Mysterious Gannan Tibetan Travel Advice

Gannan has the mysterious ancient Silk Road roots, Buddhist relics, diverse landscape; the various ethnic minority cultures have long made northwest China's Gansu Province one of the most desirable destinations for travelers. Yet few travelers are aware of the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, a hidden gem lying in the southeast of this slender province that stretches from east to west along the Hexi Corridor, a historical route that was part of the Silk Road.
 

Gannan offers a variety of landscapes, including temples, forests, lakes, valleys, mountains and prairies, which is a fantastic choice to enjoy your vacation.
After a four-hour drive, we arrived at the "World Academy for Tibetan Art,"  Labrang Monastery is one of the six most renowned monasteries of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism as it possesses a vast number of Tibetan written works covering politics, history, culture and many other fields. 
Located in Xiahe County in the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Labrang Monastery was built in 1709 and is spread over an area of more 800,000 square meters. The monastery has six Buddhist schools with 48 Buddha halls, more than 500 residences for monks and legions of relics storing more than 60,000 Buddhism scripts.
Milarepa Buddha Pavilion can be dated back to more than 240 years ago. The nine-story pavilion attracts visitors from home and abroad with its unique yet splendid architecture and beautiful paintings and statues that fill up the walls on each floor. The attraction is regarded as one of the most divine places in the region.
Langmu Temple is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery, it is known as "Oriental Switzerland", with the splendid religious culture, beautiful landscape, simple and sincere folk as well as abundant water and grass, which is quite beautiful.
Zhagana is an ancient Tibetan village with marvellous scenery; it is an excellent place for sightseeing, photography or experiences the traditional Tibetan life.
Unexpectedly, we have come to the two famous prairies in Gannan: Sangke Grassland and Maqu Grassland.
Sangke Grassland is located in Xiahe County, with an average elevation of over 3,000 meters. The grassland is scattered with herders’ Tibetan yurts, cattle and sheep, and various wild flowers.
Maqu Grassland is also called the Shouqu Prairie, where there is the first song landscape of "the first bend of the Yellow River in the world," and it is also a plateau oxygen bar.
 

Located on the northeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and ranging from 1,100 to 4,900 meters above sea level, Gannan is the lowest of China's 10 Tibetan autonomous areas. With both the Yellow and Yangtze rivers passing through the region, Gannan presents a variety of landscapes, including forests, lakes, valleys, mountains and prairies.
At the junction of the Gansu, Qinghai and Sichuan provinces and with both the southern part of the Silk Road and the Tang-Tibet Ancient Road passing through it, the region possesses a unique culture that is a mixture of Tibetan, Han and other ethnic group cultures.
 

Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture has a continental seasonal climate, with a lot of precipitation and significant differences in geographical distribution. The annual average temperature is between 1-13°C. Among them, from June to August is the best time to travel to Gannan.
Spring and Autumn (April, May, September, October): tens of thousands of migratory birds will gather in Gahai. As a bird lover, you must not miss such an opportunity.
Summer (June-August), the temperature is about 15-30°C. The surrounding forests, snow-capped mountains in the distance, turbulent grass seas, blossoming Gesang flowers, The Arrow Festival, and other exciting views.
Winter (November-March of the following year) is suitable for snow appreciation and chanting in winter. Besides, during the first lunar month of the lunar calendar, the variety of ceremonies will hold in the temple, including scripture debates, dharma dances, and butter lantern exhibitions.
 

There are two ways to Gannan: Flights and Cars.

Gannan Xiahe Airport: The airport is far away from Gannan city. At present, there are flights to Xi'an, Lhasa, Chengdu, and Yinchuan.
Note: The airport is far from the city and it is not recommended to come to Gannan by air.

The main roads in Gannan are the national highway 213 connecting Linxia and Sichuan, and the provincial highway 310, 311, 312, and 313 connecting Qinghai and Longnan. The scenery in Gannan are relatively scattered, and self-driving is the best option.
Driving from Lanzhou to Gannan takes about 3 hours and 18 minutes ( 232.8 km ).
 

1. Clothes: When entering Tibetan areas, the temperature during the day is about 20 degree Celsius. If it is rainy, the temperature will drop below ten degrees Celsius during the day and below zero at night. You should bring windproof, and warm clothes.
2. Food: The dietary in Tibetan areas are mainly beef and mutton, so you can buy some fruits and snacks in Lanzhou. The special foods in Tibetan areas include Yak Meat, Highland Barley Wine, Zanba, Tibetan Steamed Buns, Blood Sausage and so on.
3. Recommended Days to Travel: 4 - 5 Days.