Day
to Day Itinerary |
| Day
- 01 |
CHENGDU Arrive in Chengdu.
You will be met at the airport and transferred to a 4 star hotel,
where we will have a short briefing over spicy Sichuan food
ringing with spices. |
| Day
- 02 |
CHENGDU-KANGDING
(368 KMS),
2500MDrive from Chengdu to Kangding (Dartsedo). Once outside
the Sichuan basin, we will begin to climb the mountain roads
of the Erlang Mountains. Kangding (Dartsedo) is a fairly large
city tucked within a river valley & was the traditional
Tibet's borderpost with China. Visit Dorje Drak Monastery(a
branch of the Dorje Drak Monastery in Lhasa), Lhamo Tsering
Monastery & Ngachu Gompa (a branch of the Drepung Loseling
Monastery). |
| Day
- 03 |
KANGDING - TAWU
(8 HRS, 3040 M)
Daofu or Tawu(in Tibetan) is a small town situated in a narrow
basin along the Zhe-chu river. As you approach the town you
will see a huge chorten & an immense 10 m-sq pile of mani
prayer stones nearby. Nyitso Gompa, is an important Gelukpa
Monastery. At an abservation point beyond the gompa you can
see the 3 sacred mountains (Rigsum Gompo), to the south over
the river. |
| Day
- 04 |
Drive to Litang
Heading South then west, the road climbs into the mountains
and valleys to the dryer grasslands of Lithang. At 4100m Litang
is one of the highest towns in the world, set on a broad grassland
with Lithang Gompa overlooking the town which attests to the
powerful sway of Buddhism in the region. Litang itself has played
a central part in the region, from its days as an independent
Kingdom, allied with Kagyü rulers of the Kingdom of Dêrge,
through its absorption by the great Gelukpa expansion east in
the 16th, 17th & 18th centuries. As with Ganzi further north,
it’s a market town and administrative centre, heavily
coloured by its roots as a trading post for the Khampa nomads
that populate the high plains. |
| Day
- 05 |
Lithang Cultural
Tour Visit the historical Lithang monastery, the Banyak grasslands
and also the birthplace of the 7th Dalai Lama. Lithang is deeply
religious and closely connected with various Dalai Lamas including
the romatic 6th Dalai Lama who highlighted it in a visionary
poem he wrote close to his death. |
| Day
- 06 - |
Drive to Xinlung (Nyarong)After
breakfast a day’s drive in a northerly direction through
forested valleys of Yalung river before we get to Xinlung a
historical stronghold of the Nyingma sect and the pre-buddhist
Bon tradition. It's also known for the Kham chieftan Gompo Namgyal
who rebelled against Lhasa to form his own empire in Eastern
Tibet in the 19th century. |
| Day
- 06 |
TAWU - GANZE
(KANZE) (180 KMS, 3310 M)
Kanze is a small riverside trading town & the largest in
the area. On the northern side of the town is the Kanze Gompa
spread over a hill commanding a fine view of the snow mountains
& the Kanze town. |
| Day
- 08 |
GANZE - BAIYU
(PELYUL), 190 KMS
Pelyul, situated on the eastern side of the Dri-chu that flows
between Sichuan Province & the TAR, is the power base of
the Nyingmapa order of Tibetan Buddhism in Kham region. Important
monasteries to visit here are - Pelyul Gompa built in the 17t
century by the king of Derge & Katok Gompa. Also popularly
known as Katok Dorjeden Gompa, the seat of this original monastery
has been miraculously laid by Guru Rinpoche in the early 8th
century at the time of the construction of Samye Monastery.
|
| Day
- 09 |
PELYUL - DEGE
(3220 M, 190 KMS)
Dege, is the cultural center of Eastern Tibet. Here we visit
Dege Gonchen Monastery founded in 1448 & belongs to the
Sakyapa order of Tibetan Buddhism. Also visit the famous Dege
Parkhang where Tibetan Buddhist sutras are printed. |
| Day
- 10 |
DEGE - JOMDA (120
KMS
)After exploring the town of Dege in the morning we continue
our journey. We stop at the small town of Jomda. |
| Day
- 11 |
JOMDA - CHAMDO (230
KMS, 3240 M)
Drive from Jomda to Chamdo. Reaching the end of the day would
seem like a mighty feat as we will be crossing over no less
than four passes - Khargang La (4,352 m/14278 ft), Lashi La
(4,450 m/14600 ft), Jape La (4,680 m/15354 ft), and Tama La
(4,511 m/14800 ft), with clutters of prayer flags waving in
the wind on the peaks and friendly nomads waving at us from
the grasslands. Stay in a 3 star hotel in Chamdo. |
| Day
- 12 |
CHAMDO Relax in Chamdo.
Straddling the Mekong river, Chamdo possesses a rich history
as one of the earliest centers of the Tibetan plateau and home
to Kalden Jampaling, the great monastery founded between 1436-44
and developed through the centuries by successive incarnations.
While the original monastery was destroyed in 1912 by the Chinese,
it was rebuilt when the Tibetan army seized Chamdo in 1917.
We will spend the day stretching our legs, exploring the monastery
and shopping in Tromzikhang, an open-air market where colorfully
dressed Tibetans pawn their wares and antique goods. |
| Day - 13 |
Drive to RANWU (3850m,98km).
The drive to Ranwu is through alpine forest landscapes. You
cross the Salween River on the way, before arriving at Ranwu,
located on the shore of the blue Ngom Tso (lake), dramatically
girded by snow peaks. After ascending the Anjula pass, we explore
the lake and overnight at guest house. |
| Day - 14 |
Drive to BOME
(3000m,129km).
Stay in a local guesthouse. |
| Day
- 15 |
Drive to BAYI
(3000m,160km).
Wake up with an unobstructed view of the majestic Namcha Barwa
peak. After a long drive, you arrive in Bayi, the capital town
of Linzhi Prefecture. Overnight in a guesthouse. |
| Day - 16 |
Drive to NAMSHAN
(3150m,260km).
Today you will drive along the Yarlung Tsangpo River. Stay in
a local guesthouse. |
| Day - 17 |
Drive to TSETANG
(3500m,240km).
Visit Yumbulagkang, the earliest palace of Tibet, which was
built on the top of a hill beside Tsetang. O/N Hotel. |
| Day - 18 |
Drive to LHASA
en route visit Mindroling Monastery/ Last dinner in Lhasa, O/N
hotel. |
| Day - 19
-20 |
LHASA Sightseeing
tour of Lhasa |
| Day - 21 |
Fly Kathmandu / Chengdu. |
