Context
Heedless of arbitrary political boundaries, Tibetan culture spills beyond the borders of the Tibetan Autonomous Region and into western Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. For thousands of years, pilgrims have come from hundreds of miles around to circumambulate the holy mountains and visit important temples in this pristine natural paradise, still regarded as sacred by local people. We speak with high rank monks and trek with local Tibetans, visit some of the largest and most renowned Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and watch the morning sun set the peaks of holy mountains ablaze.

This is the heart of China’s Wild West, a region perfectly described by the Chinese proverb “The sky is high and the Emperor is far away.” We will experience the rough-and-tumble market outposts and stark, peaceful wilderness of the plateau, joined on our journey by local Tibetan villagers, Buddhist pilgrims and nomadic Yak herding cowboys. Leaving Sichuan’s provincial capital in the Yangtze River valley for one of the world’s highest and most remote regions, we visit an area where few Han Chinese and even fewer international travelers have ever set foot.

Trip Highlights
• Crossing land from Sichuan Tibetan plateau to Yunnan, viewing different Tibetan culture and natural view
• Discovering Buddhism culture
• Trekking along the pilgrim’s route
• Discovering the differences of Han culture and Tibetan culture
• Adventure experience of overnight in tent
• Splendid view on grassland, mountain and river.

Comfort Level:
Several accommodations are simple
High altitude trekking tour

Concise Itinerary:
Day1: Arrival Chengdu
Day2: Kangding
Day3: Tagong
Day4: Yajiang
Day5: Litang
Day6: Daocheng
Day7-8: Yading
Day9: Xiangcheng
Day10-11: Zhongdian
Day12: Kunming