13 Nights / 14 Days
The Sichuan Basin is a fertile, subtropical expanse of low hills and plains completely encircled by mountains. Tibetan borderlands lie to the west and to the north, the Yunnan Plateau extends to the south, and to the east lie several hundred miles of middle-elevation hills cut by the eastward flowing Changjiang (Yangtze) River. The diverse landforms and typical subtropical climate prioritized Sichuan with abundant wildlife species and breath-taking landscapes. Deep in the forests in the Tibetan borderlands, plentiful wildlife live there including many of the endangered animals such as giant panda, Asian black bear, sika deer as well as many endemic precious wildlife like Sichuan Takin, Golden snub-nosed monkey and all kinds of fantastic alpine birds. It is truly a homeland of wildlife.
This confluence of various landscapes lives a mixture of minority groups. Tibetan, Qiang, Yi and Hui minority groups inhabit the mountain areas and high grassland for thousands of years. These nature residents respect the nature and wildlife as much as God, according to the local religion. The wildlife here are under great protection for generations. The nomadic lifestyle and tradition of the minority are definitely well-worth experiencing and recording with your camera.
In our western China photo tour, we will make a circle in the northwestern part of Sichuan starting from Chengdu. After a day tour in Chengdu, we will first visit the giant panda and discover its hometown Wolong. Then we venture north in the deep mountain of Qionglai to 鈥淢ount Balang鈥 and 鈥渢he four Sisters鈥. The twisty mountain roads will lead us to vast high grassland in Ruoergai followed by the fairyland 鈥淛iuzhai Valley鈥. We will end up with wildlife safari in Wild Panda Nature Reserve tracking wildlife in the panda habitat. Along the way in our western China photo tour, we will experience different culture, track various endangered wildlife in the absolutely breath-taking nature scenery in Western China.
Highlights:
鈥 Visit giant panda in the world panda research center;
鈥 Explore some of the best nature destinations in Sichuan;
鈥 Tracking endangered wildlife like golden snub-nosed monkey in the panda habitat;
鈥 Bird watching on the wetland and grassland on the edge of Tibet Plateau
Upon your arrival in Chengdu, our local guide will meet you at the airport and help you with hotel check-in. Then a Chengdu city day tour begins. There are so many options of the sightseeing in Chengdu. We could visit the historical streets and sites of Chengdu---the capital of Ancient Shu for thousands of years. Sichuan cuisine is among the top four Chinese cuisines, so a food tour will be definitely a highlight. Sichuan opera and the face changing show is also a must see that you don鈥檛 want to miss. The itinerary of the city tour will be arranged according to your arriving time.
Overnight: Chengdu
Another must-see in Chengdu or even in China would be our national treasure who is adored by the whole world---giant panda. Chengdu panda base is the breeding center that has the most giant pandas in the world. In 2015, there are 13 panda cubs born including 6 pairs of twins. Here you can see panda in different ages. Our panda expert will also tell you many stories of panda you may not know. You will definitely have absolute panda experience! After the panda base, we will drive to panda鈥檚 hometown---Wolong.
Established in 1963, Wolong National Natural Reserve is the earliest, largest and best-known panda reserve in China. The reserve houses more than 150 highly endangered giant pandas which covers one tenth of the total population. Wolong National Nature Reserve is the most famous one among the 13 giant panda reserve centers established by the Chinese government with the help of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). We have cooperation with the panda expert who has been doing research on giant panda for decades in Wolong. Our panda expert could provide you a better understanding of giant pandas and their lives.
Overnight: Wolong
Today we will explore in Wolong nature reserve tracking panda and their companion animals. Rather than spotting giant panda, we have better chances to see various fabulous alpine birds and endangered flora in Wolong. Deep in the mountains, Wolong is very close to the 鈥淨ueen of Sichuan鈥檚 Peaks鈥濃斺渢he four sisters鈥. We will pay a visit to the 鈥淨ueen鈥 to see Snow Mountains and the beautiful valleys inside.
Overnight: Rilong
Today we venture north to the Tibetan area 鈥淢aerkang鈥 to explore the traditional minority culture. Xisuo folk house presents the typical Tibetan traditional architecture where the local chief, called 鈥淭usi鈥, ruled in the old time. This minority group culture experience will be followed by the drive to the high grassland in Hongyuan. Hongyuan is famous for its wetland---the moon bay. It is a beautiful and vast grassland where lives hundred kinds of birds. It also lives another branch of Tibetan minority groups鈥擩iarong. We will visit the typical Tibetan villages and experience the minority lifestyle and culture.
Overnight: Hongyuan
Today will be a bird watching day because we are visiting the vast grassland and wetland on the edge of Tibet Plateau where lives various endemic birds and some of them are quite endangered like black-necked crane and golden eagle. Our bird expert will help you find the birds and tell you many stories behind. You will definitely enjoy birding with us. Some lovely grassland mammals are also good subject for grassland photography. We continue venture north passing Ruoergai to Tiebu national nature reserve.
Overnight: Tiebu
Tiebu nature reserve is famous for the wild sika deer. Sika deer were reported found and spotted after years of protection by the government. The population of sika deer is more than 1000. There are also civets, serows, wolves and foxes living in the same habitat. We will track mammals in Tiebu today.
Overnight: Tiebu
We will drive back to Ruoergai this morning and explore Ruoergai grassland. Ruoergai owns a vast piece of grassland at an elevation of just under 4,000 meters with dozens kinds of plateau wetland birds living there. Today we will watch birds and track grassland wildlife such as steppe wolf and fox. Here in Ruoergai, it also lives another Tibetan minority groups鈥擜mdo. Amdo Tibetan minority is a nomadic group who pasture yak and horse on the large grassland for generations. We have chance to visit some Amdo nomadic tents and talk to the locals to learn about their stories.
Overnight: Ruoergai
A six to eight hours鈥 drive will take us all the way up to the most beautiful nature reserve in China, the wonderland like ---Jiuzhai Valley. We will drive along the high way and twisted mountain road in Minshan Mountain range. Our wildlife guide will give you a small lecture about the beauty of 鈥淛iuzhai鈥.
Overnight: Jiuzhai Valley
Early in the morning, we will start hiking in the fairyland 鈥淛iuzhai鈥 for wilife and the beauty of nature. Stretching over 72,000 hectares in the northern part of Sichuan Province, the Jiuzhai valley reaches a height of more than 4,800 m, thus comprising a series of diverse forest ecosystems. Here lives about 220 bird species as well as a number of endangered animal and plant species, including the giant panda, Sichuan golden monkey, the Sichuan takin and numerous orchids and rhododendrons. Its superb landscapes are particularly interesting for their series of narrow conic karst land forms and spectacular waterfalls.
Overnight: Jiuzhai Valley
Leaving Jiuzhai Valley, we will drive to Wild Panda Nature Reserve in the morning. Established in 1978, Wild Panda nature reserve covers an area of 40,000 hectares. It mainly protects the wild animals like giant panda, and their nature habitat. Wild pandas are spotted frequently in the area of 1,700-3,000 meters in altitude, where the arrow bamboo and other food resources are rich. Wild Panda Nature Reserve is known for its bio-diversity. It is also called as 鈥淣atural Gene Stores 鈥, 鈥滣扔爸辈 of Life鈥 and 鈥淕reen Pearl of Minshan Mountain Range鈥. WWF classified Wild Panda Nature Reserve as the 鈥淐lass-A鈥 nature reserve. It is also a worldwide research base for wildlife. We will track wildlife in the panda habitat in the afternoon.
Overnight: Hotel near the reserve
Today we keep hiking in the mountains and track wildlife. With an elevation of 1150m to 3837m and the sub-tropical monsoon climate, the reserve is rich in biological resource and picturesque natural scenery. In Wild Panda Nature Reserve, there are 430 kinds of vertebrates which belong to 257 genera of 101 families, including 72 state- level key protected species. Among them, 13 are listed as first-class protected species such as giant panda, golden snub-nosed monkey and takin. According to the wild panda nature reserve, they found about 60 giant pandas, more than 1000 golden monkeys and over 1200 takins living here.
Overnight: Hotel near the reserve
Today we keep hiking in the mountains and track wildlife. With an elevation of 1150m to 3837m and the sub-tropical monsoon climate, the reserve is rich in biological resource and picturesque natural scenery. In Wild Panda Nature Reserve, there are 430 kinds of vertebrates which belong to 257 genera of 101 families, including 72 state- level key protected species. Among them, 13 are listed as first-class protected species such as giant panda, golden snub-nosed monkey and takin. According to the wild panda nature reserve, they found about 60 giant pandas, more than 1000 golden monkeys and over 1200 takins living here.
Overnight: Hotel near the reserve
Meal: BLD
This morning venture south returning to Chengdu.
Overnight: Chengdu
We can customize this trip so as to better meet your timing, budget and interests or arrange a private extension to explore China as you wish. Please contact us for more information.
AbsolutePanda is the only travel company focusing on Panda and other wildlife in China. We create responsible tours for people to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of wildlife and minority culture by our elaborately crafted products. At the same time, we hope local people can benefit from those programs and be aware of the importance of protecting these endangered animals and their habitats. Our vision is to create a harmonious relationship between tourists, local and nature by providing world-class sustainable travel. Read More...
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