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Trek Tibet
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Itinerary
Day 1
Depart London
Overnight flight from London to Chengdu via Beijing.
Day 2
Arrive Chengdu
Evening arrival in Chengdu where we overnight
Day 3
Chengdu - Lhasa
Early morning flight from Chengdu to Gonggar. Transfer to Lhasa the capital city of Tibet. At an altitude of 3650m it is one of the highest cities in the world. Three full days in Lhasa to acclimatise to the altitude. As Tibet’s political, religious and cultural centre it is a fascinating place. Afternoon free to explore and start acclimatising.
Day 4
Lhasa
This morning there is an optional tour of Potala Palace which dominates the city. In the afternoon there is an optional visit to Sera Monastery. After looking round the monastery we witness the famous debating practice of the monks in the debating courtyard.
Day 5
Lhasa
Morning optional tour of the 7th Century Jokhang Temple, the holiest shrine in Tibet. This is followed by a tour through Barkhor Market in the old Tibetan part of town. It is a maze of narrow cobbled streets filled with market stalls selling a wide variety of souvenirs. After lunch the rest of the day is free for shopping, preparing for the trek and resting. Tonight after dinner we hear more about the challenge ahead.
Overnight at hotel in Lhasa (3650m).
Day 6
Lhasa – Ganden – Yama Do
6 hours approx.
Transfer to the Ganden Monastery one of the 3 great Gelupka religious centres in the Lhasa area. After a brief visit we start with a short but challenging climb to the highest point of the day (4500m) marked with prayer shawls. The panorama from here is stunning with the monastery as a backdrop, high peaks behind and the river and valley below. From this viewpoint we descend along a mountain ridge towards the south.We then descend towards the village of Hepu where locals tend herds of yaks and grow barley. We arrive at the campsite in Yama Do (4250m) shortly after passing Hepu. It is well situated beside a river at the foot of the Zhukar-La Pass. This evening we spend our first night under canvas.
Trek Altitude: 3650m – 4500m – 4250m
Day 7
Yama Do – Tsotup Chu Valley
7 – 12 hours approximately depending on the effects of altitude
Today we trek to Kotdi, a small feudal village under the tutelage of Ghanerao with similar culture and heritage.
Day 8
Tsotup Chu Valley – Herders Camps
8 hours approx.
Another climb at altitude but not as difficult as yesterday. We set off alongside a stream towards the second and final pass of the trek – Chetur-La (5090m). We should reach it after 2 – 3 hours. The top is again marked with prayer shawls. Just before the pass is a glacial tarn and beyond the summit are three small lakes. We stop for lunch in this area. The descent is steep (although not dangerous) and after about an hour the scenery is stunning. The lower we descend, the more vegetation we encounter and soon we are under the tree line. En-route to the campsite we have to cross the river on several occasions. We also trek though numerous meadows of dense willow groves and rose bushes and are likely to pass seasonal herders camps. Our overnight camp is at an altitude of 4000m.
Trek Altitude: 4880m - 5090m – 4000m
Day 9
Herders Camps – Samye Monastery – Tsethang
6 hours approx.
Today we encounter some of the best scenery of the whole trek including a wide variety of trees and shrubs as the trail meanders through forest and fields. We pass the village of Emalung, famous for its historical cave hermitage which is visible high above the valley surrounded by prayer shawls. From Emalung locals offer tractor rides (5 or 6 people per carriage) to Samye which takes 1 – 1½ hours. It is at least 3 hours on foot. For those who choose to walk it is an interesting trail leading through some beautiful villages. The landscape is lush to start with although it becomes more barren and desert-like closer to Samye. The golden roof of the monastery comes into view long before we reach the finishing line (3540m). Samye is still one of the most imposing sights in Tibet and is a fitting place to celebrate the end of this epic challenge. We spend our final night in Tsethang, where we enjoy a celebratory meal.
Trek Altitude: 4000m - 3540m – 3550m
Overnight: Camp, 3550m
Day 10
Tsethang – Lhasa - Beijing
Transfer to Lhasa airport to take a flight to Beijing.
Day 11
Beijing - London
Return flight from Beijing to London.
