5 Days Luxury Tibetan Nomadic Camping Retreat at Norden Camp
Idyllic Vacation Beyond Words
Idyllic Vacation Beyond Words
"Welcome to Norden! A place between worlds, a place where Nomadic tradition dances with contemporary culture, ancient past evolves into a mindful future and a raw wilderness awakens the peaceful spirit, and a place where the journey begins upon arrival."
This is the sincere greeting from the Norden Camp’s founders - a Tibetan nomad Yidam and his Tibetan-American wife Dechen who are aiming to share the unknown splendors of Tibetan nomadic life with the outside world. So they founded Norden Camp, a wonderful nomadic-styled, luxury glamping camp.
Located on the winter pasture on the Sangke Grassland at 3,200 meters in altitude in Gansu Province, Norden Camp offers not only priceless natural luxuries like fresh air, Himalayan fed river water, vast grassland, rising snow peaks, but also back-to-earth camping experience with all the services, food and comfort more traditionally associated with 5-star luxury resorts. It also provides a rare opportunity to experience the authentic culture of Tibetan community. Only the lucky travelers have the rare opportunity to stay several nights at Norden Camp, as it is only operated in May~October and rooms are limited. You'd better book ASAP!
Day 1 Lanzhou - Norden Camp Arrival (D)
Lanzhou airport/train station pick up then transfer to Norden Camp
Today is free for you to take a flight or train to Lanzhou, the capital city of Gansu Province. Upon arriving at Lanzhou airport or train station, you will be welcomed by our local staff, then transfer to Norden Camp by a private car. Norden Camp is located about 250 km away from Lanzhou city. It usually takes about 4~5 hours to get to Norden Camp. The rest time after arrival is free for you to relax.
Lanzhou arrival idea: you can easily find domestic flights from Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzheng, Chengdu, etc. to Lanzhou. Lanzhou can also be reached by high speed trains from Beijing, Xian, Chengdu, Zhengzhou, etc.
Tsepa Tent Home (accommodate 4 people)
Day 2 Sangke Grassland Visual Feast and Horse Riding (B, L, D)
Today's highlight: Sangke Grassland, Horse Riding, Lungta Cooperative Visiting
Wake up to the gurgling sounds of the river and birds singing at the camp. Your restaurant is already ready to serve your breakfast. You will be impressed by the milk which is rich in nutritional value and reduced lactose content, produced by local yaks who graze in areas teeming with medical plants.
Today you are going to explore Sangke Grassland’s natural landscape and enjoy some nomadic experiences. You will be provided rare opportunities to ride a Tibetan horse on the grassland and enjoy the breathtaking views of the surrounding hills, mountains and vegetation, also join local nomads from the Lungta Cooperative, and experience their daily lives by herding and riding yaks, and sharing traditional Tibetan dishes. The rest time is free for you to relax and have fun around the camp.
Lunch and dinners are provided at the camp.
Day 3 Tibetan Labrang Monastery Visiting (B, L, D)
Today's highlight: Labrang Monastery
Enjoy your breakfast at the camp. The rest time before lunch is free for you to have fun. After lunch, you will be taken to visit Labrang Monastery, one of the most influential Tibetan monasteries in the world. It is also famous for having the most complete Tibetan Buddhism teaching system in China. The monastery is large in scale and magnificent in architecture style, enshrining a lot of huge Buddha statues and various exquisite sculptures, murals and magical instruments. Its pilgrimage corridor has over 2000 prayer wheels, as the longest of its kind in the world. In the southwest corner of Labrang Monastery, there is an ancient wooden bridge. Walking crosses the bridge and walking up to the hill, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Labrang Monastery and surrounding.
After the monastery visit, get back to your camp to have dinner and rest.
Day 4 Free Day (B, L, D)
Relax on your own or join activities you are interested in
You may need some personal time to explore things you are interested in or just want to lay down to enjoy the peaceful time here. So we won’t arrange any programs today. There are many experiences that Norden Camp offer, such as sauna, picnic, Norlha visiting (watching weaving, sewing, felting, product development and the outlet areas), etc.
Day 5 Departure (B, L)
Send you to Lanzhou airport/train station
Farewell to the Norden Camp holiday! You will be escorted to Lanzhou to catch your flight/train back home or to the next destination. Looking forward to seeing you again in Norden Camp in the future.
1. This price is for one person, based on a group of 2 adults sharing one double-bed room or tent.
2. This price is subject to change according your traveling season, group size, hotel class, room type, change of activities in your itinerary and possible fluctuation of currency exchange rate. If you want a lower price, you can get more people to join you.
3. This price is only valid to March 31, 2025.
4. Reference exchange rate of USD 1=RMB 6.85. The final quote is based on current exchange rate. It may change according to the currency fluctuation, while the RMB quotation will be remained the same.
Hi Mr Wang,
Thanks! I had a weekend away to Xi’an, China to celebrate my birthday. It was an exciting weekend and it was certainly something off the beaten trail for most of my friends. The itinerary you have suggested provided good coverage of the city’s rich history. From the fascinating Terracotta Army to the City Walls to the sacred Mount Hua, to the Muslim Quarter to the Drum & Bell Towers, there’s an interesting story from every historical era in Xi’an. I managed to hike up Mount Hua from North Peak to West Peak, but I didn’t get to do the dangerous plank walk as it was closed.
The hotel Eastern House was very accessible too with food places within steps and its proximity to the Drum Tower is a plus. The room was very clean and comfortable.
At this point, I have to quickly mention our amazing tour guide Betty Jiao Yan who was assigned to us as part of our private tour package. She made our time feel so very special and I wonder if Xi'an would have been as awesome without her. She had such a positive and caring nature and when we had to say goodbye, we felt very sad. It was strange to miss a guide after only knowing her for 5 days! Luckily we still keep in touch on WeChat. Our driver Mr Ma was very polite, punctual and accommodating, making our travel a pleasant experience
Anne
Hi Jack,
Thanks. The Harbin and Snow Town trip was excellent and very enjoyable. We are now in Japan skiing, and will send our feedback upon our return on 31st Jan.
Best wishes
Leong
Hi Rita,
From my end, everything is remarkable! Jane is amazing! She really make us feel welcome.
All the hotels were amazing too! My parents also very impressed.
I will definitely reaching out again, next time when I visit China. There’s many more places I want to visit.
Best regards,
Jefry
Dear Rita,
We are home. Thanks for arranging this nice trip. Everything worked out nicely except the smoking room problem in Chengde.
Thanks again.
John
Hi Rita,
In response to your enquiries, we had a wonderful experience with the tour arrangements in both Guilin and Yangshuo. Both the tour guide and driver were very professional and handled the arrangements well.
I am surely recommending any friends or relatives who are interested in travelling to China in future to use China Discovery. Also, will be looking at other destinations for ourselves too.
Thanks once again for the wonderful experience.
Kwan
We are one of the few China travel agencies who have kept active and received lots of feedbacks and reviews during pandemic years
"Highest Standards of Quality and Honesty" is the core value of each specialized team at China Discovery.
Eveyone in our company is working hard for only one goal, which is to ensure the highest level of service, luxury, and attention to detail from the minute you begin planning your trip, to the day you return home.
Our travel consultants are professional, experienced and responsible, helping you from the very beginning to the end of your China trip!
After sending us an inquiry, one of our travel consultants will get back to you within 0.5~23.5 hrs. In the next few days, he/she will be working closely with you to formulate a customized tour plan, as well as providing professional suggestions based on your travel interests, time, and budget.
Beside, he/she will keep in contact with you during your entire tour in China, continually checking if everything is going well as planned.
We're working at Chengdu Bamboo International Tours, local based in Chengdu.
Our local guide in every destination is not only very friendly, enthusiastic but also very informative and knowledgeable.
Once you arrive in the destination, the patient and punctual guides will pick you up and take you to get under skin of the city at your own pace. By in-depth discovery and explanation, they’ll show you more about the history, culture, customs and authentic local life. Throughout the journey, they're not only expert guides who take care of all the details but also fellow travelers who are dedicated to help you explore in comfort and style.
Our guides are passionate about what they do, and it shows all the way!
Using our private transfer service makes you comfortable, relaxed and worry free all the way!
Our private service includes licensed drivers with many years’ driving experience and air-conditioned, non-smoking, clean and well-maintained cars/vans. Drivers are local, polite, friendly and helpful, taking you to your tourist sites, hotels, airport/train stations in safety. All kinds of vehicle are offered, and yours depends on the size of your group. Usually, we offer sedan cars, SUVs, business vans (MPV) and different types of buses, all with extra space for your luggage.
Our private transfer service guarantees you the highest comfort!
In each destination, you’ll enjoy a comfortable stay in a great location!
The hotels we choose are based on star rating, great locations, well-equipped facilities, cozy bed, high quality service and guests’ feedbacks. Choices are a lot ranging from luxury 5 star, comfortable 4 star to budget 3 star. You could decide where to stay to best suit for your budget and likes. Generally, the hotels have both Western and Chinese breakfast with a wide choices.
If you have already got an ideal hotel, please feel free to tell our travel consultants and they'll book the hotel for you.
Have good sleep in our well-selected hotels in all the destinations of China.
We can satisfy all the dietary requirements no matter you want Chinese local food, western food, vegetarian food or muslin food.
The restaurants we will take you for lunch or dinner are all designated tourist restaurants approved by local tourist administration bureau. They have very good sanitary conditions and the food is prepared fresh and clean.
There will be some meals excluded in your itinerary as you like, and your private guide will be delighted to give you some suggestions and take you to the local restaurants to taste like Beijing Roast Duck, Xian Dumpling Dinner, Sichuan Hotpot, etc., if you are interested in local food tasting.
All the dining options will satisfy your stomach!
Tsepa Tent Home (accommodate 4 people)
Duplicate Tsepa Tent (accommodate 2 people)
Shing Cabi Home (accommodate 4 people)
Horse-back journey on Sangke Grassland
Local Tibetan and their yaks
Family reading time at Norden Camp
Labrang Monastery is one of the most influential Tibetan monasteries
Buddhism debating in Labrang Monastery
Enjoy leisure time at Norden Camp
Milk is one of the specialties of Norden Camp's kitchen
Delicious Momo in Norden Camp
Norden Camp is located in Xiahe County, Gansu Province. The nearest airport is Xiahe Airport which only operates a few flights from Chengdu, Xian, Yinchuan, etc. One can take a flight or train to Lanzhou city(can be reached from all major cities in China) first, then drive to Norden Camp. We will send a private driver to escort you.
There are 13 tents and cabins in total including Tsepa Tents, Tsepa Tents Suite, Tsepa Tents Home, Shing Cabin Suite, Shing Cabin Suite, etc. All accommodations, including tents, have wooden floors and comfortable, quality bedding and private bathrooms. Please specify your preferred room types in your inquiry.
Your hotel fee includes breakfasts, lunches and dinners at the camp. All meals are cooked with local fresh ingredients with an exceptional mix of Tibetan and European cuisine. Chefs are well-trained.
Norden Camp is only open between May and October. May is comfortably warm with temperatures of 12-16°C. Wildflowers cover the landscape in June, July and August when days range from 15-25°C. Fall arrives in September with temperatures of 6-12°C. October’s crisp, clear 10°C days give way to considerably cooler nights.
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