Qinghai Tibetan Lunar June Festival Trip 2021
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Come to Qinghai, the land in the clouds, for a carnival that rivals Rio de Janerio’s. Not for the faint-hearted, we will take you on an adventure of a lifetime: attending the Tibetan June Festival, pilgrimaging among Tibetan monasteries, and exploring the spectacular scenery of the world’s highest and largest plateau.
There will be dancing: the graceful movements of the young women in their festival attires, the synchronized actions of the men in joyful dances, and the frenzied exertions of the possessed shamans as he blesses and guides the villages in their worship. They are appealing to the heavens, seeking to please the mountain gods, sometimes even with their own flesh and blood.
Highlights
Be captivated by the June Festival, a unique integration of rituals, celebrations, folk opera, singing and dancing.
Be enlightened by Tibetan Buddhism, with a tour of various Tibetan monasteries that each have their own stories to tell.
Be charmed by the stunning beauty of nature, including endless grasslands surrounded by imposing green mountains and impossibly blue skies.
Be immersed in the Tibetan way of life: making nomadic friends and enjoying a picnic on the grasslands.
Itinerary in brief
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DAY 1 Arriving Xiahe | Explore the beauty of Gansu province
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DAY 2 Xiahe, Tibetan Plateau and Huangnan | Hike and picnic on the Tibetan plateau
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DAY 3 Lunar June Festival | Mysterious rituals to worship snow mountain Gods
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DAY 4 Xiaqiong Monastery and Qinghai Lake | Monastery on the cliff and largest lake in China
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DAY 5 Qinghai lake hike, Xining | Sunrise by the Qinghai Lake and Muslim culture in Xining
Itinerary
Day 1
Arriving Xiahe
Explore the beauty of Gansu provinceArrive at Lanzhou Airport, hike into the unknown rainbow mountain. Drive to Xiahe and visit a local art school. Have a stroll through the main streets of Xiahe, appreciating the Buddhist specialities displayed: prayer wheels and flags, statues, rosaries and much more. End the day with a welcome dinner.-
Accommodation: Xiahe -
Meals: Dinner
Day 2
Xiahe, Tibetan Plateau and Huangnan
Hike and picnic on the Tibetan plateauStart our trip with a morning visit to the Labrang Monastery, joining the pilgrim journey with local Tibetans. Simple lunch at Xiahe. Then Prepare for a feast of both eyes and gut as we explore the pastoral Tibetan grasslands that extend endlessly beyond the horizon. Yak, cattle and sheep graze; marmots peek out from their burrows; and vultures hover high above. Hike through the ruins of a 2000 year old city and near the Bon monastery. Join a nomadic Tibetan tent for a literal feast of yak incorporated into various Tibetan delicacies, all the while continuing to enjoy the carpet-like flower covered fields. Afterwards, enjoy a well deserved rest in Huangnan.-
Accommodation: Huangnan
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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3
Lunar June Festival
Mysterious rituals to worship snow mountain GodsA day for festivities, join the locals for the climax of their ten day long celebration: The June Festival. They are celebrating the harvest and paying their respects to Nianchen, the snow mountain god. Their religion is Tibetan Buddhism a fusion of Han Buddhism and local Tibetan animalism. Sacrifices are made in the form of young men volunteering their cheeks and backs to be pierced. This is their sacrificial offering to the heavens, a way to accumulate goodness and an effort to please the gods with their blood and pain. Beautiful Tibetan girls dressed up in the festive garments elegantly present themselves, and watch while the young men proceed to dance to the beat of their own drums.-
Accommodation: Huangnan
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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4
Castles, Xiaqiong Monastery and Qinghai Lake
Monastery on the cliff and largest lake in ChinaIn the morning, we will visit castles in Huangnan districts and learn its history along with the visit. Then we will drive to Xiaqiong Monastery, one of the oldest Tibetan temples in Qinghai. With more than 600 years of history, it is nestled on the cliff like a giant Garuda about to take off. Such a harmonious existence of monastery and nature brings to mind the famous cliff-temple-cloud scenes of Bhutan. In the afternoon, we will continue on to Qinghai lake, the largest salt lake in China. Avoiding the crowds, we will walk along the Qinghai lake and let ourselves be enchanted by the beauty of nature. At night, we will rest at the local guesthouse by the Qinghai lake.-
Accommodation: Qinghai Lake
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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5
Qinghai lake hike, Xining
Sunrise by the Qinghai Lake and Muslim culture in XiningEarly getting up by the Qinghai Lake. After watching the sunrise, we will have a hike around the lake, where we will trek through the grassland, desert and reach to the very edge of Qinghai Lake. Along the way, we may encounter Tibetan foxes, and of course, lots of yaks and cattle. In the late afternoon we will visit the grand mosque in Xining and learn about Muslim culture in China, swinging by the local Muslim market, before heading to the airport.-
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
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Arriving Xiahe
Explore the beauty of Gansu provinceArrive at Lanzhou Airport, hike into the unknown rainbow mountain. Drive to Xiahe and visit a local art school. Have a stroll through the main streets of Xiahe, appreciating the Buddhist specialities displayed: prayer wheels and flags, statues, rosaries and much more. End the day with a welcome dinner.-
Accommodation: Xiahe
-
Meals: Dinner
Xiahe, Tibetan Plateau and Huangnan
Hike and picnic on the Tibetan plateauStart our trip with a morning visit to the Labrang Monastery, joining the pilgrim journey with local Tibetans. Simple lunch at Xiahe. Then Prepare for a feast of both eyes and gut as we explore the pastoral Tibetan grasslands that extend endlessly beyond the horizon. Yak, cattle and sheep graze; marmots peek out from their burrows; and vultures hover high above. Hike through the ruins of a 2000 year old city and near the Bon monastery. Join a nomadic Tibetan tent for a literal feast of yak incorporated into various Tibetan delicacies, all the while continuing to enjoy the carpet-like flower covered fields. Afterwards, enjoy a well deserved rest in Huangnan.-
Accommodation: Huangnan
-
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lunar June Festival
Mysterious rituals to worship snow mountain GodsA day for festivities, join the locals for the climax of their ten day long celebration: The June Festival. They are celebrating the harvest and paying their respects to Nianchen, the snow mountain god. Their religion is Tibetan Buddhism a fusion of Han Buddhism and local Tibetan animalism. Sacrifices are made in the form of young men volunteering their cheeks and backs to be pierced. This is their sacrificial offering to the heavens, a way to accumulate goodness and an effort to please the gods with their blood and pain. Beautiful Tibetan girls dressed up in the festive garments elegantly present themselves, and watch while the young men proceed to dance to the beat of their own drums.-
Accommodation: Huangnan
-
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Castles, Xiaqiong Monastery and Qinghai Lake
Monastery on the cliff and largest lake in ChinaIn the morning, we will visit castles in Huangnan districts and learn its history along with the visit. Then we will drive to Xiaqiong Monastery, one of the oldest Tibetan temples in Qinghai. With more than 600 years of history, it is nestled on the cliff like a giant Garuda about to take off. Such a harmonious existence of monastery and nature brings to mind the famous cliff-temple-cloud scenes of Bhutan. In the afternoon, we will continue on to Qinghai lake, the largest salt lake in China. Avoiding the crowds, we will hike along the Qinghai lake and let ourselves be enchanted by the beauty of nature. At night, we will rest at the local guesthouse by the Qinghai lake.-
Accommodation: Qinghai Lake
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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Qinghai lake hike, Xining
Sunrise by the Qinghai Lake and Buddhist/Muslim culture in XiningEarly getting up by the Qinghai Lake. After watching the sunrise, we will have a hike around the lake, where we will trek through the grassland, desert and reach to the very edge of Qinghai Lake. Along the way, we may encounter Tibetan foxes, and of course, lots of yaks and cattle. In the late afternoon, we will visit the grand mosque in Xining and learn about Muslim culture in China, swinging by the local Muslim market, before heading to the airport.-
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
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Prices are in USD, per person, based on double occupancy.
Date Early-bird Price Standard Price Single Supplement Jul 31 - Aug 4, 2021 ¥8900 ¥9900 ¥1200 Payment due before Jul 24, 2021 ; Early-bird price deadline Jun 30, 2021
This trip is guaranteed to operate at the minimum 5 passengers. Should the trip be cancelled due to lack of sign-ups, China Culture Plus will fully refund any deposits or fees paid.
What's Included
- China Culture Plus Top English-Speaking Local Guide(s)
- Airfare from Beijing to Lanzhou and Airfare from Xining back to Beijing
- Hand-Selected Accommodations with Breakfast Included
- Airport Meet and Greet With Private Transfers
- Professional Driver and In-Transport Refreshments
- Lunches and Dinners mentioned in the Itinerary
- Admission Fees and Activity Expenses, as Noted in the Itinerary
What's Not Included
- Expenses of a Personal Nature
- Discretionary Gratuities for Guides and Chauffeurs
PAYMENT SCHEDULE
A deposit is required for each participant once your reservation is confirmed. Payment of the full trip fee is due at least 7 days prior to departure. Payment can be made via Wechat, Alipay, Bank Transfer, and Cash or Credit Card at our office with an appointment.
Click MAKE A RESERVATION to get in touch and secure your next trip with us.
CANCELLATION POLICY
China Culture Plus trips are refundable, minus the deposit, with a formal written cancellation prior to the departure. Please click here to see our full cancellation policy.
In the case of trip cancellation, please refer to the conditions and terms below:
- 15 days or more prior to trip departure - Loss of deposit
- Between 15 – 7 days prior to trip departure - 50% of total tour price will be forfeited
- Less than 7 days prior to trip departure - no refund
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What to expect
This trip has an activity rating of moderate/challenging considering the high elevation (with one hiking on the Tibetan Plateau that is around 4000 meters); travelers should be in good health, and prepared for walking and hiking on each day. Qinghai Lunar June Festival Trip includes hiking up to the rainbow mountain which takes about 2 hours, hiking through Tibetan grassland near the ancient temple which takes about 2 hours, hiking along Qinghai Lake which takes about 2 and a half hours, and lots of walking through different villages. Feel free to contact us for more information.
Accommodations
We will have two nights staying at the local Tulou guesthouses. The guesthouses provide all the basic facilities. For other nights, we will stay at the decent hotels (4 or 5 stars).
Meals
We will try different types of local food during our stay in Gansu and Qinghai provinces: lots of yak meat, yak butter tea, local bread, noodles etc. Please let us know ahead of time if you have the specific allergies to peanuts, fish, etc., or sensitivities to MSG, so that we can plan accordingly.
What to bring
- Comfortable shoes. A pair of hiking boots are recommended.
- Please bring warm clothes, and extra layers for cold nights
- Passport, camera, chargers
- Backpack, kindles or books to read
- Personal medication (we will have the basic first aid supplies)
Please check our blogs for more information
