| DAY
.1 |
Chengdu |
|
We
will meet you at the airport in Chengdu. The afternoon is left open
for you to either take a rest or stroll around the city to buy souvenirs
or necessities. Chengdu is a prosperous and lively metropolis famous
for its delicious spicy food and attractive tea houses. |
| DAY
.2 |
Chengdu
to Lhasa |
| |
The
2-hour flight, which glides over the snow capped peaks of the Himalayas,
is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful flights in the world. We
will arrive at Gongga airport at around 11:00am, and drive for 1.5
hours to reach downtown Lhasa. Starting from this drive, you are already
thrown deep into a culture which is unknown to most people. Situated
at 3,700 m(12,136 ft), Lhasa and surroundings may appear slightly
barren, except for the trees lining the roadside. We will spend the
afternoon resting and adjusting to the high altitude.
|
| DAY
.3 |
Lhasa |
| |
We
will have a full day in this mystical capital exploring the Potala
Palace, Jokhang (Dazhao)Temple and Norbulingka, the Summer Palace
of the Dalai Lama. |
| DAY
.4 |
Lhasa
to Gyantse(Jiangzi) |
| |
The
road to Gyantse meanders down through the Kyichu Valley to Yarlong
Tsampa (Brahmaputra)River before climbing over Khama La Pass at 4,900
m(16,076 ft).We will stop to take a breath in this majestic topography
- the serene turquoise lake of Yamdrok Tso with a backdrop of snow-topped
mountains. Before reaching Gyantse, we will make one more ascent over
Karo La at 5,200 m(17,060 ft). |
| DAY
.5 |
Gyantse
to Shigatse(Rikaze) |
| |
Here
we will soak up the old-world atmosphere of Tibetan rural life. For
centuries, this town has dominated the wool and timber trade routes
from Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan.We will explore the 14-15th century
fortress and temples, most notably the Gyantse Kumbum, the Stupa of
100,000 Deities, which is one of Tibet's most famous architectural
achievements. In the afternoon we will head to Shigatse. |
| DAY
.6 |
Shigatse |
| |
Shigatse
is pleasantly covered in trees, a view which is quite rare in Tibet.
The city is divided into two parts - the charming old town retaining
old Tibetan homes lining the narrow streets, and the newer commercial
district with department stores and karakoke bars. We will take the
whole day to tour around the grand Tashilhunpo Monastery, which was
founded by Pachen Lama I in 1447 and remains the center of the Shigatse's
community. |
| DAY
.7 |
Shigatse
to Lhaze(Lazi) |
| |
We
will leave Shigatse in the morning for Lhaze. |
| DAY
.8 |
Lhaze
to Saga |
| |
From
Lhaze onwards, we will be driving on rugged roads. Saga, meaning 'Happy
Land', is situated along the Tsangpo River in a region criscrossed
by the upper Brahmaputra and its tributaries. The land becomes rugged,
the air thinner and the sky endless and impossibly blue.
|
| DAY
.9 |
Saga
to Paryang(Payang) |
| |
Another
day's driving will take us to Paryang in the heart of western Tibet,
where the four great rivers of South Asia diverge from their glacial
sources around Mount Kailash. During the rainy season, the roads to
Paryang are likely to be washed out by floods, in which case we may
need to drive the truck through a 30 cm(11.7 inches)deep stream. |
| DAY
.10 |
Paryang
to Darchen(Taqing) |
| |
In
the higher altitudes you would be able to enjoy an uninterrupted view
of the Himalayas bordering India and Nepal. |
| DAY
.11 |
Darchen |
| |
Darchen,
situated at 4,000 meters(13,123 ft), is the starting point of the
route around Mt. Kailas. The town itself may trigger mixed feelings
- you may encounter the fascinating sight of pilgrims camping by the
town, cooking and washing to prepare for their journey to Mt. Kailas
Kora, while the inspiring view of beer bottles, left by tourists who
have finished the trek, is likely to bring you back to reality. We
will have an early start this day to begin our 3-day trek in Mt. Kailash. |
| DAY
.12-13 |
Mt. Kailash |
| |
The
highest pass of the hike is at 5,600 meters(18,373 ft), an altitude
at which walking can become quite a demanding task. We will move at
a slow pace and take plenty of breaks along the way. Back at Darchen,
we will get into our car and drive to Lake Manasorovar to camp for
the night. |
| DAY
.14 |
Lake
Manasarovar |
| |
We
will camp another night at this sacred lake. We will take a walk up
to the Chiu Monastery, located atop a cliff, to enjoy the spectacular
view of the lake. |
| DAY
14-16 |
Zhanda(Zhada) |
| |
We
will spend a day driving to Zhanda, a small town situated deep in
a valley. The drive itself offers a breathtaking view of sand-rock
formations shaping the deep valley. We will spend another day in the
area to visit the ruins of the Guge Kingdom, which ruled western Tibet
300 years ago. |
| DAY
17-20 |
Zhanda
to Lhasa |
| |
We
will return to Lhasa by retracing the original route we took, stopping
on the way to play frisbee in the grasslands with Tibetan children
or photographing golden haired yaks grazing in the sunset.
Lhasa to Chengdu |
| DAY
21 |
Departure |
| |
Trip
ends |
