Benzilan

Photos in Benzilan

Welcome to the Tibetan Far West! In the Benzilan Valley, deep in the Himalayas, you will find the grandeur of the improbable landscapes that characterize this part of the world. Perched on the banks of the Yangtze river, in a sunny valley with a very pleasant climate, the small millenary village of Benzilan was an important stage on the road of tea and horses, in the time of the caravans who were preparing here to brave their first really snowy passes from their perilous journey to Lhasa. A ferry on the river, made of yak skins, was still active a short time ago.

Dongzhulin Tibetan Monastery

We mainly visit Benzilan to see the Dongzhulin monastery (entrance: 30RMB per person), built in 1667 but still very popular with pilgrims and local inhabitants, which offers incredible artefacts of finesse, taken from the depths of the ages. The assembly hall is made of 82 columns of carved wood, and 4 floors. There are statues of Tsongkhapa, the founder of the school of yellow caps of Tibetan Buddhism, surrounded by two of his disciples, then those Sakyaluni, Avalokiteshvara, Manjusri, among others. The first and second floors are dedicated to prayers, chapels and different masters, each decorated with beautiful tangkas, frescoes and sculptures. Many Tibetans place offerings to the statues. The most magnificent room of this monastery is on the third floor, and you will see two impressive Buddhas of Maitreya and Sakyamuni of 7 and 10 meters high.The village of Benzilan enjoys a pleasant climate and cultivates many vegetables and cereals. You can visit a small local nunnery whose donations from visitors are highly useful and appreciated. The view of the Yangtze River from the village is superb, you can see the silhouette of the Balgezong gorges, as well as the massif of the white horse mountain, Baima.

Video Drone monastery of Dongzhulin / Benzilan

360 ° panorama at Dongzhulin / Benzilan monastery

Cliquez sur la flèche au milieu de la photo ci-dessus puis utilisez les commandes en bas de la photo pour faire tourner l’image à 360°.

360 ° photo of the superb Yangtze loop north of Benzilan

Two hours north of Shangri La, but at a lower altitude (around 1900m), Benzilan is a step off the beaten track, authentic and rich in historical and cultural heritage, in sumptuous landscapes. Tashi Deleg! Then to reach the region of the Meili mountains, the routes are now shorter following the creation of 2 passes around the Baima mountain. It now takes an additional 1.5 hours to access Feilai Si.On site in Benzilan, in a small remote valley and therefore very quiet, 2 quality accommodation are now possible: the Songtsam Benzilan Lodge, beautiful and luxurious address with Tibetan charm, and the warm guest house La Maison d’Estelle Tulu Lodge .