Amdo and Kham Overland

The heartlands of Kham feature ranges of snow mountains, virgin forests, verdant grasslands, and ancient tribes of Tibetan warriors. Travel to a distant Khampa town where an enormous pile of stone carvings featuring Buddhist prayers draws pilgrims from all over the plateau. watch traditional scripture printing at the parkhang, and taste traditional food in the fortress-like homes of the Gyarong tribe.

The heartlands of Kham feature ranges of snow mountains, virgin forests, verdant grasslands, and ancient tribes of Tibetan warriors. On this trip, visit remote monasteries and fields of blooming flowers along the shores of turquoise lakes. Travel to a distant Khampa town where an enormous pile of stone carvings featuring Buddhist prayers draws pilgrims from all over the plateau. Barter with nomads in the local market, watch traditional scripture printing at the parkhang, and taste traditional food in the fortress-like homes of the Gyarong Tibetans.


Highlights
• Qinghai Lake, the biggest lake in Tibet Plateau
• Holy Mountain Amnye Machen Range and Glacier
• Holy Lakes Jyarang & Ngorang lakes
• World’s largest Mani stone piles
• Derge traditional Tibetan printing house
• Mountain meditation caves
• Dzongsar authentic Tibetan skills and Kham culture
• Ancient Monasteries, virgin forests, snow capped mountains
• Gyarong authentic Tibetan stone houses and great towers


Details
• 17-day trip begins in Xining, China, and ends in Chengdu, China
• 15 nights in hotels and guesthouses
• Average altitude of 3300 meters
• Highest pass during this trip is over 5000 meters

Day 1: Arrival in Xinning

Xining is the capital city of Qinghai province. We will pick you up from Xining airport or train station and transfer to your hotel. Stay overnight in Xining.

Day 2: Xining -- Qinghai Lake - Chapcha 210kms / 4HRS

1: Vast grasslands and Tibet nomads

2: Visit Qinghai Lake (Largest salty lake in Tibet)

3: Stay overnight in Chabcha

Day 3: Chapcha -- Mt. Amnye Machen -- Maduo county 470km /7 HRS

1: Vast grasslands and Tibet nomads

2: Holy Mountain Amnye Machen range

3: Amnye Machen Glaciers

4: Thousands lakes of Maduo grasslands

Day 4: Maduo --Tso Jyarang & Ngorang Lakes 200kms / 4 HRS

1: There is very good chance to see wild animals (Wild donkeys, wild yaks and wolve)

2: Holy lakes Tso Jyarang & Ngorang Lakes

3: Small Tibet monastery and amazing Stupa

Day 5: Maduo --Jyekundo (Yushu) 340kms / 6HRS

1: High passes and Tibet nomads

2: Vast grasslands and high passes

3:Shuwu town and monasteries

4: Great Rivers and Holy mountains

5: Stay overnight in Yushu

Day 6: Jyekundo (Yushu)

1: World's largest Mani stone piles

2: Kham Tibetan people and Culture

3: Nambar Nangzan Temple ( Built in 7 century) and colorful prayer flags

4: Jyekundo monastery and its surrounding areas

5: Stay overnight in Yushu

Day 7: Jyekundo -- Sershul 130kms /

1:Zachuka Tibet nomads and grasslands

2: Sershul monastery and hundreds of monks

3: Sershul Mani stone pile (World's longest Mani stone)

4: Stay overnight in Sershul

Day 8: Sershul -- Dzogchen monastery 170kms / 4HRS

1: Tibet nomads and grasslands filled with yaks

2: Dzogchen monastery with snow capped mountains

3: Meditation Caves and Glaciers

4: Nunnery and holy lakes

5:Stay overnight in Dzogchen monastery

Day 9: Dzogchen monastery

1: Visit the Dzogchen monastery and meet the master

2: Hike up to the Dzochen valley and waterfall

3: Visit meditation caves and holy lakes

4: Snowy peaked mountains and glaciers

5: Stay overnight in Dzogchen monastery

10: Dzochen monastery -- Manigango - Yilhun Lhatso - Derge 220kms / 5HRS

1: Manigango nomads and grasslands

2: Holy lake Yilhun Lhatso and Snowy peak mountains

3: Derge Tro-la pass and snow capped Tro-la mountain range (5050m)

4: Traditional Tibetan villages and Kham culture

5, Famous Tibet Derge printing house and Thousands of wood blocks

6: Stay overnight in Derge.

Day 11: Derge -- Dzosar monastery 120kms / 3 HRS

1: Visit Derge monastery

2:Visit Palpang monastery and meditation caves

3: Visit Dzosar monastery and its amazing Tibetan handy craft  

4: Stay overnight in Dzosar monastery

Day 12: Dzosar - Pelyul - Yachen Gar 210kms / 5HRS

1: Drive along Zachu River

2: Visit Pelyul monastery

3:Yachen Gar (The second largest monastery in Tibet)

4: Visit goyis in Yachen Gar and thousands of nuns

5: Stay overnigt in Yachen gar

Day 13: Yachen Gar - Garze 130kms / 3HRS

1: Beautiful road scenery and high passes

2: Local Tibetan nomads and holy lakes

3: Visit Garze monastery

4:Visit Garze Tibet market

5: Snowy peaked mountains and Tibetan villages

6: Overnight in Garze

Day 14: Garze - Drago county – Danba Zhonglu village 340kms / 6 HRS

1: Beautiful road scenery

2: Grassy hills and Tibetan villages

3: Holy Zara Mountain and Tibetan stone houses

4: Gyarong Tibet culture and great towers

5: Hike in authentic Tibetan villages

6: Stay overnight in Zhonglu village

Day 15: Danba Zhonglu ( Day hike to Sokpo village)

1: Amazing day hike to Sokpo village and beautiful high pass

2: Deep gorges and forest

3: Tibetan villages and stone houses

4: Traditional Tibet houses and towers

5: Visit Sokpo Village to see the towers

6:Stay overnight in Zhonglu village

Day 16; Danba Zhonglu -- Four Maiden's mountains -- Chengdu

1: Four Maiden's mountains

2: High pass and grassy hills

3: Chengdu (The capital city of Sichuan province)

4: End your photography tour in Amdo and Kham

Day 17: Departure from Chengdu

Fly back to your home country

Map coming soon...