At the end of a long mountain road, the plateau opens out. Snow peaks stand over the grassland, streams run clear and cold through the valley, and yaks graze on the slopes as they have for centuries. The air is thin, clean, and sharp with the smell of grass and woodsmoke. Over five days in May, a small group settles into this landscape for a quiet rhythm of yoga, breathwork, and meditation each morning and evening. The hours between are left for walking, temple visits, and long stretches of doing very little.
Home for the stay is the Mulang 1993 Hotel, an old Tibetan house restored with care and kept to just eleven rooms. Carved timber, stone walls, and warm, considered touches give each corner a sense of place, and every window looks out to the mountains. There is no hotel to change and no itinerary to chase, only one place to unpack, a courtyard to sit in, and a plateau at the door.
Dates: 13-17 May 2027 (5 days, 4 nights)
Starts and ends in Chengdu
Accommodation: Mulang 1993 Hotel, Jiagenba (4 nights)
Daily sessions: morning and evening practice, including yoga, breathwork, and meditation
Season: the rhododendrons begin to flower around mid-May
Per person, for the 5-day, 4-night retreat:
Chengdu arrangements are not included. Guests should arrive in Chengdu on Wednesday 12 May, as the group departs for the plateau on the morning of 13 May. On 17 May the retreat ends on arrival in Chengdu, and guests arrange their own accommodation and onward travel from there, with departures from 18 May.
Included: Accommodation at Mulang 1993 Hotel, Jiagenba (4 nights); Specified meals; Local transfers, including the drive from Chengdu to Jiagenba and the excursions during the retreat; Daily morning and evening sessions
Not included: Flights, including the Kangding to Chengdu flight on 17 May; Meals not specified in the programme; Accommodation in Chengdu before and after the retreat; Travel insurance
The group leaves Chengdu in the morning on the famous 318 Highway, one of China’s great road journeys, climbing from the Sichuan basin towards the plateau. The road passes through river gorges and over high passes before the landscape opens into grassland and snow peaks. Along the way, stop at Mugecuo, a clear alpine lake ringed by forest and mountains. Then leave the main road for a detour onto the scenic Route 434, which adds a few good viewpoints and a quieter stretch of plateau. Arrive at the hotel in the afternoon and gather in the evening for the opening session, a gentle introduction to the practice and the group.
Meals included: Dinner at Mulang 1993
After the morning session, the day stays light while the body adjusts to the altitude. Use the quiet hours to settle in, with time for a slow walk, a pot of tea in the courtyard, or a few pages in a journal. In the afternoon, join a Tibetan incense-making session, blending and rolling fragrant herbs and woods in the way monasteries and households have done for generations. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore on your own, and an evening session of meditation or gentle movement closes the day.
Meals included: Lunch at local restaurant, Dinner at Mulang 1993
Begin with the morning session, then set out for a day trip to Muya Temple, where a visit offers an introduction to Tibetan Buddhism. Walk the temple grounds at an unhurried pace and learn about the beliefs, rituals, and daily practice that shape monastic life on the plateau. Take time to sit quietly in the courtyard or prayer hall rather than rush through. Return to the hotel for the evening session.
Meals included: Lunch at local restaurant, Dinner at Mulang 1993
After the morning session, head into the mountains around Jiagenba for a four-hour day hike, with a picnic lunch at the end of the hike. The pace is unhurried, with plenty of stops to look around, and in mid-May the first rhododendrons begin to appear on the slopes. Return in the afternoon to rest before the final evening session.
Meals included: Picnic lunch, Dinner at Mulang 1993
There are two ways back to Chengdu. Guests can fly from Kangding in the morning (09:40-10:40), or join the full-day drive. Either way, the retreat ends on arrival in Chengdu, and guests continue with their own arrangements from there.
Note: Flights are not included in the current pricing
A retreat works best when there is little to organise and plenty of room to breathe, and the plateau in May suits both. A small hotel, a steady rhythm of yoga, breathwork, and meditation, and a landscape that shifts from grassland to forest to snow peak within a day's reach make it a few days that are easy to settle into and hard to leave.
