10 Day China Wildlife Expedition Tibetan Plateau and Snow Leopard

Overview

Day by day itinerary

1. 1Yushu Arrival⌄

   Arrive and assemble at Yushu Airport You will check into an authentic Tibetantheme hotel which more closely resembles a museum housing a collection of numerous artworks In the evening attend a welcome dinner where we have invited a renowned Tibetan rap artist to perform the ancient and mystical King Gesar epic This exclusive and rare offering allows for a deep immersion into authentic Tibetan culture The Epic of King Gesar is the heroic epic of the Tibetan people and the worlds longest living epic Mysterious bardic inheritors carrying stringed instruments or hanging thangkas of King Gesar sit on the ground with the sole purpose of chanting the heroic tales.

   Meals: Dinner

   Overnight: Yushu Gesar King Tibetan-style Theme Hotel

2. 2Yushu - Nangqien⌄

   We will travel to Nangqien County, passing through rare primeval forests in the Tibetan Plateau's unique ecological transition zone to the Hengduan Mountains—an area famed for rich biodiversity and home to Ga'er Temple. The journey follows a stretch of the historic Tang-Tibet Ancient Road (part of the Silk Road) linking Chang'an, capital of China’s Tang Dynasty, to Lhasa. En route, we’ll visit the 1300-year-old Princess Wencheng Temple, dedicated to the princess who greatly helped blend Han and Tibetan cultures. This cave-and-cliff temple complex offers chances to spot plateau wildlife: plateau pikas beside mani mounds, Tibetan foxes on the hunt, white-throated dippers along rivers, and birds like Siberian rubythroats, common rosefinches, and Tibetan blackbirds. Overhead, Himalayan griffon vultures often soar remarkably close, creating a breathtaking scene.

   At Baizha Forest Farm, we will search for two bird species rarely seen elsewhere: the Tibetan bunting and the Tibetan babax. The Tibetan bunting is regarded as a divine bird by locals and is seldom seen; spotting it will be a highlight of the trip. Additionally, the three-toed woodpecker, giant laughingthrush, and Hodgson's treecreeper are also rare species here, while the little owl is relatively easier to observe.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Nangqien Landscape Hotel

3. 3Nangqien - Ga'er Temple⌄

   Ga'er Temple, the largest monastery of the White Sect (Kagyu) of Tibetan Buddhism, is perched on a cliff at 4,200 meters. Here, all life is equal; monks and animals coexist harmoniously, making it a model of human-nature harmony. Animals like macaques and blue sheep freely enter and exit the monastery grounds, and occasionally one can spot the Chinese serow and white-lipped deer in the forests. The three high-altitude pheasant species — the white eared-pheasant, chestnut-throated partridge, and blood pheasant — are star attractions near Ga'er Temple, forming a unique scenic feature. With luck, we may also see high-altitude rare birds like the white-browed tit-warbler, white-winged grosbeak, common rosefinch, Daurian jackdaw, Himalayan beautiful rosefinch, brown accentor, red-rumped swallow, greenish warbler, and white-browed rosefinch. This is also an excellent place to observe the bearded vulture.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Ga'er Temple Grand Canyon Homestay

4. 4Ga'er Temple - Angsai Grand Canyon⌄

   Angsai Grand Canyon features the Tibetan Plateau's most complete Cretaceous Danxia landscape and ranks among the world's top regions for snow leopard density and population health, earning its title "Hometown of the Snow Leopard"—also called China's Colorado Grand Canyon. Here, blue sheep forage on mountains, marmots play on grasslands, and bearded vultures circle skies while snow leopards and common leopards survey territories from rocky summits. Ancient Tibetan herders live here in tents, herding yaks and sheep in tranquility. At their settlements, prayer flags and mani mounds symbolize reverence for nature and deities. With local guides, we'll search for snow leopard traces in this realm they've ruled for over 4 million years—sovereign over all peaks of the Roof of the World.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Angsai Tibetan Herders Home

5. 5Angsai Grand Canyon⌄

   We will proceed to the Danxia geomorphology area of Angsai Grand Canyon to search for traces of wildlife such as white-lipped deer, blue sheep, and Alpine musk deer. We will continue the search for traces of the snow leopard. In the evening, we will use infrared cameras for nocturnal wildlife exploration.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Angsai Tibetan Herders Home

6. 6Angsai Grand Canyon⌄

   We will visit and survey local herders in Angsai to deeply understand the regional ecology and examine the herder-wildlife relationship. We will learn about snow leopard conservation projects and the roles played by local herders. Guided by our experts, we will also search for traces of snow leopards and other wildlife.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Angsai Tibetan Herders Home

7. 7Zadoi County - Qumarleb⌄

   We travel by vehicle to Qumarleb, located in the heart of the Tibetan Plateau where the Yellow River's main stem and the Yangtze's northern source begin. This "Third Pole" core is an arid, frigid, and harsh landscape for humans, yet a paradise for wildlife. En route, watch for plateau species: Tibetan wild ass (Kiang) and Tibetan gazelle galloping across the grasslands—the former often in small groups, sometimes playfully racing vehicles. Black-necked cranes and bar-headed geese add grace to the vast scenery. The Tibetan antelope, the world's highest-living ungulate, is the region's star. Each May-June, thousands gather here and journey in groups toward Hoh Xil to calve, traversing uninhabited zones in a spectacular life-affirming migration we will witness.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Qumarleb Gesar King Hotel

8. 8Qumarleb - Hoh Xil⌄

   We will proceed to the Hoh Xil Nature Reserve to once again observe the spectacular scene of the Tibetan antelope migration from a viewing platform. This is the exclusive arrangement. We will visit the Sonam Dargye Protection Station, named in memory of Sonam Dargye who sacrificed his life protecting the Tibetan antelope in Hoh Xil. Here we will learn about the station's daily work, converse with the staff, understand the behavioral habits and migration routes of the Tibetan antelope, and learn about the development and implementation of its conservation projects. We will also learn about the station's rescue center—how they rescue wildlife and conduct rehabilitation and release programs.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Budongquan Haiyue Hotel

9. 9Hoh Xil Wild Yak Valley - Golmud⌄

   Enter the uninhabited Wild Yak Valley to search for wild yaks and other species. Separated from Hoh Xil by mountains, this surprisingly diverse area blends frigid desert, alpine scrub, and steppe grasslands where snow peaks, rivers, and lakes merge seamlessly. It hosts seven artiodactyl species—most endemic to the Tibetan Plateau—and is a rare sanctuary for wild yak herds. Highlights of the itinerary include seeing rare species like Tibetan argali, gazelle, white-lipped deer, wild ass, blue sheep, and Tibetan antelope roaming freely. Consequently, predators thrive here too: brown bear, wolf, Tibetan and red fox, lynx, snow leopard, and mountain weasel. Aerial hunters like saker falcon, Eurasian eagle-owl, and upland buzzard also rule these skies.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Golmud Zhonghao Hilton DoubleTree Hotel

10. 10Golmud Departure⌄

    Having experienced the magnificence of the Kunlun Pass and the wonder of Budongquan Spring in Hoh Xil, and having paid the respects to Sonam Dargye, we will conclude this tour at Golmud Airport, or you may proceed to other regions to continue your travels.

    Meals: Breakfast