![[China Hiking Adventures Logo]](chilogo.gif)
Tibet Hiking Tour
"This trip may only last for 15 days, but the experience of Tibetan culture and memories of beautiful mountain scenery will last for a lifetime."
This land-only trip starts and ends in Beijing. What follows is a brief description of the activities for each day of the tour. For more details, please do not hesitate to contact us using the e-mail link on the navigation bar at the bottom of the page.
*** Important Notice ***
( You will hike from GanDan Monastery to SamYe Monastery,
but each time along the way there may be minor adjustments
of our hiking route as posted in our website without notice
due to weather conditions, geographical problems such as landslide,
physical condition of majority group members and other reasons.)
About Tour Operator Tony
click here
Tibetan King Songtsan Gambo and Princess WenCheng
click here
Bring a pair of hiking sandals to cross the streams
About Tibetan culture
click here
About Tibetan Buddhism
click here
In Tibet we shall start in Lhasa, the holy capital of Tibet, where we will explore its monasteries and temples under the guidance of our experts. We will then continue our journey to a sacred mountain for a five-days hike. We will take part in prayer ceremonies, visit the homes of local Tibetans and discuss religious customs throughout the trip. By experiencing the wonders and part of the spiritual challenges experienced by Tibet's pilgrims, we may gain an understanding of why Tibetans draw an equal sign between religion and life.
Daily Itinerary:
(All hiking durations mentioned here are based on hiking speed of four kilometers per hour)
This is our regular Itinerary but it may change due to weather or any Unforeseeable situation.
Day 1 Depart Vancouver
The main group will depart Vancouver or any city in North America.
Day 2 Arrive Beijing and depart by train to Lhasa : in Train transit
Arrive Beijing airport in the afternoon. You have to take a taxi on your own from Beijing airport to our hotel in Beijing. You will be given the name and address of our hotel in Beijing. You will meet the tour group for the first time at dinner table in the evening. Then, we will go to railway station and depart by train to Lhasa.
Group first dinner meeting
For all participants, you must arrive Beijing in this afternoon.
The group will depart Beijing to Lhasa by train in the evening.
Train T27 will start from Beijing West Railway Station at 21:30.
Arrive at Lhasa Railway Station at 20:58 on the third day
after 47 hours and 28 minutes' running.
Day 3 and Day 4 To Lhasa by train and Acclimatisation : in Train Transit
Arrive at Lhasa Railway Station at 20:58 on Day 4 (after 47 hours and 28 minutes' running). Lhasa is situated at an elevation of 3650 meters.
The most luxury and high-tech Qinghai-Tibet Railway
click here
...3 stars hotel
...Restaurant of hotel
Lhasa : Lhasa, the heart and soul of Tibet, is a city of wonders, depite the large-scale encroachments of Chinese influence. As you enter the Kyi Chu valley, your first hint that Lhasa is close at hand is the sight of the Potala. It is a sight that has heralded the marvels of the holy city to travellers for close to four centuries.
Day 5 Lhasa. Sightseeing : hotel
Visit Museum of Tibet, which is a world class institution, with all the history and artifacts of Tibet. Visit the Jokhang Temple the most sacred and oldest temple in Tibet The walk around is called the Bakhor, a must for all pilgrims, it is also a famous bazaar for Tibetan handicrafts and antiques.
...Tibet Museum
In the afternoon, we visit the Jokhang Temple the most sacred and oldest temple in Tibet The walk around it is called the Bakhor and a must for all pilgrims, it is also a famous bazaar for Tibetan handicrafts and antiques.
Jokhang Temple : It is the most revered religious structure in Tibet. Although little remains of its 7th century origins and most of the sculptures that adorn its interior postdate the Cultural Revolution, the Jokhang bustling with worshippers and redolent with mystery, is an unrivalled Tibetan experience. Princess Wencheng is said to have chosen the site of the Jokhang, and just to be difficult she chose Lake Wothang. Over the centuries, the Jokhang has undergone many renovations, but the basic layout is ancient and differs from many other Tibetan religious structures-one crucial difference is the east-west orientation of the building, said to face towards Nepal to honour Queen Bhrikuti.
Jokhang Monastery is always busy
Buddha statue, in Jokhang Monastery today, brought into Tibet by Princess WenCheng of Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618 - 907 )
Barkhor Area : Barkhor, Lhasa's pilgrimage circuit, a quadrangle of streets that old buildings adjoining it. It is an area unrivalled in Tibet for its fascinating combination of deep religiosity and push-and-shove market economics. This is both the spiritual heart of the holy city and the main commercial district.
...Barkhor street looking up to Potala
...Monk walking clockwise on Barkhor street
Day 6 Sightseeing : hotel
In the morning, visit the Potala Palace, one of the miracles in the world. This huge structure is the former home of the Dalai Lama.
Potala : The Potala is Lhasa's cardinal landmark and a structure that deserves a place as one of the wonders of eastern architecture. It looks best from a distance and it can be viewed and photographed from various places around town. The Potala is a structure of massive proportions, an awe-inspiring place to explore, but still many visitors come away slightly disappointed. Unlike the Jokhang, which huns with activity, the Potala lies dormant like a huge museum. Your first sight of the Potala will be a magical moment that you will remember for a long time. It's hard to take your eyes off the place.
...Potala Palace
After returning to the city for the lunch we will go to the Norbulingka, the former summer places of the Dalai Lama. Surrounded by lush green garden, it is a favorite place for Tibetan people to celebrate their festivals.
Norbulingka : The Summer Palace of the Dalai Lamas. The gardens arepoorly tended and the palaces themselves are something of an anticlimax, especially as most rooms are currently closed to the public. This place is well worth a visit and the park is a great place to be at festival times and public holidays. During the 7th lunar month of every year the Norbulingka is crowded with picnickers for the Shotun festival.Traditional Tibetan opera performances are also held at this time.
Day 7 Lhasa. Sightseeing : hotel
Sightseeing tour of one of Tibet's the most important monasteries, Drepung, which is beautifully placed on a mountain 12km.outside Lhasa.
...Drepung Monastery
Drepung Monastery : About 8 km to the west of central Lhasa, Drepung was once the world's largest monastery, with a population of around 10,000 monks. The word Drepung literally translates as "rice heap", a reference to the huge numbers of white monastic buildings that once piled up on the hillside. The monastery was founded in 1416 by a charismatic monk and disciple of Tsongkhapa called Jamyang Choje. He was able to raise funds for the project quickly and within a year of completion the monastery already hosted a population of 2000 monks. By the time of the 5th Dalai Lama in the early 17th century, the number of resident monks was somewhere between 7000 and 10,000. Today there are around 600 monks in residentce.
...Buddha in Drepung Monastery
In the afternoon, We will visit Sera monastery, 5km outside Lhasa, where we can watch the Monks Debating. They do this in a very special way by making all kinds of gestures with their hands and arms.
Sera Monastery : The monasetry, around 5 km north of central Lhasa, was along with Drepung one of Lhasa's two great Gelugpa monasteries. Its once huge monastic population of about 5000 monks has now been reduced to several hundred, and building repairs are still continuing. The monastery is worth a visit, particularly from around 3.30 pm onwards when debating is usually held in the monastery's debating courtyard.
...cereomy in Monastery
...young lady at road side
Day 8 Lhasa to Ganden Monastery ( 52 km away from Lhasa ) : Camping
...hiking along with nomad family
...nomad campsite
An hour's drive out of Lhasa will take us to Gandan Monastery (3,800 m/12,467 ft), which was founded in 1409 by Je Tsongkapa, the founder of the Gelupka (Yellow Hat) sect. We'll visit the monastery and after lunch drive another hour to start our 4-hour hike. There will be yaks carring our belongings and supplies( tents, food and essentials). We will set up camp at 3:30 to 4:00 p.m.
....Gandan Monastery built in 1409
Gandan Monastery annual Buddhist ceremony
... yaks and herdsmen travel with us ..,
... nomad family camping ..,
Day 9 Hiking to a plateau : Camping
Today's hike is about 6 hours. We will reach a plateau, where we will set up camp near a beautiful lake. This is the land of unspoiled beauty, with crystal clear water in the lake. The nearest human residence will be the nomad families with their live stock.
...hiking to ruin
...enterring ruin site
...climbing to hill top
Day 10 Hiking to a vast flat plain: Camping
We will hike for 5 hours until we arrive at a pass (4,940 m/16,207 ft), which is located in a vast, flat plain where we will camp for the night. You will be impressed by the natural and stunning beauty of this landscape.
...temple at a distance
..nomad in a valley
...nomad campsite
Day 11 Hiking to Nyango Village via Yemalung. Camping.
41/2 or 51/2 hours trekking from flat plain to Nyango
village(3870 m) via Yamalung. Yamalung is a famous nunnery and if you
desire, you can climb to the top of this hill to visit this
nunnery.
Yamalung is a well-known pilgrimage site for Buddhists of the
Nyingmapa sect. Guru Rimpoche, the founder of this school of thought,
and his main disciple, Vairocana (the Tibetans call him "Berutsana"),
are said to have meditated here twelve centuries ago. This site is
particularly important because Guru Rimpoche also concealed religious
texts here, known as terma (hidden treasure), which were discovered
hundreds of years later. A new but rather sparse lhakhang has been
built over the cave used by Guru Rimpoche, though the small Ani Gompa
nearby still lies in ruins. Above the cave is the retreat of
Vairocan, and scattered around the cliffs are five or six other caves
used by various figures in Buddhist history.
...wonderful scenery on the way
...nomad family
...nomad milking yak
Day 12 Hiking: from Nyango Village to SamYe Monastery. Stay at SamYe Monastery
The trek to Samye Monastery will take a total of 4 hours.
Walking through a forest and a small village, the trail becomes
increasingly barren as we approach the monastery.
We will visit SamYe Monastery
...hiking long distance to this temple
...young monk musician
...Samye Monastery
Samye Monastery : Samye, in the middle of the sandy Samye valley and approached via a beautiful river crossing, is deservedly the most popular destination for tourists and has a magic about it that makes many travellers stay longer than they had intended.The monastery is Tibet's very first monastery and has a history that spans over 1200 years. It was founded in the reign of King Trisong Detsen, though the exact date is unknown and subject to some debate-probably between 765 and 780. The original building is no longer intact due to destruction caused by wars and natural disasters, but the monastery has been rebuilt each time and still remains the symbol of Tibet's national identity. Its main building is a three-story tower with an interior influenced by Tibetan, Han and Indian styles. Whatever the case, Samye represents the Tibetan state's first effort to allow the Buddhist faith to set down roots in the country.
...ceremony opera
...annual Buddha Birthday ceremony
...lighting candles
...Samye Monastery
...mural in Samye Monastery depicting the beginning stage of Tibetan
Buddhism
Day 13 Hiking : Depart SamYe early in the
morning by car to TseTang.
Stay in hotel of TseTang
...view from hill top
...old lady
...ceremony dancing
Day 14 Go to airport for departure to Beijing : hotel
In the morning we may have just enough time to visit the First
Palace in Tibet.
It already the end of our tour and in the afternoon we will be transferred to Gangkar airport to catch the flight to Beijing.
...GangKar airport
Day 15 Depart China from Beijing airport
While in Beijing, in the morning you just have enogh time to do
some shopping.
We will be transfered to the Beijing airport and fly home.
Better Your Health, join QiGong Study Tour
click here
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to e-mail us using the e-mail link on the Navigation Bar below. To see some letters from past tour members, please look at our References page. For more details about the tour package, including what is included,please see our Details page.
Geography of our
hiking tour
...Regions of our visit and activities
About Tour Operator Tony
click here
Modern Tibetan Woman Artists Work on Display
click here
Photos from
hikers in the past
(click for photos)
Great Wall of China
Trip
Home
Page /
Overview/
Itinerary
/
References/
Details
/
Registration/
E-mail
Copyright © 2006 China Hiking Adventures Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The information in this communication is subject to change without notice. China Hiking Adventures Inc. will NOT be held liable for any inaccuracies in the information not maintained by China Hiking Adventures Inc. (such as a linked site).