Trekking in Tibet

Trekking in Tibetan Areas

Central Tibet Treks

Ganden to Samye Monastery

Day 1 Pick up from train station and transfer to Hotel
Day 2 Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor
Day 3 Sera Monastery and Norbulingka
Day 4 Drive to Ganden
After a visit to the monastery, continue to the trailhead and begin our trek.
Day 5 Trek
Hike up to the head of the Gyama Valley at 15,800’, on a trail dotted with roses and rhododendron, opening to a carpet of wildflowers in a bowl surrounded by 18,000-foot peaks.
Day 6 Trek
Hike up out of the bowl crossing the pass at Tseb La (17,150’). After crossing a broad valley and another pass (16,400’), descend to our camp beside the Khampa Lha Chu at 15,840'.
Day7 Rest Day
Rest day or optional exploration of the high watershed between the Kyichu Chu and Zangpo Chu; hike up to a 17,500-foot peak for a 360 degree view of the mountains and lush valleys, or visit a nomadic families dwelling in their yak wool tents by a nearby alpine lake.
Day 8 Trek
Descend along the Samye River to historical Yamalung Lhakhang temple, and take tea with the nuns who care for this shrine.
Day 9 Trek
We continue our descent approaching the golden spires of Samye Monastery, the first monastery in Tibet.
Day 10 Rest Day
Rest day, with options to visit Samye Monastery, explore the meditation caves at Chimpuk, and shrines in the surrounding hillsides and overnight in Samye
Day 11 Drive back to Lhasa
Driver will come to pick the Client from lhasa to Samye then drive to Tsedang in Yarlung Valley, Visit the Yumbumlhagang palace and Tradruk monastery and drive back to lhasa
Day 12 Lhasa drive to Train station or Airport

Yangpachen to Tsurphu Monastery

Day 1 Pick up from train station and transfer to Hotel
Day 2 Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor
Day 3 Sera Monastery and Norbulingka
Day 4 Lhasa/Tsurphu Monastery
Driving from Lhasa to Tsurphu Monastery, takes about 2 hours, and the altitude will ascend to 4480m. This day is for acclimatizing and visiting Tsurphu Monastery. Overnight at Tsurphu monastery.
Day 5 Tsurphu Monastery / Leten, trekking 4 hours, 11km
A spectacular first day of trekking up a green valley crisscrossed with mountain streams. Be on the look out for various species of mountain goats. Several small nomadic communities camp here for the summer herding months, and you may have a stop into a yak-hair tent for a cup of salt butter tea or some fresh yak milk! Crest the ridge top four hours later, emerging onto a high plateau with a scattering of rock-enclosed huts, and look for a flat area for camping. From day one, the scenery is breathtaking, classic Tibetan beauty.
Day 6 Leten / Bartso, trekking 5-6 hours, 15km
Have your first small pass, the Damchen Nyingtri, bear to the left at the cairns at the crest, and descend into a magical valley of lichen-coated boulders, meandering streams and expansive, powder-blue sky. Three hours later, you will cross the Lasar La and descend into the Yangpachen valley, with its wide open plateaus, spiky grass hummocks and tundra-like parched, cracked patches of earth, and head towards Bartso. The views of Brize (translated as female yak herder) and Tarze (horse keeper) are superb, and you will feel safe in the care of the local mountain god, Nyenchen Tanglha. Camp near Bartso, a drokpa (nomad) village of five or six houses, surrounded by the juniper used for incense all over the Tibetan world.
Day 7 Bartso/Dorje Ling Nunnery, Trekking 4 hours, 15km
Leaving the village of Bartso behind, head towards a wide trail leading across the valley and over another ridge, from where you will be rewarded with views of Nyenchen Tanghlha (7111m), the holiest mountain in central Tibet. Emerge at Tajung village, and then climb gently up rolling hills where young nomadic boys and girls picnic on the plateaus as they watch their yaks and sheep graze. The vistas are, again, just amazing! Mid-day, you should reach the small Djore Ling Ani Gompa (nunnery), near which you will set up camp. It is possible that these nuns, some of the friendliest in Tibet, will drag you into the gompa’s tea-house and pass around a heaping plate of yak meat (use the bowie knife provided to hack a piece off) before getting into the photo session.
Day 8 Dorje Ling Nunnery/Yangpachen Monastery and Hotsprings/Lhasa, trekking 4 hours, 14km
Today walking for three or four hours, following the ox-bow Nyango Chu River snaking its way through the grassy valley, and head for Yangpachen Gompa. This old Kagyupa monastery, with Tibetan mastiffs keeping guard, overlooks part of the Trans-Himalaya range. Your Landcruiser will wait for at monastery, taking you to the hot springs at Yangbachen, then drive back to Lhasa.
Day 9 Transfer to airport or train station

Kharta Valley (Everest east Kangsun Face Trek)

Day 1 Pick up from train station and transfer to Hotel
Day 2 Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor
Day 3 Sera Monastery and Norbulingka
Day 4 Drive to Gyantse
Drive to Gyantse 260km(3950) via Yamdraktso Lake and Mt. Nyecheng Gangsang, it is the third biggest Tibetan town in Central Tibet.
Day 5 Drive to Shigatse(3900m)
The home of the Panchen Lamas built by the first Dalai Lama, Gedhun Dhup in 1447. The main statue is future buddha (in Tibetan Gyalwa Champa) and it is the one of the biggest gold or copper statue inside the building on the world.
Day 6 Drive to Shegar(4500m)
Drive to Shegar 240km far away from Shigatse and 100km from Mount Everest
Day 7 Drive to Kharta
Drive to Kharta village and arrange yaks
Day 8 Drive to Yueba
Drive to Yueba Camp
Day 9 Trek
Start trek -Yueba to Shawutso 7hrs
Day 10 Trek
Shawutso / Choksam Camp 6hrs
Day 11 Trek
Choksam / Thansam Camp 4hrs
Day 12 Trek
Thansam-Pathang Camp 4hrs
Day 13 Trek
Pathang / Wokpa Camp 3hrs
Day 14 Trek
Wokpa / Pathang Ringmo Camp 4hrs
Day 15 Trek
Pathang Ringmo / Kunshong Base Camp (The best view of Mt.Everest and Mt.Lhotse Camp 5hrs
Day 16 Trek
Kunshong Basecamp / Wokpa Camp 6hrs
Day 17 Trek
Wokpa / Shuramtso Camp 6hrs
Day 18 Trek
Shuramtso / Kharta Puk Camp 7hrs
Day 19 Trek
Kharta Puk / Yueba Camp 6hrs Kharta
Day 20 Kharta Sheger
Day 21 Sheger drive to Shigatse and to Lhasa
Day 22 Lhasa Transfer to Airport or Train station

Old Tingri to Everest Basecamp and back to Lhasa

Old Tingri to Everest Basecamp and to Nepal border

Day 1 Pick up from train station and transfer to your hotel
Day 2 Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor
Day 3 Sera Monastery and Norbulingka
Day 04 Lhasa/Gyantse/Shigatse, 390km
Drive to Gyantse, along the Kyichu River. On the Ganba La (4,796 m) have a fantastic view of the Yamdrok Lake (4441 m). Visit Gyantse Dzong, Pelkor Monastery and Kumbum Stupa. Then continue to drive to Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet and also the hometown of Panchen Lama.
Day 5 Shigatse/ Old Tingri, 310 km
In the morning drive to Old Tingri (4350 m.) over Tso-La (4500m) and Gyatso-La (5252m). On the way, if the time is permitting, make an excursion to visit the Sakya Monastery (4280 m). In the afternoon arrive in Old Tingri.
Day 6 Trekking from Old Tingri to Lungchang Overnight in Tented Camps
Start trek along Ra Chu stream to beyond Choling and Lungchang villages (4350 m).
Day 7 Trekking from Lungchang to Drokpa Overnight in Tented Camps
Continue trek to Drokpa (4860 m) encampment below Lamna La.
Day 8 Trekking from Drokpa to Draka Chu Overnight in Tented Camps
Cross over Lamna La (5075 m) to Draka Chu River (4730 m).
Day 9 Trekking from Draka Chu to Rongbuk Overnight in Tented Camps
Trek up Draka Chu River to Rongbuk Monastery (5030 m). With an altitude of 5,030 meters it is the highest monastery in the world. It is said that the Rongbuk Monastery had been built as early as the time of the Fifth Dalai Lama. Enjoy the close up views of Mt. Everest.
Day 10 Rongbuk/Zhangmu, 260 km
Drive early morning to Zhangmu passing over the 5,000m. high Nyalmo Tong La, which is decorated with multicolored prayer flags fluttering in the wind. With clear views of Shisha Pangma and Mt. Everest appears on one side and on the other side the enormous Gaurisankar ranges stretch forward in the distance. Drive over the Thang-La Pass (5214 m) to Nyalam. Visit the meditation cave of Milarepa. Milarepa, the yogi, has played an important role in the religious life of Tibet and his teachings still influence the people everywhere. Along the zigzag road we drive down Nyalam (3600 m) gradually and leave the landscape of the high plateau behind us and see the Himalayas covered in the sea of clouds before reaching Zhangmu. Zhangmu is one of the most busiest town in Tibet being a border town and a trade route between India / Nepal and Tibet.

Amdo Tibet Treks

Amnye Machin Trek

Day 03 Drive 250 km to Trika.
On the way, visit Kumbum Monastery.
Day 04 Drive 380 km to Tawo
The capital of the Tibetan region of Golok.
Day 05 -12 Trekking around Mt. Amnye Machen.
The first 2 days of trekking is along the Halong-Chu River (the biggest river on the mountain), and Yonkhok-Chu River. These two rivers are surrounded by primitive bushes and grasslands. You may meet some nomads in tents along the way.
Day 05 Drive to Chuwarn and cross Ynima Pass
where you will get the first view of the mountain. Meet up with the local horses and yaks at Tasnak Somdu. This is the starting point of the Kora (circumambulation) when trekking the route clockwise. Trek about 15 km (6 hours) along the Yonkhor-Chu River to Langri. Yongkhor-Chu River is the place where the monks and traditional Tibetan medical practitioners receive blessings from Naga (water god) after collecting herbs. You will often see the monks by the river doing their medical prayers. Continue trekking past some nomadic houses set among sparse juniper woods in the surrounding hills. Average altitude: 4,100 m. Camp for the night.
Day 06 Trekking for about 24 km (8 hours).
Pass the entrance to the Halong Langri-chu valley. Pass Tamchok Gongkha La Pass(4,600 m), the highest pass on this trek. Average altitude: 4,400 m. Camp for the night. From day 07 to day 08 you'll be trekking in the meadows along the riverside. Most of the time you can see the snow-capped Mt. Amnye Machen.
Day 07 Trekking for 20 km (7 hours) to the rock formation valley of Mowatowa.
Average altitude: 4,300 m. Camp for the night.
Day 08 Trekking for 22 km (8 hours) to Deleni.
Visit meditation caves and the variegated cliffs of Goku Chenmo, which is said to mark the entrance to the "palace" of the protector Machen Pomra. Average altitude: 4,300 m. Camp for the night.
Day 09 Trekking for 14 km (6 hours) to Jomolangra.
Follow the gorge of he Qushian River. Visit Dolma Gur-Chu Spring and the spur where king of Ling Gesar was said to tie his horse. Average altitude: 4,300 m. Camp for the night. You will spend the last 3 days of the trek along the side of the River Drakdar, which is to the NW of Mt. Amnye Machen. You can see some bushes along the way. Eventually you come near the edge of a glacier.
Day 10 Trekking for about 15 km (6 hours) to Jiashinongke.
On the way, visit Guri Gonpa, a branch of Dzongchen and Dodrub Chode of the Nyingma school. Average altitude: 4,200 m. Camp for the night.
Day 11 Trekking for 18 km (6 hours)to Chablong.
On the way, enjoy the view of the grasslands and primitive bushes. Average altitude: 4,300 m. Camp for the night.
Day 12 Trekking for about 22 km (8 hours) to Halong-Chu Valley.
Pass the Drakdar Pass (4,700m), viewing the scenery of Rikhar Tongshang Glacier. Average altitude: 4,450 m. Camp for the night.
Day 13 Meet the driver in the Halong-Chu Valley.
Drive 18 km to Chorten Karpo (White Pogoda) at Chumarna. Sightseeing of the valley. In the afternoon arrive in Tawu. Stay in Xueshan Hotel.
Day 14 Drive 380 km to Trika Town.
Enjoy the landscape of the Yellow River Valley, the second longest river in China. Visit Rabgya Monastery which lies on the bank of the Yellow River. It is an important branch of Sera monastery, founded at the advice of the 7th Dalai Lama in 1769. Stay in Hot Spring Hotel.
Day 15 Drive 250 km to Xining.
Sightseeing in Xining.

Our Trips

Central Tibet

Amdo Tibet

Kham Tibet

Photo Tours

Nomad Trips

Day Trips from Xining