Yushu Horse Racing Festival to be held in late July 2013

July,28 2016 BY Master Catherine Jigme 0 COMMENTS

Yushu Horse Racing Festival is a famous traditional Tibetan festival in Tibetan areas. It is held for a week from July 25 – August 1 every year in the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province. This festival takes advantage of the warm weather, so the valley floor has lush green grasses suitable for long-distance horse races and tent camping.

This Yushu Horse Race Festival is a living link to the traditions of the ancient Kingdom of Kham, in present-day Qinghai Province. Tibetans from all over the Kham region gather here for a colorful celebration of traditional sport, song and dance.

The Tibetan horse races and athletic competitions are becoming popular as a tourist attraction, so if the festival is held, there will probably be more commercialization and less authentic tradition. It has been a fun festival to watch, and tent camping is possible, but the more traditional races are slightly dangerous. During a Yushu Horse Race Festival tour, you will journey across time and history, stay on the vast Bartang Grassland as Royal Kham families have done for centuries, in luxury tents.

During this time in the summer, there are a lot of flowers blooming, and the valley might be a great place to go for a walk. There is a stream in it. Some of the women who dress in traditional clothing surprisingly look much like Native Americans. Some of the women’s costumes and jewelry and facial features are reminiscent of those of Navaho, Apache, and Sioux Indians. The tents they put up are reminiscent of a Native American powwow. No kidding. However, most of the traditionally dressed women’s costumes are exotic and clearly Asian and in a lot of different styles. Along with them are Tibetan monks dressed in their red robes.

About the Author - Master Catherine Jigme

With exceptional passion and outstanding leadership, Mrs. Catherine has dedicated herself to Tibet inbound tourism and China tour for 15 years. As one of the handful females who see great potential of Chinese inbound tourism, Catherine has made great contribution to promoting Tibet tourism and enhancing the employment of Tibetans and prosperity of local Tibetan community.

Over the years, she travelled overseas with Tibet Tourism Bureau many times to promote Tibet tourism. Currently, Catherine works as the marketing director of Tibet Vista, an opinion leader behind the whole team of Tibet Vista.

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