CC-42 China Panda and Tibet Tour-Chengdu-Wolong-Leshan-Lhasa-Gyangtse-Shigatse-Chengdu 11D10N

Day 2 Driving to Wolong Reserve(159km) located in the northwest of Chengdu, China’s largest and certainly the most important sanctuary for Giant Pandas, established in 1963.

Day 3 Explore Wolong Reserve in a wonderful setting of forests surrounded by rugged snow-capped mountains, live Giant pandas, Red Pandas, Golden Pheasants, White-Eared-Pheasants and Chinese Monals as well as the stunning Firethroats. Black Dears, Golden Monkeys and Musk Deers, and rhododendrons and azaleas can also be found here. Totally more than 50 pandas are raised inside and we can see about 30 of them. There is also a Panda Museum from which we can have details about the situation of Panda life.

Day 4 After breakfast drive back to Chengdu. In the afternoon visit Palace of Du Fu, The Temple of Marquis Wu.

Day 5 After breakfast in the hotel, drive to Leshan City, which is located at the confluence of the Dadu and Min rivers. 170 km southwest of Chengdu and on the edge of Sichuan Basin. It takes about 2 hours on highway. Visit the Leshan Huge Buddha, walk on the zigzag plank road and view Lingyun Temple etc. In the late afternoon drive back to Chengdu.

Day 6 In the morning take flight from Chengdu to Lhasa. If Tibet is the "roof of the world", then its capital, Lhasa, is certainly the "city of the sun". Standing on a plain over 13,000 feet above sea level, surrounded by towering mountains, Lhasa is a town bathed in sunlight.  Meet the local guide and transfer to hotel to have an acclimatization rest in the hotel. In the afternoon visit Jokhang Temple,home of the most precious of the Buddha images in the region. Brought from Chang’an (what is now Xi’an ) by the Tang Princess Wen Cheng when she married Tibetan King Songsten Gampo, the Sakyamuni Buddha is truly magnificent. Then walk through the colorful bazaar on Barkhor Street known as the Pilgrims’ay prior to visiting a carpet factory where you can marvel at the skill of the carpet weavers and admire the Buddhist designs.

Day 7 After breakfast visit Potala Palace, Tibet’s best-known landmark. In the afternoon visit Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery. Drepung was once the largest and wealthiest and a Yellow Hat monastery where the Dalai Lamas were trained. Sera was a strong rival for importance and had three Tantric Colleges, famous for their Bon tradition of teaching.

Day 8 Today leaving for Gyantse. Pass by the Yamdrok-Tso Lake, the third-biggest holy lake in Tibet and a good place for taking photos. Then cross over Kangpa-La Pass (5000 m) to arrive in Gyantse in the afternoon where visit Kumbum Pagoda also called 100-thousand-Bouddha's-pagoda as well as Pelkor Monastery famed with its splendid Buddhist Tibetan art, both of them were built in the 15th century.                

Day 9 In the morning drive to Shigatse. Visit Tashilhunpo Monastery, the main attraction in Shigatse is the seat of the Panchen Lama—Tashilhunpo Monastery. Built in 1447 by a nephew of Tsong Khapa, the monastery once housed over 4000 monks, but now there are only 600. Apart from a giant statue of the Maitreya Buddha ( nearly 27 meters high ) in the Temple of the Maitreya, the monastery is also famed for its Grand Hall with its opulent tomb ( containing 85kg of gold and masses of jewels ) of the fourth Panchen Lama.

Day 10 In the morning drive back to Lhasa will take 5-6 hours on the way. In the afternoon will be free.

Day 11 In the morning take flight to Chengdu ( then take flight for Singapore, Hong Kong or Bangkok ) .      (B)