Surely we have the world’s most astonishing flight in advance of us this morning as we board the flight in Kathmandu. We fly over the best possible mountain vary in the world and land deep internal Tibet, the mysterious land for so lengthy closed to outsiders.We will be met at Gonggar Airport by means of our Tibetan information and take the two hour force to Lhasa, thru a mountain! Due to the leap in altitude nowadays we endorse that you relaxation and take it effortless for the the rest of the day.

Today we can immerse ourselves in this notable town – the coronary heart and soul of Tibet! Our sightseeing will be accompanied via a information and interpreter and we will go to the Sera Monastery, one of the best-preserved monasteries in Tibet. Within its whitewashed partitions and golden roofs, various hundred monks stay and study. After lunch we’ll go to the Norbulingka, the summer season palace of the Dalai Lama, observed by way of the Jokhang Temple. This temple is maybe the most sacred shrine in Tibet and there is continually a procession of religious Tibetans via the complex. Surrounding the Jokhang is the Barkor – a maze of slim cobbled streets, which is the central market of Lhasa. This is surely captivating stuff and you will be mesmerised through the power and sense of this place of Lhasa.

Now we will go to to Tibet to visit the Potala Palace. A mind-blowing building, it actually dominates the skyline of Lhasa. It includes the non-public quarters of the Dalai Lama as properly as severa grand staterooms and many vital chapels. There has been a palace on this website considering the fact that the fifth or sixth century, however the existing palace used to be developed in the seventeenth century. After lunch we will go to the Drepung Monastery which was once based in the 14th century. This monastery was once as soon as the greatest in the world, with a populace of round 10,000 monks! These days that parent is down to quite a few hundred, however there is nevertheless tons right here of activity as it was once left tremendously unscathed at some stage in the Cultural Revolution.

Ganden is 40km from Lhasa and we will arrive pretty early in the day, which ability we have the afternoon for relaxation and acclimatisation. If we take it convenient we can discover Ganden which used to be the first Gelugpa monastery and has remained the important seat of the order ever since. Unfortunately, it is noted that Ganden suffered the most of all the first-rate monasteries of Tibet in the course of the cultural revolution, however, it is nevertheless a captivating place. It’s ochre colorations are amazing and there is a very lively pilgrim presence. While on their kora round the monastery pilgrims function uncommon rituals that take a look at their trust and earn non secular merit. A giant rocky cleft draped with prayer flags marks the begin of this scenic circuit, which takes at least one hour to complete.

Today we commence our trek by using following the nicely trodden path south alongside the aspect of Angor Ri, the perfect factor on the Ganden kora. We regularly ascend for about 1 ½ hours earlier than achieving a saddle from the place we can seem to be west down the Kyi Chu valley toward Lhasa.We then traverse the west aspect of the ridge and descend toward Hepu village, a village of about 30 houses. We climb for about an hour in the route of the Zhukar La (‘la’ ability ‘pass’) to attain Ani Pagong, a slim craggy bottleneck in the valley, the place a small nunnery used to be located. From right here we proceed mountain climbing for about an hour thru marshy meadows to Yama Do, with appropriate campgrounds the place we will remain the night.

From our camp by means of the Tsotup Chu we observe a tributary to the south-west, mountain climbing steeply for about ½ hour up to a basin and a wide valley. Following this valley we flip to the south and can quickly see the Chetur La in the distance, a rocky rampart at the head of the valley. As we proceed in the direction of the pass by the path switches to the east facet of the valley and we have pretty handy terrain up to the Chetur La (5100m) which is marked via countless cairns.After breakfast we proceed alongside the valley flooring for about an hour earlier than ascending to a shelf on the japanese aspect of the valley, heading off a steep gully. We proceed hiking to the Zhukar La (5200m), marked by way of a massive cairn blanketed in prayer flags and yak horns. Crossing the pass by we descend shortly throughout a boulder field, accomplishing the valley ground about 1 ½ hours from the pass.We pass the giant stream, the Tsotup Chu, which flows thru the valley. The pastures in the place help giant herds of yaks, goats and sheep, and throughout the trekking season herders are regularly camped here. So this is an best region for our camp and to meet the herders (drakpa in Tibetan).

From our camp by way of the Tsotup Chu we observe a tributary to the south-west, mountain climbing steeply for about ½ hour up to a basin and a extensive valley. Following this valley we flip to the south and can quickly see the Chetur La in the distance, a rocky rampart at the head of the valley. As we proceed closer to the bypass the path switches to the east facet of the valley and we have pretty convenient terrain up to the Chetur La (5100m) which is marked with the aid of quite a few cairns. As we depart our 2d excessive bypass in the back of we ward off a sheer rock wall to descend down into a basin with three small lakes. From right here we drop down via a valley passing a number of herders camps on the way. At the first one, the herders have carved out stage locations for their tents. Below this the valley will become very slim and we select our way via the rock-strewn valley floor, squeezed in with the aid of sheer rock walls. As the valley widens we come to a flat and every other seasonal herder’s camp in the east facet of the valley. As we proceed down the valley the tenting locations emerge as greater severa and we will select our camp right here for the night.

Today our path is huge and convenient and we stroll via an region the place the mixture of elevation, moisture, and factor create a lush surroundings whilst simply a few kilometres away the alpine wilderness prevails. We have entered into what might also be the most stunning phase of the whole trek. Local woodcutters say that extra than 15 sorts of timber and shrubs are located here, some developing 6 meters tall. Fragrant junipers develop on uncovered southern slopes whilst rhododendron choose the shadier slopes. At the stop of May the wooded area is ablaze with crimson and white rhododendron blossoms.As our path winds via a sequence of meadows the wooded area start to skinny rapidly. We quickly attain Changtang, our first everlasting village considering Hepu, from where, searching south we see the a ways aspect of the Yarlung Tsangpo Valley in the distance. About ½ hour down the valley we can take a facet day out to the Yamalung Hermitage. It is about 1 hour steep mountain climbing to the hermitage and these no longer so eager on the climb can loosen up close to the bridge.Yamalung (also referred to as Emalung) is the place Guru Rinpoche is stated to have contemplated and acquired empowerment from the lengthy lifestyles deity Amitayus (Tibetan: Tsepame). Consisting of various small temples, a few monks stay here. Below the temple complicated is a sacred spring and an stone carving of Guru Rinpoche, King Trisong Detsen and Indian pundit Shantarakshita, all of whom lived in the eighth century. The cave Guru Rinpoche pondered in is enshrined by means of the Drup Pug Mara handprint of the saint stated to have been created when he magically increased the dimension of the cave.Back at the bridge, it is about 1 hours stroll to Nyango, a village of solidly constructed stone houses which has some small stores the place we can via soda/ cigarettes etc. We are on the historical alternate route from Lhasa to Samye by way of the Gokar La. Tonight we will camp in a meadow between Wango and Pisha, no longer an awful lot in addition down toward Samye.

Today we wrap up our gorgeous experience journeying the Yarlung Valley, additionally regarded as the Valley of Tombs and regarded to be the cradle of Tibetan civilisation. The advent delusion locates the valley as the foundation of the Tibetan humans and it used to be from Yarlung that the early Tibetan kings unified Tibet in the seventh century. We see the big burial mounds of these kings in Chongye.We will additionally go to Yumbulakhang, perched on a crag like a medieval fortress and is regarded the oldest constructing in Tibet. After a full day off exploring in the Yarlung Valley we return to Tsetang for the night.

This morning we depart Tsetang early to force ninety six km to Gongkar airport for the flight lower back to Kathmandu.