Tsurphu to Yangpachen Trek

Take a short flight to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, for an amazing panoramic view of some of the world’s highest mountain ranges.

Alternatively, take a train ride on the world’s highest railway for breathtaking landscapes and wild animal sightings as you pass through the mighty Thangula Mountain Range.

Upon arrival to Lhasa you will be greeted by your Tibetan guide and driver who will transfer to your hotel in Lhasa City. After checking in to your hotel, take the day to rest, acclimatize, and get to know your guides.

Transit Times:

• From the airport, travel 60 km to Lhasa (<1 hour on the new highway)
• From the train station, travel 25 km to Lhasa (30 minutes)

Attractions: Jokhang Temple, Bustling Barkhor Street, Sera Monastery

Today is the your first day on the high plateau and you may experience fatigue or have a headache. These symptoms are common for high altitude travelers. Taking it easy and drinking lots of water is highly recommended.

In the morning your guide will come to meet you at the hotel for a visit to Jokhang Temple in the center of the Lhasa’s Old City. The Jokhang Temple is one of the most scared temples in all of Tibet and is always bustling with pilgrims. Next, take a walk around Lhasa’s Barkhor, both a pilgrimage route as well as Lhasa’s central market street.

End your day with a visit to Sera Monastery, one of Lhasa’s biggest and most famous monasteries. Built in the fifteenth century by a disciple of the Buddhist reformer Tsongkapa, Sera is home to several hundred monks from different part of Tibet as well as several monastic colleges. Take a stroll on the grounds in the afternoon to see monks engaging in lively, philosophical Buddhist debate.

Return to your hotel to rest and acclimatize for the rest of the day.

• Trips: Lhasa City – Sera Monastery
• Meals: B

Attractions: Potala Palace and Drepung Monastery

Today we will visit the famous Potala Palace, Tibet’s most well-known architecture, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Originally constructed by the 33^rd Tibetan King, Songtsen Gampo, in 7^thcentury, the Potala was later rebuilt in 17^th century by 5^th Dalai Lama, becoming the historic seat of the Dalai Lama. Though walking the steps to the top can be quite challenging, it is well worth the effort!

In the afternoon, make a visit to the Drepung Monastery, the former seat of the Dalai Lamas and another of the world’s largest monasteries. At its peak, Drepung housed for more than 10,000 monks, and though different sections have been damaged, destroyed, and rebuilt over the years, there is still much to see when walking its numerous, narrow, and twisted lanes through the monks’ quarters.

Return to your hotel to rest and acclimatize for the rest of the day.

• Trips: To the top of Potala, Lhasa City – Drepung Monastery
• Meals: B

Attractions: Tibetan villages and farms, the isolated Tsurphu Monastery

Today we set out for Tsurphu monastery, following the Qinghai-Tibet Highway from Tolung Dechen on the east bank of the Tolung River for 26km before we cross the river via the Lungpa Bridge (about 2 hours). From thereon we travel another two hours on a dirt trail off the main road. We will pass through the narrow valley of the Drowolung Villages and see waves of barley fields before arriving at Tsurphu Monastery (4480m) nestled deep in the valley.

Built in 1187, Tsurphu Monastery is the historic seat of Karmapa, head of the Karma Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism. In the afternoon you will have time to explore the twisted lanes and aged buildings of the monastery complex before settling in to the monastery guesthouse or pitching your tent for the night.

• Meals: B,D

Today we begin our trek, heading west following a Kora trail (circumambulation circuit taken by Tibetans to acquire merit) surrounded by trees. Today we will cover a distance of 12km, walking into green valley and crossing over mountain streams and watercourses. The rocky hills along the trekking route are home to herds of mountain goats; hard to see as they are easily hidden by the gray rocks. Later in the day, we will encounter scattered nomads camps may even get a chance to stop in for a tent visit. From the crest of the ridge, you will also see numerous rock houses (the nomads’ winter dwellings). Finally we will arrive to Leten, a nomadic village where you can see nomad families dwelling in traditional black tents surrounded by flocks of sheep and herd of yaks.

In the evening, pitch your tent beside Leten Village and relax beneath the stars.

• Meals: B, L, D

Attractions: Damchen Nyingtri Cairn (5270m)

Today we will scale a small, steep mountain. Walking through the valley below, you will experience the beauty of nomadic life on the high plateau. After crossing over the Lasar Pass (5300m), the highest point of the day. Cairns (small piles of stones) are a common sight on high passes in Tibet. Some believe that building cairns on the high mountains can improve your luck and some believe that building small house-like cairns can help one in finding a place to stay during the in-between state of death and rebirth.

Descending from the pass, enter the Yangpachen Valley and take a short walk to the day’s destination, Bartso, where will camp for the night. Bartso is is a small nomadic villages of about 6 nomad families surrounded by juniper trees.

• Meals: B, L, D

Attractions: Mt. Nyinga Ri (4800m), Dorjee Ling Nunnery

Today is sure to be one of the highlights of the trek. We will see nomads, nuns, and the holy Mt. Nyenchen Thangla (7111m) where ocals pray and hang prayers flags for the well-being of the all sentient beings.

After you set up your camp next to the Dorjee Ling Nunnery, you will have time to visit the nunnery and meet Buddhist nuns.

• Meals: B, L, D

Attractions: Yangpachen Monastery, Yangpachen Hot Springs, Tibet Train Route, Lake Namtso

Today we trek through the green valley following the Lango River. Along the way we will meet the Yangpachen-Shigatse Road and cross the river on a steel bridge (4400m).

Upon reaching the northern road to Shigatse, you are able to travel to Yangpachen Monastery, established during the 15^thcentury and run by Shamar Rinpoche, the leading lama in Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism. After investigating the interesting murals inside the monastery, our car and driver will meet us and take us to the famous Yangpachen Hot Springs where you can take a bath to relieve your aches after the long days of trekking.

Our trek is now finished and we drive to Namtso Lake via Damshung town. A long, steep road leads us to the Lagen Pass (5190m), laden with prayer flags. From here we can view the Namtso Lake (the second largest high altitude salt lake in China and a holy place for Tibetans) in the distance and the nomads’ black tents in the grasslands below.

Spend the night in a guesthouse near Namtso Lake.

Note: Hot Spring entrance fees are not included in the tour cost.

• Meals: B, L

Today we trace the Qinghai-Tibet railway line on the road back to Lhasa. On the way, we will stop to visit a nomad family tent. Tibetan nomads follow seasonal migration patterns, moving to the high grasslands with their yaks in the summer and moving slightly lower in the fall before winter. Experiencing their home from the inside and spend awhile getting to know the lifestyle of plateau nomads. After crossing back over the Legen Pass we follow the Damchu River downstream to Lhasa via Tulong.

Check into your hotel.

Time to say our goodbyes! Our guide and driver will send you off at either the airport or train station. Hope you enjoyed Tibet’s Tsurphu to Yangpachen Trek!