Overview

Situated in halfway between Ganzi and Dege, Manigango is a dusty tiny town with slight mystical atmosphere brought by the Dzogchen Gompa. It's also an important traffic hub on Sichuan-Tibet route. Husky Tibetans on horsebacks, monks in crimson robes on motorbikes, pilgrims piled up on rattling tractors, Tibetan mastiffs lingering in the street, yaks pacing through down the road…all these make up to a harmonious scenery in the chaotic town.

Highlights

Zhuqing monastery / Yilhun Lhatso

Getting there and away

Thanks to the significance of Maigango's geographical location on the North Sichuan-Tibet Highway, traffic is very convenient in the small town, with frequent buses passing through. A Dege-bound bus arrives in Manigango at around 11:00am daily. It's easy to hitchhike a Garze<-->Dege bus to/from both directions. It takes 3~4hrs to Dege and 4~5hrs to Garze.

Accommodation

Pani Hotel (Pani Fandian) - the most famous guesthouse in town with about 20 years' history, Y10~25/dm.

Yulong Shenhai Binguan - it's where all the buses stop, Y15~40/dm. Easy to get travel info. and bus schedule from the staff, good service.

The college of Dzogchen Gompa also offers lodging for Y15/night, but no food supply inside.

Sights

• Zhuqing Monastery
  
  "Dzogchen Gompa" in Tibetan, located at Gengda village, Zhuqing town, in the Rudam Valley, with an altitude of 3980M. It is one of the six main seats of the Nyingmapa sects, established in 1684 in eastern Tibet, ever a center of scholarship and spiritual practice. Dzochen had been the home to many great masters, such as Dzogchen Patrul Rinpoche, author of the famous text "The Words of My Perfect Teacher", and many scholars such as Khempo Shenga Rinpoche. The lamasery was re-built in South India in the late 1950s, and there it contunies to uphold the unique spiritual and cultural traditions. Its affiliated temples about 200 monasteries are scattered in China and abroad. It is the origins of Tibetan Operas of Gesar.
  
  
• Yilhun Lhatso
  
  Also called "Xinluhai" or "Yulong Lake", located 11km southwest of Manigange at the foot of Que'er Mt., it's a stunning alpine holy lake to rival any found in Jiuzhaigou. The lake is bordered by Choren and dozens of rock carvings, with Que'er ranges surrounding. The area owns a perfect eco-system with many great palces to camp.
  
  Getting there - thumb for a Dege-bound traffic passing by at around 11:00am to the turn-off where there's a bridge and 1km trail to the lake. Charter a vehicle from Manigango town costs Y80~120 for round trip.
  
  Admissionfee：Y20