2020 Tongren Shaman Festival 6-Day Tour

Introducing Shaman Festival in Tongren (Repkong)
Shaman Festival is celebrated by the Tibetans and Ethnic Tu people living in the 24 villages of Tongren (Repkong) to show their devotion and gratitude to the Mountain God. It is presided over by Shaman from the local villages. During the festival, the villagers dress up in their holiday best. Females are done up in ornate, dazzlingly embroidered holiday costumes, which are adorned with gems. They assemble at the Temple of the Mountain God, singing and dancing to entertain the Mountain God. Ceremonies and activities include ritual dances, the beating of holy drums, the singing of folk songs, and Shaman going into trances. You will see the ritual piercing of cheeks of young men, men dancing with pierced backs, and Shaman in trance climbing the dragon pole then cutting his forehead with a knife.

Tour Highlights
• Enjoy Devine Dance during Shaman Festival at Tiewu village & Suheri village
• Enjoy Military Dance during Shaman Festival at Gomar village and Xiazhuang village
• Enjoy Dragon Dance during Shaman Festival at Yinzhamu village
• Worship Kumbum Monastery, birthplace of Tsongkhapa (founder of the Gelukpa school of Tibetan Buddhism)

Tour Itinerary at a Glance
• Day 1 Aug 11, 2020: Arrival in Xining, Airport or Train Station Pick-up, Transfer to Tongren (Repkong)
• Day 2 Aug 12, 2020: Tongren (Repkong), Tiewu Village (Devine Dance), Gomar Village (Military Dance)
• Day 3 Aug 13, 2020: Tongren (Repkong), Xiazhuang Village (Military Dance), Yinzhamu Village (Dragon Dance)
• Day 4 Aug 14, 2020: Tongren (Repkong), Suheri Village (Devine Dance)
• Day 5 Aug 15, 2020: Drive to Xining, Kumbum Monastery
• Day 6 Aug 16, 2020: Departure from Xining, Transfer to Xining airport or train stations

Hotels & Meals
• 4 nights of accommodations at local 3-star Hongfengde Hotel in Tongren or similar
• 1 night of accommodation at local 4-star Sanwant Hotel in Xining or similar
• Daily buffet breakfast at hotel
• 9 meals (lunch & dinner at local restaurants)

Tailor This Tour to Meet Your Needs and Requirements
• If you have booked your own hotel, if you want to stay at other hotels or if you want to modify this itinerary, please feel free to contact us by WhatsApp (+86-18309280878), Wechat (+86-18309280878) or email (info@GrandChinaTravel.com), we will create a tailor-made tour for you.

Price Remarks
• Prices are based on sharing in double/twin/triple room at proposed hotels.
• S/S (Single Supplement) fee is charged for staying at single room.
• S/S fee for less than 10 adult travelers: USD ; S/S fee for over 10 adult travelers: USD.

Price Inclusions
• Hotel accommodation with daily hotel breakfast
• Professional English language speaking guide
• Air-conditioned vehicle with experienced driver
• All admission tickets to sightseeing places
• Meals as specified in the itinerary
• All government taxes

Price Exclusions
• Your personal expenses
• Travel insurance is not included. Please purchase before your trip to provide for any unforeseen circumstances.
• Gratuities to guide & driver. They are customary and would be of great encouragement and reward for quality service.

Additional Info
• Departure: Aug 11, 2020 in Xining
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
• The itinerary is subject to change due to traffic conditions or bad weather.
• IMPORTANT: It is required by the government regulations that all travelers must provide their name, gender, nationality, passport number and date of birth to their tour operator upon booking a tour. Failure to do so could result in a traveler not being able to join the tour, or for the entire group to be denied access to sites such as the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. When you book this tour, please complete all required fields at checkout. Please bring your passport with you on the tour.

Cancellation Policy
• Cancellations made 31 days or more prior to the scheduled departure date, will receive a 100% refund.
• Cancellations made within 22 - 30 days will incur a 10% fee.
• Cancellations made within 15 - 21 days will incur a 30% fee.
• Cancellations made within 8 - 14 days will incur a 50% fee.
• Cancellations made within 0 - 7 days will not receive a refund.
• After the tour has commenced, there is no refund for canceled services due to non-participation, missed days on tours.
• The confirmed cancellation date is determined based on the supplier's local time (Beijing Time).
• Please allow 2-5 business days to process and confirm your cancellation request. Once the cancellation is confirmed, you will receive your refund within 14 working days.

Why Travelers Have to Choose GoGrandChina Private Tours?
• Choose your most suitable departure time, whether you are an early bird or you prefer sleeping in.
• GoGrandChina private tours are more flexible, allowing you to adjust everything on your trip to your wishes.
• GoGrandChina tour guides will be at your service to make sure you get the most from each destination. They are there for you and are responsible for making your journey special – and your needs always come first.
• GoGrandChina offers comfortable and luxury vehicles with a private & experienced driver who’s always by your side and ready to take you to your next destination.
• No shopping stops & factory visits, no chance of getting ripped off.
• No hidden costs, rest assured that there are no nasty surprises.

Know Before You Go
• Departure: Aug 11, 2020 in Xining.
• There is no tour guide for departure transfer, you will be transferred to airport or train stations by driver.
• Add us on WeChat (+86-18309280878) or WhatsApp (+86-18309280878) to reach GGC service staff at anytime.
• Before getting to Xining you will receive guide's name and contact number from GGC by WhatsApp, Wechat or email.
• Upon arrival, you will be greeted by guide holding GoGrandChina welcome sign with your name at airport or train station arrival hall.

Day 1 Aug 11, 2020 Arrival in Xining, Airport or Train Station Pick-up, Transfer to Tongren (168 km, 2 hours)
Arrive at Xining airport or train stations. Meet & greet by your English speaking guide. Private transfer to Tongren (Repkong).

Meals Included: Dinner at local restaurants
Hotel: Local 3-star Hongfengde Hotel Tongren or similar

Day 2 Aug 12, 2020 Tongren (Repkong), Tiewu Village (Devine Dance), Gomar Village (Military Dance)
The Tibetan name of Tongren is Repkong. Thought Tibetans living in Tongren are Buddhists, they still practice Bon religion of worshipping Mountain Gods. Shaman festival is called Luroi in Tibetan, featuring ritual dances, holy skin drums, and food offerings. It is a celebration honouring Mountain Gods, requesting their bestowal of safety and good health on villages as well as guarantee good harvests in villages around Tongren. During the festival, Mountain Gods are invited to the ceremony. After frenzied communicating with Mountain Gods, the Shamans go into deep trances, serving as their medium and dance energetically in the crowd. Wearing distinctive peaked hats with red tassels, young boys through middle aged men dance for hours, circling the walled courtyard. Senior men carry flags and banners. Young girls solemnly march, enduring heavy coral beads and silver medallions braided into their long hair. You will also see the ritual piercing of cheeks of the brave young men in the village, men dancing with pierced backs, and the Shaman in trance climbing the dragon pole then cutting his forehead with a knife.

Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel, lunch & dinner at local restaurants
Hotel: Local 3-star Hongfengde Hotel Tongren or similar

Day 3 Aug 13, 2020 Tongren (Repkong), Xiazhuang Village (Military Dance), Yinzhamu Village (Dragon Dance)
Drive to Xiazhuang Village, Baoan Township for Military Dance and Yinzhamu Village, Maba Township to enjoy Dragon Dance. During the Military Dance, men dress up like ancient warriors; the lead dancer is holding a hatchet while other dancers are holding wooden sticks which symbolize fighting weapons. Circling the courtyard 13 times, the Military Dance symbolizes a battle fight. Dragon Dance is to offer goat sacrifices to the Warrior God, almost 100 male dancers with animal shaped wooden masks in hands follow the Shaman dancing like a crawling snake. The highlights of Dragon Dance is the piercing of cheeks, piercing the back and Shaman cutting his forehead with a knife.

Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel, lunch & dinner at local restaurants
Hotel: Local 3-star Hongfengde Hotel Tongren or similar

Day 4 Aug 14, 2020 Tongren (Repkong), Suheri Village (Devine Dance)
Full day at Suheri Village to enjoy Devine Dance which is performed to please Mountain God, Erlang Deity and various other deities who protect the local village. Erlang Deity is a Chinese God with a third truth-seeing eye in the middle of his forehead, mostly portrayed as a noble and powerful Warrior God who slays and vanquishes Demons and Monsters in the mortal realm and who embodies justice and righteousness. Devine Dance consists of activities such as  inviting deities, welcoming deities, admiring deities, offering sacrifices to deities, bidding farewell to deities. Males dance with a fan of eight auspicious symbols of Buddhism (the paraso, two golden fishes, the conch shell, the lotus, the banner of victory, the vase, the dharma wheel and the eternal knot) imitating flying eagles. Unmarried girls hold Khata in their hands, walking forward three steps, stopping for two-step walking time to worship deities of all directions. At the end of Devine Dance, males and unmarried girls will join together, dancing in spiral way to achieve the effect that humans and deities are meeting and celebrating.

Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel, lunch & dinner at local restaurants
Hotel: Local 3-star Hongfengde Hotel Tongren or similar

Day 5 Aug 15, 2020: Drive to Xining (168 km, 2 hours), Kumbum Monastery
Drive to Xining in the morning. Xining is the capital city of Northwest China's Qinghai province as well as the capital of Amdo area of Tibet. Visit the Kumbum Monastery in the afternoon. The Kumbum Monastery which was built in 1560 AD is one of the six most famous Buddhist Monasteries in Tibet. Kumbum in Tibetan means a grand place housing 100,000 Buddha. It was originally built upon the birth place of the founder of the Gelukpa Sect (Yellow Hat) of Tibetan Buddhism, Tsong Khapa. Two of his disciples from this region also went on to become famous in the Buddhist world, one becoming Dalai Lama, the other the Panchen Lama.

Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel, lunch & dinner at local restaurants
Hotel: Local 4-star Sanwant Hotel Xining or similar

Day 6 Aug 16, 2020: Departure from Xining, Transfer to Xining airport or train stations
Transfer to Xining airport or train stations for your departure flight/train. Wish you a pleasant journey and thank you for traveling with GoGrandChina.

Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel