Tours

Tibet & Sichuan
October 10 - 26, 2008

Tibet is a very unique destination because of its people, culture and landscape. Like many parts in China Tibet is undergoing very rapid changes. This is one of those places that should be on the top of the list for any serious travelers who are interested in experiencing the rich Tibetan culture.

I had a most wonderful experience in Tibet in 2004. Please go to the “Sites & Sights” section of our web site for some interesting pictures and a short description.

Most visitors of the Sichuan Basin go there because they want

to see the Pandas in their native land. While my guests and I enjoyed seeing the Pandas in Sichuan we found visits to Sanxingdui and Dujiangyan to be exciting and fascinating. Until the archaeologists discovered and understood the finds discovered in Sanxingdui in the mid 20th century the Yellow River Basin was considered to be the sole cradle of the Chinese civilization.

With the discoveries around Sanxingdui historians now realize an advanced bronze civilization existed along the Yangtze River at about the same time as the one along the Yellow River. Scholars are still not sure if these two cultures were developed independent of each other or there were interactions between the two. All of us were fascinated by what we saw at the Sanxingdui Museum.

Dujiangyan is an ancient irrigation project that has served the Sichuan Basin for over 2,200 years. This irrigation project is responsible for making this area one of the most affluent areas in China. The engineering genius as demonstrated in this project is truly amazing and impressive. It controls flood and irrigates a large area in Sichuan benefiting all those living in the basin over two millenniums. All these marvelous achievements are accomplished without one single pump or creating an artificial lake.

I would be amiss if I do not mention one more thing about the Chengdu area: food! The local cuisine is considered to be one of the best in China. Spice is used to enhance the taste of the food, not to mask it. Try it and Sichuan food will never be the same again.

I decided to plan a tour to Tibet this year because my wife and a friend want to visit Tibet this year. So, here is the tour to Tibet. I guess this is one of the perks of having a husband or a friend in the China tour business. Needless to say I will escort this tour with the assistance of local guides.

We normally use deluxe hotels for our tours. Tibet is an expensive destination compared to other parts of China. We want to make this tour more affordable and decided to use less expensive hotels. They are good hotels with private baths and are more than adequate.

This is a quality tour at a very reasonable cost. If you have the time we would also suggest that you spend an extra day or two in Shanghai after the tour. Please email me at encorechina@gmail.com with any questions.

—Bob Cheung