Serta - a name that sounds distant and mysterious. Before setting off, all I knew about this place was that it was a Tibetan Buddhist pure land deep in the mountains of western Sichuan, home to the world's largest Buddhist academy and the solemn sky burial ceremony.
This was the third stop on my Tibetan road trip. From Jiuzhaigou, I drove 730 kilometers to Serta. The journey was long - we experienced four seasons in a single day. Morning in Jiuzhaigou felt like spring, noon on the road was summer, afternoon mountain passes brought autumn winds, and by evening, snowflakes danced in the air.
The road wound through endless mountain ranges. Every turn revealed a different shade of landscape - from lush valleys to barren plateaus, from turquoise rivers to golden grasslands. Tibet always gives you the most dramatic contrasts.
I came to Serta with two wishes: to visit the Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, the world's largest Tibetan Buddhist academy where thousands of red wooden houses cling to the hillsides in a breathtaking sea of crimson, and to witness a sky burial ceremony, the sacred Tibetan Buddhist funerary practice.
Unfortunately, due to pandemic restrictions at the time, both the Buddhist Academy and the sky burial site were closed to visitors. I could only stand at the entrance of the sky burial platform, gazing up at the prayer flags fluttering in the wind, imagining the solemn ceremony that takes place there.
At the gates of the Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, I peered through the fence at the countless red houses cascading down the valley. Even from outside, the scale was awe-inspiring. The sound of chanting seemed to drift over the hills, carried by the highland wind.
Sometimes travel is like this - you don't always get what you came for. The regrets of Serta became part of the journey itself. Perhaps the Buddha was teaching me that not everything needs to be seen or understood.
I left Serta with a sense of unfinished business, but the road ahead called. Next stop: Daocheng Yading, the last pure land on the blue planet.
Travel Tips
Location: Serta County, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province
Transportation: Self-drive from Jiuzhaigou is approximately 730km. The road conditions are generally good but include high-altitude mountain passes. Drive carefully and watch for altitude sickness.
Best Time to Visit: May to October. The area is at high altitude (around 3,800m to 4,000m), so prepare for cold weather even in summer.
Note: Check in advance whether the Larung Gar Buddhist Academy and sky burial site are open to visitors. Respect local religious customs and photography restrictions.
