Trekking & Camping trip

Details

D01 Xining-Shakhyung Gonpa-Rebgong. Drive (about 9:00 am)to Shakhyung Gonpa (Garuda) monastery, located on a Garuda-shape mountain with down looking sharp cliff on one side. From the top of the cliff, you can have a spectacular view of the bands of Ma-chu (Yellow river). It’s one of the four principal Gelugpa (schools) monasteries in north Amdo as well as a major pilgrimage site for Tibetans, founded by ChosGyal Dondup Rinchen; the Great Master of Tsongkhapa(50km). After visiting Shakhyung Gonpa, we will drive to Rebkong. 

D02: Rebkong-sightseeing. The valleys of Repkong are home to the renowned school of Rebkong Art, one of the most highly esteemed traditions of Buddhist painting and sculpture in the Tibetan world. At the farming villages of Sengeshong Yagotsang on the east bank of the Gu-Chu river, you will visit exquisitely decorated temples and the studios of the villages and monastic artists where painted scrolls can be purchased. Most of the temples and monasteries of Amdo, which have been reconstructed in recent years, have commissioned works of art, including elaborated mural panels, from Repkong. In town, this afternoon, you explore the vast complex of Rongpo Gonchen, originally a Sakya Foundation (1301) which was reconstituted as a Gelukpa monastery in the 16th century, and then you drive north along the west bank of the Guchu to visit Nyentok Gonpa. At Nyentok the most impressive building is the Jamkhang- containing a 13m Maitreya, while at Gomar there is a seven-tiered stupa with multiple chapels dedicated to the meditational deities of the four classes of the tantra. Around 5:30 pm monks gather in their debate courtyard and you will see the debating course. Hotel in Rebkong

D03. Trekking starts You will start trekking from a Tibetan village called Gyalpo Gang. The valley of Gyalpo Gang is filled with Tibetan villages like terraces in the rice field. Their houses are built on earth and woods. People are very hospitable. Each village has a small temple in the center of their village and with a full atmosphere. This trekking route we have chosen was actually an old footpath used by pilgrims in the past. After passing the pass, you will be on beautiful pastureland and you will see yaks and sheep along with little houses or tents of the shepherds.

You may stop for some tea in their tents. There are several passes to pass but not a big pass. (approximately 3350m). You will see cairns on each pass. That indicates it’s the genuine pilgrim route in the past. Camping in Luchu Thang.

D05 Gomang Sakyi- Luchu’s summer pasture land (12KM / Proximately 5-6 hrs) In the morning about 9:30 am our Tibetan caravan serviceman will drive about 8km towards the southeast of Luchu Thang and then at the pass called Bonpo Nyaka and after leaving the main road, you will be dropped off. You will be again on your trekking trail and follow the footpath which leads to some Dropa (nomads) families and after 3 hours of walking you will arrive on a pass called A Kyab Nyaka. (3820m). From the pass, you will have a gorges view of the distances mountains and valleys with diverse flowers. After saying ‘Ge Ge So So LhagyaL lo” Meaning may the spirits be victorious (Tibetan say this each time they pass high pass) you will descend and walk through the valley. Camping at Gomang Sakyi.

D05 Ruthang - you will cross the regional borderline of Gyalpo Luchu and Ganja you will also cross a river several times and eventually you will arrive at the end of the valley and you will cross the river again to reach a wide-open grassland. Now you are on Ganja grassland (in Gansu). After hiking for about 2hrs or more you will arrive at the ending point of your trekking. Drive to Labrang and check in.

D06. Xining- visit Labrang Tashi Kyil monastery and leave for Xining. 

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