Chengdu / Kangding (364km, 7 hours)
Set out in the morning. Drive on the Chengdu-Ya'an Express Way, enjoy the scenery of western Sichuan Plain, pass Ya'an city, famous as rainy city, then erter the mountain areas. Drive across the 4.1km long tunnel of Mt. Erlang, heading for Luding. If interested, stop for a short visit to the Luding Iron Chain Bridge over the Dadu River. Arrive in Kangding, the gteway to Kham and Tibet.
Sightseeing in Kangding
As far as we know, Kangding city is a very famous city all over the world. It used to be the most important market of Tea-horse trade in the past .The nomadic Tibetan come here to exchanges their animals or animal products with Chinese Han people . And the Erdaoqiao hot spring will rush away all the dust of our travel.
Kangding/Litang (292km, 6 hours)
Drive uptwards, en route, the Snow Mountains, glaciers and high land lakes form a splendid picture in your eyes. After crossing Mt. Zheduo(4298m), arrive at the paradise of photographers—Xinduqiao, enjoy a short photographing break here. Driving to Yajiang city then enter Yarlong River ravine, up to the Jianziwan pass(4658m). In the afternoon arrive in the world highland city –Litang(4014m). If we come here in the first week of August, we can meet the Hose Racing Festival held at this time each year, but it will also make our stay tougher as better hotels and guest houses are reserved for officials and actors, and probably only simple guest houses for us travelers.
Litang/Batang/ Markham (272km, 6 hours)
Today's first site en route is the 4700m high Haizi Mountain, where the topography is quite complicated and it's for investigation of geological structure and the formation of the glaciers. Here you can also see innumerable lakes scattered here, make an excursion to Cuopu lake, which is famous as the first lake in Kham. Then arrive at Batang(2589m), cross Jinsha River, reaches Markam, where the Sichuan-Tibet Highway and Yunnan Tibet Highway meet.
Markham/Dzogang(zuogong) ( 158km, 5hrs )
Heading for Dzogang. Drive across the Lancang River(Mekong River) on the way, overcome 3 passes: Joba, Lawu(4358m) and Dongda(5008m). Stay in a simple guest house.
Dzogang/Pasho (201km, 6 hours)
Drive upstream to Bangba, a town junction where Lhasa connects to the Chamdo-Kunming Highway. Cross Gama la Pass(4618m), reaches Pasho(Baxiu), stay in a simple Hotel.
Pasho/ Rawok Lake /Pome (219Km, 6-7hrs )
Today we'll meet a big beauty—Ranwu Lake, the pristine waters, spectacularly crystal blue lake cupped by snow peaks. Freshly caught fish served in lunch. Wander along the Poto chu Valley at Tramog(2743m), located deep in the thickly forested gorge of Parlung Tsangpo with glacier waterfalls streaming from the mountainsides.
Pome/Bayi (216Km, 6-7hrs)
Go down several hundred mter in altitude when we reach the lowland jungle settlement of Tongmai. When crossing Serkhyem la Pass(4515m), we will have spectacular views of Mt. Gyala Pelri(7151m) and Mt. Namcho Barwa(7782m). Late in the afternoon arrive in Nyingchi. Nyingchi is the most attractive place in Tibet.
Nyingchi –Lhasa (420km ,7-8hrs)
Sightseeing of Nyingchi, called Tibet Switherland. Go to visit Bamsum-Tso. The lake and its surrounding views are beautiful and the site is also connected to the semi-mythical ruler of the Kham region and Guru Rinpoche. Drive ahed to reach Lhasa.
