Seda: A place where there is a lack of oxygen but no lack of faith

Address:

Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Region, Sichuan Province

Opening hours:

08:00-22:30

Official phone number:

0836-8522210

Seda is County, located in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. It is not a major tourist attraction, but a holy place of Tibetan Buddhism. There are red houses all over the mountains and fields, monks who are devoted to practicing, and tourists who come thousands of miles away in search of faith. It is a country full of red faith.

1. Geographical location and basic overview

(1) Geographical location

Seda County belongs to Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. It is located on the southeast edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and in the northwest of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. The geographical coordinates are 32°16′ north latitude and 100°19′ east longitude. It borders Yutang County in Aba Prefecture to the east, Banma and Dari Counties in Qinghai Province to the north, and Ganzi and Luohu Counties in the state to the west and south respectively.
The topography of Seda is complex and belongs to the typical Bayankala Mountain fold zone of the Western Sichuan Trough system, with an average altitude of more than 4,000 meters. Long winter without summer. There are grasslands, lakes, rivers and colorful Tibetan customs.

(2) Basic overview

Sedais located in Seda County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan. It is one of the famous tourist attractions in Western Sichuan. It is located in the heart of the western Sichuan Plateau. It has a superior geographical location with the magnificent Himalayas and the magnificent Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is known as the “hometown of snow-capped mountains and mysterious Buddhism.”

2. Core attractions

(1) Geological landscape

La Rong Wuming Buddhist Academy:The most famous school in Seda is the Wuming Buddhist Academy. The entire Seda is also known to the world because of the Wuming Buddhist Academy. Therefore, travelers who come to Seda basically come to the Wuming Buddhist Academy.

Altar City:At the highest point of the entire Buddhist Academy is an activity dojo for religious ceremonies, called ‘Altar City’.

Heavenly burial platform:A more common burial custom in Tibet. When Tibetans die, they will be placed on the heavenly burial platform to attract vultures to peck, which represents the soul’s ascension to heaven. It is an ancient, serious and mysterious ceremony.

Dongga Temple:Dongga Temple is the first of the thirteen temples in Seda. It is a Gelug temple of great significance in Tibet, and there are many cultural relics left in the temple, which are of great ornamental value.

Golden Horse Grassland:The vast grassland outside Seda County. wildflowers bloom in July and are golden in September. It is a good place for horse riding, camping, and photo shoots. Occasionally, groundhogs are encountered. They are not afraid of people and can be fed biscuits (do not feed human food).

(2) Cultural landscape

In addition to the beautiful natural scenery, Seda also has a heavy cultural heritage. Asone of the important places for the spread of esotericism, Seda County has many Buddhist temples, the most famous of which is the Seda Buddhist Academy with magnificent golden Buddhalight. The Seda Buddhist Academy is an important institution of the Gelug Sect, one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism in the country, and has important historical, cultural and artistic values.

3. Ticket information

(1) Ticket price

Reservation platform: WeChat mini program “La Ronggou Jingou Reservation’.

Fare: 30 yuan/person, including round-trip tickets.

(2) Ticket purchase channels

1. Mini program reservation: Search for the WeChat Mini Program named “Larung Valley Entry Reservation” (Note: 喇荣沟 is transliterated as “Larung Valley” per official tourism references). Tickets are released sharp at 6:00 PM daily, allowing reservations for morning or afternoon slots over the next 2–3 days.

A total of 510 tickets are available each day. Remember to pre-fill your personal information in advance to speed up the reservation process!

After successfully reserving a ticket, you must take a shuttle bus from the Luore Town Tourist Distribution Center in Seda County to enter the valley.

2. Offline reservation:Go to the Seda County Cultural Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau across from Jinma Square to make an appointment. The ticket is 48 yuan. Starting from 6:30am, reservations for the remaining tickets from yesterday will be made, followed by reservations for the next day at 07:30, 12:00, 15:00, and 18:00. Remember to bring your ID card and queue up early!

3. Appointment time:You need to make an appointment 2-3 days in advance, and the appointment channel will open at 6pm.

4. Precautions:The online ticket reservation source is tight, so it is recommended to set an alarm clock in advance to grab tickets on time. If the reservation is not successful, you can try to purchase tickets on site or choose other ways to enter.

4. Precautions for Touring

(1) Safety protection: responding to geological and weather characteristics

1. Altitude sickness: Seda has a higher altitude, remember to bring an oxygen cylinder and avoid strenuous exercise.

2. How to get there:At present, you cannot go to Qianshan and Houshan by yourself. You need to make an appointment to enter according to the above method.

3. Limit on the number of people:The number of people entering the Buddhist Academy is limited every day, so be sure to make an appointment 2 hours in advance.

4. Sun protection and replenishment:The sun in the plateau is strong, remember to sun protection. Prepare some chocolate and compressed biscuits in the bag to replenish your strength at any time.

5. Respect customs:In the Buddhist Academy, please keep quiet and respect local customs and lamas and Jue Mu (male and female monks). You need to take off your shoes in the Jingtang, and male tourists cannot enter the Chuemu Jingtang.

6. Stay time:Stay at the Buddhist Academy for up to 90 minutes. Please do not stay if there are no important matters.

7. Respect for local culture:Heavenly burial is a traditional Tibetan funeral ceremony. You must keep solemnly during the ceremony and do not take pictures or make noise.