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The Three Nations of Tibet - Kham, Amdo, U-Tsang
offered by supplier M08534 (view this supplier profile)
Key Information:
Tour Duration: 24
day(s)
Group Size: 4
- 12
people
Destination(s):
China
Tibet
Specialty Categories:
Cultural Journey
Season: March - November
Airfare Included: No
Tour Customizable: Yes
Minimum Per Person Price: 4075 US Dollar (USD)
Maximum Per Person Price: 4325 US Dollar (USD)
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The Delux trip! Accompanied by a full support staff, this is a comprehensive exploration of some of eastern and central Tibet’s landscapes and monasteries, covering well over 3000 km and driving through Kham and U-Tsang territory to Lhasa, before heading NW towards Amdo. This is an epic 24-day journey through the three nations of Tibet, not without reason coined by early explorers as “the roof of the world”. This route is designed to have a lot of flexibility in its pacing, some of it voluntary (some of it involuntary!). Consequently, as with many or our trips the itinerary should be seen as markers along the way rather than as an etched-in-stone itinerary. In fact, as much of the accommodation in this part of the world is fairly rough and/or characterless, the default option on this trip will be to find scenic, convenient spots to set up camp, which is often more comfortable - certainly more rewarding - and frees us from having to “make the next town”.
For those that sign up, we will be collaborating collectively to plan the details of the routes so as to ensure as rich as possible an experience for all involved.
Your Itinerary
Day 1: Lijiang
Meeting in Lijiang (2400m), we’ll hold an initial orientation with the group before setting you loose to explore Lijiang. In many ways the capital of the Naxi minority, and despite being afflicted by the somewhat crass “authenticity” drive so popular amongst Yunnan local governments, Lijiang remains one of the gems of SW China. An intriguing and beautiful old town - ancient canal system, thriving central market, traditional architecture, with abundant cafes in the centre.
Hotel
(B)
Day 2: Zhongdian
Meeting our 4WDs in the morning, now the trip really kicks off, with an early start and a full day’s drive that climbs 1,000 metres via Tiger Leaping Gorge, then winding through the foothills of Haba Mountain (Yunnan’s 3rd highest at 5396m) before cresting onto the edge of the Tibetan plateau, where landscape is suddenly dotted with the distinctive adobe Tibetan houses, barley racks and stupas. Zhongdian (3344m) - now optimistically renamed Shangri-La - is home of the magnificent Songzanlin Gompa. This sprawling and, in historical terms, very key monastery was commissioned in the 17c by the 5th Dalai Lama, and was the central monastery in the Gelukpa order’s south-eastern expansion. Evening options to consider are dinner at a neighbourhood DIY grill house, and a soak under the stars at the Natural Bridge hot springs.
4WD / Hotel
(B) (L)
Day 3: Deqin
After 2 hours trail reaches Benzilan, on the banks of the Yangtze, facing Sichuan on the opposite side. A Tibetan village, for centuries another important stop on the old trading route into Tibet. Makes for a good lunch stop/tea break. Between here and Deqin are a couple of monasteries - Dongzhulin and Shusong (a nunnery - a much rarer animal indeed). Both sub-monasteries of the huge Songzanlin in Zhongdian, both remote but active teaching gompas. The road climbs to heights of 4500m , skirting the edge of the Baima Nature Reserve, before reaching Deqin (3480m) - the last stop before the TAR. It’s worth a walk around, and a fantastic hot pot to be had here.
4WD / Hotel
(B) (L)
Day 4: Yanjing (Tsakhalho)
From Deqin road follows Mekong upstream into the TAR, skirting lower reaches of Kawa Karpo (Meilixueshan) mountain range. Its highest peak, Kagebo (6740m), is held very sacred by Tibetans. Cross a 3550m pass before reaching Yanjing (3109m). Set above Mekong, known for its salt pans, hot springs and Catholic church.
4WD / Camp or Hotel
(B) (L)
Day 5: Mangkang (Gartok)
Road leaves the Mekong to climb to Hung La (3550m). Excellent views along the way. Mangkang (3890m) is set on an expansive grass meadow, at a point where the Yunnan-Tibet ‘highway’ joins up with the Sichuan-Tibet highway.
4WD / Camp or Hotel
(B) (L)
Day 6: Zuogong (Wamda)
We’ll pass a small, recently renovated monastery, before the road descends to the upper reaches of the Mekong. Cross 2 major passes (3908m and 5008m), on a clear day the second offering views of Mt. Dungri Karpo (6090m) - part of the Kawa Karpo range - before reaching Zuogong (3780m), the county capital, overlooking the Yu-chu river and surrounded by forests. Tsawa Sangkaling (Gelukpa) founded as part of the area’s conversion to the Gelukpa school.
4WD / Camp or Hotel
(B) (L)
Day 7: Basu (Pasho)
Trail runs through rolling grasslands along the Yu-chu valley. In village of Tiantuo we’ll pass a small monastery which, along with Songzanlin, one of the 13 Gelukpa monasteries founded in the 17c in Kham’s far south-eastern corner. A bit further along, passing another Gelukpa monastery, trail slowly ascends to Gama La (4618m), then drops down 180 hairpin bends, crosses the Salween where landscape changes to alpine forests to the county capital of Basu (2600m).
4WD / Camp or Hotel
(B)
Day 8: Ranwu (Rawok)
Road runs south-west along Ling-chu valley, passing Rangbu Gompa before cresting at Ngajuk La (4468m) - watershed of the Salween and Brahmaputra rivers - where scenery around Ranwu (3500m) is once again lush alpine forests. Ranwu is set in pristine surroundings, located on the north shore of Rawok Lake, surrounded by glaciers and high mountains.
4WD / Camp or Hotel
(B) (L)
Day 9: Bomi (Tramog)
A very scenic stretch of road through country well known for its terma - treasure ‘texts’ hidden in time of Guru Rinpoche. The county capital of Bomi (2743m) is set deep in the forested gorge of Parlung Tsangpo, with views of Jiabawa peak.
4WD / Camp or Hotel
(B) (L)
Day 10: Linzhi (Nyangtri)
Descending from Serkhyim La (4515m), and crossing over the Parlung Tsangpo, trail follows upper course of Brahmaputra, landscape now virgin rain forests, to small jungle settlement where the Yi’ong Tsangpo and Parlung Tsangpo rivers converge. Trail ascends to cross several 5000m passes, view excellent. Just south of road into Linzhi is Mount Bönri (4671m), highest of 3 sacred Bön peaks on the north bank of Brahmaputra, which ranks along with Kailash as the most sacred pilgrimage peak of the Bön religion. Linzhi (3000m) is the old county capital, now a small town on the bank of Nyang-chu, set below Mt. Bönri in truly magnificent settings - primeval forests, plateau lakes, high mountains and deep fertile valleys.
4WD / Camp or Hotel
(B) (L)
Day 11: Basong Lake (Draksum Tso)
Road joins the Drak-chu river, which we’ll follow to its source, sacred Draksum Tso (Basong Lake) - especially sacred for Nyingmapa order - is surrounded by forest and soaring white-capped mountains. Huge Tibetan tents on its shores provide lodging. There’s a small 17c gompa on the island in the lake. Otherwise, time to sit on the shores and admire!
4WD / Camp
(B) (L)
Day 12: Gongbujiangda (Ngapo Zampa)
From the lake head back to the main road, following the Nyang-chu to reach Gongbujiangda (3200m), the county capital, a smallish town where the Dechen Gompa is located, as well as some meditation caves in hills above town.
4WD / Camp or Hotel
(B) (L)
Day 13: Lhasa
Today will cross the watershed pass of Mi La (4930), the last major one before Lhasa. Mozhugongka is the county capital, set at the confluence of the Kyi-chu and Meldrophu-chu rivers. Continuing on, the trail follows the Kyi-chu to the turnoff for Ganden Gompa - first and foremost monastery of the Gelukpa order, founded 1409 by Gelukpa founder Tsongkhapa. Back to the main road, our trail continues following the Kyi-chu all the way to Lhasa (3658m), en route passing scattered gompas here and there.
4WD / Hotel
(B) (L)
Day 14: Lhasa
Briefly, the major sites include Jokhang Gompa - houses famous image of Shakyamuni (that tradition has it was brought to Tibet by Princess Wencheng, thus considered most sacred temple in Tibet); Ramache Temple; Barkhor street (it’s the inner pilgrimage circuit surrounding Jokhang, with hundreds of market stalls); Norbulingka Palace (Dalai Lama's former summer residence); Potala Palace (Dalai Lama's former principal residence); Chakpori (Medicine Mountain); Sera Gompa and Drepung Gompa (along with Ganden, these are Lhasa's 3 big monasteries); Tsurphu Gompa; Nechung Gompa.
Hotel
(B)
Day 15: Namu Cuo (Namtso Chukmo)
Heading north away from the delights of Lhasa to delights unknown, at the truck-stop town of Dangxiong we’ll make a detour north-west, passing the Jangra Gompa (Gelukpa) set high above the road, and crossing Lhachen La (5150) before eventually reaching the town of Tashidor - the hermitage caves here are rumoured to have been used by Guru Rinpoche and his consort, and are still used today by Nyingmapa and Kagyüpa devotees - on the shores of Namtso Chukmo (Namu Cuo), Tibet’s biggest lake (4718m), with clear views of the Niangqian Tanghula mountain (7162m) - considered the son of the lake - in a wide open grassland. We’ll be spending the night here. Held very sacred by Tibetans, every year thousands of pilgrims come to do a kora around its perimeter. For bird lovers, there’s a nearby bird sanctuary.
4WD / Camp or Hotel
(B) (L)
Day 16: Naqu (Nakchu)
Back to the main road, our first pass is Zangzhung La (4727m) - watershed between Brahmaputra and Salween rivers - and the trail heads into the more barren Jangtang region. The large city of Naqu (4507m) looms large out of its wilderness setting, and receives a lot of traffic by way of its position on the Lhasa-Xining highway. It’s a booming transit-stop city - ktv, brothels, tea houses. Its population exploding as people descend upon town for work building the Golmud-Lhasa railway. Every summer Nakchu plays host to one of the biggest horse festivals in Tibet. In town are a Nyingmapa and Gelukpa gompa, and Xiaodeng Gompa (Bön) - biggest of the area.
4WD / Camp or Hotel
(B) (L)
Day 17: Baqing (Tartang)
Today’s drive crosses 3 major passes - Langlu La (4300m), Jakhyung La (4700m) and Shara La (4744m) - driving through the barren landscape of the Sok region. The county capital Suoxian is home to Tsanden Gompa (Gelukpa), built by Mongols in the 17c. In the old Tibetan quarter is a 12c Nyingmapa temple, destroyed by the very same people who built the Gelukpa temple, though it’s since been restored. Another small stretch brings us to Baqing, also host to a large horse festival, befitting its roots as the centre of the Horjyad nomads.
4WD / Camp or Hotel
(B) (L)
Day 18: Dingqing (Tengchen)
Cross the major pass of Chak La (4502m) before the trail drops down to Rongbu, set at the base of the 6000m Pugyel Gangri snow range on the banks of a Salween tributary. Monasteries around town belong to the Nyingmapa and Gelukpa, a pattern common throughout this area. The trail then climbs up to the spectacular views of Shel La (4830m). As dusk closes in we’ll arrive in the farming valley where Dingqing (3750m) straddles the river, the old Tibetan quarters on one side facing the new town on the other bank. A couple of Bön gompas in the area.
4WD / Camp or Hotel
(B) (L)
Day 19: Leiwuqi Zhen (Riwoche)
Today our trail leaves the barren plateau, passing through a gorge into forested landscape. We'll pass village where Zezhol Gompa is located – the biggest Bön gompa in Kham. Just west of the county capital Leiwuqi (not much to see here, unless you’re a trucker) we’ll turn north to Riwoche (3600m), home to the famed Tsuklakhung Gompa, founded 13c by the Taklung Kagyüpa sub-order. A huge affair that once was home to upwards of 2000 monks, it’s long captured the imaginations of hard core gompa stompers, but owing to red tape (in the way of permits) and bad roads, has long remained unseen by outsiders. In a remote valley here are the recently ‘discovered’ Riwoche Horse, possible a survivor from the Stone Age, just over a metre high.
4WD / Camp or Hotel
(B) (L)
Day 20: Nangqian (Sharda)
Our trail today is really getting off the beaten path, as we head further into the unexplored areas near the Qinghai-TAR border. A morning’s stretch brings us to Chakzamka (Jiasangka) township where we cross the Dzi-chu river and then another hop to Chichu in Drukpa Kagyü country, located on the TAR-Qinghai border. From here to Treltsa our trail takes us across three 4000m passes, before arriving in the little market town of Nangqian, capital of this area, set alongside the upper Mekong.
4WD / Camp or Hotel
(B) (L)
Day 21: Yushu
A long day on the road (where we might need to use that spare day if the roads and weather don’t behave!), seeing some fantastic out-of-the-way sites in route to the hopping city of Yushu. Rather than heading due north for Qinghai, we’ll veer east along a rough road, crossing the nail-biting Yigu La (5000m) before descending to the Tsi-chu river valley to reach the remote 15c Surmang Namgyal-tse, largest of the Surmang gompas with upwards of 700 monks based here. It’s a major Karma Kagyüpa gompa, and suffered heavily at the hands of Gushri Khan’s Mongols, bent on converting the whole of Tibet to the Gelukpa school. Largely destroyed, over the years it’s being gradually renovated. Just north of Surmang Namgyal-tse, the road forks and we’ll take the eastern path to Dordu Gon (Sakyapa). Shortly beyond this (and if we’re making good time!) we’ll try to take the detour south to visit Surmang Dutsi-til, another 15c Karma Kagyüpa gompa with a long history, also heavily destroyed so but a shadow of its former self, it’s also undergoing reconstruction. Again hitting the road, now heading north towards Qinghai through stunning landscape of deep valleys and high mountains, the road rises to cross Gela Pass into the drier landscape north of it, before reaching the site of the very old (14c) Benchen Gompa (Karma Kagyüpa), which has also recently undergone renovation. About half an hour before Yushu is Wencheng Temple.
4WD / Hotel
(B) (L)
Day 22: Yushu
A day to rest up in Yushu (3700m) - providing the roads just travelled haven’t used it up!. The biggest town we’ll have come across in a while, there’s plenty of street life to entertain oneself, and even a few internet cafes. Jyekundo Gompa (Sakyapa) sits on a hill behind town.
4WD / Hotel
(B)
Day 23: Huashixia
Leaving Yushu, our trail soon leaves the gorge country of Kham, created by the 3 rivers – the Yangtze, the Mekong and the Salween – which flow off the plateau in close proximity. Shortly out of town is Gyanak Mani - a football field-sized pile of mani stones which must surely be the largest such mani dui from here to Lhasa. An early lunch in the tiny hamlet of Xiewu, with perhaps a visit to the Sakyapa gompa which overlooks town. Our trail then is soon leaving Kham and crossing into the vast rolling plateaus of Amdo Tibet, birthplace of many of the Dalai Lamas and an area strong in Mongol influence. It’s a great road dotted by yaks and the black-haired yak tents of the Golok nomads, amid vast rolling plateaus surrounded by distant mountains The road climbs steeply to Drubgyuling Gompa, well worth a visit, with hundreds of young student lamas. Sightings of the Asiatic wild ass (kiang) and the Tibetan Gazelle relatively common around here. Further on, as the unmistakable profile of Machen Gangri (6282m) - the highest peak of the Amnye Machen (Magyel Pomra) range, held sacred by all schools of Tibetan Buddhism as well as by Golok nomads and followers of Bön - begins to loom above the horizon, we’ll have reached this night’s destination. The nearby town of Huashixia is a one-yak truck stop providing only the most basic of accommodation, so we might decide to camp within sight of the solitary peak of Machen Gangri.
4WD / Camp
(B) (L)
Day 24: Xining
An early start for the long haul north over the high grasslands to the major metropolis of Xining. A high remote road (generally over 4000m) through empty land populated only by the Golok people, offering vast views, small towns, and the ubiquitous Muslim Hui restaurant. Closer to Xining we’ll try to pay a visit to Kumbum Gompa, famous and revered as the site where Tsongkhapa (founder of the Gelukpa order) was born. Rather museum-like and touristy compared with what we’ve seen so far, it’s interesting for a visit if just to note the contrast. The city of Xining dates back to early Qing dynasty, when it was established to serve as imperial China’s administrative seat for this region. Today’s it’s still a major hub, and a place where comfortable beds and hot showers are in abundance.
4WD / Hotel
(B) (L)
Day 25: (spare day)
On a trail of this length, over roads like these, we find it’s advisable to allow an extra day for unforseeables, or simply to allow extra rest time. This is it - though by the time we get to Chengdu, it’ll be long used!
(B) (L)
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Prices:
- £2160 (4-5 people)
- £1990 (7-9 people)
Included:
* All domestic flights;
* Travel by 4WD, permits;
* Accommodation (hotels, guesthouse & camping);
* All breakfast and food while on the road or trekking (though not in Towns);
* Experienced trip leader;
* Pre-trip preparation and group collaboration.
- To sign up for the trip an initial deposit of 20% must be paid.
- The balance of the payment must be made 6 weeks before departure.
- A 5% discount is available for those that pay 3 months in advance.
Also see tour packages in:
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China
Tibet
Cultural Journey
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