Tibetan New Year|travel package

Tibetan New Year
travel package - 7 days / 6 nights

The Monlam Festival in Tongren is a monastic festival that occurs in the winter during the time of the Tibetan New Year, usually in January or February. There are a number of ceremonies that occur during this festival including the airing of Buddha's Thangka, the Maitreya Procession, the Mask Dance, the Fire Puja, and the Butter Sculpture Display. This journey takes you to at least four different monasteries during these ceremonies to get a chance to see the varying ceremonies done in different styles. If you are interested in Tibetan Buddhism, this tour gives you a nice sample of the Amdo monastic ceremony.

Day 1 Beijing / Shanghai - Xining - Tongren (L, D) Flight from Beijng / Shanghai to Xining.
Upon arrival in Xining airport, our local tour guide will meet and drive you to Tongren.
Overnight at Tongren Day 2 Tongren (B, L, D) After breakfast at hotel, you will start your tour in Tongren. Tongren is the most influential center of Tibetan Buddhist Arts, famous for its Thangka Painting, Clay Sculptures, and Appliqu.
In the afternoon see the Thangka display in Upper Wutun Monastery. During this display you will see the monks bring out an enormous Thangka of the Future Buddha and ceremonially carry it out for all to see.
Overnight at Tongren Day 3 Tongren (B, L, D) Visit Wutun Monastery which is renowned as the Regong Arts School. View the incredible Thangkas throughout the monastery and visit the home of a Thangka painter to experience an artist at work. Then see the Maitreya transportation at Lower Wutun Monastery. This is the annual carrying of the Maitreya (Future Buddha) statue around the village.
Overnight at Tongren Day 4 Tongren (B, L, D) Drive to Wutun Monastery and see the mask dance. This ceremony comes from the 8th century and the dancers portray the protector deities of Tibetan Buddhism. The dance circles around in front of the monastery and at the end of the day they perform a fire puja.
Overnight at Tongren Day 5 Tongren (B, L, D)

In the morning you will see the Buddha Thangka painting display at Lower Wutun Monastery.
In the afternoon drive to Shuangpengxi Tibetan village. It is more than 300 years old. Here you will experience a typical Tibetan lifestyle with a Tibetan family.
Overnight at Tongren

Day 6 Tongren - Xining (B, L, D)

See the Buddha Thangka painting display at Guomaer monastery.
In the afternoon you will visit Longwu monastery, one of the leading monasteries in the Amdo Tibetan area, with more than 800 Lamas residing there.
Drive back to Xining in the early evening.
Overnight in Xining

Day 7 Xining - Beijing / Shanghai (B) Transfer to airport for flight back to Beijing / Shanghai. For travel package bookings and more information please contact Hotline Beijing: +86-10-8519 8999(phone)