Gannan Attractions - Things to Do

Gannan, full name Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, sits in the southwest of Gansu Province in northwest China, where Qinghai-Tibet Plateau transitions to the Loess Plateau. It has 3 significant terrains: high mountains, low hills, and meadow grassland. Therefore, you can see different types of natural beauty here. Also, residents here are mainly Tibetans, thus the local costumes greatly different from thosein central China, and you can see many Tibetan temples. 

Gannan

 

Monks

Labrang Monastery is one of the six major Buddhist temples of Gelug sect. Referred to as the residence of living Buddha, the magnificent Labrang Monastery covers 400,000 sq meters and consists of over 90 main halls, including 6 academies, 18 Buddhist temples, and 4 lecture halls. At the same time, more than 60,000 ancient Tibetan books are treasured in the Temple.
 Sangke is a 70-square-kilometer-large (27 square miles) meadow grassland with an average altitude of over 3,000 meters (9,840 feet). With the flowing Daxia River, lush grass, and surrounding hills, Sangke Grassland is a natural zoo and botanical garden. Sangke’s summer is lively: local Tibetans would set up tents, treating visitors with delicious Tibetan foods, including fresh milk tea and hand-grabed mutton. Then, you can also enjoy a series of grassland activities: horse riding, arrow shooting, bonfire party, and so on.

Sangke Grassland

 Saichi Monastery or Langmu Monastery is also a Buddhist temple of Gelug sect. Built in 1748, the Monastery has a dozen of main halls or pagodas, as well as 5 academies. Its name means the fairy in the tiger cave, which seems to describe its surroundings: the Monastery’s halls, either big or small, are built among green mountains that are either high or low. Their golden-colored roofs would shine under the sunshine. There is also a sky burial platform nearby, and you can watch Tibetan sky burials if interested.

Saichi Monastery

 Located at the intersection of Qinghai Plateau, Loess Plateau, and Longnan Mountains, Gahai Lake is a good place to observe various wild animals and rare plants. This largest freshwater lake in Gansu is surrounded by mountains and vast wetlands, with multiple rivers converging into it. Every summer, more than 80 species of migratory birds, like black-necked cranes, black storks, vultures, and swans would come here. Other rare animals can also be seen, such as Snow leopard, Sumen antelope, lynx, deer, and musk deer.

Gahai Lake

 Enjoying the reputation as East of Eden, Zhagana is famous for “stone city” scenery and folk costumes in the local ethnic minority villages. The villages here still reserve the traditional houses and agricultural tools, such as pedal houses, water mills, Bodhi pagodas, and arrow platforms. There are also local music and dancing performances here.

Zhagana

 In Tibetan region, Amdo Milariba Temple is the only temple where you can see Buddhist relics of 9 sects of Tibetan Buddhism. You may be amazed by the large number of murals and 1,720 Buddhist sculptures.
 To see Karst scenery in the northern part of China, then Hezuo’s Gangcha Limestone Cave is a good place. Here, you can see stones of different shapes, and you may marvel at the power of nature.
 Taizi Shan has many nicknames, and one of them is “snow mountain”. Such name has 2 origins: one is said to be related to the snow on the summit that never melts all year round; the other is connected to the exposed white stones in the summer air. The exposed stones looks like snow.
 

Meiren Prairie

Meiren Prairie, the largest grassland near Hezuo, supplies as an extraordinary alpine meadow territory on the world roof - Qinghai-Tibet Plain. With a gentle topography, unusual scenery, and a boundary extension, it fills in travelers with a special vigor. On the Prairie, the ancient Meiwu Monastery and a series of Buddha activities are unmissable. Or, you can enjoy horse riding, mushroom collection, bonfire party, Tibetan dance and music performances. To experience monks' life, Meiren Monastery is also a good place to go.
 Kang Duo Gorge scenic area is located in Kang Duo Village, Zhuoni County. It is featured by magnificent views, such as weird peaks, strange stones, and millennium-ancient pines, which are enriched with ages of diversity. Some are complicated and pretty; some live simply, but vigorously moving towards the sky. A whole day leisurely stay will place you in a tranquil Chinese Buddhist fairyland, together with the turbulent current hitting rocks noisily, the scarce birds calling in the branch, and the unusual animals playing in the brush.
 Meaning an arch pouch in Tibetan, Yeli Pass is located in northeast Lintan County, 112 km (70 mi) apart from the county town, 90 km (56 mi)from Hezuo (the capital of Gannan) in the west, and 160 km (99 mi) from the provincial capital Lanzhou. This scenic area is so elegant and has the reputation of “Lanzhou's back garden” for its picturesque scenery. Yeli Pass scenic area is divided into four parts, Lotus Mountains, West Canyon, East Canyon, and Yehai Lake. The highlights are the lotus flower, Yemu Canyon, red wall glen, and giant reclining Buddha.