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Rickshaw Travel
China
Monks in Xiahe

Yak Herders and Nomadic Villages

Bite-sized trip
  • Itinerary:
    Xiahe - Langmusi - Songpan - Chengdu
  • Duration:
    4 days / 3 nights
  • Price:
    from £ 650.- per person
Explore a remote mountain world of semi-nomadic villages, Tibetan monasteries and grazing yaks. It’s a peaceful journey into China’s sweeping grassy plains, full of space, fresh air and quiet beauty. Meet the local monks, watch sheep herders at work and soak up the vast hilltop scenery. Travel through the hills and valleys of secluded Sichuan from Xiahe to Songpan, meeting locals along the way.
Xiahe Ganjia grasslands

Day 1 – Xiahe – Langmusi

You’ll leave Xiahe early this morning and travel into the mountains, scattered with semi-nomadic Tibetans and their herds of grazing yak. During the summer, a sea of flowers burst into bloom across the grasslands. Arriving in Langmusi, a tiny town packed with Tibetan monks at an altitude of 3,800m, you’ll settle into your simple hotel for the night.

Day 2 – Langmusi – Songpan

This morning, you’ll visit the remote and peaceful main monastery of Langmusi, with spinning prayer wheels, chanting monks and sandalwood-scented smoke. Your guide will lead you through the prayer hall, where the highest priest sits on a raised plateau.

Afterwards, you’ll head towards Songpan in north-western Sichuan, crossing vast plains and mountain passes. You’ll take a rest stop at a small Buddhist monastery before descending into green valleys dotted with farmland and rocky outcrops. When you arrive in Songpan, you’ll get settled in your small, simple hotel.

Day 3 – Songpan – free time

Today is free for you to explore Songpan at your own pace. A small town perched on the banks of the Min River, it has a beautiful diverse vibe. Home to a mix of Tibetans, Hui Muslims and Han Chinese, it’s an inspiring place where many religions and traditions coexist in peace. The village is very friendly and completely charming with many little wooden houses sprinkled along the narrow streets.

Day 4 – Songpan – Chengdu

Today is all about the journey. You’ll leave Songpan and drive to Chengdu, a journey of nearly 10 hours. On the way, the wild mountain scenery will give way to a more cultivated landscape dotted with traditional villages and minority tribes. When you arrive in Chengdu, the trip ends and you’ll continue your adventure in China.

Accommodation

This bite-sized trip combines well with