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Tibet Hiking Tour
"This trip may only last for 15 days, but the experience of Tibetan culture and memories of beautiful mountain scenery will last for a lifetime."
Pour encourager le développement des relations entre le Québec et la Chine
About Tour Operator Tony
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Information About Your Train Soft-Sleeper
Compartment
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Tibetan King Songtsan Gambo and Princess WenCheng
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About Tibetan culture
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COST: US$3,000 per person (land only)
*** Single Room Supplement is US$800 ***
*** No single room occupancy while traveling on train ***
Included in the cost of the tour:
*** includes your Lhasa/Beijing airfare ***
Not included:
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To learn about Dalai Lama's experience of Democratic System
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According to the Law of the People's Republic of China Concerning the Administration of Foreigners Entering and Leaving the Country, foreign tourists must apply for visas at China's foreign affairs offices, consulates or other organizations authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
You may obtain further information at the Web site: http://www.chinaembassycanada.org
The location of the Chinese embassy in Canada is in Ottawa; Chinese consulates are in Calgary, Toronto, and Vancouver
In USA the website address : http://www.china-embassy.org
How Difficult is the Hiking part ?
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Please visit Daily Itinerary for further details
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Tibet Hiking is ECO Friendly Tour
yaks carrying Natural Gas Tank for our fuel
FAQ
Would this trip be too difficult for me?
If you are in good shape and stay active most of the time, you should be able to do it.
You have to like hiking in the remote regions to enjoy the trip.
There is no steep climbing, but general ascend.
This is a Level 3 hiking due to high altitude, not difficulty in hiking.
Hiking in the remote areas is the only way to see the real Tibet.
How much altitude gain in each hike?
We are NOT hiking uphill all day everyday. It is NOT steep climbing but gradual walking.
We are hiking in areas of three to four thousand meters above sea level.
Please study carefully our website listed Medication/materials related to High Altitude Sickness.
Is all the camping equipment provided or do we have to bring our own?
You do not need to bring your tent and it is provided. You should bring your sleeping bag.
The yaks will be hiking along side and carry your belongings and essential supplies.
See details (click here) of "...What to Bring..." suggestion and listing in our website.
Bring a day-pack for usage during everyday hiking.
Bring your sleeping bag and a pair of hiking sandals to cross the streams.
Do we cook our own meals or are they prepared for us?
We have a cook to go with our group. It will be good food for us.
What about daily drinking water supply ?
Every morning we will boil the water from mountains streams for over six minutes.
You can carry this water supply in your day-pack for hiking.
If we are not feeling well, is there an alternative to hiking on that
day--in other words is there an alternative means of transportation?
We are hiking in remote regions with no vehicles, until we reach down the mountains.
In the unlikely situation you are sick, you can hire a horse from nomads to bring you down.
Come ! Join us to meet Modern Tibetan Women
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In The Name of Progress
Old and New traditions in this photo
Old : plough powered by two yaks
New : plough powered by machine
On March 15 to 25, 2002 Tony hiked
the trail from GanDan to SamYe
to prepare for June Hiking Tour
Photos from
Tony's March 2002 Pre-Hike tour
(click for photos)
Tibet is changing rapidly everyday
" In the Name of Progress "
Come to see old Tibet before it is gone !
Primary School on Roof-of-the-World
http://pic.people.com.cn/GB/31655/6543727.html
This unique Primary School is located on Roof-of-the-World, 5573 meters above sea-level.
The Government of China is committed to provide a free-of-charge and compulsory education for every Tibetan child.
The Central Government of China invested a huge sum of money to re-build this school from ruins in 1986, so that the children of the nomads can receive an education.
This school covers an area of 8400 square meters and the building provides a useful area of 1221 square meters. The children are too far away from their nomadic families and are all staying in this boarding school for the entire school term.
Every morning the whole school will be singing the China national anthem.
The windows of this school are installed with double layers(rarely seen in China) due to winter fourty below temperature.
This school uses the latest technology, i.e. teaching Fine Art with computerized CD equipment.
The six teachers in this school and some of their students.
There are 141 students and all stay in this boarding school. It is too far from their nomadic camps. Students will learn how to take care of their bedding.
The school principal (also a teacher) is teaching his student how to read/write Tibetan.
The school principal's wife decided to move to such high altitude location, just to help out cooking tasks at the school.
Teaching Biology and practice it with a micropscope.
Students using computer aided equipments and internet access receive long distance educational training.
The cracks on a young face of every student review the hardship of the sun at high-altitude and lack of oxygen. It takes a very dedicated teaching staff to remain working long term in this special school.
The students automatically line up for their meals during lunch hours. This is a very well organized school.
Older students are serving rice (the main dish) to the students.
A study of the food being served, it reviews that students receive a very well-balanced diet.
After lunch being served, students are having fun at the school play ground.
During the Dalai Lama era there was no school nor university, a child had to join one of the Monasteries to receive an education and that was the reason why many Tibetan mothers were forced by their own clans to give up their love ones to the Monasteries. Today, no Tibetan mother has to make such a decision.
The truth is that during the Dalai Lama era most Tibetan women were second class citizens and very seldom had any chance of an education. Today, all Tibetan children, both boys and girls, have equal chances of a free-of-charge and compulsory education. Tibetan women today provide a major and essential workforce in the government of Tibet Autonomous Region.
Without Lhamo Toinzhub(14th Dalai Lama), Tibet is better off today!
In 1951 Lhamo Toinzhub signed widely known as 'the 17 Pacts'
to run Tibet for Chairman Mao until he sneaked out in 1959.
For almost 9 years Lhamo Toinzhub had worked for Chairman Mao.
In 1959 conned by then Ambassador in India(Henderson) at his own free will,
Lhamo Toinzhub left Tibet and thus had given up his right to run Tibet.
As an early version of Iranian Czar or Filipino Marcos, he was tricked to leave Tibet.
Since 1959 for 49 years Tibet Autonomous Region has been run by capable
native Tibetans, most of whom were a SERF during Dalai Lama era.
These Tibetan leaders should be the only people who can make decisions
for the future of Tibet Autonomous Region, NOT Lhamo Toinzhub.
He has neither Tibetans' Trust nor experience to run Democratic and Modern Tibet.
Tibetans do not want someone both a Political and Religious leader to head Tibet.
Why do nations want to have Tibet returned to a SERF system under Dalai Lama?
It is because they want to control Tibet with a puppet like Dalai Lama.
This will lead Tibet into neither Democratic nor 'Freedom of Choice'.
Our World is enough to have only one Ayatullah Ruhollah Khomeini !
Lhamo Toinzhub has to realize Tibet today is a well established society,
and stop allow himself being used as a puppy by nations against China.
It is sincerely hope before his approaching death Lhamo Toinzhub
(14th Dalai Lama) will give up his so called 'Tibet Independence'
and for once in entire life doing something good for people of Tibet.
The only way to avoid ending up in history like Iranian Czar or Filipino Marcos!
http://pic.people.com.cn/GB/31655/6543727.html
Click the following to view the White Papers on Tibet issues:
Tibet -- Its Ownership And Human Rights Situation
New Progress in Human Rights in the Tibet Autonomous Region
Tibet's March Toward Modernization
White Paper on Tibetan Culture
White Paper on Ecological Improvement and Environmental Protection in Tibet
Tibet's Compulsory and Free-of-Charge Education
White Paper: Regional Ethnic Autonomy in Tibet
Click the above for full text of White Papers on various Tibet Issues
In June 2002 our Group hiked
from GanDan to SamYe Monastery
Photos from
hikers in the past
(click for photos)
Today young lamas learn foreign language in Lama Institute
Lamas prayed daily in Monastery
Openly they often debate Buddhism
Temperature and Rainfall:
|
Months |
Centigrade |
Fahrenheit |
Rainfall | ||
|
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Inch | |
|
January |
6 |
10 |
42.8 |
14 |
*** |
|
February |
8 |
-8 |
46.4 |
18 |
*** |
|
March |
12 |
-3 |
54 |
26 |
*** |
|
April |
15 |
0 |
59 |
32 |
0.4 |
|
May |
18 |
5 |
64 |
41 |
1.4 |
|
June |
23 |
9 |
73 |
48 |
2.8 |
|
July |
22 |
9 |
71 |
48 |
6.7 |
|
August |
22 |
8 |
71 |
47 |
4.7 |
|
September |
21 |
7 |
70 |
44 |
4.7 |
|
October |
17 |
2 |
62 |
35 |
0.4 |
|
November |
12 |
-4 |
53 |
25 |
*** |
|
December |
8 |
-10 |
46.4 |
14 |
*** |
About Tibetan Buddhism
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This trip starts from Beijing and ends in Beijing.
NOTE: Since we are paying a group fare to travel in China, there will be no refunds.
Continuing to the Registration page will bring you to the Online Registration System Page for secure registration.
Tibetan geography :
Tibet, a rich and beautiful land, is located at the main part of Qinghai-Tibet plateau, south-West frontier of China. Tibet borders with Sichuan, Yuannan, Qinghai And Xinjiang; to the south contiguous to India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan and Burma, and bounded by Kashmir on the west.
When the word Tibet is mentioned something icy chils the readers' nerves. In fact it snows only once or twice in a year and owing to the perpetuity of bright sunshine, it is not at all cold during the daytime even in the coldest of the winter. Tibet is so sunny that it produces a year-round sunshine of over 3,000 hours in a year. Its old name-"land of snow"--the name by which Tibet is almost popilary known as, is always thickly covered with snow with hardly any signs Of inhabitation. In fact, it is correct only when it is referred to the world greatest ranges located in Ima, the Tisi, and like. These ranges, run by leaps and bounds across the country showing their beautiful snow covered peaks against the bluest of skies.
Geographically, Tibet can be divided into three majoy parts, the east, north and south. The eastern part is forest region, occupying approximately one-fourth of the land. Virgin forests run The entire breadth and length of this part of Tibet. The northern part is open grassland, where nomads and yak and sheep dwell here. This part occupies approximately half of Tibet. The southern and central part is agricultural region, occupying about one-fourth of Tibet's land area. with all major Tibetan cities and towns such as Lhasa, Shigatse, Gyantse ad Tsetang located in this area, it is considered the cultural center of tibet. The total area of the Tibet Autonomous Region is 1,200,000 square kilometers and its population is 1,890,000. The region is administratively divided into one municipality and six prefectures. The municipality is Lhasa, while the six prefectures are Shigatse, Ngari, Lhaoka, Chamdo, Nakchu and Nyingtri(kongpo). The People's Government of the Tibet Autonomous Region exercises the hightest adminis-trative authority in Tibet.
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Tibetan Landscape
Tibet is the biggest,highest and the youngest plateau in the world.It claims to be the " Roof of the world" and " the Third Pole".Mt.Kunlun,Mt.Himalaya,Mt.Gangdis and Mt.Henduan are all scraping the sky. Tibet is full of rivers and lakes which provides avundance of hydroelectrice power and aquatic products.Bushy banks of the rivers and lakes are the homes of swans and geese.If you do not watch your step,you might stride on their eggs.On the banks of the salt water lakes,there are great heaps of alkail which also contains nitre and borax.
The Holy Snow Land
The mountains and peaks in the tibetan Plateau are either covered or capped with silver snow.They are shining under the sunlight.It would be even more bearutiful looking down from and airplane.
Mt. Everest
No.1 Peak on earth is Mt. Everest,standing on the top of the other peaks with a height of 8,848.13 metres.Its silver peak sends out silver radiance yea after year.Its waist is hidden in the clouds,attracting thousands of mountaineers and tourists.
High Peaks
Among the fourteen peaks above 8,000 metres on earth, five are in Tibet. Besides Mt.Everest, peaks like Luozi, Makalu, Zhuoayou, Xixiabangma and Nanjiabawa are all competing to stand up higher than other peaks on earth. Huge rocks are piercing into the sky. Endless ice and snow are depicting a silver world. White ice towers, stalagmites and stalactites, the serene looking ice sheep against the ferocious looking ice lion are the masterpieces of ice carving by the great nature. What is not white ? What is not pure here in Tibet ?
Mt. Kailash
It is considered as the most sacred mountain by buddhists and Hindus alike.Buddhists believe it to be the axis of Mt. Sumeru, the central mountain amidst the four continets of the old concept of world system. Himdus believe it to be the throne of Shiva. Kailash is very beautiful in appearance, thickly covered with snows and hovering dominatingly above its surrounding peaks though its altitude is "only" 6.14 kilometers.
The Three rivers in the East
The Gold Sand ,Lancang and Nu Rivers flow down from north to the south into Yunnan. Accompanied by the grand sceneries of Mt. Hengduan, the 3-river area is a famous scenic spot.
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Tibetan History :
Tibetan history can be traced thousands of years back. However, the written history only dates back to the 7th century when Songtsan Gampo, the 33rd Tibetan king, sent his minister Sambhota to India to study. Sanskrit who on his return invented the present Tibetan script based on Sanskrit. Tibet's history can be diveded into four period
1.The Tsanpo's Period
This period starts from Nyatri Tsanpo, the first of the Tsanpos, in 127 B.C(historians differ in view of the date, but this date is taken from the White Annales, a reliabl book on Tibetan history) and ends in 842 A.D. at the death of Lang Dharma, the last of the Tsanpos, who was assassinated by a buddhist monk owing to Lang Dharma's ruthless persecution of Buddhism. During this period some 42 Tsanpos had ruled over Tibet among which Songtsan Gampo's rule was considered as the zenith. Songtsan Gampo was an outstanding ruler, he unified Tibet, changed his capital to Lhasa, sent Sambhota to India to study Sanskrit and promulaged a script for the Tibetan on the latter's arrival to Tibet, married Princess Wencheng of the Tang Court and Princess Bhrikuti Debi of Nepal, built the Potala Palace and temple of Jokhang
2.The period of Decentrailzation
This period began in 842 A.D. the year of Lang Dharma's assassination, and ended in about 1260 A.D, when Pagpa, the Abbot of Sakya monastery, became a vassal of Kublai Khan, the first Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty. During this period a little is known in history except that Tibet decentralized into a number of petty principalities.
3.The period of Sakya, Pagdu, and Karmapa's Rule
This period began with Sakya's rule over Tibet, followed first by Pagdu's rule in Lhaoka and then by Karmara's rule in the Tsang region(Shigatse). The Sakya period was the time when Tibet officially became an inseparable part of China.
This period lasted from 1260 A.D to 1642 A.D during which political powers centered in the three regions of Sakya, Pagdu, and Tsang successively ruled over Tibet.
4.The period of the gandan Podrang's Administration
This period is the period in which the Dalai Lama ruled Tibet. It started in 1642 A.D. when the 5th Dalai Lama overtook the ruling power from the Tsang ruler. It basically ended in 1951 when Tibet was liberated and came to a complete end in 1959 when rebellion led by the Dalai Lama was pacified and the People's Government of the Tibet, Autonomous Region was set up.
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Potala Palace
The Potala Palace is like a pearl on the plateau. The construction of the world famous Potala Palace was started in the 7th century during the time of the Tubo King Songstan Gampo. on the top of Mt. Putup, it is looming over the whole Lhasa city. As high as 110m, the Potala Palace onsists of two palaces -- the Red Palace and the White Place.. With over 1000 rooms, the first storey palace covers an area of 10,000 square metres. It witnessed the life of the Dalai Lamas and the important political and religious activites in the past centuries. There are grand palaces within palaces. the Palace stands up so high that it resembles a magnificent castle in the heaven. It makes itself a good example of the ancient Tibetan culture and architecture. The statues of the Tubo King Songtsan Gampo and his wife Princess Wen Cheng are being worshipped in the Palace. Among the eight tomb pagodas of the Dalai Lamas, the Fifth Dala Lama tomb is the mst extravagant. It stands as high as fourteen meters and used 11,000 ounces of gold in its gold plating. The designs and decorations on them all are inlaid with diamonds, peals, turquoises, agates, corals etc. There also stored the world treasure -- the gold hand-written Buddhist scriptures, valuable gifts from the Chinese emperors and a lot of pricless antiques. You will be amazed by the colorful sculptures and paintings. The Potala Palace deserves the title of art gallery and museum. It is a symbol of the wisdom and power of the Tibetan people.
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The Norbulingka Park
There is a beautiful park in the western suburbs of Lhasa. It used to be the Summer Palace for the Dala Lamas where they handled political affairs, and practised religious activities. The construction started in 40s of the 18th century, covering a floor space of 46 hactor. The whole park has more than 370 rooms of different sizes, and lawns, shaded by green trees and embrided by various flowers. With the clear water, and the flowers and trees around, it is known as the "park within the park".
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Jokhang Temple
The Jokhang Temple claims one of the oldest buildings in Tibet. It is the joint effort of the Han and Tibetan people. It said that when Princess Wen Cheng came to inspect the landform of Lhasa, she drew the conclusion that the Wuotang Lake was the heart of the devil. It was then filled with the earth carried by white goats. To comemorate the white goats, the temple was named "Ruosha" meaning "goat carring earth" in Tibetan. Then the name developed into "Lhasa" meaning the holy land.
In the central hall on the first floor, there is a gold sitting statue of a 12-year old Sakyamuni, brought in by Princess Wen Cheng. It is one of the most precious antique in Tibet. In the temple, they also keep the portrays of Buddha in silk from the Tang Dynasty, the pearl gown and gold lamp from the Ming Dynasty as well as the painting by the famous painters several hundreds of year ago. The stone Tablet of Unity between Tang Dynasty and Tubo kingdom with the inscriptions both in Chinese and Tibetan was erected in 823. It marks the friendship between the Chinese and Tibetans. The willow tree beside the Tablet, called Tang Willow, is said to be planted personally by Princess Wen Cheng and the Tubo King Songtsan Gampo. There are five big coper pots for making tea for 5,000 people in the front of the temple. They are so big that when cleaning them, ladders have to be use. In 1409 Zongkaba, the founder of the Yellow Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, originated the Great Prayer Festival. The debate between the candidates for the degree of "Guoxi" was conducted among the Yellow Sect Buddhists. For more than 1,000 years, the Jokhang Temple remains to be the favourite spot for the worshippers from far and near.
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Barkhore Street
The traditional lifestyle and appearance of Lhasa's Old City district are well preserved in Barkhore Street: The stone houses, and the man-laid stone roads. Barkhore Street is the commercial center in Tibet. Shops line one next to another. Here visitors can get everything Tibetan they could hope for, such as the prayer-wheels, the boots and hats, robes, and bags. Commodities made in India and Nepal can also be found . There are many art galaries and stores for arts and crafts, which specialize in thankas. The thankas are paintings of Buddha. Brightly colored and vividly depicted. Artisans paint and sell thankas on the street.
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Trepung Monastery
The Trepung Monastery is the biggest of the three monasteries. Sistuated on the slope of Mt. Guopei, it is 10 km to the west of Lhasa. The Monastery is so big that it resembles a town. It was built by Zongkaba's disciple Jiangyang Qujie in 146 A.D. The Monastery consists of a number of grand halls chambers, and the Dalai Lamas'palaces. 190 huge pillars are standing in the Grand Hall of Guoqin which could sit as many as 10,000 lamas. The statue of Buddha Jiangba, said to be unearthed by Zongkaba, is enshrined on the second floor. Also enshrined in the Monastery is the white conch with counter-clockwise spiral believed to be buried by Buddha Sakyamuni's disciple Mujianlianzang. It was later on unearthed by Zongkaba and passed on to Jiangyang Qujie. Muslim poems are written on the walls of the Hall. Before he moved to the Potala Palace, the 5th Dalai Lama lived here. The Trepung Monastery used to nourish a lot of scholars of Buddhism in Tibet.
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Sera Monastery
The Sera Monastery nestles at the foot of the Wu Du Hill in the northern suburbs of the Lhasa city. It got its name from the sera flowers (wild rose) on the hill. The Monastery was built under the supervision of Zongkaba's disciple Xiajia Yixi. Enshrined in the Monastery are the 16 Arharts carved out of sandal wood from the Ming Emperor, over 10,000 golden copper Buddhist statues, the holy prayer scripture Ganzhuer written in Cinnabar etc
Modern Tibetan Woman Artists Work on Display
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