Tibet Ganden Samye treks

16 Days
Tibet
2
Strenuous
  • Trip Code: Ganden Samye treks
  • Trip Type: Trekking
  • Max. Altitude: 5500m
  • Travel Mode: Surface/Air

Tibet is one of the most exciting places on Earth for trekking. The high altitude is a challenge for some people and for some it is a passion. The Tibetan topography with rugged terrain provides a different hiking experience. The moonlike landscape and the unique culture take the walk to a different level.  This eighty Kilometers of trekking takes you through the barley fields, nomadic pastureland, and small Tibetan settlements welcoming people with great sense of hospitality.

Overview
Trip Code Ganden Samye treks
Trip Duration 16 Days
Trip Type Trekking
Trip Grade Strenuous
Min Group Size 2
Max Altitude 5500m
Trip Start Kathmandu
Trip End Kathmandu
Best Season April-Nov
Transportaion Surface/Air
Meals All meals during the trekking & Rest of the part on Bed and Breakfast basis
Acommodation Lodges/Hotels/Tented camp
Itinerary

On arrival in Kathmandu Airport, you would be met and received by our representative & transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, proceed for a city tour of Kathmandu visiting Durbar Square, a complex of palaces, courtyard and temples, built between the 12th and 18th centuries, used to be the seat of the ancient Malla kings of Kathmandu. In the afternoon visit the Swoyambunath Stupa and Patan City. Swoyambhunath Stupa, atop the hillock is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal enlisted in the World Heritage Site. Patan City is an enchanting melange of palace buildings, artistic courtyard and former palace complex. One remarkable monument here is a 16th century temple dedicated to the Hindu God Lord Krishna, built entirely of stone.

After breakfast proceeds for the sightseeing of Pashupatinath temple,Boudhanath Stapa & Bhaktapur Durbar square. After breakfast proceed for city tour of Kathmandu visiting Pashupatinath and Boudhanath. Pashupatinath Temple is situated 5 km east of Kathmandu, the temple of Lord Shiva, Pathupatinath with two tierd golden roof and silver doors is considered one of the holiest shrines of Hindus. The stupa of Boudhanath lies 8kms east of Kathmandu. This ancient colossal stupa is one of the biggest in the world and the center of Buddhism in the world. It was listed in the UNESCO Heritage Monument in 1979. After lunch we visit Bhatapur, the city of devotees. This town delivers sightseeing of medieval settlement with a number of cultural and historical squares, traditional skyscraper architectures and so on. Ancient Dattatraya temple, five storied Nyatapola temple, Pottery Square and of course, historical Durbar squareare the eye-catching highlights of the town.

After a two and half hours flight we will arrive in Gongar Airport and half an hour drive from there we will reach Lhasa.

After breakfast we will visit the Potala palace, the Palace of the Dalai Lama. This architectural masterpiece is the symbol of unity of the Tibetans. This palace was built by King Soongtsan Gampo, who was married to Princess Wen Cheng Tang in 641 A.D. It has 999 houses built on Hongshan Hill with a red building on top. It is one of the grandest Palaces in the world till date. After lunch we will drive towards the Jokhang Temple, the most sacred temple for Tibetan Buddhists. After spending some time at the Jokhang temple we will walk through Barkhor Street, a traditional old street in Lhasa.

We will start sightseeing today from Norbulingka – the summer palace of the Dalai Lama, located along the Kyichu River and two kilometers west of the Potala Palace. This Palace has a huge garden covering 360,000 square meters, making it the biggest man made garden in Tibet. It has got 374 rooms. The second site is Drepung Monastery, made by Chojey Tashi Palden in the 14th Century. It had four departments, of which Loseling, or “The Hermitage of the Radiant Mind,” was the largest, housing more than three quarters of Drepung’s ten to fifteen thousand monks. Now it is one of Tibet’s premier monastic educational institutions

The last site for today is Sera Monastery, built in 1419; this grand Monastery was home to more than 5,000 monks and five monastic colleges. Although much less active now, with only several hundred monks currently in residence, one of the most interesting times to visit the monastery is in the afternoon when monks, after finishing their morning scripture classes, can be seen debating in the courtyard.

We start driving along the bank of the Kyi Chu River towards Medro Gongkar, towards Ganden. We will drive past the Tibet University after crossing the Lhasa East Bridge and arrive at the Ganden Monastery after one hour of drive.

We will spend a day acclimatizing at Ganden Monastery today. This beautiful Monastery is the first and most important of the Gelugpa sect and has remained the main seat of this major Buddhist order ever since. Of all the other monasteries in Tibet, it is Ganden that has suffered the most at the hands of the red guards. We will explore the small settlements and Rest.

After breakfast we will leave Ganden and walk to Angor RI. We will climb up for one and half hours and descend west for some time to reach the Hepu village. After a brief rest we walk for another one hours until we reach Ani Panong from where we will start the ascent towards Yama Do, our overnight destination.

Today is an exciting day as we walk past the highest point of the trek Shug La, 5250 m from sea level. The pass is distinctively marked with its large cairn wrapped in prayer flags and yak horns. After a brief stop at the pass to savor the grand vistas you make a sharp descent walking past a boulder field. The trail eventually opens into the valley. Up ahead in the distance the trail crosses the Tsotup Chu, a large stream with rich pastures of yaks, goats and sheep. You encounter several herders on the way. After trekking for 4-5 hours, you reach the Tsotup Chu Valley. .

After breakfast we will leave the Tsotup Chu Valley we cross the Tsotup Chu stream and walk further and complete a 30 minutes ascent to a large basin the trail further opens into the valley progressing south to the Chitu La at 5100 meters capped with several cairns. On the way we will see many herders with their cattle and Yaks. After walking for around 4 hours past streams, settlements and Mani walls and chortens we will reach the herder’s camp for overnight stay.

The journey today starts through the scrub forest, juniper bushes and rhododendron trees on the shadier slopes. After walking for some time we reached Changtang village, where you can see more animals than people. Further walking we can see the Yarlung Tsangpo valley towards the south. You can ascend steeply up to Yamalung Hermitage for 1 hour. But if you choose not to climb this ascent, you can simply wait near the bridge. Ancient history has it that Guru Rin Poche, after rigorous meditation attained spiritual enlightenment with the blessings from the deity of Amitayus (Tibetan: Tsepame) at Yamalung (also called Emalung). This hermitage houses small temples which shelters monks, sacred springs and stone carvings of 8th Guru RinPoche, King Trisong Detsen and Indian pundit Shantarakshita. Stone houses come into sight after walking for one hour to the village of Nyango. The trail overlooks the tributary streams cascading from the north-west to join the Samye valley. The old trade route from Lhasa to Samye via the Gokar La follows this valley. The trail further proceeds towards Wango. You further head towards Pisha.

We will continue on the winding trail across the ridge of Dragmar towards the Samye, where a palace, partially rebuilt, is on the summit. AS per the historians this was the birthplace of King Trisong Detsen.Further off the road, you will find a small red and white temple which is believed to have been built under the shade of white sandalwood tree and nourished by the buried placenta of King Trisong in the ancient time but was chopped off during Cultural Revolution. After walking past the Sangbu village and a couple of small settlements we will reach Samye in one hour.

We will explore the surrounding of the Yarlung valley, the valley of Tombs. Our day starts after the visit to Samye monastery after which we will drive to Tsedang, the third largest city in central Tibet. Some significant monuments in the Yarlung valley include Tandruk Monastery, a 7th century monastery, which holds a fantastic wood carved altar, interesting relics and murals. Yumbu Lhakhang, the castle perched dramatically on a pinnacle above the valley is the oldest known dwelling in Tibet, reputedly the home of the Yarlung Kings.

We will drive to the Gongar Airport and after a two and half hours flight we will arrive in Kathmandu Airport.

After Breakfast transfer to the airport for your next destination.

Service Includes/Excludes

For the price please write us an email: info@nectravels.com

Trip Cost Include:

» Accommodation as per program on bed and breakfast basis, Trekking section in full board
» Transportation by 1 unit land cruiser
» All necessary permits
» 1 English-speaking Tibetan guide
» All monuments entrance fee
» Airport pick up and drop
All camping equipments

 

Trip Cost Exclude:
» Airfares and airport tax
» China visa
» Lunch and dinner not mentioned above
» Tips, drinks and expense due to nature
» Tibet Visa fee

 

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