Sangke Grasslands

Sangke Grasslands
桑科草原

The Sangke Grasslands are situated in the Gannan Tibet autonomous prefecture, Gansu province. A major local animal husbandry base, the grasslands are typical meadow prairie with an average altitude over 3,000 meters and cover an area of 70 square kilometers. They are an attractive tourist destination with open spaces and a small population. From July to September every year, lots of Tibetan yurts are erected to welcome tourists from afar with tasty Tibetan cuisine such as milk tea, zanba (made of roasted highland barley flour), stewed mutton and steamed stuffed buns. Visitors can also enjoy indigenous Tibetan folk customs such as horse and yak riding and bonfire parties.

One of the major lamaseries of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, the Labrang Monastery on the Sangke Grasslands used to be the political, religious and cultural center for the Tibetan people in Gansu, Qinghai and Sichuan provinces. Meaning “where the Buddhist Palace is located” in Tibetan, the Labrang Monastery was initiated in 1709 and has a compact and magnificent layout with splendid designs. It is home to tens of thousands of cultural relics and more than 60 thousand Tibetan books and scriptures, of which the Kangyur written in gold and silver ink, is an especially priceless treasure.

Best times to visit: July to September
Major attractions: Labrang Monastery, Daerzong Lake