OLA01 Explorewestchina Trans Kham Sichuan-Tibet on Southern Route Overland Adventure 13 Days Tour

Drive to Kangding along Chengdu-Ya’an Express Way, enjoy the rural scenery in western Sichuan Plain. After Ya’an, the famous Rainy City, we entry the mountain area of the eastern end of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau; drive along the Qingyijiang valley; cross through the 4.1 km long tunnel of Mt. Erlang Shan; have a stopover to visit Luding Iron Chain Bridge over the Dadu River. Late in the afternoon arrive in Dartsedo (Kangding), the historic gateway to Kham and Tibet.

We drive on the zigzag road up to the mountain chain of Hengduanshan (Mt. Blocks), which extends from the north to the south. Looking out the window of your car, from where the snow mountains, glaciers and high land lakes form a charmful picture in your eyes. First we cross the 4298 m high beautiful Zheduo Mountain, then to the Paradise of the photographers— Xinduqiao. After short photo break we driving on, to the city Yajiang and enter the Yalong river ravine, then up to the pass of beautiful Jianziwan (4658 m), in the afternoon arrival in the orld highland city ” Litang (4014 m) which is the homeland 7th Dalai Lama. Upon arrival, we visit Changqingchunke’er Monastery (also admits as Litang monastery) in the western suburb. The Litang Monastery, developed by the 3.th Dalai Lama in the year 1580, today, become the largest monastery of the Gelukpa Sect in south Kham. In the first week of August (01. ?07. August) each year takes place the large Horse Racing Festival in Litang. During the horse festival time we can only stay in simple guesthouse unfortunately, the better hotels or guesthouses were for the officials and actors.

In the morning we break at the beautiful Haizi (4700 m) Mountain which is quite opening. The topography of the beautiful Haizi mountain is quite complicated. In this area one investigates the geological structure and the formation of the glaciers. Innumerable lakes are scattered here. On the way we even make an excursion to the Cuopu lake, at the foot of the holy Zhajinjiabo Mountain that is in the valley between the beautiful Hengduan Mountain and Shaluli Mountain. The Cuopo lake famous for the first holy lake in Kham? It has a size of 0,4 square kilometers, 2 – 4 meters deep. Then, we drive to the city Batang (2589 m), cross the Golden Sand River (Jinsha Jiang, upper reaches of the Yangtze). In the evening we reach Markam, the first city of Tibet on our overland journey. In Markam the Sichuan-Tibet Highway (Chengdu – Lhasa) and Yunnan-Tibet Highway meet (Kunming – Lhasa).

Heading for Zuogong (3980 m). On the way we cross the Lancang Jiang (Mekong) and overcome three passes: Joba, Lawu (4358 m) and Dongda (5008m).

Drive upstream to Bangda, a town junction where Lhasa connects to the Chamdo-Kunming Highway. The Yu-chu valley lies north of the Salween gorges in the highlands of Tsawagang, where the immense geographic spatial dimensions of the land dwarf our presence. While distance covered is less than 100 km and probably half that by the way the crow flies, the terrain is steep, as defined by the 180 switchbacks we will conquer when we cross Gama La Pass at an altitude of 4,618 meters.

On the road to Bome, we will stop in Ranwu to cast our lines in the pristine waters of Ngan Tso (Ranwu Lake), a spectacularly crystal blue lake cupped by snow peaks. After our lunch of freshly caught fish, we will wander along the Poto-chu Valley at Tramog (2,743 m), located deep in the thickly forested gorge of Parlung Tsangpo with glacial waterfalls streaming from the mountainsides.

We will go down several hundred meters in altitude as we reach the lowland jungle settlement of Tongmai where the Tsangpo and Parlung Tsangpo rivers meet. Crossing Serkhyem La Pass (4,515 m) we will have spectacular views of Mount Gyala Pelri (7,150 m) and Mount Namchak Barwa (7,782 m). Late in the afternoon arrive in Nyingchi (Nyingtri, Linzhi).

The garrison site Nyingchi is an ideal place for the discovery of two neighbouring high points: From the golden roof of the Gelugpa monastery Buchu to view the unique scenery of the Lamaling temple which is only a few kilometers runway. After lunch we drive to the Basum Tso Lake.

More than 6000 m high snow covered mountains make the lake film like, well, the leading actor is, without doubt, is the island monastery – Tsodzong. We take a boat travel around the island and up to the Tsodzong monastery on it. In the afternoon we drive on along the Niyang river for Lhasa. Afterwards we pass through scenic terrain with lush alpine forests and clear snow-melted streams and over the impressing Mi La pass (4865 m) to Lhasa. Late in the afternoon arrive in Lhasa (3650 m), capital of Tibet Autonomous Region. The city is situated on the bank of the Kyichu River and has long been the ”Holy Land” of Tibet.

In the morning visit Potala, which was originally constructed in 637 by Songtsen Gampo, the first king of the united Tibet, and later expanded and served as the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas as well as the religious-political nexus of traditional Tibet. The crowds of pilgrims, innumerable magnificent murals, Buddhist statues, scriptures and rare treasures altogether creative a dense religious and art atmosphere that impresses every visitor. In the afternoon visit Jokhang monastery, the center of the Tibetan Buddhism and the sacred land of Buddhist followers where thousands of pilgrims come for worship everyday. The temple, built in 647, is the earliest wood-and-masonry structure still existing in Tibet. Walk on the Barkhor street surrounding Jokhang, a big free market with its prolific stalls for selling local specialties.

In the morning visit Drepung monastery the sacred land of Gelug Sect., which was established in 1416 and the second, third and fourth Dalai Lama once resided in. In the afternoon visit Sera monastery, which was created in 1419 and has always been an important Buddhist seminary. As rose are planted everywhere in the monastery, it is also called the court of wild rose? Today still 200 lamas live in there.

In the morning transfer to Gongga airport (65 km), fly to Chengdu.