Day 9: Lijiang - First Bend of Yangtze River - Tiger Leap Gorge - Shangri-La (9,000 ft)
The day begins with a stop at Tiger Leap Gorge. It is 12 miles long with a natural drop of 623 feet. Water cascades through the gorge with a thunderous roar. The difference in height between Jade Dragon Peak and the riverbed is 12,792 feet. About 25 miles from the city of Shangri-La, you’ll come upon the Shangri-La Grassland. In May and June, the whole grassland presents a glorious view, covered as it is with azalea flowers. This is the place depicted as the mythical Shangri-la in James Hilton’s Lost Horizon. Stay overnight in Shangri-La. (B/L/D)

Day 10: Shangri-La - Tsetang (9,600 ft)
Take a morning flight to Lhasa, Tibet and travel by coach for a two-hour ride to Tsetang. The road takes you along the Yalung Zangbo (Holy River) through rural Tibet. Upon arrival, a good rest is a must for everyone to adjust to the high altitude of Tibet. Stay overnight in Tsetang. (B/L/D)

Day 11: Tsetang
Today you will visit Yumbu Lukhang, Tibet’s first monastery. It stands on the top of a hill in the Yalong Valley. Some 32 kings of the Tubo Dynasty resided here. Then you make a stop at the Changzhu Temple—dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). You will also visit Sangye Temple, which is known for the footprints of Lotus Buddha and a Buddhist scripture recorded in the Tibetan language. With close connections to the late Dalai Lamas, the temple is reputed to have been a place of rest and refreshment for the Buddha. Stay overnight in Tsetang. (B/L/D)

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