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.
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.

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 - 07 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.