Monks on the Grassy Plains

Xiahe, in the Gansu province of China, lies at an altitude of 3000m. When you get out of the car you’re sure to feel the effects almost immediately. The village is nothing more than a 3km long street with stores and several hotels. The street ends at the famous 16th century Labrang monastery, recognizable by its golden roof. This is the second largest Tibetan monastery in China after the Potala Palace in Lhasa.

You’ll have all the time you need to visit the monastery during your trip through rural China. There is a guided tour every day at 15:15. The monastery has several temples with enormous Buddha statues, entrance gates with vistas and a sea of low clay houses where the monks live. Not only men live here, there is also a nuns convent (Nigusi). There is a long covered gallery of prayer wheels surrounding the monastery complex.

At some point during the first day of you rural China experience, you may also just want to sit down and take in the magic of this place. Time and religion have a whole different meaning here than in the hurried western world. There’s a mysterious atmosphere in the main temple and everywhere you walk you’ll smell the penetrating scent of yak butter, quite a hypnotising experience….

You’ll spend the night in a simple hotel near the monastery. There is warm water, however the area is known to have frequent power outages. Simple meals are available in the hotel.

Xiahe’s surroundings are surprisingly beautiful, and seen close up are sure to be a real highlight of your journey through rural China. If you only stay in Xiahe you wouldn’t expect this, because the elevated grasslands are hidden behind the mountain tops that surround the town.

A mini van will take you to Ganjia in the morning, the ride will take about two hours. The road will quickly climb into the Mountains and onto the plateau. You’ll cross a landscape full of lakes mirroring clear blue skies, soft babbling brooks, traditional villages such as Eight Corners Village, large herds of sheep and naturally the typical Tibetan yaks. The next stop on your rural China tour is at one of the local villages where you can buy some lunch. In the afternoon you’ll head back to the town of Xiahe.

Monlam festival
If you don’t mind cold temperatures and snow, visit Xiahe during the Monlam Festival during the Tibetan New Year (13-16 February). This is a unique experience with thousands of monks, processions and the unfurling of an enormous Tanka (Tibetan textile painting).

Food and drinks
If you want to eat genuine Tibetan food visit Nomad, the favourite hang out on the roof of the monastery. It’s full of monks enjoying yak butter tea and momo’s, a type of Tibetan dumpling.  

Altitude
Since Xiahe is located at an altitude of 3000m, you may possibly notice the effects of altitude sickness. This is caused by the shortage of oxygen in your body, causing you to breathe more rapidly. You could also experience a headache, insomnia or reduced appetite. It’s important to take time to acclimatize slowly, drink plenty of water and eat enough. We recommend visiting between May and September as it can be very cold outside of this period. The hotels are plain and simple and even though there might be a heater in your room, it may not work so bring plenty of warm layers.