Gannan Travel Guide 2026 - Labrang, Langmusi & the Grasslands of the Plateau

What's inside this guide Bucket List · Highlights · Q&A · Itineraries · Attractions · Activities · Where to Stay · Food · Getting Around · Shopping · Practical Info · Day Trips · Tips · Background · Plan Your Trip

Gannan Bucket Listmonasteries, grasslands and the prayer-wheel road

Walk the prayer-wheel arcade of Labrang

The 3.5-km arcade of over 2,000 prayer wheels around the monastery walls - the great clockwise circuit of Xiahe.

Stand in the golden hall of Labrang

One of the six great monasteries of the Gelug school - golden roofs, debating courtyards and a thousand monks.

See Langmusi at the border

The two monasteries of the Bailong River - one in Gansu, one in Sichuan, with the sky-burial platform above the town.

Ride the Sangke grassland

The green plateau west of Xiahe - horses, yurts and the wide light of the grasslands, RMB 10 an hour.

Watch the birds of Gahai lake

The high wetland at 3,400 m - a stopover for migrating birds, best from May.

Climb the Milarepa Tower

The nine-storey tower of Hezuo - 108 chapels of the masters of Tibetan Buddhism, RMB 20.

Top Highlightswhat Gannan does best

No.1
Labrang MonasteryThe golden roofs of the great Gelug monastery - one of the six, and the largest outside Tibet.
No.2
Langmusi at the borderThe mountain town of two monasteries - Gansu on one bank, Sichuan on the other.
No.3
The Sangke grasslandsThe green plateau west of Xiahe - horses, yurts and the wide grassland light.
No.4
The Milarepa TowerThe nine-storey tower of Hezuo - the chapels of the masters, floor by floor.

Questions & Answerswhat travellers always ask about Gannan

How many days do I need in Gannan?

The classic circuit takes six days - Lanzhou to Xiahe (day 1), Labrang and the grasslands (day 2), on to Langmusi (day 3), the Gahai lake and Hezuo (day 4), the Milarepa Tower and back to Lanzhou or on to Xining (days 5-6). With two or three days spare you can extend to the Ruoergai wetlands and the Yellow River's first bend.

How much are the tickets?

Labrang costs RMB 40; the two Langmusi monasteries are RMB 30 each; the Ganjia octagonal town RMB 20; the Milarepa Tower RMB 20; the Gahai lake RMB 30. Most grasslands are free.

Is altitude sickness a problem?

Xiahe sits at 2,850 m, Hezuo at 2,960 m and Langmusi at about 3,400 m - the classic first-plateau-trip scale. Go slowly, drink water and avoid alcohol for the first two days.

How do I travel between the towns?

There is no railway in Gannan - coaches and hired cars are the way. Xiahe to Langmusi is about 4 hours by coach (RMB 70), Langmusi to Hezuo about 3 hours (RMB 50), and a hired car is the flexible option for the grasslands.

What is the best season?

June to August - green grasslands, warm days and the clearest air. Winter brings the great prayer festivals and the butter-lamp ceremonies, when the monasteries are at their most atmospheric.

Can I book my Gannan trip through ToursChinaTravel?

Yes - email [email protected] or message us on WhatsApp. Our team arranges the monasteries, a plateau driver, hotels and the loop route, free of charge and without obligation.

Sample Itinerariesthe monastery loop of the plateau

Gannan 6-Day Plateau Loop

Lanzhou to Xiahe, Langmusi, Hezuo and beyond - the classic monastery circuit. View the plan →

Day 1

Lanzhou to Xiahe - the 258-km, 4-hour coach; evening at the foot of Labrang as the prayer wheels turn.

Day 2

Morning in Labrang - the great halls, the debating courtyard and the 3.5-km prayer-wheel arcade; afternoon on the Sangke grassland.

Day 3

Xiahe to Langmusi by coach (4 hours) - the two monasteries of the Bailong River and the sky-burial platform.

Day 4

The Gahai lake at dawn, then on to Hezuo (3 hours) and the nine-storey Milarepa Tower.

Day 5

Hezuo to Lanzhou or west to Xining - the Ganjia octagonal town and the grasslands on the way.

Day 6

Optional extension - the Ruoergai wetlands and the first bend of the Yellow River, or the Ta'er and Qinghai Lake loop from Xining.

Xiahe & Labrang 3-Day Tour

The essence - the great monastery, the grasslands and the border town. View the plan →

Day 1

Lanzhou to Xiahe; evening at Labrang as the monks close the halls.

Day 2

Full day in Labrang - the golden halls, the debating courtyard, the prayer-wheel arcade, and a sunset walk to the monastery viewpoint.

Day 3

Morning on the Sangke grassland - horses and yurts - then the coach back to Lanzhou.

All plans are bookable end-to-end by our team — see the full day-by-day Gannan itineraries hub, or the day-trip pages for single-day options.

Top Attractionstickets, hours, transport & insider tips

Labrang Monastery (La Bu Leng Si)

One of the six great monasteries of the Gelug school - golden halls, a 3.5-km prayer-wheel arcade of over 2,000 wheels, and a thousand monks in the debating courtyards.

RMB 40 · 08:00-18:00 · Monastery · Tibetan Buddhism

View details →

Langmusi (Two Monasteries)

The mountain town on the Sichuan-Gansu border - the Gansu monastery of Sertsi and the Sichuan monastery of the Gelug, divided by the Bailong River.

RMB 30 each · Daylight hours · Monastery · Border Town

View details →

Sangke Grassland

The green plateau 1 km southwest of Xiahe - horses for hire (RMB 10 an hour), yurts for the night and the wide grassland light.

Free · All day · Grassland · Plateau

View details →

Gahai Lake (Gahai Ziran Baohuqu)

The high wetland lake at 3,400 m near Luqu - a stopover for thousands of migrating birds, best in May, with the boardwalk over the marsh.

RMB 30 · Daylight hours · Wetland · Bird Watching

View details →

Milarepa Tower (Mila Ribage Fo Ge)

The nine-storey tower of Hezuo - 108 chapels holding the statues of the great masters of Tibetan Buddhism, climbed floor by floor.

RMB 20 · 08:00-17:00 · Tower · Tibetan Buddhism

View details →

Ganjia Octagonal Town (Ganjia Bajiao Cheng)

The ruined fortress town 35 km north of Xiahe - the octagonal rammed-earth walls of a Tang dynasty border stronghold, with the grasslands beyond.

RMB 20 (negotiable) · Daylight hours · Ancient Site · Grassland

View details →

More in the region on the Gansu attractions page.

Activities & Festivalsprayer festivals, horse riding and the plateau rituals

The great prayer festivals

In the first lunar month the monasteries hold the great prayer assemblies - the butter-lamp ceremonies, the dance of the masked lamas and the thangka unveilings.

Horse riding on the grasslands

The horses of Sangke and the Ganjia grasslands - RMB 10 an hour with a local guide, the classic plateau afternoon.

The clockwise circuit

Walk the 3.5-km prayer-wheel arcade of Labrang clockwise, turning every wheel - the pilgrim's hour that anchors the visit.

The sky-burial platform

The platform above Langmusi - visible from a respectful distance, the funerary ritual of the plateau, held before dawn.

Where to Stayguesthouses in Xiahe and Langmusi

Every hotel below is bookable by our team; browse the full Gansu hotels directory.

Civil Aviation Hotel, Xiahe (Minhang Jiudian)

The comfortable hotel of Xiahe town - +86 941 712 8009.

Phone: +86 941 712 8009 · Book: Gansu hotels · or email [email protected]

Zhuoma Hostel, Xiahe

The traveller classic of Xiahe - beds from RMB 20, doubles RMB 160-200, +86 941 712 1274.

Phone: +86 941 712 1274 · Book: Gansu hotels · or email [email protected]

Red Stone Youth Hostel, Xiahe

The clean budget hostel near Labrang - beds from RMB 40, +86 941 712 3698.

Phone: +86 941 712 3698 · Book: Gansu hotels · or email [email protected]

Dacang Langmusi Hotel, Langmusi

The comfortable border-town hotel - doubles from RMB 120, +86 931 667 1399.

Phone: +86 931 667 1399 · Book: Gansu hotels · or email [email protected]

Food & Restaurantsyak, tsampa and the teahouses

Hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhua yangrou)

The plateau classic - boiled lamb eaten with the hands, served with garlic and salt; the Lanzhou and Xiahe restaurants are the places.

Tsampa with butter tea

The roasted barley flour of the plateau, mixed with butter tea - the fuel of the pilgrim's day.

Yak yogurt

The thick, tangy yogurt of the Tibetan towns - sold by the bowl in the morning markets.

The Lanzhou noodles connection

The beef noodles of Lanzhou (RMB 25 at the famous Mazilu shop, +86 931 845 0505) - the gateway meal before the plateau.

Shopping & Souvenirsthangkas, prayer beads and the handicrafts

Thangkas and tanka paintings

The painted scrolls of the monastery studios - the art of the plateau, from small prints to full altar pieces.

Prayer beads and malas

The wooden and bone rosaries of the pilgrims - sold beside the prayer-wheel arcade.

Tibetan carpets

The hand-woven rugs of the plateau - the bright patterns of the Gannan looms.

Yak-wool products

The warm felt and wool of the yaks - hats, slippers and the winter layers of the plateau.

Full local-product guides live on the Gansu specialties page.

Getting There & Aroundby coach, hired car and the plateau roads

By coach

By coach from Lanzhou

The 258-km, 4-hour coach from the Lanzhou South coach station (RMB 40-50) is the standard gateway - the station line is +86 931 291 4066.

By car

By hired car

There is no railway in Gannan - a hired car with driver is the flexible way for the grasslands and the border loop, from about RMB 600 a day.

Getting around Xiahe to Langmusi

Xiahe to Langmusi

The 4-hour coach between the two towns costs about RMB 70; the road climbs over the grasslands and the border.

Day Trips From Gannangrasslands, wetlands and the border valleys

Sangke & Ganjia Day Loop (1 day)

Horses on the Sangke grassland, the octagonal town and the Ganjia grasslands beyond.

The Gahai Wetland Day Trip (1 day)

The high lake and its migrating birds, with the Luqu grasslands on the road.

The Ruoergai Wetlands (2 days)

The great marsh of the border - the first bend of the Yellow River and the Huahu lake, 2-3 days by hired car.

Travel Tipsthings to remember

Walk the arcade clockwise

The prayer-wheel circuit of Labrang must be walked clockwise - turning the wheels as you go, the pilgrim's etiquette of the plateau.

Dress for the plateau

Even in summer the evenings drop below 10 degrees - layers, a warm jacket and sunscreen are the essentials at 3,000 m.

Respect the monastery rules

No photography inside the halls, no loud talk in the prayer halls, and no pointing at statues - the monks are patient but the rules are firm.

Be gentle with the altitude

The classic mistake is rushing - walk slowly, drink water and give yourself the first day to settle before the long treks.

Negotiate horses and yurts politely

The grassland horse hire is RMB 10 an hour and the yurts about RMB 20 a night - agree the price before you ride.

Carry cash for the monasteries

The ticket windows and the donation boxes are cash-first - small notes are useful for the temples and the beggar-monks.

Background & Historythe eastern gate of the Tibetan world

The eastern Tibet

Gannan is the eastern edge of the Tibetan cultural world - the prefecture where the monasteries, the grasslands and the pilgrim routes of the Amdo region begin.

The great monasteries

Labrang was founded in 1709 and grew into one of the six great Gelug monasteries; Langmusi and the Hezuo tower complete the religious map of the plateau.

The grasslands of the border

The Sangke and Ganjia grasslands, the Gahai wetlands and the Ruoergai marsh beyond - the pastoral world of the yak herders, unchanged for centuries.

Plan Your Gannan Tripattractions, hotels, flights and specialties — all in one place

Everything on ToursChinaTravel is bookable through our team by email or WhatsApp. Here's where each part of your Gannan trip lives on the site.

Gannan Travel Guide — the Tibetan plateau of the east - monasteries, grasslands and the great prayer wheels

Gannan Bucket Listmonasteries, grasslands and the prayer-wheel road

Walk the prayer-wheel arcade of Labrang

Stand in the golden hall of Labrang

See Langmusi at the border

Ride the Sangke grassland

Watch the birds of Gahai lake

Climb the Milarepa Tower

Top Highlightswhat Gannan does best

Labrang Monastery

Langmusi at the border

The Sangke grasslands

The Milarepa Tower

Questions & Answerswhat travellers always ask about Gannan

How many days do I need in Gannan?

How much are the tickets?

Is altitude sickness a problem?

How do I travel between the towns?

What is the best season?

Can I book my Gannan trip through ToursChinaTravel?

Sample Itinerariesthe monastery loop of the plateau

Top Attractionstickets, hours, transport & insider tips

Activities & Festivalsprayer festivals, horse riding and the plateau rituals

The great prayer festivals

Horse riding on the grasslands

The clockwise circuit

The sky-burial platform

Where to Stayguesthouses in Xiahe and Langmusi

Civil Aviation Hotel, Xiahe (Minhang Jiudian)

Zhuoma Hostel, Xiahe

Red Stone Youth Hostel, Xiahe

Dacang Langmusi Hotel, Langmusi

Food & Restaurantsyak, tsampa and the teahouses

Hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhua yangrou)

Tsampa with butter tea

Yak yogurt

The Lanzhou noodles connection

Shopping & Souvenirsthangkas, prayer beads and the handicrafts

Thangkas and tanka paintings

Prayer beads and malas

Tibetan carpets

Yak-wool products

Getting There & Aroundby coach, hired car and the plateau roads

By coach from Lanzhou

By hired car

Xiahe to Langmusi

Day Trips From Gannangrasslands, wetlands and the border valleys

Travel Tipsthings to remember

Walk the arcade clockwise

Dress for the plateau

Respect the monastery rules

Be gentle with the altitude

Negotiate horses and yurts politely

Carry cash for the monasteries

Background & Historythe eastern gate of the Tibetan world

The eastern Tibet

The great monasteries

The grasslands of the border

Plan Your Gannan Tripattractions, hotels, flights and specialties — all in one place