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8 Days Aba County and Yaqing Monastery Photography Tour

  • Photography tour in Daocheng Yading

    Photography tour in Daocheng Yading

  • Daocheng Yading

    Daocheng Yading

  • Yaqing Monastery

    Yaqing Monastery

  • Xinduqiao

    Xinduqiao

    Tour Outline: 8 Days & 7 Nights
    Chengdu - Xinduqiao (1N) - Ganzi (1N) - Yaqing Monastery (1N) - Ganzi (1N) - Seda (2N) - Maerkang (1N) - Chengdu

    • Overview
    • Itinerary
    • Date & Price
    • Service Inclusion
    • Enquire Now

    Trip Overview

    Join us for a lifetime Photo tour as we lead you on an amazing adventure on the off-the-beaten-path to the remote treasure land of western Sichuan. Visit Seda and Yarchen Gar Monstery, you will be amazed by the panorama view of the large-scale red houses for ocal nuns and monks. The loop trip from Chengdu take you throught the best photography way of Sichuan, including Xinduqiao, Ganzi and Maerkang. You will not only be amazed by the stunning landscapes of West Sichuan, but also experience the different Tibetan culture during this tour. Fixed departure dates and travel in small groups, you will get more fun and save more money on the way.

    • [Xinduqiao] Be honored as the paradise of photographers; boasts of stone Tibetan houses, villages, wooden bridge, white poplar forest, hills, clean brooks, and all of them built a picture of harmony;
    • [Yarchen Monastery] also named 'Yaqing Monastery', the world's biggest monastery at the remote eastern Tibetan Plateau;
    • [Wuming Buddhist Academy] The world's largest active Tibetan Buddhist Academy/ School has thousands of resident Lama and Juemu;
    • [Maerkang] Experience the traditional architectural style of the Jiarong Tibetans that building houses with stones in the town.

    • Best Time to Visit

      April, May, June, September & October

    • Physical Demands

      Very leisure tour; zero physical demand

    Day by Day Itinerary

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    Day 1: Chengdu – Xinduqiao

    Map of 8 Days Xinduqiao Yaqing Monastery and Seda Tour

    After breakfast at your hotel in Chengdu, we will start your journey in western Sichuan. Drive on the Chengdu-Ya'an Expressway to the so-called "Rain City" - Ya'an; turn to G318, and drive through Erlangshan Tunnel, a sunshine day with blue sky will turn out, and then you reach to the Dadu River Grand Canyon which is the largest one in western Sichuan.

    Passing through Zheduo Mountain Pass, tourists can see Tibetan villages scattering on both sides of the road, and a river flows slowly along the village. After about 7-hour driving, we will arrive in Xinduqiao which is honored as "the Paradise of Photographers" for overnight. Xinduqiao enjoys a splendid scene in spring and autumn.

    Stay overnight in Xinduqiao

    • Drive 406km, about 7.5 hours
    • Altitude: Chengdu (540m), Kangding (2900M), Xinduqiao (3300m)
    • Xinduqiao Local Hotel

    Day 2: Xinduqiao - Garze (Ganzi) (B)

    Today our journey continues to Garze (Ganzi) town from Xinduqiao. En route, you will have plenty of photo opportunities. You could shoot the amazing Gongga Snow Mountain.

    Arrive in Garze for accommodation tonight.

    Stay overnight in Garze

    • Drive 310km, about 7 hours
    • Altitude: Garze (3394m)
    • Internet & Wifi: NO
    • Garze Local Hotel
    • Breakfast

    Day 3: Garze – Yaqing Monastery / Yarchen Monastery (B)

    Panorama View of Yarchen Monastery

    Panorama View of Yarchen Monastery

    Pagodas in Yarchen Monastery

    Pagodas in Yarchen Monastery

    After breakfast, you will be driven towards Yarchen Monastery. Located in an isolated valley western to Gare -County, the Yaqing Monastery is an incredible monastery. The little island surrounded by Changqu River is the largest area for Juemu living together.

    Stay overnight in Yarchen Monastery / Yarchen Local Hotel

    • Drive 170km from Garze to Yarchen Monastery
    • Altitude: Garze (3394m), Yarchen Monastery (3700m)
    • Accommodation in Yarchen Monastery / Yarchen Local Hotel
    • Internet & Wifi: No
    • Breakfast

    Day 4: Yaqing Monastery - Garze (B)

    Enjoy the peace of the little village in the morning. Visit the monastery and take photos of this holy land before you move back to Garze.

    Drive back from Yaqing Monastery to Garze.

    Stay overnight in Garze

    • Drive 170km from Yaqing Monastery back to Garze
    • Altitude: Yarchen Monastery (3700m), Garze (3394m)
    • Internet & Wifi: NO
    • Ganzi Local Hotel
    • Breakfast

    Day 5: Garze - Seda (B)

    Today our journey continues northwards to the Seda County. Due to the rough road, we will stop the car and have a rest for several times.

    Stay overnight in Seda

    • Drive 152km from Garze to Seda County (about 4 hours)
    • Altitude: Garze (3394m), Seda (3800m)
    • Internet & Wifi: NO
    • Seda Local Hotel
    • Breakfast

    Day 6: Seda (B)

    Seda Wuming Buddhist Academy

    Seda Wuming Buddhist Academy

    The Tianzang Site near to the Buddhist Academy

    The Tianzang Site near to the Buddhist Academy

    Today, you will drive 20km from the county to visit Wuming Buddhist Academy, which is the world's largest active Tibetan Buddhist Academy/ School. It belongs to Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism, with an elevation of around 3700 meters. Around it are thousands of red houses. You will spend the whole morning to explore the academy, red houses and Tancheng, and study Buddhism with Lama and Juemu.

    In the afternoon, you will personally experience Tianzang Funeral at Seda Tianzang Site which is located the mountainside (over 4000m) near to the Academy. Then go to the platform next to Tancheng or from Larong Hotel, you can look down the whole valley and enjoy the silent and dazzling night scene of Buddhist Academy.

    And then transferred back to your hotel in the county.

    Stay overnight in Seda

    • Drive 40km
    • Altitude: Seda County (3800m), Buddhist Academy (3700m)
    • Internet & Wifi: No
    • Breakfast

    Day 7: Seda - Maerkang (B)

    Hongxing Lake in Qizanggou

    Hongxing Lake in Qizanggou

    Hongxing Rock in Qizanggou

    Hongxing Rock in Qizanggou

    After breakfast, drive about 7 hours back to Maerkang, and check in Maerkang local hotel. The rest of today is yours to explore the county.

    Stay overnight in Maerkang

    • Drive 280km, about 7 hours
    • Altitude: Seda County (3800m), Maerkang (2600m)
    • Internet & Wifi: No
    • Maerkang Local Hotel
    • Breakfast

    Day 8: Maerkang - Chengdu (B)

    Maerkang to Chengdu Scenery

    Scenery along the way from Maerkang to Chengdu

    Today, we will get back to Chengdu, and it takes about 7 hours. We have a short stop at Taoping Qiang Village, which is the world's well preserved architectural art of Qiang group.

    Unpon you arrive in Chengdu, we will transfer you to your hotel in Chengdu, or the airport/ train station for your next destination.

    Service ends.

    • Drive 350km, about 7 hours
    • Altitude: Maerkang (2600m), Chengdu (540m)
    • Internet & Wifi: NO
    • Breakfast

    Date & Price

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    JULY 2025

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    Price Inclusions
    1. Group-shared transportation to the destinations and sites listed in the itinerary; ranging from 4WD land cruiser to bus depending on the group size and trip route; car gasoline, road toll and in-transport refreshments (free bottles of water, air pillow and headscarf) are included;
    2. Lodging: one night in Xiduqiao hotel; two nights in Ganzi local hotel; one night in Yaqing local hotel; two nights in Seda local hotel; one night Maerkang local hotel;
    3. Experienced English-speaking driver and guide;
      - For a group with 2-3 people, there is one driver who can speak a little English;
      - For a group with 4 or more people, there is one driver and one English-speaking guide
    4. Hotel pick-up and send-off services at the beginning/end of the tour;
    5. Entrance ticket fees for all the sight spots listed in the itinerary;
    6. Meals listed in the itinerary;
    7. First aid kit;
    8. A coverage of 300,000RMB Chartis travel insurance;
    Price Exclusions
    1. International and domestic flight/train to Chengdu (Note: we accept the domestic flight/train tickets booking to Chengdu from other cities in advance, check the updated ticket availibility and cost with your travel consultant);
    2. Airport/Train Station pick-up and send-off services (We can provide the airport/train station pick-up and send-off service. Please contact our travel consultant for the details);
    3. Meals that are not specified in the itinerary (Averagely a meal in the 3rdpole region cost 3~10USD per person);
    4. Tips and gratuities for the trip leader and driver;
    5. The expense of a personal nature like alcoholic beverages, laundry, phone call, etc;
    6. Optional activities and excursions not specified in the itinerary;
    7. China Entry visa fees;
    Itinerary Alteration

    Once we receive your tour deposit, which is followed by signing the contract, your reservation is secured with legitimacy. Our staff will reserve the accommodation, vehicle, site tickets, meals and more, and pay the deposit for our suppliers. So if you want to alter to another itinerary, you need to cover the deposit we've paid, while no service charge is needed if you make some changes on the itinerary you booked.

    Cancellation and Refund Policy

    If you cancel the tour beacuse of your personal issues, you will be liable to pay cancellation charges that are bounded by 3rdpoletour.com cancellation policy as follows:

    1.) If you cancel the tour more than 30 days before the trip starts, you will forfeit 10% of the total land cost per person;
    2.) If you cancel the tour 15-30 days prior to your trip start date, 20% of your total land tour cost will be forfeited as a cancellation fee.
    3.) If you cancel the tour 7-15 days before the trip starts, you will forfeit 30% of land cost.
    4.) If you cancel the tour 7 days prior to your tour start date, you will forfeit 50% of land cost.
    5.) If you fail to show up or cancel at your scheduled arrival time without prior notice or later than that, you will forfeit 100% of the land cost.

    If the tour has to be cancelled because of the natural disaster or the government restrictions that is beyond both parties control, we will charge only USD50 per person, this is just the service fee and larbor fee during the preparation. This is a rare occurrence!

    The cancellation fee charged by 3rdpoletour.com will be kept under your name (person who contacted us) for a usable period of 2 years. Within the applicable period you can use it for next time or you can kindly pass your authority to any of your family, friends or colleagues to use by booking a tour with 3rdpoletour.com. A certifying email from you is necessary to pass the cancellation fee to others, but it is only applicable for private group.

    Interested in This Tour?

    Make an online enquiry, our professional travel expert will contact you within 24 hours. You can also tailor this trip to your own interests.

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