Tibet tours - Caravan trails from Kham to Lhasa

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Caravan trails from Kham to Lhasa - 21 or 28 days

Our journey across the heart of Kham to Lhasa , the “ Holy City ” follows ancient mule caravan trade routes. Starting at Dartsedo, our gateway & border post with China , we skirt our way along the Sichuan-Tibet Highway through mountainous terrain & river valleys to the historical towns of Tawu, Kanze, Dege & Chamdo.

A epic journey through the heartland of Kham to the holy city of Lhasa

From Chamdo we follow the southern route via Kongpo region & the Yarlung Tsangpo Valley to Lhasa , the Forbidden City. We visit all the important monasteries in Kham belonging to different schools of Tibetan Buddhism including the sacred Katok Monastery of Nyingmapa School believed to have been miraculously built by Guru Rinpoche in early 8th century.

The journey is rugged & the facilities en route basic.

Day 1: Chengdu
You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel, where we will have a short briefing over spicy Sichuan food ringing with spices.

Day 2: Kangding, 368 kms, 2500 m
Drive 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 border post with China . Visit Dorjee Drak monastery (a branch of the Dorjee Drak Monastery in Lhasa ), Lhamo Tshering monastery & Naqchu Gompa (a branch of the Drepung Loseling monastery).

Day 3: Tawu, 3040 m, 8 hrs
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 observation point beyond the Gompa you can see the 3 sacred mountains (Rigsum Gompo), to the south over the river.

Day 4: Lithang
Heading South then west, the road climbs into the mountains and valleys to the dryer grasslands of Lithang. At 4100 m 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 Kagyu rulers of the Kingdom of Dege, 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 colored by its roots as a trading post for the Khampa nomads that populate the high plains.

Day 5: Lithang excursions
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 romantic 6th Dalai Lama who highlighted it in a visionary poem he wrote close to his death.

Day 6: Xinlung (Nyarong)
After breakfast we drive in a northerly direction through forested valleys of the 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 chieftain Gompo Namgyal who rebelled against Lhasa to form his own empire in eastern Tibet in the 19th century.

Day 7: Ganze (Kanze), 3310 m, 180 kms
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 8: 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 9: 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: 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: Chamdo, 3240 m, 230 kms
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 clusters of prayer flags blowing in the wind on the peaks and friendly nomads waving at us from the grasslands.

Day 12: 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: Ranwu, 3850 m, 98 kms
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: Bome, 3000 m, 129 kms
Stay in a local guesthouse.

Day 15: Bayi, 3000 m, 160 kms
Wake up with an unobstructed view of the majestic Namche Barwa peak. After a long drive, you arrive in Bayi, the capital town of Linzhi Prefecture.

Day 16: Namshan, 3150 m, 260 kms
Today you will drive along the Yarlung Tsangpo River . Stay in a local guesthouse.

Day 17: Tsedang, 3500 m, 240 kms
Visit Yumbulakhang, the earliest palace of Tibet, which was built on the top of a hill beside Tsedang.

Day 18: Lhasa , 3650 m
En route visit Mindroling Monastery.

Day 19 & 20: Lhasa
We will have two full days in Lhasa to make excursions to the following places:

The Jokhang
The Jokhang is the principal and holiest Buddhist temple in Lhasa , as well as all of Tibet . It is the focus of devotion of hundreds of Tibetans from near and far who circle it to gain spiritual merit. The Jokhang was first constructed in the 7th century and has a large gold image of Sakyamuni Buddha.

Sera and Drepung
Sera monastery, founded in 1419, is a monastery of the Gelugpa order. Its many white buildings sit at the base of a rocky hill. Gilded, bell-shaped gyamtschens grace the roofs of many of the larger buildings.

Drepung used to have 8,000 monks who were taught in the traditions of Vajrayana, Mahayana, and Sutrayana, the three vehicles of Tibetan Buddhism.

Potala Palace
The 13-story Potala Palace is reputed to contain 1,000 rooms and hundreds upon hundreds of brilliant thangkas, frescoes, and images built in an era when religious art was created anonymously as a means of gaining merit for future lives. It's one of the world's most extraordinary buildings and completely covers the mountain it stands upon.

Day 21: Fly to Kathmandu / Chengdu / Beijing or continue via overland to Nepal

Day 22: Lhasa-Gyantse, 3990 m, 350 kms
Drive via Yamdrok, the Turquoise Lake to Gyantse across Kampa la pass, 5050 m & Karo la 5045 m passes. Visit Kubum stupa & Pelkor Chode monastery.

Day 23: Gyantse – Shalu – Shigatse, 3860 m, 90 kms
Drive to Shigatse. En route visit Shalu monastery. Visit Tashilunpo monastery, the seat of Panchen Lama who is the 2nd in the Buddhist religious hierarchy & Shigatse market.

Day 24: Shigatse – Sakya – Tingri, 4350 m
Drive to Tingri across Tsou la pass, 4500 m & Gyatso la pass, 5220 m. En route visit Sakya monastery.

Day 25: Tingri – Rongbuk, 5050 m
Drive via Pang la pass, 5200 m to Rongbuk monastery, world’s highest monastery situated at 5200 m.

Day 26: Everest Base Camp
We have the option to hike or drive to Everest Base Camp.

Day 27: Nyalam
After watching sunrise over Everest, we drive on to Nyalam.

Day 28: Nyalam – Zhangmu - Kathmandu
Drive to Zhangmu & on to Kathmandu . En route visit Milarepa Cave . We descend from the high arid Tibetan plateau into the lush greenery of Nepal.

Tour code / Name

Tour cost

Caravan trails from Kham to Lhasa

US$ per person

Single room supplement

US$ per person

Airfare extra

Lhasa - Kathmandu
Lhasa - Chengdu
Lhasa - Beijing

US$ 369 per person
US$ 254 per person
US$ per person

Note: All tour costs based on twin share basis. Individual (single) travel is also possible. Please contact us for details and costs.

Departures: private tour