Red Rocks and Monasteries

Summary

Day 1 • Morning or early afternoon - Transfer to Hotel (about a 1 hour drive from Xining airport) • 3:00pm - Arrive at Hotel and check in. Settle into hotel and rest • 4:30 pm - Meet in the lobby of the hotel/guesthouse and go out for dinner • 5:00pm - Eat dinner and introduce the schedule for the week • 8:00pm - Return to Hotel to sleep and rest Day 2 • 8:30am - Eat breakfast at or near hostel or hotel. • 9:30am - Drive 1.5 hours to LaJI Shan Mountain - a 14,000 foot (4,267 meters) craggy peak with surrounding red rock bluffs and cliffs. • 11:30am- Hike to base camp and eat packed lunch • 12:30pm-Set up tents and camp • 2:00pm - From the base camp, day hike to tall mountain past red rock formations for a great view of the valley. We will not be summiting the mountain itself but a nearby peak. • 5:00pm- Cook dinner • 6:00pm - Eat dinner • 7:00pm - Clean dinner • 7:30pm - Watch the stars and talk about history and stories of the area as well as the nomadic culture around us and it’s dependence on the yak. • 9:30pm - Sleep in tents overlooking beautiful red rock formations. Day 3 • 8:00am - Start breakfast • 8:30am - Eat breakfast • 9:00am - Break camp and pack up and hike down • 10:30am - Drive 1.5 hours to Kanbula National Park and the gorgeous red rock formations in the park (it is like a mini-Grand Canyon) • 1:00pm - Go see Namzong Nunnery inside the park • 3:00pm - Do short day hikes to viewpoints and pagodas and see a small Tibetan farmer village • 4:30pm - In the afternoon, drive to Homestay • 6:30pm - Arrive in Homestay in Rebkong, eat with our homestay hosts • 8:00pm - Debrief day • 9:00pm - Sleep in Tibetan Homestay with an excellent view of the National Park Day 4 • 8:30am - Eat breakfast in homestay • 9:30am - In the morning, explore the labyrinthine alleys of the monastery to find out what life as a monk is really like. Then hike above the Rebkong Longwu Monastery for an excellent view of the town. • 12:30pm - Eat lunch in town including some freshly made yak yoghurt • 1:30pm - Drive 3 hours back to Xining Sofitel • 4:30 pm - Arrive in Xining for dinner. Clean up at hotel • 6:00pm - Final closing dinner. Final debriefs Day 5 • Fly or train out of Xining

Tour info

Duration
5 days
Group Size
Pricing (From)
Commentary
Meeting Point
Dropoff location

Why take this tour?

This trip has it all. We pack in a huge amount of diversity in just 5 days. Camping under the stars on top of a 3,500 meter sandstone cliff. Hiking through a miniature Grand Canyon to the top of a Buddhist hermitage where monks and nuns meditate without speaking for years. And we finish it off with the largest monastery in Qinghai Province, Rebkong Longwu monastery, famous for its hand painted Tibetan Thangkas.

What’s included?

  • 4 nights accommodation

  • All taxes, fees and handling charges

  • National Park fees

  • Breakfast

  • Dinner

  • Lunch

  • All activities

  • Driver/guide

  • Professional guide

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off

  • Round-trip shared transfer

  • Transport by private vehicle

  • Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)

  • Drinks

  • Gratuities

Things to know

Before you book

  • Duration: 5 days

  • Mobile tickets accepted

  • Instant confirmation

Cancellation Policy

    For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

Operated by:

Elevated Trips

About operator:

Elevated Trips is an adventure travel company that offers unique travel experiences on the Tibetan Plateau. We also offer cultural and trekking tours in Mongolia, Thailand, and Indonesia. Our commitment to service comes from significant travel experience all across Asia and Tibet. Ben Cubbage, the founder of Elevated Trips, has over 6,000 miles of trail-tested trekking experience and 15 years as a professional guide with 7 of those years guiding in western China. Most the local guides we employ have 10-20 years of guiding experience and are considered the best, most in-demand guides in the business. We work with only the highest quality local guides to give you the best possible experience. Our tours and treks are culturally immersive and full of wonder and life and even delightful spontaneous moments that can’t be squarely placed in a brochure. We want to give you the trip of a lifetime! Contact us to find out more. We would love to tailor make you an itinerary!

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