Things to do in Sertar

Red Houses + Sky Burial Site + Yak Hot Pot, 2/3/4 Day Itinerary Packaged. 🏘️ I. Must-See: Larung Gar Buddhist Academy: The world's largest Tibetan Buddhist academy, with red houses dotting the valley. Walk around the mandala, and watch the sunset illuminated from the West Mountain viewing platform. 🕊️ Sky Burial Site: 13:00-16:00, last entry at 15:00. 🚫 No photos or videos allowed; solemn and quiet atmosphere, skip if you're sensitive to noise. 🛕 Dongga Monastery, Jinma Grassland, Dengdeng Qudeng Pagoda, Gesar Tibetan Opera, 4 Intangible Cultural Heritage items. 🚗 II. Itinerary: ⚡ 2 Days: Day 1 Chengdu → County Town → Buddhist Academy Night View; Day 2 Morning Mist → Sky Burial Site → Dongga Monastery → Return Trip. 🌟3 Days (Recommended): Day 1 Chengdu → Ma'erkang → County Town; Day 2 Buddhist Academy → Mandala → Sky Burial Site → Night View; Day 3 Dongga Temple → Jinma Grassland → Return Trip. 🚙4 Days: Day 1 Chengdu → Xinduqiao; Day 2 Tagong → Moshi → Seda; Day 3 Morning Prayer → Sky Burial Site → Danba; Day 4 Siguniang Mountain → Chengdu. 🏘️Internal Tour: Sightseeing Bus → Mandala → Larung Hotel → Viewing Platform → Red House → Great Sutra Hall → Night View, 6-8 hours. 🎫 III. Transportation Reservations 🚌Chengdu Chadianzi Bus: 220-284 RMB, 10-12 hours. 🚗Shared Ride: 300-500 RMB, Chartered Car: 400-600 RMB/day. 🎫Mini Program "Larung Valley Entry Reservation", tickets released 3 days in advance at 18:00, 48 RMB round trip. Offline ticket to Luoruo Town: 30 RMB. Private cars are not allowed; use sightseeing buses instead. 🎮 IV. Activities 📿 Walk slowly, circling the mandala three times clockwise. 🌅 Take photos of the blues and lights 20 minutes after sunset at the viewing platform. 📖 Morning prayers at 5 AM and large prayers from 8-10 AM; please do not disturb. 🚙 Provincial Highway 455: Nailong Mountain Pass, Nailong Secret Realm, and Kavalori God of Wealth Mountain. 🏠 Stay in an oxygen-supplied hotel in the county town; the Larung Hotel offers views of red buildings from the window, but it's at an altitude of 4200 meters, and there's a queue. 🍲 V. Food 🥘 Yak meat hot pot: 60-80 RMB per person, served with chili powder, Sichuan peppercorn powder, and the original broth. 🍵 Butter tea + tsampa: Salty, helps with altitude sickness; tsampa 5-10 RMB, butter tea 15-25 RMB/pot. 🥣Tibetan Yogurt: So sour it'll make you wince, sprinkled with sugar, about 10 yuan. 🥟Tibetan Buns: Potato/yak meat filling, Ni buns. 🍜Sweet Tea House: Sweet tea a few yuan a pot, Tibetan noodles 15 yuan, fried potatoes 5-10 yuan. 🥗Vegetarian Restaurant at the Buddhist Academy: Buffet 15-20 yuan, vegetarian hot pot 20 yuan. 🍽️Recommended: Yam Hot Tibetan Restaurant, 70-120 yuan per person. ⚠️Don't look for meat at the Buddhist Academy; roadside yak jerky is often fake; drink butter tea while it's hot. 📌 VI. Tips 🫁Altitude Sickness: Take Rhodiola Rosea in advance, move slowly, don't shower or drink alcohol, bring oxygen. Eat lightly upon arrival. 🧥Clothing: Windproof jacket/light down jacket, hat, sunglasses for sun protection. 🙏Etiquette: Remove hats in the prayer hall, no photography, turn prayer wheels clockwise, don't photograph monks, no drones allowed. 🕊️Sky Burial Site: Photography and videography are strictly prohibited. Please remain quiet and respectful. 🎬Conclusion: A quick look at Red Valley Mountain is incomplete without a thorough examination of its natural formations. Approaching it with reverence is more important than bringing a camera.

After going through a lot of hardships from Jiuzhi, it took 7 and a half hours to finally reach Seda. Although it is only 378 kilometers, all of them are provincial or county roads, with washboard roads and cannonball roads everywhere. On one side are mountains that may fall rocks at any time, and on the other side are rolling rivers under cliffs. But along the way, the grasslands, mountains, lakes, villages, and temples made us feel that the scenery is on the road again.

The huge and magnificent mandala is located on the highest mountain in the Buddhist Academy. The mandala has three floors. Most people circumambulate on the first and second floors. The first floor is a prayer corridor with a circle of prayer wheels. People circle here every day, morning and evening.

Dongga Monastery is a photographer's paradise in Seda!!! It's a shame it's not more widely known!!! I visited Dongga Monastery this morning. Unfortunately, it was drizzling, overcast, and lacked sunshine. However, I still witnessed its photographic potential. Dongga Monastery is surrounded by ravines, small grasslands, large grasslands, and a winding river. Located halfway up a mountain, it offers excellent views. Morning and evening are both great times for taking photos. I suggest the Seda County Photographers Association take inspiration from Aba County's "Luorinaze Light and Shadow Scenic Area" and promote Dongga Monastery as a photographer's paradise.

Seda Grassland is the most famous natural pasture in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Going north along the Sequ River, there are hundreds of gullies with lush pastures and colorful wild flowers on both sides of the river, and rolling ridges extending east and west. In between, there are black yaks and white sheep flowing like musical notes, and pastoral songs that are sometimes soft and like clouds blown by the wind.

This trip to Western Sichuan was such a wonderful surprise! The scenery along the way – from Mount Siguniang to Bipenggou, Jiuzhaigou, and Huanglong – was breathtaking; every shot was a masterpiece. Our tour leader, Mr. Ma, deserves a huge shout-out; he was attentive and responsible throughout the entire trip. Even with the many curves in Western Sichuan, he drove very steadily, giving us peace of mind. The accommodations were also great, offering excellent value for money compared to other options. Overall, it was a very comfortable and enjoyable trip, highly recommended!

The time and address might not be same as stated when you bought the ticket so be sure to contact them. Also, the guide can only speak chinese so in case you dont speak any of chinese it might be trouble for you. It is included the bus to and from mountain and also ticket fee already. Just ensure to get there at informed time. But the view is extremely beautiful. Be careful of the car sickness and height difference. Also prepare the oxygen as you will definitely need it.

My first stop in Western Sichuan, Shuangqiao Valley in Siguniang Mountain, was truly breathtaking! Snow-capped mountains, meadows, forests, and streams accompanied me along the way, making every snapshot a wallpaper-worthy scene. The redwood forest offers panoramic views, and the waters of Siguniang Lake reflect the snow-capped peaks beautifully. From the Potala Peak, you can capture stunning shots of the snow-capped mountains against the backdrop of the highway. A sightseeing bus runs the entire way, taking you directly to the redwood forest for photos. After visiting one attraction, you can simply transfer to the next, avoiding strenuous hiking. The entire trip takes about five to six hours, so please manage your time well, as the scenic area doesn't require much physical exertion. The air in the valley is incredibly fresh, so even at high altitude, you won't feel overly tired. The scenic area is well-managed, with clean restrooms, clear signage, and friendly staff. Whether you want to enjoy the scenery or take photos, Shuangqiao Valley is perfect. If you're visiting Western Sichuan, Shuangqiao Valley is definitely worth a full day to explore at your leisure! Scenery: Fun: Value for Money: