Langmusi, a slice of Tibetan life

Halfway between Lanzhou in Gansu province and Chengdu in Sichuan lies Langmusi, a small border town famed for its Tibetan monasteries and surrounding mountains. You can get here by bus from either Lanzhou or Chengdu in about 6 to 8 hours. Although there is really only one main street here, you can still find lots of places to stay such as hotels and hostels. The place is quite popular among Chinese tourists, so you won't have to look far for accommodation. The same goes for food. All along the main street, there are plenty of small restaurants. You won't find a KFC or McDonald's here, but that is a good thing as you can discover the local cuisine. There are several Tibetan restaurants where you can have yak meat or momos, but my favorite is the yak yogurt. You won't be bored in Langmusi. You can easily spend a couple of days here exploring the monasteries and climbing the mountains such as the red rock mountain. A little further away from the town are some other beautiful places such as Zhagana, Zoige grasslands and flower lake. They are all easily accessible on a day trip. For something a little more active contact the Black Tent Cafe. They can take you on horse riding tours, wildlife watching tours or even let you fly in a hot air balloon.