Pastoral Echoes on the Snow Plateau

Duration

8 days

Persons

10 - 15

places

15

Itinerary:

Beijing – Lanzhou – Linxia – Langmusi – Ruoergai – Langmusi – Diebu – Zha gana -Diebu – Xiahe – Lanzhou – Departure

Journey Highlights

At Bingling Temple Grottoes

boat through the Yellow River canyon to find China's earliest dated grotto inscription, and listen as the temple keeper tells a thousand-year story of Han-Tibetan fusion.

Cross Tumen Pass

– from Han heartland into Tibetan highlands – and before the 10,000 murals of the Milarepa Buddha Pavilion, understand a wisdom that spread the Dharma through song.

Pause at Gahai Lake and Guomang Wetland

where the headwaters of the Yellow River nourish a nomadic civilization, and distant mountains and grasslands paint a landscape between heaven and earth.

Step inside a nomad's home on the Sangke Grassland

and in the encounter between urban perspective and nomadic life, search for answers about change under the impact of modernity.

At Jieyou Pasture on the Sangke Grassland, gather around a campfire with a bowl of butter tea and yak meat, tasting the ancient understanding between nomads and nature.

Inside Labrang Monastery

follow a monk through the Medical College, Butter Sculpture Hall, and Sutra College, walking the spiritual connections between this "Second Tibet" and the Himalayas, Mongolia, western Sichuan, and Amdo.

Visit a nunnery

and among the murals and daily routines, discover the little-known lives and faith of female practitioners.

Design Philosophy

The legend of Gannan began with the footsteps of early 20th-century explorers and scholars. In the 1930s, Joseph Rock's article "The Kingdom of the Choni Lama" – based on his expeditions into Gansu's Tibetan region – was published in National Geographic and caused a sensation in the West, comparable to Columbus discovering a new continent. Ma Hetian's Expedition Records of the Gansu-Qinghai-Tibet Borderlands and Zhuang Xueben's western photography remain foundational works in anthropology and sociology. Such layered and diverse cultural phenomena are rarely found concentrated in one land – they blend yet remain distinct, giving this region its own unique philosophy and art. Over the past three centuries, this land has produced a remarkable number of philosophers, imams, and great Buddhist masters, igniting a storm of ideas that turned a remote corner of China's northwest interior into a center of philosophical thought.

Our journey is built upon this rich foundation, weaving together monasteries, grottoes, mosques, villages, wildlife, pastures, artisans, and local markets into a living tapestry. Through a humanist lens, we open the door to Gannan, offering you a deep understanding of this extraordinary land in just seven days.

Inclusions

Round-trip airfare between Beijing and Lanzhou;

Excellent English-speaking tour guide service throughout the itinerary;

Lunch and dinner daily at local specialty restaurants to enjoy authentic local cuisine;

Accommodation at city hotels as listed in the itinerary;

Private vehicle service throughout the itinerary: commercial tourist coach;

Entrance fees to all attractions listed in the itinerary;

Daily bottled water and fresh fruit in the vehicle;

Domestic travel insurance.

Exclusions

Optional activities and other personal expenses not mentioned in inclusions;

Personal expenses incurred during the itinerary.

Itinerary

Day 1

Beijing – Lanzhou

Fly from Beijing to Lanzhou. Explore the traditional Dongxiang Muslim community – a 200-year-old neighborhood where Hui and Dongxiang people still live. The area is home to over 50 hand-pulled lamb restaurants, 20 pool halls, 30 hotels, and various snack stalls – a true taste of authentic Northwest Muslim life. Dinner features a Dongxiang specialty: a whole-lamb feast.
Accommodation: Lanzhou Hotel
Meals: Breakfast (own expense) / Lunch (included) / Dinner (included)

Day 2

Lanzhou – Linxia

After breakfast, depart for Yongjing, Linxia. Take a speedboat to Bingling Temple. Cave 169 bears an inscription dated "Xiqin Hongyuan Year 1" (420 AD) – the earliest recorded date of any Buddhist grotto in China. Explore by speedboat through spectacular peaks. We specially arrange a visit to the Upper Monastery to find traces of ancient monks' lives, see a Tang Dynasty future Buddha statue, and talk with the temple keeper to learn about Tibetan Buddhist heritage and the rare Kangxi-era Tripitaka. Afternoon transfer to Linxia city. Evening features a traditional Muslim banquet.
Accommodation: Linxia Hotel
Meals: Breakfast (hotel) / Lunch (included) / Dinner (included)

Day 3

Linxia – Langmusi

Visit a traditional Muslim market, the mausoleums of the Four Sufi Orders, and the study site of a revered sage who influenced Northwest China for centuries. Head to Langmusi, passing Tumen Pass to enter the Gannan Tibetan region. Stop at Hezuo City to visit Milarepa Buddha Pavilion – a Kagyu Tibetan Buddhist temple with over 10,000 murals. Continue via Gahai Lake and Guomang Wetland, both critical water sources for the upper Yellow River and national nature reserves. Drive along the grassland, with stunning layered mountain views, and arrive in Langmusi in the evening.
Accommodation: Langmusi Town Hotel
Meals: Breakfast (hotel) / Lunch (included) / Dinner (included)

Day 4

Langmusi – Ruoergai – Langmusi

Morning walk to Kirti Monastery (Sichuan side) and Sertri Monastery (Gansu side), separated by the Bailong River. The former is known for its flesh relic and hidden canyon; the latter for its golden-roofed assembly hall and debate tradition. Both are important Gelug monasteries in the Amdo region. Walk to the source of the Bailong River. Afternoon transfer to Ruoergai, switch vehicles, and visit a nomadic family deep in the Heihe Grassland. Observe their lives under modern influence and reflect on the changes. Return to Langmusi after dinner.
Accommodation: Langmusi Town Hotel
Meals: Breakfast (hotel) / Lunch (included) / Dinner (included)

Day 5

Langmusi – Diebu – Zha gana

After breakfast, head into the forests of Diebu to search for wild sika deer. A secret canyon – a key wildlife corridor for the upper Yellow River – remains untouched, with villages, pastures, valleys, and rivers. Observe wild sika deer up close. Afternoon arrival at Zha gana. Enjoy a light hike to learn about Joseph Rock's visits and see Zha gana through his eyes. Dariguan Viewing Platform to Fairy Beach (approx. 1 hour). Surrounded by mountains, four villages dot the landscape – Tibetan barley fields, forests, rivers, and scattered yaks create an ever-changing Tibetan mountain tableau.
Accommodation: Diebu Zha gana Boutique Hotel
Meals: Breakfast (hotel) / Lunch (included) / Dinner (included)

Day 6

Diebu – Xiahe

After breakfast, depart for Xiahe. Around 15:00, head to Jieyou Pasture, high in the heart of the Sangke Grassland, with vast and spectacular summer pasture views. Dinner features a Tibetan meal made from local natural ingredients. After dinner, continue to Xiahe town.
Accommodation: Xiahe Hotel
Meals: Breakfast (hotel) / Lunch (included) / Dinner (Longda Pasture)

Day 7

Xiahe – Lanzhou

After breakfast, head to Labrang Monastery. Arrive around 10:00 for a monk-led tour covering the Medical College, Butter Sculpture Hall, Manjushri Hall, Simhanada Buddha Hall, and the Sutra College. Labrang is the largest Tibetan Buddhist center outside Lhasa – known as the "Second Tibet" – with China's best-preserved Tibetan Buddhist academic system. A walking tour explains Labrang's connections to the Himalayas, Mongolia, western Sichuan, and Qinghai. We specially arrange a visit to a nunnery to learn about local nuns' lives, with expert commentary on the murals. Afternoon free to explore the traditional bazaar or relax at a local café. Evening return to Lanzhou.
Accommodation: Lanzhou Hotel
Meals: Breakfast (hotel) / Lunch (included) / Dinner (included)

Day 8

Lanzhou – Departure

Transfer to the airport according to your flight schedule for your return flight to Beijing.
Accommodation: None
Meals: Breakfast (hotel) / Lunch (included) / Dinner (included)

Day 9

Tongren – Xiahe

Pass through Shuangpengxi Village to visit the former residence of Gendün Chöphel, then pass by Guashi Ze Monastery and Octagonal City. Arrive in Xiahe in the evening – the cultural heart of the Amdo Tibetan region.

Accommodation: Xiahe Hotel