Search
Pioneer of Tibet Tourism for Overseas Travelers since 1984!
5-Day Happy Road Horse-Riding Tour in Songpan: Discover Authentic Kham Riding Culture
Are you sure you want to remove this trip?
You'll need to find and add this trip again to view it in your wishlist
-
Tour Type:
Escorted by private guide and vehicle; leave 365 days a year!
-
Trip Level:Easy - suitable for all levels of fitness, family with kids and senior groups.
-
Trip Level Guide:
- Easy - suitable for all level of fitness, family with kids and senior groups.
- Moderate - suitable for ones with average level fitness, family with kids bigger than 12 yrs.
- Moderate to Strenous - suitable for ones physically fit; have experiences of high altitude trek.
- Strenuous: suitable for adventures and individual with physically fit and healthy.
-
Season:春
Spring夏
Summer秋
Autumn冬
Winter
Overview
What Makes this Tibet Trip Different?
Having horse-back riding in Songpan is definitely worth a try. As you travel in spectacular scenic spots, all the worries will be put behind and the curiosity to explore the next destination will make you feel less exhaustive. Tourists can fully experience stunning natural beauty and the life on horse-back.
Tibetan Travel Guru,Sonam Tenphel
Shunjiang Horse Riding Team in Songpan is a well-known horse caravan and has been running the horse-back riding tourism for over 20 years. Its widespread reputation has attracted numerous foreign tourists to travel in Songpan.
The horse-back riding routes vary from 2 days to 7 days, covering Huanglong national park, Ga Li Tai grassland, Mt. Xuebaoding. You will pass peaceful villages, holy monasteries, small paths around barley fields, and stay in camps (5000m) on the banks of crystal-clear lakes and taste the local delicacies as if travelling in heaven.
Day to Day Itinerary
Day 1: Chengdu-Songpan
Leave Chengdu in the morning and head north toward Songpan. The 350km drive takes about seven hours. Along the way, the road winds through Sichuan’s green valleys and rising mountain passes, offering changing views from busy towns to quiet countryside.
In the afternoon, you’ll arrive in the ancient frontier town of Songpan, once an important stop on the old Tea-Horse Road. Your local guide will meet you at the station and help arrange your transfer to the hotel.
After checking in, you can stretch your legs with a stroll through Songpan’s old town, known for its preserved city walls, lively market streets, and Tibetan-influenced atmosphere. Rest up for the horse-riding adventure ahead.
Stay overnight in Songpan
Day 2: Horse riding: Songpan-Munigou
After breakfast, begin your horse-riding adventure from Songpan and head toward Munigou Valley. The ride takes you across alpine meadows and forested trails, with snow-capped peaks glimmering in the distance. The slow pace of the horses makes it easy to enjoy the peaceful rhythm of nature all around.
Munigou, located in Songpan County of Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, spans 160 square kilometers with altitudes ranging from 2,800 to 4,070 meters. Known for its cool mountain climate and rich Tibetan and Qiang culture, the valley is a perfect blend of mountains, forests, and lakes.
The highlights of Munigou include pristine forests, highland lakes, natural hot springs, and spectacular calcified waterfalls such as Zhaga Waterfall and the pools of Erdaohai. Here, mountains, water, and woodlands merge into a breathtaking landscape, offering a true escape into wilderness.
Camping
-
![day image]( "You can experience horse riding and get close to nature in songpan")
horse riding
-
![day image]( "You will pass jadeite green grassland during your horse riding")
songpan grassland
horse riding
songpan grassland
Day 3: Horse riding: Munigou-Er'daohai
This morning, continue your journey on horseback deeper into the Munigou scenic area. The trail winds through dense forests and alpine meadows, with snow-fed streams cutting across the path and birdsong echoing in the valleys. Riding at an easy pace, you’ll have plenty of time to appreciate the unspoiled mountain scenery.
Your destination today is Er’daohai, one of Munigou’s two major scenic sections. Known for its highland lakes surrounded by thick forests, Er’daohai is a peaceful place where the reflections of the mountains ripple gently on turquoise waters.
Here, you’ll also have the chance to enjoy a hot spring bath, relaxing in crystal-clear mineral water that has soothed travelers for centuries. It’s the perfect way to refresh your body after a day’s horse ride in the mountains.
Camping
Day 4: Horse riding: Munigou-Songpan
After breakfast, begin the return journey on horseback, following a different trail that leads back toward Songpan. The ride offers new perspectives of the mountains and valleys, with morning mist often rising from the forests to create a dreamy atmosphere.
Along the way, you’ll stop at a few traditional Tibetan villages nestled in the hillsides. These visits give a glimpse into local life—stone-built houses, colorful prayer flags fluttering in the wind, and warm smiles from villagers who still live by centuries-old traditions.
By late afternoon, you’ll arrive back in Songpan. After days of riding through wilderness and culture, you’ll have time to relax and enjoy the comfort of town again.
Stay overnight in Songpan
Day 5: Sonpan – Chengdu (or Jiuzhaigou /Huanglong)
After three days of horse riding, it’s time to conclude your adventure. From Songpan, you can either return directly to Chengdu by car or bus, retracing the scenic 350km journey back to the provincial capital.
If you’d like to extend your trip, Songpan is also a convenient gateway to Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong, two of Sichuan’s most celebrated natural wonders. Public buses run regularly from Songpan to both sites, making onward travel simple.
Whether you choose to head home or continue exploring, your horse-riding experience in Songpan leaves you with memories of alpine landscapes, Tibetan culture, and the spirit of the ancient Tea-Horse Road.
Service Guide
Service Included:
- Tibet travel permit and all other necessary permits to Tibet;
- All entrance ticket fees for all tourist sites listed in the itinerary;
- Personal knowledgeable English-speaking Tibetan local tour guide;
- Personal comfortable, clean and safe vehicle with reliable Tibetan local driver; vehicle ranging from 4WD land cruiser to minibus depending on your group size;
- All lodging listed in the itinerary; it’s your decision about the accommodation class: luxury 5-star international hotel, comfortable 4-star hotel, economic 3-star hotel or budget hostel, guesthouse or tent. Please tell us your accommodation preference when submitting the enquiry; we will arrange the best-value hotels for you.
- Domestic flight/train tickets listed in the itinerary;
- All meals listed in the above itinerary;
- Tourist accident/casualty insurance;
- First aid kit;
Service Excluded:
- International flight to and out of China;
- Chinese visa (Note: we could help you with the Chinese visa application, like providing the invitation letter, presenting the hotel or domestic flight reservation copies, etc that you may need. )
- Domestic flight/train not listed in the itinerary. (We can provide you the domestic flight/train ticket booking service at the BEST discount price; please contact us our travel experts for the details.)
- Meals not specified in the itinerary; usually it costs about USD3-15 per person for one meal in TAR (Tibet Autonomous Region).
- Tips and gratitude to tour guide and driver;
- Personal expenses, like laundry, phone call, snacks, soft drinks (please do the best to avoid the alcoholic beverages during your Tibet trip), optional tour activities, etc.
Contact us for your dream trip now !
Enquire NowYou May Also Like
-
10 Days Litang Horse Racing Festival TourTour Route：Chengdu - Mt.Siguniang - Danba - Xinduqiao - Litang - Kangding - Chengdu
View Details -
11 Days Amazing Western Sichuan TourTour Route：Chengdu - Kangding - Daocheng - Yading - Danba - Chengdu
View Details -
12 Days Jiuzhaigou National Park and Northwest Sichuan TourTour Route：Chengdu - Mt. Siguniang - Danba - Rangtang - Ruo’ergai - Flower lake - Langmusi - Jiuzhaigou - Chengdu
View Details -
16 Days Chengdu to Ganzi Tibetan Area TourTour Route：Chengdu - Four Girls Mountain - Danba - Tagong - Daofu - Ganzi - Dege - Baiyu - Litang - Chengdu
View Details -
8 Days Western Sichuan Impression - Small Loop TourTour Route：Chengdu-Hailuogou-Kangding-Danba - Chengdu Tour
View Details
Get Started - 5-Day Happy Road Horse-Riding Tour in Songpan: Discover Authentic Kham Riding Culture
You’re getting closer to your dream Tibet vacation! Fill out this form so our travel designers can start helping you plan a trip.
Privacy Policy: Your information is kept strictly confidential. Tibet Vista will never sell, trade, or give away your contact information to a third party.
"5-Day Happy Road Horse-Riding Tour in Songpan: Discover Authentic Kham Riding Culture"