The journey

A car picks you up at your hotel in the early afternoon and drives you from Shangri-La city to your guesthouse which is the starting point of the caravan...and the adventure can start

CARAVANE PREMIUM

6 bell tents, 40 horses, 2 tons of equipment, 60 kms trek in the mountain
For your service, 3 staff westerners, 2 tibetans and 15 tibetan muleters

CARAVANE STANDARD

3 bell tents, 16 horses, 800 kgs of equipment, 60 kms trke in the mountain
For your service, 1 staff westerner , 2 tibetans and 7 crew of tibetans muleters


Meditation in the Monastery of Songzanlin

Built in 1679, the monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan province and is sometimes referred to as the Little Potala Palace

Located in the capital of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, it is also the most important monastery in southwest China. Its architecture is a fusion of the Tibetan and Han Chinese
At its peak, the monastery contained accommodation for 2,000 monks; it currently accommodates in its rebuilt structures 700 monks in 200 associated houses. Its architecture is a fusion of the Tibetan and Han Chines

Festivals
The Gedong Festival is held in the precincts of the monastery annually on 29 November when devotees from the region attend to worship and also to witness the religious mask dances, the Cham dance, that are performed by the monks in colourful costumes depicting deities, ghosts and animals
A three-day 'Horse Racing Festival' also known as 'Heavenly Steed Festival' is held at Zandiaong, some time in June (according to the lunar calendar: 5th day of the 5th month), to the south east of the town, which involves dancing, singing and eating, in addition to the racing of horses. Horse traders assemble here in their finest attire of furs and silks. Families of villagers camp in tents at the designated horse racing meadow land at an elevation of 3,288 metres (10,787 ft)
A new festival introduced in 1990s is called the 'Minority Festival' held in September when artists from neighbouring districts and Tibet participate to present their art form

To book a journey during the festivals period, caontact  anadi@shambalatrip.com