If you arrive early, you can make a short detour (about 2 km) on the way from the airport to the hotel to visit the Princess Wencheng Temple, also known as the Vairocana Buddha Rock Temple, home to over 1,400-year-old cliff carvings. Monks there are usually happy to share stories and insights free of charge.

After settling in at the hotel, if you still have time and energy, feel free to explore the area on foot. Just 200 meters east of the hotel, you’ll find Yushu’s local antique and flea market—we recommend browsing only, not buying.

If time allows, you can also visit the Jiana Mani Stone City, the largest mani stone pile in the world (recognized by Guinness World Records), about 6 km from the hotel. A taxi ride there usually costs around 13 RMB one way. It’s a great way to get a first taste of the region’s rich cultural heritage.

Cultural & Wildlife Briefing (if not Monday):

If your arrival day is not a Monday, we’ll organize a visit to the Yushu Prefecture Museum from 3:00 to 4:30 PM, just next door. Our wildlife photographer will give an introduction to Sanjiangyuan National Park and share stories and experiences of photographing local wildlife.

Evening:

In the evening, we’ll hold a pre-departure meeting where you’ll get to know your fellow travelers and hear a detailed presentation by your trip leader, including a PPT overview of the journey ahead.

Day Theme: Wildlife Watching in Yushu

Target Species:

Snow leopard, wolf, blue sheep, white-lipped deer, musk deer, Himalayan griffon, bearded vulture, golden eagle

Main Landscape:

High-altitude mountain valleys

Early Morning

We’ll depart before sunrise and drive 2–2.5 hours to our snow leopard observation site. As the sun rises, we’ll begin spotting wildlife. Our local team members will have arrived earlier to scout for animal activity in advance.

Midday

Meet with local NGO workers to learn about their day-to-day efforts in environmental and wildlife conservation in the region. It’s a rare opportunity to get a firsthand look into the work being done to protect this fragile ecosystem.

Afternoon

Around 3:00 PM, we return to the observation area and continue wildlife watching until nightfall. After sunset, we’ll drive back to the hotel.

Camera Trap Activity

We’ll install an infrared camera trap today, which will remain in the field for the duration of our journey. We’ll retrieve it at the end of the trip and review the footage together. About a month later, we’ll share the final camera trap footage with the group chat.

Note:

Each of our observation zones is monitored in real-time by local wildlife spotters, who stay in constant contact with your trip leader. Based on their updates, we’ve built a real-time snow leopard tracking network. This allows us to adjust our itinerary daily to ensure the best chances for wildlife encounters. Please understand that exact observation sites and schedules may change accordingly.

Day Theme: Wildlife Watching in Shiqu

Target Species:

Snow leopard, wolf, Tibetan fox, white-lipped deer, argali, red deer, Chinese goral, musk deer, Tibetan gazelle, golden eagle, bearded vulture, Upland buzzard, ruddy shelduck, bar-headed goose

Main Landscape:

High-altitude valleys covered with low shrubs

Early Morning

We’ll depart before dawn and drive 4–5 hours to a snow leopard observation area. We aim to arrive at first light to begin wildlife spotting. Our team members will have already reached the site ahead of time to begin early observations. We will observe until around 11:00 AM.

Midday

We’ll visit a local herder’s home to experience authentic nomadic life on the Tibetan Plateau and engage in meaningful conversations about the relationship between herders and snow leopards.

Afternoon

Around 3:00 PM, we’ll return to the observation site and continue wildlife watching until dusk. This area is rich in diverse habitats—mountains, canyons, shrublands, and grasslands—offering a chance to observe wildlife in different environments. At the end of the day, we’ll follow the upper reaches of the Yangtze River (Tongtian River) back to Yushu city.

Note:

Each of our wildlife sites is monitored in real-time by experienced local spotters who stay in constant communication with the trip leader. These spotters form part of a live snow leopard information network, allowing us to adjust the day's plan based on the latest updates. This ensures the best possible wildlife viewing experience, though specific sites and schedules may change accordingly.

Day Theme: Wildlife Watching in Nangqian

Target Species:

Snow leopard, wolf, bear, Pallas’s cat, blue sheep, musk deer, Himalayan griffon, bearded vulture, golden eagle

Main Landscape:

High-altitude valleys with low alpine woodlands

Early Morning

We’ll depart before dawn and drive 4–5 hours to the observation site. At first light, we’ll begin wildlife watching. Our team members will already be on-site, monitoring animal activity in advance to increase our chances of sightings.

Midday

Take a break and enjoy free time to rest or explore the area at your own pace.

Afternoon

We’ll continue observing wildlife until nightfall. This region sits slightly lower in elevation compared to Yushu and is home to diverse landscapes including mountains, valleys, shrubs, and grasslands. Known for generations as “Snow Leopard Valley,” this area offers an excellent chance of encountering wildlife. Tonight, we’ll set up camp and stay overnight in the field.

Evening

We’ll have an evening exchange with local NGO workers to learn about recent conservation efforts and wildlife monitoring work in the region.

Day Theme: Wildlife Watching in Zaduo

Target Species:

Snow leopard, Tibetan fox, red fox, wolf, Tibetan gazelle, Chinese goral, musk deer, black-necked crane, ruddy shelduck, bar-headed goose

Main Landscape:

High-altitude grasslands, valleys, and forests

Early Morning

We depart before sunrise and drive 3–3.5 hours to the snow leopard observation area. We aim to arrive at first light to begin wildlife spotting. Our local team will have arrived earlier to start scanning the area for animal activity.

Midday

We arrive at our lunch site, which also serves as a good spot for observing snow leopards and other wildlife while we eat.

Afternoon

Around 2:00 PM, we drive to another observation area and continue wildlife watching until dusk. After sunset, we head to Zaduo County for the night.

Note:

Each of our wildlife watching sites is monitored in real time by local spotters who stay in constant communication with your trip leader. Using this network of updates, we’ve built a live snow leopard information system that allows us to adjust our activities based on the latest sightings. Observation sites and the day's plan may be adjusted accordingly to enhance your wildlife viewing experience.

Day Theme: Wildlife Watching in Yushu

Target Species:

Wild yak, Tibetan antelope, wolf, blue sheep, white-lipped deer, Tibetan gazelle, Tibetan wild ass, golden eagle, bearded vulture, saker falcon

Main Landscape:

High-altitude grasslands and alpine desert (gobi)

Early Morning

We depart before sunrise and head into the “Snow Leopard Valley,” observing wildlife along the way as we search for snow leopards and other species in their natural habitat. After our morning exploration, we return to Yushu for a short rest.

Afternoon

We revisit the site where we installed a camera trap earlier in the trip. We’ll retrieve the footage, reinstall the camera, and continue tracking signs of snow leopards until nightfall. After dark, we return to Yushu city.

Note:

Each of our wildlife observation sites is monitored in real time by local spotters who stay in close communication with the trip leader. With their reports, we’ve built a live snow leopard information network that allows us to adapt the itinerary based on current activity. Observation locations and the day's schedule may be adjusted accordingly to ensure the best possible wildlife viewing experience.

Day Theme: Departure Day

All Day:

We will provide two scheduled airport transfers:

• Morning transfer to Yushu Batang Airport (around 10:00 AM)

• Midday transfer to Yushu Batang Airport (around 12:00 PM)