Tibetan New Year Monlam in Qinghai and Gansu

Early to Gomar Monastery, around 10 km from town, for the great morning assembly, when monks and local families gather and share butter tea and a communal breakfast to open the day.

In the afternoon, the unveiling of Gomar's giant thangka on the hillside, usually from around 2 pm, a ceremony that can last several hours as pilgrims come forward for blessings. Then to Lower Wutun Monastery, around 7 km from town, for the procession of the Buddha around the monastery. The order follows the monasteries' own schedules.

A morning at Lower Wutun, a monastery and village at the heart of Rebkong art, the painting and sculpture tradition recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, to watch the monks perform their masked Cham dances in the courtyard.

Then a visit to the home or workshop of a Rebkong artist, where many families still work as painters, to see a thangka in progress. In the afternoon, back to Gomar for its procession of the Buddha around the monastery with the local pilgrims.

A morning at Gomar for the masked Cham dances, performed by the monks before crowds of pilgrims in their festival dress.

Then the long drive south into Gansu to Diebu, in forested valleys at around 2,400 meters. It is the longest day of the journey, around 358 km and seven hours on winter roads, so allow time for breaks and a flexible arrival. The road leaves the high grasslands of Qinghai for the deep, wooded valleys of southern Gansu, a very different landscape for the second half of the festival.

A morning at the Tiebu reserve, home to wild sika deer on the wooded slopes and open hillsides of southern Gansu. Sightings depend on where the animals are moving, but winter is a good time to see them on the open ground.

Then on to Langmusi, a small monastery town on the border of Gansu and Sichuan, at around 3,600 meters, the highest night of the journey. Around 169 km and four hours of driving. The town is two monasteries facing each other across a stream, and the evening is free to walk the lanes.

In the morning, the unveiling of a giant thangka on the hillside above Langmusi, watched by crowds of monks, pilgrims, farmers and nomads who come for the blessing as the image of the Buddha is unrolled.

In the afternoon, a short drive to Luqu, on the grasslands at around 3,500 meters. Around 86 km and one and a half hours of driving, with time to rest after the early start, or to walk out onto the grassland in the afternoon light.

To Xicang Monastery for its festival of jewelry and traditional dress, when families from the surrounding communities arrive in their finest clothes and selected representatives display elaborate ornaments in a procession. The monks perform their mask dances, and there is Tibetan opera.

Then on to Zhuoni in the Tao valley, at around 2,540 meters, a lower and gentler night after Langmusi and Luqu, ready for an early start to Chone the next morning. Around 196 km and three and a half hours of driving.

In the morning, the unveiling of a giant thangka at Chone Monastery in Zhuoni, the image changing each year among the Buddha of the future, the Buddha of boundless light and Tsongkhapa.

Then to Xiahe and Labrang, one of the great monasteries of the Gelug school, arriving around 4 pm for the display of butter sculptures from around 6 pm, intricate figures and scenes made by the monks from colored butter and shown by lamplight. Around 166 km and three hours of driving.

A morning at Labrang, founded in 1709, walking the circuit around the monastery with thousands of pilgrims and monks as a great image of Maitreya, the Buddha of the future, is carried in procession.

Then the drive to Lanzhou, capital of Gansu, where the journey ends on arrival, in time for an onward train or flight, or a night in the city. Around 232 km and three and a half hours of driving. Lanzhou sits on the Yellow River, and if you stay on, the riverside and the Gansu Provincial Museum are worth a day.