Make your way into the furthest reaches of far-off Tibet, sleeping by night in painted festival tents and riding horseback through majestic peaks and across endless grasslands by day. From Changdu in the southwest of China we take an internal flight to Kangding, situated on the border of the Tibetan Autonomous Region. After enjoying the lively markets we then drive onto Tagong to enjoy cultural tours and of course the Horse Race Festival. This festival features thousands of local Tibetan herdsmen amongst the vast expanse of green meadow surrounded by snow-capped peaks. There are horse races with traditional Tibetan acrobatics, dances, and various kind of demonstrations. Then we begin our horse riding adventure with pack horses or in some cases pack Yaks. We traverse rivers, forests and visit monasteries en route, immersing ourselves in the nomadic culture. A rest day is spent learning nomadic skills such as yak herding and butter-making. We finish in Danba which is said to have the most beautiful ethnic villages in China. This is an adventurous and unusual trip and an unmissable opportunity to discover the real Tibet before it disappears totally.
No supplement if rider is willing to share and a sharer can be found.
2010: £269/€295/$425
SAMPLE ITINERARY - TIBETAN ADVENTURE
Day 1 - 4 Jul
Arrival in Chengdu, China. Dinner with guides. Overnight Jinli Hotel
Day 2 - 5 Jul
Depart for Kangding, passing through some of China's best panda habitat, and crossing over Erlangshan Pass. In Kangding walk around enjoy the lively mushroom and Chinese medicine markets here. 6 hours driving.
Day 3 - 6 Jul
Drive to Tagong. 3-4 hours driving. Spend the night in local family guesthouse, and tour the Lhagang Temple here.
Day 4 & 5 - 7 & 8 Jul Experience the annual Tagong Horse Race Festival, and all the rich hospitality such a time has to offer. Overnight family guesthouse.
Day 6 - 9 Jul
Set out on horseback for Gyergo Nunnery, the area's main temple for the nomadic people here. Here there is a huge mani wall of carved stones, which has been in progress for 50 years, and which is the reason for the temple's placement here. 2 hours riding. Stay in Temple Guesthouse.
Day 7 - 10 Jul Ride to Jara Mountain Hotsprings, over the high Griffon Pass (4800 m), and into the back valley at the base of sacred Mt. Jara. (4 hours riding, 3 hours hiking downhill)
Day 8 - 11 Jul Ride to Jara Yimtsuo (Turquoise Lake), and do a traditional gora around the lake. Then return to the valley's low point and camp in a protective forest of tall trees with spectacular glacier views. (1 hour hiking, 4 hours riding)
Day 9 - 12 Jul Ride back into the grasslands, over a lower pass, through "Empty Valley." Here we usually pass by nomad camps. Return to Gyergo Nunnery, and stay another night in the Temple Guesthouse. 5 hours riding.
Day 10 - 13 Jul Travel across the Tagong area's lowest valley, and cross onto the high plateau for which Tagong is most famous. This high plateau is home to a large number of nomads, who are otherwise uncommon in this part of Kham. The plateau is about 80 km wide, all roadless, and covered with nomad tents, deep sacred lakes, and small isolated temples. Stay this night camped at the Dashika Nomad Camp. 7 hours riding.
Day 11 - 14 Jul
Spend the day at Dashika Camp, learning skills such as yak herding, calf catching, milking, buttermaking, cheesemaking, and rope-spinning, and generally getting a feel for the life here. Camp again at Dashika Nomad Camp. (No riding.)
Day 12 - 15 Jul Ride across the uninhabited parts of the high plateau to Gepshima Nomad Camp, near one of the grassland's more famous sacred lakes. These lakes seem to be bottomless, and legends abound of nomad camps disappearing into one lake, only to reappear on the banks of another, miles away. 6 hours riding. Camping.
Day 13 - 16 Jul In contrast to yesterday, ride through on of the Tagong Plateau's most populated area's, covered with black tents, to Genup Temple. Genup is a small, isolated nomad temple which is only active in summertime. It is ageing, and one gets a feel here for Tibet's religious past. Stunningly positioned near the top of a high mountain overlooking low valleys, this temple was once one of the primary temples in the area, as far as skilled teachers. Stay in small mountain hut. 6 hours riding.
Day 14 - 17 Jul Ride down into the low valley, and meet our vehicle. (2 hours riding). Lunch in Bamei town, and drive to Danba. Stay in family guesthouse in the lovely Danba Valley, home of the Gyarong Tibetans. 2-3 hour drive.
Day 15 - 18 Jul Set out for Chengdu. Flight Kangding – Chengdu. Night in Chengdu
Day 16 - 19 Jul
Transfer to the airport, depart for home.
Please note: This itinerary is given for your guidance only and it may be altered in accordance with the prevailing conditions by the organising team.
The weight limit for this ride is 13 st/187 lb/85 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.
FURTHER DETAILS
As we are specialists in our field we have extensive knowledge of all our products from details of accommodation and meals to number/size/type of horses to pace of riding ... and much more.
Should you wish to receive further details of this ride please click here.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
Flights Chengdu/Kangding/Chengdu with airport taxes; all transfers; hotels in double rooms; camping equipment; all meals; horses; pack yaks, guide (translator); local horsemen and guides; English speaking tour leader from Europe.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
Flight to Chengdu from Europe; drinks when not riding; personal expenses and gratuities for the team.
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