7 days Tagong Nomad Life Experience with Horseback Riding
Our 7-day Tagong Nomad Life Experience will ensure you a remarkable journey through the heart of Western Sichuan. It is a tailor-made tour for those seeking a deeper connection with Tibetan nomadic life, culture, nature on Tagong grasslands.
Itinerary
Experience authentic Tibetan nomadic culture on this 7 day Tagong Nomad Life Experience from Chengdu. Travel through the spectacular landscapes of Western Sichuan, where snow capped peaks, ancient Tibetan villages, and vast rolling grasslands await.
Your adventure starts at Mount Siguniang National Park, often called the "Oriental Alps," where you'll explore the beautiful Shuangqiao and Changping Valleys surrounded by towering mountains. Continue to Danba to visit the stunning Gyarong Tibetan villages with their unique stone towers that have stood for centuries.
Then head to Tagong, a peaceful town surrounded by open grasslands and sacred Mount Yala. Spend three immersive days living the nomad way: riding horses across wide open plains, sleeping in traditional yak hair tents, sharing home cooked meals with local families, and visiting Gyergo Nunnery and the serene Meituk Lake. Every moment brings you closer to a way of life that few travelers get to truly experience.
End your journey in Kangding before flying back to Chengdu, bringing home memories of warm Tibetan hospitality, wild mountain landscapes, and the quiet rhythm of life on the grasslands.
Start the tour today by driving to Rilong in the morning. The drive takes about 4 hours. Enjoy the beautiful alpine scenery as you enter the mountain ranges of Western Sichuan. Climb Mt. Balang (4,400M) and stop at the Maobiliang view platform for the first panorama of the four peaks of Mount Siguniang. Afterwards, head to Rilong [3,200 m (10,500 ft.)], which is the primary base for visiting Mount Siguniang. In the afternoon, visit the Shuangqiao valley, one of the three famous valleys of Mount Siguniang National Park. This valley offers views of over 10 snow mountains, each over 4,000m high, with peaks, trees, grasslands, streams, and water drops in their pristine natural state, untouched by man.
Morning visit Changping Valley, another main valley of Mount Siguniang National Park to enjoy the spectacular scenery of Mount Siguniang. Situated at the foot of Mount Siguniang, Changping Valley is 3,600 m (11,811 ft.) above sea level. During your trek along the stream flowing through the valley, observe the four peaks of Mount Siguniang in the distance. As you traverse the mountain range, admire the steep ridges of the mountains, which draw travelers worldwide. Often referred to as the 'Alps of the Orient', a local Tibetan legend says that Mount Siguniang's four peaks represent four beautiful girls. As you cross the cypress pass of Changping Valley, discover ancient monasteries and learn about local Tibetan customs. In the afternoon, drive to Danba and explore the Gyarong Tibetan village. Delight in the beauty of Zhonglu Tibetan village and its surrounding vistas. If the weather allows, enjoy a stunning sunset.
After enjoying the sunrise at Danba Zhonglu village, you will hop on a hike from Zhonglu to Suopo Tibetan village, where you can admire the splendid watchtowers. This is a pleasant 3-hour moderate hike that involves crossing a pass, offering picturesque views of villages and the river at the mountain's base.
Meet your driver in Suopo and have a 3-hour drive to Tagong. The route from Danba to Tagong boasts stunning scenery, including the sacred Mount Yala, one of the most beautiful holy mountains in western Sichuan Kham area. Upon reaching Tagong, pay a visit to the Tagong Gompa, a quintessential Tibetan monastery on the grasslands. This temple is adorned with statues, painted walls, Thangkas, and the soothing aroma of incense, and you can witness monks in carmine robes. If the weather is favorable, enjoy a beautiful sunset over the holy Mount Yala.
Overnight at Tagong Khampa Nomad Ecolodge.
Morning ride up into the high Lhagang grasslands, stopping for a temple visit and lunch with a nomadic family – or, if the weather is nice, have a grassland picnic. Stay the night with a nomadic family.
Morning try milking yaks in the morning, then ride on to Gyergo Nunnery. Explore the sights there, including the temple, mani wall, and monk’s college. Stay the night with a family at Gyergo.
In the morning, ride up to high Meituk Tso, a lake with gorgeous views of high peaks. Enjoy lunch at the lake, then ride back to Tagong Khampa Nomad Ecolodge for overnight.
Note: Each day involves approximately 6 hours of horse riding and 2 nights of home stays. The package includes all meals (simple picnic lunch, family shared meals, accommodations, guiding, and horseback riding).
Savor a relaxing morning at the lodge, followed by a private transfer to Kangding airport (approximately 1-1.5 hours' drive) for your afternoon flight back to Chengdu, concluding your Tibetan nomad life experience.
Inclusions
Tour notes:
General inclusions:
General exclusions:
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Comments
How could you make this a more budget friendly excursion? Shorter time? Not stay at khampa lodge? Take driver to and from chengdu to kangding? This would be gor 4 people. Maybe only 1 night with family? Thanks!
Dear Sherry,
Thank you for reaching out and for your interest in our Tagong Nomad Life Experience Tour. This is Victoria Zhu, one of the travel advisors at WindhorseTour. I would be delighted to help customize this excursion to better suit both your interests and your budget for your group of four.
Based on your suggestions, we can certainly make several adjustments to reduce the overall cost while still providing a meaningful and authentic cultural experience. Below are some options to make the tour more budget-friendly:
1. Adjusting the Duration and Accommodation
2. Reducing Transportation and Guide Costs
Driver Service Only for Transfers: For the overland journey from Chengdu to Tagong via Mt. Siguniang and Danba, as well as the return journey from Tagong to Chengdu via Kangding, we can arrange a licensed Chinese-speaking driver to provide all necessary transportation services without an accompanying English-speaking guide. This will help reduce the overall tour cost.
Please note that under this arrangement, you would visit attractions independently, as no guide would accompany you during sightseeing.
To prepare a customized itinerary and quotation for your group, please let me know your preferred travel dates, the attractions or experiences you wish to include, your approximate budget, as well as your thoughts and comments on the details above. Based on this information, I will be happy to design a suitable proposal for you.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Victoria Zhu
Is it possible to do this tour and stay in yak hair tent with nomadic family in early May? Or is that too early?
Hi Jesse, thank you for your inquiry. The best season to visit Tagong Grassland is from June to September. During this time, the grassland turns a vibrant emerald green, wildflowers bloom across the fields, and the scenery is at its most spectacular. But it still possible to arrange the tour during that time. I've already send you the details of horse trekking in Tagong via email, please check. I am looking forward to your reply.
Warm regards,
Eva
Hi, I'm interested in the 7 days Tagong Nomad Life Experience with Horseback Riding tour. I will be a solo traveller, and I was wondeirng if there are any small group tours I could joing similar to this one in Western Sichuan? Thank you!
Dear Will Price,
Thank you for your interest in our 7 days Tagong Nomad Life Experience with Horseback Riding tour. I'm Victoria Zhu, one of the travel advisors at WindhorseTour.
Regarding your inquiry, I would like to clarify that we currently only provide this specific route as a private tour. We do not offer a small group join-in option for this itinerary at this time.
If you are looking to lower the per person cost of the expedition, we recommend considering traveling with a larger group of friends or family, as the cost per individual decreases with more participants.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any further questions. I look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
Victoria
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