Xiahe

The cultural center of Amdo Tibet, home to Labrang Monastery, with its pilgrim corridor, Sangke Grassland, the hidden valleys of Gangjia and the nine-story Milarepa Palace in Hezuo.

Xiahe and Hezuo lie in the north of Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu Province. They form the cultural and religious center of Amdo Tibet and are the gateway to Gannan from Lanzhou. Xiahe County town (Labrang Town) sits at about 2,900 m, with the Daxia River running through it. At its western end, Labrang Monastery, one of the six great monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, forms a "monastery town" of its own, with the prayer-wheel corridor, the Gongtang Pagoda and the monastic colleges inside. About 15 km southwest of town is the Sangke Grassland, to the northeast lies Dazong Lake, and to the north Gangjia Town has a Han-dynasty octagonal city and the Baishiya Karst Cave, where Denisovan fossils were found. About 70 km to the southeast, Hezuo is the prefectural capital of Gannan, with the nine-story Milarepa Buddhist Palace, Dangzhou Grassland and Meiren Grassland as highlights. Climate: highland continental, with cool summers (daytime 15–22°C) and long, cold winters. The best season is June–September; the great prayer festivals and Buddha-unveiling ceremonies at Labrang Monastery in the first and sixth lunar months have the most atmosphere. Getting there: from Lanzhou South Bus Station it takes about 3.5–4 hours to Xiahe and about 3 hours to Hezuo; Gannan Xiahe Airport has flights; between sights, hired cars or self-driving are the norm. Suggested time: 2–3 days, with 1–2 days in Xiahe (Labrang Monastery, Sangke Grassland, Gangjia's hidden valleys) and 1 day in Hezuo; you can continue south to Luqu, Langmusi and Zhagana to make a Gannan loop. Notes: the altitude is high, so protect yourself from sun and cold and take it slowly; photography is not allowed inside monastery halls, and you should walk the prayer circuit clockwise; accommodation is tight during festivals, so book ahead.

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