach Labrang—linking the Mongols, the Tanguts, and the Amdowa. We seek camels' tracks in the drifting sands and touch the warmth of faith amid the sound of sutra chanting. Along this rarely traveled road we trace the forgotten connections between the highlands.
Your Journey
Journey Highlights
01
Badain Jaran Desert off-road adventure and the "Desert Everest" (Bilut Peak), with the Badain Jaran Temple—the "Potala of the Desert"—and stargazing on an oasis night free of light pollution.
02
The Alxa Plateau and Mongolian nomadic civilization: seek two-humped camels across the Gobi, visit Guangzong Monastery to trace the legend of Tsangyang Gyatso, and feel the last stronghold of nomadic life.
03
Zhangye Danxia and the Big Buddha Temple: enjoy the only composite of Danxia and colorful hills in China, and view Greek sculpture meeting Chinese aesthetics in the tracery of the Western Xia reclining Buddha.
04
Crossing the Qilian Mountains: from the Hexi Corridor to the Qinghai Plateau, witness the geographical shift from desert oases to snowcapped grasslands.
05
Kumbum (Ta'er) Monastery and Qinghai Lake: pilgrimage to the birthplace of Tsongkhapa, admire the "Three Art Wonders," and stand before the "blue sea" of the Tibetan's sacred lake.
06
Rebgong (Tongren) thangka art: spend a day visiting Longwu, Wutun Upper and Lower monasteries, immersing in the birthplace of thangka art.
07
Labrang Monastery and the spiritual world of Amdo Tibet: follow a monk through the Medical College and Esoteric College, walking the spiritual links between the "Second Tibet" and the Himalayas, Mongolia, and Amdo.
08
Linxia Muslim culture and Bingling Temple: visit "China's Mecca," feel the confluence of Muslim cultures, and speedboat across the Yellow River gorge to China's earliest dated cave complex.
Gallery
Moments Along the Way
Day by Day
Full Itinerary
Day 1
Beijing – Yinchuan – Helan Mountain – Alxa Left Banner 北京 – 银川 – 贺兰山 – 阿拉善左旗
Fly from Beijing to Yinchuan. Cross the Helan Mountains and visit Guangzong Monastery (South Temple) and the reliquary stupa of the Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso. Continue to Alxa Left Banner to visit the Princely Palace and the ornamental-stone market.
Chinese
北京飞银川。穿越贺兰山，参观广宗寺（南寺）及六世达赖喇嘛仓央嘉措的塔灵。随后前往阿拉善左旗，参观亲王府及奇石市场。
Day 2
Alxa Left Banner – Alxa Right Banner 阿拉善左旗 – 阿拉善右旗
Cross the Alxa Plateau, spotting two-humped camels along the way. Reach Alxa Right Banner by evening and shop at the local market to prepare for the desert journey.
Chinese
穿越阿拉善高原，沿途可见双峰驼。傍晚抵达阿拉善右旗，前往当地市场采购物资，为沙漠之旅做准备。
Day 3
Alxa Right Banner – Badain Jaran Desert 阿拉善右旗 – 巴丹吉林沙漠
Enter the Badain Jaran Desert, switching to 4x4 off-road vehicles to reach its heart. Visit Badain Lake, Fairy Peak, Bilut Peak, and Badain Jaran Temple. Reach the Sumin Jilin oasis by evening and stargaze at night.
Chinese
进入巴丹吉林沙漠，换乘4x4越野车深入腹地，游览巴丹湖、仙女峰、必鲁图峰、巴丹吉林庙。傍晚抵达苏敏吉林绿洲，夜晚观星。
Day 4
Badain Jaran – Alxa Right Banner – Zhangye 巴丹吉林沙漠 – 阿拉善右旗 – 张掖
Enjoy the temple's reflection in the lake at dawn. Drive out of the sea of sand, stop for lunch at Alxa Right Banner, then cross the edge of the Mongolian Plateau into the Hexi Corridor, arriving at Zhangye in the afternoon.
Chinese
清晨欣赏巴丹吉林庙湖中倒影。驱车出沙海，经阿拉善右旗午餐，下午翻越蒙古高原边缘，进入河西走廊，抵达张掖。
Day 5
Zhangye – Qilian County 张掖 – 祁连县
Visit the Zhangye Danxia National Geopark and the Big Buddha Temple with its largest indoor reclining Buddha in Asia. In the afternoon cross the Qilian Mountains into the Qinghai Plateau.
Chinese
游览张掖丹霞国家地质公园。参观大佛寺，瞻仰亚洲最大室内卧佛。下午翻越祁连山，进入青海高原。
Day 6
Qilian – Xining 祁连县 – 西宁
Pass through Menyuan to reach Xining. Visit Kumbum (Ta'er) Monastery, birthplace of Tsongkhapa, and admire its "Three Art Wonders." In the afternoon visit Qinghai Lake, then return to Xining.
Chinese
经门源抵达西宁。参观塔尔寺——宗喀巴大师诞生地，欣赏"艺术三绝"。下午前往青海湖，游览后返回西宁。
Day 7
Xining – Tongren 西宁 – 同仁
Depart for Tongren, passing through the Xunhua Salar Autonomous County. In the afternoon visit the birthplace of the 10th Panchen Lama and Gandu Monastery.
Chinese
前往同仁，途经循化撒拉族自治县。下午参观十世班禅故居及甘都寺。
Day 8
Tongren (Rebgong) 同仁
Spend the whole day visiting the Rebgong monastery complex: Longwu, Upper Wutun, Lower Wutun, Guomari, and Niantanhu monasteries. Immerse in the birthplace of thangka art and feel the essence of Rebgong art.
Chinese
全天探访热贡寺院群：隆务寺、吾屯上寺、吾屯下寺、郭玛日寺、年都乎寺。沉浸于唐卡艺术的发源地，感受热贡艺术的精髓。
Day 9
Tongren – Xiahe 同仁 – 夏河
Pass through Shuangpengxi village to visit the former home of Gedun Choephel, then by the Guashize Monastery and the Octagonal City. Arrive at Xiahe by evening.
Chinese
途经双朋西村参观更登群培故居，途经瓜什则寺与八角城。傍晚抵达夏河。
Day 10
Xiahe – Luqu – Xiahe 夏河 – 碌曲 – 夏河
Visit Amuchu Monastery; after lunch visit Xicang (Tshangtsang) Monastery in Luqu, then return to Xiahe.
Chinese
参观阿木去乎寺，下午前往碌曲参观西仓寺，后返回夏河。
Day 11
Xiahe 夏河
Walk to Labrang Monastery and follow a monk through the Medical College, Butter Sculpture Hall, and the Esoteric College. In the afternoon visit a nunnery and the Red Hat Monastery.
Chinese
步行前往拉卜楞寺，跟随僧人参观医学院、酥油花殿、显宗学院等。下午探访尼姑寺及红教寺。
Day 12
Xiahe – Hezuo – Linxia 夏河 – 合作 – 临夏
Visit the Milarepa Buddhist Pavilion in Hezuo. In the afternoon continue to Linxia to explore the Muslim market and the Sufi mazar (Gongbei shrines).
Chinese
参观合作米拉日巴佛阁。下午前往临夏，探访穆斯林集市与拱北。
Day 13
Linxia – Lanzhou 临夏 – 兰州
Take a speedboat to the Bingling Temple caves, including the upper temple. Return to Lanzhou by road in the afternoon.
Chinese
乘快艇游览炳灵寺石窟，探访上寺。下午乘车抵达兰州。
Day 14
Lanzhou Departure 兰州送机
Transfer to the airport according to your flight time and return to Beijing.
Chinese
根据航班时间送机返回北京。
Good to Know
What's Included
What's Included
- ✓ 北京-银川和兰州-北京往返机票 / Round-trip flights Beijing–Yinchuan and Lanzhou–Beijing
- ✓ 全程优秀汉语/英语导游讲解费用 / Professional Chinese- and English-speaking guide throughout
- ✓ 每天两顿正餐费用 / Two main meals daily
- ✓ 行程所列城市酒店住宿 / Hotel accommodation in all listed cities
- ✓ 全程用车：营运大巴车 / All transportation by chartered coach
- ✓ 全所含观光景点门票 / Admission to all listed sightseeing spots
- ✓ 随车每日瓶装水、水果 / Daily bottled water and fruit on the coach
- ✓ 国内旅游保险 / Domestic travel insurance
Not Included
- ✕ 自费参加的其他活动项目 / Optional activities at your own expense
- ✕ 行程中的个人消费 / Personal expenses during the trip
Before You Book
Important Information
- 团体人数：最少10人，最多15人 / Group size: minimum 10, maximum 15
- 签证：外籍及港澳台旅客请自备有效旅行证件 / Visas: Foreign, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan travelers must carry valid travel documents
- 行动不便旅客提示：本行程含沙漠越野、高原活动，需良好体能 / Mobility note: this itinerary includes desert off-road driving and high-altitude activities; good physical fitness required
- 航班信息：团队机票基于团体票价，额满后需单独询价，可能产生附加费用 / Flights: Group tickets are based on group fares; once quotas are filled, individual pricing may incur surcharges