Songtsam Guests Experience Beautiful Tibetan Peach Blossom Festival

Songtsam 2 Peach Blossoms against the Snow Mountain e1648154548955 | eTurboNews | eTN
Peach Blossoms against the Snow Mountain - image courtesy of Songtsam
Avatar of Linda S. Hohnholz
Written by Linda S. Hohnholz

The geographical locations of several ofSongtsam Hotels, Resorts & Tours’ luxury properties provide their guests with a unique way to experience the breathtaking annual Peach Blossom Festival, also known locally as The Season of Recovery. Visitors staying at Songtsam Lodge Bome, Songtsam Lodge Rumei, Songtsam Linka Retreat Lhasa and Songtsam Lodge Namcha Barwa, have a special opportunity to see these beautiful flowering peach blossoms set against a dramatic backdrop of snow-capped mountains.

The flowering period of these trees lasts about one month and attracts tourists from all over the region. In Eastern Tibet, the months of March and April are known as The Season of Recovery. This is the time when the mountain frost begins to thaw, migratory birds come back to their homeland, and when blossoms and buds bloom on the trees; a time when miles of pink peach blossoms stand in sharp contrast to the snowy peaks of the mountain ranges nearby.

It is the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau’s unique geographical environment, combined with the humid air flow from the Indian Ocean and moist soil which makes the earth especially fertile for peach blossoms. Peach blossoms can be seen throughout Linzhi, Ranwu, Rumei, Nixi, and even in Lhasa on the Yunnan-Tibet region line.

Songtsam’s Curated Peach Blossom Festival Activities for Guests

Traditional Picnic in an Exclusive Songtsam Location

There is an exclusive place, only for Songtsam guests, that is located in the Guxiang Ancient Village near Songtsam Lodge Bome. It can be found near the snow-capped mountains in the forests where the Palong Zangbo River passes near the village. The surrounding highland barley fields are scattered with quaint Tibetan houses with a backdrop of blossoming peach trees. It is here that visitors can smell the rich aroma of the hot pot ingredients, including roasted tender beef, and see a colorful array of locally made desserts. The guests are welcomed by the villagers into their homes where they can enjoy a traditional Tibetan picnic together with their hosts. 

The Gang Yun Forest surrounding the picnic area was ranked the fifth most beautiful forest by “China National Geographic” and has been a dedicated forest ecosystem nature reserve since 1984. Before and after a picnic, guests can enjoy hiking with the local travel guides and breathe in the pure forest air. This outdoor picnic among the peach blossoms is the perfect opportunity for guests to fully experience both the peach blossoms and the atmosphere of spring.

Songtsam 1 Palong Zangbo River image courtesy of Songtsam | eTurboNews | eTN
Palong Zangbo River

Guided Tours of the Qingduoqiang Balin Temple

The low-profile Gelug monastery, Qingduoqiang Balin Temple built in 1454 AD, is one of many cultural treasures found in the Bomi Peach Blossom Valley. It is not very well-known, but its architecture is extraordinary. Local guides lead tours of the monastery, where monks debate scriptures under the ancient peach tree, a method they use daily to stir up the wisdom contained in the Dharma, the “cosmic law and order” expressed by the teachings of the Buddha.

Songtsam 3 Tibetan Archery | eTurboNews | eTN
Tibetan Archery

Tibetan Archery With Professionals

Guests also have the unique opportunity to wear the “Guoxiu,” a traditional Tibetan dress with gold rims, and practice Tibetan archery with professional guidance. Surrounded by peach blossoms in full bloom, and the snowy mountain scenery, guests can experience first hand the local culture and traditions. 

About the Peach Blossom Festival

In Tibetan Culture, from the end of March to mid-April, the Peach Blossom Festival celebrates the most beautiful time of the year. Locals do not only enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the peach blossoms but also gather to sing and dance underneath them as they welcome the warmer months to come. The peach blossom spectacle also attracts people from around the world to come to enjoy the melodious Tibetan music, participate in tea conversations, draw, and paint, all underneath the sea of peach blossom trees.

About Songtsam 

Songtsam (“Paradise”) is an award-winning luxury collection of hotels and lodges located in Tibet and Yunnan Province, China. Founded in 2000 by Mr. Baima Duoji, a former Tibetan Documentary filmmaker, Songtsam is the only collection of luxury Tibetan-style retreats within the wellness space focusing on the concept of Tibetan meditation by combining physical and spiritual healing together. The 12 unique properties can be found across the Tibetan Plateau, offering guests authenticity, within the context of refined design, modern amenities, and unobtrusive service in places of untouched natural beauty and cultural interest. 

About Songtsam Tours 

Songtsam Tours, a Virtuoso Asia Pacific Preferred Supplier, offers curated experiences by combining stays at its different hotels and lodges designed to discover the region’s diverse culture, rich biodiversity, incredible scenic landscapes, and unique living heritage. Songtsam currently offers two signature routes: the Songtsam Yunnan Circuit, which explores the “Three Parallel Rivers” area (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and the new Songtsam Yunnan-Tibet Route, which merges the Ancient Tea Horse Road, G214 (Yunnan-Tibet highway), G318 (Sichuan-Tibet highway), and the Tibetan Plateau road tour into one, adding unprecedented comfort to the Tibetan travel experience. 

About Songtsam Mission 

Songtsam’s mission is to inspire their guests with the diverse ethnic groups and cultures of the region and to understand how the local people pursue and understand happiness, bringing Songtsam guests closer to discovering their own Shangri-La. At the same time, Songtsam has a strong commitment to sustainability and the preservation of the essence of Tibetan culture by supporting the economic development of the local communities and the environmental conservation within Tibet and Yunnan. Songtsam was on the 2018, 2019 & 2022 Condé Nast Traveler Gold List. 

For more information about Songtsam visit here.

About the author

Avatar of Linda S. Hohnholz

Linda S. Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz has been an editor for eTurboNews for many years. She is in charge of all premium content and press releases.

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