16 Days Yunnan and Sichuan Trekking Tour from Lugu Lake to Daocheng with Chengdu Panda Experience (West Route)

Sightseeing and Activities: Lijiang Old Town
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Lunch

Upon arrival in Lijiang, our local guide will pick you up from the airport and transfer to the hotel in the old town. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Lijiang old town and buy something necessary for the trip. In the evening, our tour leader will meet you all in the hotel to give you the briefing of itinerary.

Sightseeing and Activities: Ganhaizi Meadow, Baishui(White Water) River, Yak Meadow, Baisha Old Town, Black Dragon Pool and the Dongba Museum, Naxi Orchestral and Show
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

You'll visit Ganhaizi Meadow, Baishui(White Water) River; then take the chairlift to visit the Yak Meadow(3700 meters) in the Yulong Snow Mountain. 

In the afternoon, you'll stroll through Baisha Old Town, which is an enchanting traditional Yunnan town; you’ll head for the scenic Black Dragon Pool and the Dongba Museum to explore the rich Naxi minority culture.

After dinner, you will attend the Naxi Orchestral and Show in Dongba Palace.

Sightseeing and Activities: Yangtze Canyon Walking, Yi ethnic people's villages, Liwubi Island and Snake Islet

Accommodation: Lugu Lake
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

In the morning, drive 6 hours on the mountain road to visit the mysterious Lugu Lake. On the way, enjoy the beautiful view among the huge mountains and rivers. You will start your walking from Jin'anqiao Bridge to Shudi along the road at the bank of Yangtze River. You will see the beautiful canyon and Yi ethnic people’s villages in the steep mountains. After 1 hour walking in the canyon, We will continue the driving and you can stop in many Yi villages.

In the late afternoon, you will take the canoes to visit Liwubi Island and Snake Islet in Lugu Lake.

(Optional)In the evening, take part in the night party and performance which is named the Soul of Mosuo. There are a lot of Mosuo young people dancing and singing around the fire in the outdoors theatre.

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Early in the morning we will drive directly to Yak Farm, our trekking start point, and meet our horse-men team, have our luggage packed on the horses there. It takes us 4 hours or so to trek up to the Yeji Mountain Pass(3,600 meters), passing by the Yi People's village on the way.

The colorful prayer cloth on the trees reminds us of arriving at the mountain pass, from there we may have a nice view of the Lion Mountain near Lugu Lake. And we will trek down among the virgin forests for 3 hours directly to our camping site, an unknown grassland near the river.

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Today's walking is easy for us, though it is long, for the reason of no strong rise and fall on the way. After breakfast we go outside the forest, walking along the tractor road, where a river accompanies us all the way. Before arriving our camping site, we will pass by some Tibetan villages, Yiji and Jiaqu villages. From Jiaqu village we will trek down to Tongtian river, where we will camp nearby.

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

In the morning, we will trek up along the half-way up mountain trail until arriving at the top, where we can see Tongtian River and Dongyi River. When trekking up, we will have a fantastic view on the way, what impress us are the high mountains, huge valleys, and villages scatter in the opposite deep mountains.

Before arriving at our camping site near Kawa Village, where Mongolians live, we will pass by Hadi Naxi People's village. This section of trail makes us walk on the top of high mountains, as if walking in the clouds.

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

From Kawa village down to Keku Village(2,700 meters), on the way, we may see many huge cactus growing on the cliffs, and what surprises us most is a house build on the cliff close to Dongyi River. Keku Village is a place where Tibetan people live, from there we will trek up again until arriving at our camping site, leaving the river far behind.

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Today is a long journey for us. Early in the morning, we will leave our camping site, trekking down outside the forest until arriving at the Seku village(2,600 meters). From there we will go across the river by the bridge, and walk further to Wangzi village, where we stop our trekking today, and then drive to Kasi village.

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

From today we will start the hardest trekking section, for the average height of the altitude is above 3,800 meters. Kasi village is the entrance to Kasi Gorge, and in the morning we will enter the Gorge, walking in the virgin forests. Two hours trek along the bottom of the gorge later, we will trek up until reaching Kasi Yak Farm, where we will camp tonight. And from here the altitude is above 4,000 meters.

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Local Guesthouse
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Today's trekking is the most strenuous. Before trekking down again we have to reach the highest mountain pass(4,800 meters) of these days, from where we have a nice view of the two snow mountains( Chenrezi (6032) and Chenadorje (5958), plateau lake(the Milk Lake(4,750). Have a short rest near the plateau lake below the mountain and then we continue trekking down into the virgin forests where we can find the height of the altitude descending sharply.

Before getting to the guesthouse near Chonggu Monastery, we will pass by Luorong Yak Farm (4,200 m), located among the center of the three snow mountains, Chenrezi (6032 m), Jampayang (5958 m) and Chenadorje (5958 m).

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Daocheng
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Today we needn't get up very early, in the morning enjoy the leisure time on the grassland near the monastery, after lunch we will trek down about one hour outside the scenic spot, where we say good bye to our horse-men team, and take the bus to Daocheng. Stay in the local guesthouse.

Sightseeing and Activities: Daocheng, Litang
Accommodation: Litang
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

In the morning, free time for you to explore the small Tibetan town, for Daocheng provides some creature comforts, a good place to relax and adjust yourself to the upcoming change in style and pace.

After lunch we will drive to Litang, one of the highest counties in the world.

Sightseeing and Activities: Go to Kangding
Accommodation: Kangding
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Today we will drive towards the east direction, covering part of the Sichuan to Tibet Highway before arriving in Chengdu. On the way we will pass by 4 high mountain passes, the average height of them are above 4,500 meters, and get into Kangding.

Kangding is the traditional trading and meeting point between the Tibetan plateau to the west and the Han river plains in the east, and the buildings, wares and mix of people reflect this. Now it's time to say goodbye to the highlands.

Sightseeing and Activities: Go to Chengdu
Accommodation: Chengdu
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Hit the road for an early start to our last day's drive, which follows what was the old tea route between China and Tibet and is now the main military road into the TAR. Stop for lunch at Luding, the site of heroic episodes of the Long March. We then proceed to cross the 3000 meters Erlang pass and 10-km Erlang tunnel, as well as 7756 meters Minyak Gangkar (Gonggashan) to the south. Finally, arrive in Chengdu.

Sightseeing and Activities: Panda Research Base, Wenshu Temple, Wangjiang Tower
Accommodation: Chengdu
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

In the early morning, drive to visit Panda Research Base Back and Wenshu Temple. Visit Wangjianglou Tower in the afternoon.

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (Chengdu Panda Base) is a non-profit organization engaged in wildlife research, captive breeding, conservation education, and educational tourism. It was founded in 1987, with six giant pandas rescued from the wild. In 2007, the captive population has increased to 62 individuals from that founding population of only six.

Sightseeing and Activities: Departure from Chengdu
Accommodation: None
Meals: Breakfast

Transfer to Chengdu International Airport for departure flight. Service ends.