Xiahe
©
Xiahe

Xiahe

Tibetan town in Gansu's Gannan valley, centred on the vast Gelukpa monastery of Labrang

Xiahe is, effectively, a Tibetan town in the Chinese province of Gansu, set at about 2,900 metres in a valley of the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. The centre of everything is Labrang Monastery, founded in 1709, one of the six great monasteries of the Gelukpa school of Tibetan Buddhism — the school to which the Dalai Lama belongs. At its peak the monastery housed over four thousand monks; numbers are lower now but the complex remains enormous, its golden roofs spread along the valley floor, its whitewashed walls encircled by a two-kilometre circuit of prayer wheels that pilgrims turn continuously from dawn to dusk.

The monastery can be visited on guided tours that depart at 10:15 and 15:15 and cover the main assembly halls, the debating courtyard, and several of the chapels. The Gongtang Chorten, a reliquary tower at the monastery's eastern entrance, offers views back over the complex. Beyond the formal sites, simply walking the kora — the circumambulation path around the monastery's perimeter — is the best way to experience the place; you will share it with pilgrims in traditional Tibetan dress, monks going about their business, and the smell of juniper incense throughout.

The Sangke grasslands, twelve kilometres west of town, open into broad high pastures where nomadic families graze yaks and sheep in summer. Horse riding is available. The surrounding mountains and valleys hold smaller monasteries and Tibetan villages that reward exploration with a rented bicycle or on foot.

Xiahe is reached by bus from Lanzhou in about three and a half hours, or from Linxia in two hours. It occasionally closes to foreign visitors during politically sensitive periods — the weeks around important anniversaries — so it is worth checking before you go. The food in town runs to Tibetan staples: momo dumplings, tsampa, yak butter tea.

Guide

Eating Out

Food in Xiahe divides between Tibetan staples — momo dumplings, tsampa porridge, yak meat in various preparations — and the Hui Muslim cooking that reflects the other major community in town. Both are cheap, filling, and honest. You will not find fine dining here, but the food suits the altitude.

Guide

Getting There

Xiahe is reached by bus from Lanzhou, the provincial capital, in about three to three and a half hours. Buses run several times daily. From Linxia, the nearest large town, the journey is about two hours. There is no train station in Xiahe — the nearest rail connection is Linxia, itself served by a branch line.

Some travellers reach Xiahe as part of a loop through the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, continuing on to Hezuo, Langmusi, or crossing into Sichuan toward Zoige. The roads are paved but the distances are large and services infrequent — allow full days between stops.

Guide

Things to Do

Xiahe's draws are almost entirely tied to Labrang Monastery and the Tibetan landscape surrounding it. The monastery itself is the main event, but the kora circuit, the Sangke grasslands, and the smaller villages and temples in the hills keep you busy for two or three days.

Guide

When to Go

The best time to visit Xiahe is between May and October, when the grasslands around town are green, the days are long, and the Sangke nomads are present with their herds. July and August are warmest but also bring the monsoon fringe — expect afternoon rain. September is arguably the best month: the crowds thin, the light is excellent, and the air has a clarity that the summer haze obscures.

Winter is genuinely cold — temperatures drop well below freezing at night and snow is common — but the monastery is serene and the pilgrim traffic continues regardless of the weather. The Monlam Festival, held in the first lunar month (usually February or March), is the biggest annual event, drawing monks and pilgrims from across the Tibetan plateau for a week of ceremonies, debates, and the unfurling of a giant thangka on the hillside opposite the monastery. If you can time your visit around it, do.

The town occasionally closes to foreign visitors during politically sensitive periods — around major anniversaries or after incidents elsewhere in the Tibetan regions. Check conditions before you go.