Tours & Itinerary in Sertar(Serthar or Seda)

Update: It’s still impossible for foreigners to visit larung gar. We recommend you joining in a group to yarchen gar and katok monastery during katok tibetan festival. More information: https://www.adventuretourchina.com/tour/katok-kathok-kathog-festival/

If you just want to travel in Sertar(Serthar or Seda) for 3 or 4 days you can catch the bus from Chengdu directly to Sertar(Serthar or Seda), you should leave in the morning so you will arrive in Sertar(Serthar or Seda) in the evening. If you have to transfer in Maerkang or Kangding, you need 2 days. If takes you much time on the way of your itinerary. Besides Sertar(Serthar or Seda), Wenchuan, Miyaluo, Kangding, Xinduqiao and Baiyu on the way are all hot tourist attractions. If you have enough time, you can enjoy them one by one.

Sertar(Serthar or Seda) 3-day Tour

Route Summary
D1: Chengdu–Sertar(Serthar or Seda)
D2: Sertar(Serthar or Seda)–Larung Gar Buddhist Academy of Larong Temple–Celestial Burial Spot–Sertar(Serthar or Seda)
D3: Sertar(Serthar or Seda)–Chengdu

Route Details
Day 1: At 6 AM in the morning, you should take bus to Sertar(Serthar or Seda) at Chadianzi Coach Station in Chengdu (you should book the tickets one day in advance), you will arrive at Sertar(Serthar or Seda) County at around 9 PM, and you could stay there.
Day 2: At 8: 30 in the morning, you should go to buy tickets back to Chengdu at Sertar(Serthar or Seda) Bus Station, then you can take a van to Larong Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, 6 Yuan per person. You can also climb to Mandala on the top of mountain, standing there to overlook the valley full of red wooden house. If you got chance, you could go to have a lesson at school with Lama and Juemu. After lunch, you can charter a van or walk to Celestial Burial Spot to watch celestial burial. It is usually held at 2 to 3 PM. After that you can return back Sertar(Serthar or Seda) County.
Day 3: At 6 AM in the morning, you can take bus back to Chengdu at station, and arrive at downtown at around 8 PM.

7-day Photography Tour to Sertar

Route Summary
D1: Chengdu–Wenchuan–Li County
D2: Li County–Miyaluo–Partridge Mountain Tunnel–Zhuokeji Camp–Maerkang
D3: Maerkang–Sertar(Serthar or Seda)
D4: 1-day tour surrounding Sertar(Serthar or Seda)
D5: Sertar(Serthar or Seda)–Ganzi
D6: Ganzi–Luhuo–Daofu–Bamei–Tagong–Xinduqiao
D7: Xinduqiao–Kangding–Chengdu

Route Details
Day 1: In the morning you start from Chengdu, photograph Wenchuan Earthquake Relics and Taoping Qiang Camp along the way, and arrive at Guer Valley in Li County in the evening, where you can take a hot spring bath and stay for a night.

Day 2: Starting from Li County, after a while you can arrive at Miyaluo, where you can take a lot of pictures of those beautiful scenery. Then you can go to Zhuokeji Camp through Partridge Mountain Tunnel. There are some relics during Chieftain Period, which are really typical. After taking pictures, you can take bus to stay in Maerkang.

Day 3: Starting from Maerkang, walking and taking pictures, about 6 hours you can arrive at Larong Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, where you can take pictures of sunset and sunrise. When you stay in Larong Hotel on the top of mountain, you can take a lot of night pictures.

Day 4: Today you can visit inside Buddha School, listen to Sutra, and talk with Lama and Juemu. At night you can still stay in Sertar(Serthar or Seda) and take pictures of night view.

Day 5: In the morning, you can leave Sertar(Serthar or Seda) for Ganzi, take pictures of Nailong Mountain, Luoguo Liangzi and Yarlung Kamiyama along the way, and stay in Ganzi in the evening.

Day 6: Starting from Ganzi, through Luhuo and Daofu, you can arrive at Bamei and Tagong Pasture, where you can enjoy pasture view and see Yarlung Snow-mountain. In the evening you can arrive at Xinduqiao, the paradise of photograph. If you arrive there early, you can climb to the mountain near Xinduqiao to take pictures of Sunset, or you can see Gongga Snow-mountain (King of Shushan), if luckily.

Day 7: Return back Chengdu through Kangding, Luding and Ya’an along 318 State Road.