Eastern Tibet Pilgrimage to Amdo and Kham

Day 1: Arrival at Xining Airport + Kumbum monastery

You will be met at Xining airport following your morning arrival (recommend Shanghai Airlines FM9209 arriving 9:40am) and driven to the hotel. Lunch in Xining and then we drive to Kumbum monastery to visit the birth place of Lama Tsongkapa. Stay overnight in Xining.

Day 2: Xining—Shachong Monastery—Rebkong (Tongren in Chinese) 230km/4hrs

We will drive along the Yellow River to Shachong Monastery, one of the four famous monasteries of Gelugpa school in Amdo Tibet region. Shachong monastery is located along the northern Yellow River. Visit Tsongkhapa’s meditation caves and temples. Then we’ll continue along the Yellow River to Repkong (Tongren), which is known as the cradle of Tibetan arts. We will spend the night in Repkong.

Day 3: Rebkong – Labrang Monastery (Xiahe in Chinese) 120km/2hrs

Today we’ll visit Labrang Monastery, which is a famous monastery in the Amdo region and remains one of the biggest monasteries in Tibet. It is home to over 1000 monks. It was found in 1709 by the First Jamyang Gyapa (Ngagong Tsunde) and is recognized as one of the six major monastaries of the Gelugpa order. Stay overnight in Labrang (Xiahe).

Day 4: Labrang—Takstang Lamo (Langmu Si in Chinese) 185km/3hrs

Today we drive to Taktsang Lamo through the rolling grassy plateau, viewing thousands of yaks and yak-hair tents along the road. Taktsang Lamo is a very beautiful village surrounded by green forest and rocky mountains. Once arrived there we will visit Kirti monastery, home to over 600 monks.

We will spend the night in Taktsang Lamo.

Day 5: Takstang Lhamo (Langmusi)

Today is a day to rest and acclimatize. Taktsang Lamo is a rural Tibetan village located among steep grassy meadows, surrounded by snow-clad peaks and rocky mountains; there are monastery buildings and numerous possibilities for hikes and horse trekking. It’s a wonderful place to relax.

Day 6: Takstang Lhamo – Dzoige Grassland – Nagwa County (Aba in Chinese)

Today we will drive to Dzoige grassland filled with yaks and nomads. There’s a chance to visit and experience local Tibetan nomadic families. We will visit the First Bend of the Yellow River and visit the local monastery incense centre. Then drive to Ngawa for the night. Stay overnight in Ngawa.

Day 7: Ngawa county – Gomung monastery – Machen County (Maqin in Chinese)

In the morning visit Gomung monastery. One of the largest Gelugpa monasteries in Ngawa county, home to overland 300 monks, then visit a Bon monastery in Ngawa. In the afternoon, drive to Machen county. If the time allows you can visit the local monastery in Golok. Stay overnight in Machen county.

Day 8: Machen – Mt.Amnye Machen range – Maduo county 285km/4-5hrs

Drive through some of the remote areas of Tibetan Plateau. You can see yak hair and white nomadic tents and their yaks and sheep scattering on the vast grassland.  Mount Amnye Machine is amongst the holiest snow mountains in Tibet. Continue on to Maduo county, a high town populated almost entirely by Tibetans. This area is the source of the Yellow river and home of thousands of lakes. Stay overnight in Maduo county.

Day 9:Maduo – Jyekundo (Yushu in Chinese) 340km/5hrs

Today we will drive to Jyekundo, through vast grasslands filled with yaks and wild animals, today known as Yushu in Chinese. This is the capital city of Yushu Tibet Autonomous Prefecture. We will visit Yushu Jyekundo monastery and local market in Yushu city. Stay overnight in Yushu

Day 10: Jyekundo (Yushu in Chinese) [3710m]

Drive to Binang valley to see The Princes Wenchen Temple which was founded in 7th century.  Spend the rest day hiking, bartering in the Tibetan market, eating traditional food, and visiting nearby sites like a white stupa at the edge of town.

Day 11: Jyekundo – Sershul monastery – Dzogchen monastery (Zhuqin Zheng in Chinese) 320km/ 5-6hrs

Visit Sershul Gompa, a monastery and meditation center. This is an important Nyinmapa and Gelupa monastery sited on a beautiful hillside. This is the biggest monastery in Sershul area which hosts more than 500 monks.. There were 1500 monks at it’s peak in 19th century.  This monastery annually holds Molam Festival or Prayer Festival and Buddhist teachings. Then continue driving to Dzogchen monastery. You will reach the famous Dzochen retreat center.

Day 12: Dzogchen monastery – Yilhun Lhatso – Dege in Chinese 140km

Visit Dzochen Monastery which is recognized as the major pilgrimage site of Tibetan Buddhists in eastern Tibet and as one of the largest Monasteries of the Nyingmapa school in Kham region. The monastery was founded by First Dzochen Pema Rigzen in late 16th century on the advice of the Fifth Dalai Lama. 

Visit the beautiful lake Yihun Lhatso, a place that locals consider holy. You can see many Mani Stones (Sutra prayers carved on the stone) with different colors on the shore. This crystal clear lake is surrounded by snow capped mountains. After spending a few hours at the lake, continue on to the famous Chola Mountain. Drive over the mountain pass at 5000m and then down to Dege.

Day 13: Dege – Ganze (Ganzi county in Chinese) 190km/4hrs

Visit the Dege Parkhang Printing House, one of the most important Buddhist scripture printing houses, founded in 1729. There are total of 217,000 wooden printing blocks housed in this printing house.. Afterwards, visit Dege Gomchen Monastery which was founded in 1448, the monastery originally built as a Sakyapa Monastery and the center of Ngor Gompa. You can distinguish the Sakyapa lineage by checking the purple color with white stripes. T Garze is a small trading town where Tibetan people from surrounding areas such as Dege, Nyarong, Pelyul and Amdo come to buy goods. Visit Garze Monastery, which was originally built in 1642.

Day 14: Ganze – Dragok – Lhagong (Tagong in Chinese) 275km/5-6hrs

Today the drive to Lhagang provides great view of mountains, rivers, forests and grasslands. Yaks and sheep can be seen along the way. Check out the fantastic view of Lhagong Monastery, where there are many chortens (stupas). Circuit the chortens and temples with local pilgrims and take pictures of the spectacular chorten on the hillside above the road, where pilgrims enter the monastery grounds.

Stay overnight in Tagong town.

Day 15: Tagong – Kangding – Chengdu 375km/ 5-6hrs

Today we drive to Chengdu via Kangding, the capital city of Ganze Tibet Autonomous Prefecture. In Chengdu, taste delicious Sichuan food. We will end your Amdo and Kham Tibet pilgrim trip in Chengdu at your hotel.

Day 16: Depart Chengdu

Your driver will drop you off at the Chengdu airport for your flight home.

Book one leg of the trip or join us for the entire pilgrimage. Use the links below to find out more, and to book your spot. Don’t delay as places are limited.

Accompany Geshe Samten to Dharamsala to celebrate the Dalai Lama’s 90^th birthday in the main temple at McLeod Ganj.  Dharamsala is a unique part of the world and here we will immerse ourselves further into Tibetan Buddhist religion and culture, visiting the Tibet Museum and the Norbulingka Institute to witness the preservation of Tibetan culture. We’ll also visit Tushita Meditation Centre, an FMPT Centre where Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche frequently visited.

We’ll take a day trip to Tso Pema (Lotus Lake), the holy lake where Guru Rinpoche (see itinerary for Bhutan) is said to have been burned alive in a prye but was found to be sitting on a lotus in the middle of a lake after several days. While at Tso Pema, we’ll visit the 45 metre statue of Guru Rinpoche which overlooks the lake and the caves high above the town.

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6 days – Highlights of Bhutan

Join Geshe Samten on a Pilgrimage to Bhutan, the ‘Land of the Thunder Dragon’. Buddhism is the state religion of Bhutan and a way of life in this unique and deeply spiritual nation. You will follow in the footsteps of Guru Rinpoche, who introduced Buddhism to Bhutan in the 8th Century.

On the Pilgrimage you will visit ancient Dzongs (monasteries) amongst spectacular settings in the Paro Valley and Punkakha. You will visit the extraordinary Taktshang Monastery (Tiger’s Nest), which has become a symbol of Bhutan to the world.

On the Pilgrimage, enjoy the unique cultural heritage and pristine natural beauty of a country where progress is measured by the ‘Gross National Happiness Index’. This Pilgrimage takes in the many highlights of this mesmerising country, with the perfect combination of rural and urban adventure with Buddhism at it’s core.

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