Litang Chode Monastery in Kham Tibetan Area

July,27 2016 BY Master Catherine Jigme 0 COMMENTS

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Located at an elevation of 4,014 meters, Litang is one of the highest town in China. Litang is famous for the Litang Horse Racing Festival. When you are enjoying the horse racing festival there, do spare some time to visit Litang Chode Monastery in Kham Tibetan Area.

Litang Chode Monastery

The Litang Chode Monastery is located on the north end of the Litang town. It was originally built by the 3rd Dalai-lama Sonam Gyatso in 1580 after the de-facto independant king of Litang switched allegiance from the Kagyupa to the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Surrounded by deep green hills and plains, snowcapped peaks, and fortress - like Tibetan homes at the center of the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Litang is one of the highest elevated towns in China. At an altitude of 4,014 meters, it lies 350 meters above Lhasa (3650m). The only feasible route there is the Chengdu - Lhasa Highway, which passes through the town after two bone jarring but beautiful days of bus travel from Chengdu, making Litang nearly impossible to reach. After recently being opened to foreigners in 1999, the town has not yet spawned three star hotels, but despite such remoteness (and perhaps because of it) most of the tourists who flock to Litang find the trip worth it.

The best time to visit Litang is in August, when the city hosts a horse racing festival usually held from August 1st to 7th.

Recommended Tour to Litang:

Litang Horse Racing Festival Tour

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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