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DETAILED DOSSIER
TIBET The Himalayan Caravan...
17 day itinerary: Kathmandu - Tsetang - Lhasa -
Gyantse -Shigatse - Sakya - Rongbuk -
Everest Base Camp - Nyalam - Kathmandu
Travel Dates: Sat 6 September - Mon 22 September 2003
INTRODUCTION
Travel in Tibet is an adventure.
The roads can be rough and the accommodation, though usually characterful, is
occasionally rather basic. However, almost all travellers agree that these are
small prices to pay for the privilege of experiencing, first hand,
one of the world's scenically most magnificent and culturally most fascinating
countries.
Using top-quality Landcruisers, and some useful contacts 'on the ground', we are
able to travel in an impressive amount of comfort to off-the-beaten-track
locations that are inaccessible by other types of vehicles and other types of
tours.
By using local (Tibetan) drivers and guides, we are able to gain a more
informed, informal and in-depth insight into the myriad complexities of Tibetan
society. The impromptu as well as scheduled breaks in our journey, as we make
our way across the vast Tibetan plateau, offer unforgettable memories of the
unique and often mystical sights and sounds that define life beyond the
Himalayas.
ITINERARY
Day 1. - Kathmandu - Group rendezvous in Kathmandu. After time to relax at our
comfortable, centrally-located hotel, for those who wish, there will be drinks
and dinner in the vibrant entertainment district of Thamel, with its
cosmopolitan atmosphere and many shops, bars and restaurants. Overnight - hotel
Day 2. - Kathmandu - We spend the day exploring Kathmandu. In the morning we
visit the ancient Monkey Temple at Swayumbinath, from where there are commanding
views over the valley. It is considered good luck to climb the 365 steps at the
front of the temple, although this is by no means compulsory! Later we drive to
Bodhnath, the site of an imposing white stupa. This area is home to a large
Tibetan community, and is often the first point of contact for refugees coming
over the mountains. After lunch overlooking the stupa, we visit the riverside
Hindu temple complex at Pashupatinath where chillum-smoking, sadhu holymen
mingle with pilgrims, devotees and other worshippers. There are then a few hours
free before the group meets up again, in the early evening, for a trip briefing.
Overnight - hotel
Day 3. - Kathmandu - A day at leisure, allowing time for group members to
independently explore Kathmandu and its outlying districts. At any time of day
it is worth taking in the many sights and sounds of Durbar Square - the heart of
the city - with its countless tiered pagodas and statues of deities looking both
ferocious and benign. Nearby are the ornate and finely carved wooden buildings
and towers of the recently opened Royal Palace, as well as Kumari Chowk, where
it is sometimes possible to catch a glimpse of the young living goddess Kumari.
Today the Kathmandu Valley is one of the most fertile in the Himalayas, and home
to some of its richest cultural treasures. According to local legend the valley
was once a lake, however, with the blow of a sword more properly used for
cutting through ignorance, the god Manjusri cleaved a gash in the mountain wall
thus allowing the water to escape. Across the valley, and within easy travelling
distance of the capital, is Patan (famous for its handicrafts) and the
well-preserved, medieval town of Bhaktapur - famous for its yoghurt. Overnight -
hotel
Day 4. - Tsetang - An early start, as today we travel to the airport and take a
spectacular 1.5 hour flight over the Himalayas to Tibet. In clear weather there
are amazing aerial views of Mts Everest, Shishipangma, Makalu and Kangchenjunga.
On arrival at Gongar Airport - 90km south of Lhasa - we continue by road, along
the banks of the yawning Yarlung Tsangpo river, to Tsetang (at 3,400m). In the
afternoon we will visit the Yumbu Lhakang, the oldest and, some would say, most
visually striking building in Tibet. This Tolkienesque castle/temple, perched
eagle-like on a rocky outcrop, is said to be on the site of the original palace
of Tibet's first king, Nyatri Tsenpo, and guards the entrance to the
historically important Yarlung Valley. Tsetang itself is a rather windswept
place, with the air of a Chinese outpost. Overnight - hotel
Day 5 - Lhasa - (190km) After a brief period of acclimatisation in Tsetang, we
travel west towards Lhasa. En route we make a scenic detour to Samye Monastery -
the first ever constructed in Tibet and, according to Tibetan cosmology, the
centre of the universe. Getting to Samye is half the fun and involves a rather
leisurely ferry-ride across the Yarlung Tsangpo River followed by a bumpy, but
mercifully short, journey in the back of a truck. The monastery - considered to
be one of the most architecturally magnificent in all of Tibet - was founded
during the reign of Trison Detsen by Padmasambhava, the Indian monk credited
with having introduced Buddhism to Tibet. Returning to the main road we continue
our journey to Lhasa (3,590m). As we enter the city, just as Colonel
Younghusband, Heinrich Harrer and other early travellers did, we catch our first
glimpse of the stately and surreal structure of the Potala Palace looming
majestically over the Lhasa Valley and what is now a large modern Chinese city.
By late afternoon, we will have established a base for the next 3 days at our
centrally-located hotel in the Tibetan area of town. Overnight - hotel
Day 6-8. - Lhasa - We have 3 full days to explore this fascinating and dynamic
city. For Tibetans all roads lead to the Jokhang Temple - the Vatican of Tibetan
Buddhism. Inside wildly garbed pilgrims from all over Tibet shuffle slowly
through a maze of candlelit temples to the musical drone of softly chanting
monks. The temple houses, among its many other treasures, the Jowo Rinpoche, the
most revered image in Tibet. Some of the temple's carved wooden pillars,
blackened and preserved by centuries of juniper smoke, date back over 1,400
years. The Barkhor, the pilgrim route that goes around the temple, is a great
place to wander, shop and meet locals - each circuit is meant to bring religious
merit to the circumambulator.
Across town is the Potala Palace, the winter home of the conspicuously absent HH
the Dalai Lama. Once one of the world's tallest buildings - until the early 20th
century - the Potala is a town in itself, and historically served both political
and religious functions. As well as several lavishly adorned chapels which still
contain some priceless artefacts and antiquities, the rooms that are of
particular interest are the former living quarters of the current Dalai Lama and
the awe-inspiring tombs of several of his predecessors. From the rooftop it is
possible to see far across the valley and observe the extent to which Lhasa has
expanded over recent years. The Norbulingka, or Summer Palace, is slightly
further to the west, and it is from here that the Dalai Lama began his journey
into exile in 1959. On the outskirts of Lhasa are the great monasteries (once
monastic cities) of Sera and Drepung, both strongholds of the Gelugpa (yellow
hat) sect founded by Tsongkhapa. Near to Drepung is the Nechung Temple, home to
the state Oracle. Time-permitting we will visit one or both of these
monasteries, allowing also some free time for individual exploration of the
city. There are bicycles for hire just a few minutes from our hotel, and many
other places to explore including lesser-known temples and street markets.
Anyone with an interest in alternative medicine may like to include a visit to
the Tibetan Medical College. Overnight - hotel
Day 9. - Gyangtse (261km) - Leaving the city far behind, we head south on a
journey that will eventually take us back across the Himalayas, through some of
the most magnificent mountain scenery in the world. After first recrossing the
Yarlung Tsangpo we climb steeply to the Kamba La Pass (4,794m) and get our first
stunning views of the clear, turquoise-blue waters of Scorpion Lake (Yamdrok Tso).
After dropping down to the lake, and skirting the shoreline for a while, we soon
climb again to Karo La pass, (5,011m) renowned for its unusual hanging glacier.
From here the road to Gyangtse levels out and follows a line of slightly
incongruous looking mud brick telegraph poles. Gyangtse itself is a lovely
well-preserved rural town that has escaped much of the colonisation seen
elsewhere in Tibet. There is a fine monastery here - home to the huge Kumbum
Stupa - and also an impressive dzong or fortress. Anyone with an interest in
Imperial history may be interested to know that the fortress was the scene of a
relatively violent skirmish between the advancing Younghusband Expedition and
the woefully ill-prepared Tibetan Army. The events are recorded in the fortress'
interestingly named, 'Museum of Anti- British'. Overnight - hotel
Day 10. - Shigatse (90km) - We have all morning to explore Gyangtse by car
and/or by foot before setting off through a bucolic harvest landscape on the
short drive to Shigatse (approx. 90km). Shigatse is Tibet's second city and is
steadily growing in political importance and cultural significance. The city is
home to the Tashilhunpo Monastery, and provides us with some interesting places
to visit during our 1 day/2 nights here. Overnight - hotel
Day 11. - Shigatse - A full day's exploration, driving to all the main sites.
Undoubtedly the most important place in town is Tashilhunpo Monastery,
traditional seat of the Panchen Lama, and one of the six largest in Tibet.
Unusually, but not without good political reason, the monastery was spared
significant damage during the Cultural Revolution, and consequently still
comprises an impressive array of temples containing many original artefacts, not
least Jamkhang Chenmo temple, where we come face to face with the world's
largest gilded copper image. a huge 26m high statue of Maitreya, the buddha of
the Future. Overnight - hotel
Day 12. - Sakya/Shelkar (233km) - Leaving Shigatse's broad plain we ascend to
the Tsuo La Pass before dropping down to Sakya Bridge from where we turn into
the picturesque Sakya Valley. Although little more than a village now Sakya gave
its name to one of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism, and was once the
capital of Tibet. The temples within Sakya's blue-walled, Mongol-style monastery
are some of the most fascinating in Tibet and having climbed to the roof, we are
rewarded with beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. From Sakya we
return to the main road and continue via Lhatse and the Lhakpa La Pass (5,220m)
- watershed for the Eurasian and Indian subcontinents - to the less than
salubrious town of Shelkar where we spend the night. Overnight - hotel
Day 13 - Everest Base Camp (85km) - From Shelkar to Rongbuk the road is often
uneven, the driving bumpy but the journey is utterly magical. From the main road
we pass the village of Chay and then climb steeply up to the Pang La Pass from
where it is possible to get breathtaking and unrivalled views of Mounts Everest,
Cho Oyu, Makalu and Lhotse. Descending the slopes towards the small hamlets of
Paruche and Passum, we drive through wide, fertile valleys, negotiating a few
small river-crossings, before travelling through a slightly harsher landscape to
reach Rongbuk Monastery - the highest in the world. We expect to arrive in time
for a picnic lunch, eating freshly prepared food while gazing at the northern
face of the world's highest mountain. According to Hergé, it was to this
monastery that Tintin was brought, by monks, after stumbling across the
Himalayas in search of his lost friend Chang. The temple buildings themselves
are of little historical interest but the sight of the monastery's chorten
silhouetted against Everest's Kanshung Face is breathtaking, and as one
guidebook proclaims "to sit outside and watch the play of light on the
mountain is the experience of a lifetime". It is possible to either walk or
drive the 7 or so extra kilometres to the Base Camp, and from there climb up
onto the Rongbuk Glacier to become almost part of the geological drama being
played out all around you. We stay at a guesthouse near the monastery which
although quite basic can be - with the right attitude and warm sleeping bag - a
lot of fun. The resident monks and nuns, some of whom speak a certain amount of
English, are mostly quite young and are great hosts. Overnight - guesthouse
Day 14 - Nyalam (211km) - Back on the main road, we begin one of the most
scenically astounding days of the trip, as we are confronted at various times
throughout the day with the full grandeur of the Himalayas laid out before us.
From the old town of Tingri we continue south eventually climbing to the summit
of the Lalung Leh Pass, from where the views of the great monolith of
Shishapangma (8,013m) are particularly impressive. From here the scenery begins
to change again, as we make a steep descent through the Po Chu Gorge en route to
Nyalam. As we lose altitude the temperature rises and, in marked contrast to the
arid rather barren plateau, we find ourselves in an area of alpine vegetation.
Just north of Nyalam we will, if time allows, pause to visit Milarepa's Cave,
one of the many former meditation retreats of Tibet's best-loved poet and
mystic. A little further on we come to Nyalam (3,750m) where we will spend our
last night in Tibet in a simple but friendly guesthouse. Overnight - guesthouse
Day 15 - Kathmandu (155km) - As the winding road continues its descent through
densely forested hillsides, and the countryside around us begins to assume an
almost tropical air, the rapid transition and marked difference between the high
and low altitude worlds of Tibet and Nepal is difficult to ignore. Arriving at
the architecturally chaotic Nepali/Chinese border town of Dram (Zhangmu in
Chinese) we complete the Chinese border formalities before continuing down the
road (by vehicle or, if the road is impassable, by foot) to Friendship Bridge,
and just beyond it the Nepali border post. After meeting our Nepali guide and
driver we continue past the gushing Bhote and Sun Khosi rivers and on through
rice terraces and woodland to arrive in Kathmandu in the late afternoon.
Overnight - hotel
Day 16 - Kathmandu - Presuming there have been no delays en route, today has
been left free for relaxation, a little shopping or possibly even a short trek
on the edges of the valley. Overnight - hotel
Day 17 Journey's end... The Oriental Caravan heads home
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Tour price (excluding international flights) - £1,485 per person on a twin
share basis
Group & staff - The group will comprise between 6 and 14 members, and be
escorted throughout by a bi-lingual trek leader from The Oriental Caravan. While
in Tibet we will be joined by a local guide and assisted by experienced local
drivers.
Transport - While travelling in Tibet we will be using top-quality Toyota 4500
4x4 Landcruisers that are capable of comfortably negotiating the region's
occasionally rugged terrain away from the main highways. For the section of the
journey between Lhasa Airport and Lhasa we may use a minibus, as a more
efficient means of ensuring that the group travels together while in urban
areas. Transport from the airport for those travelling on the group flight will
be by minibus as will the transfer between the Nepali border and Kathmandu.
Accommodation - In Lhasa we stay at a centrally-located, 3-star Tibetan-style
hotel with good facilities (in Kathmandu we use a modern 4 star hotel, also
centrally located). Elsewhere on the trip we use the best available
accommodation. In Shigatse, Gyangtse and Tsetang the hotels are new and
comfortable, although as always in Chinese-built hotels the plumbing can be
something of a hit or miss affair! The hotel in Shelkar is basic but blessed
with its own slightly Kafkaesque charm. In all the above we have rooms with
private facilities, and in all hotels guests are provided with large thermos
flasks of hot, boiled water for drinking. In Nyalam we stay in a guesthouse
which although simple is friendly and full of character. The accommodation at
Rongbuk is in the dormitories of the guesthouse, and although quilts are
provided it could have been quite a while since they were last laundered, and so
it is strongly recommended that you bring your own 3-4 season sleeping bag.
Food - In Kathmandu only breakfasts are included. Allow around £5 a day for
other meals in Nepal. In Tibet there is a food kitty of £110 (paid locally) to
cover meals while 'on the road'.
Weather - At the time of year when we will be travelling in the region there is
generally plenty of sunshine and blue skies in Tibet - our journey having been
timed to avoid the Indian monsoon which in July and August occasionally makes it
way across the Himalayas. By September the threat of rain is significantly
reduced but the temperature, particularly at night, is still warm enough to
allow for comfortable travel.
Altitude - Most travellers arriving in Tibet experience some of the more minor
forms of altitude sickness, such as headaches, sleeplessness and feeling out of
breath after only mild exertion. Typically, these symptoms clear up after a few
days, and are generally little more than a minor inconvenience. It is extremely
unusual for anyone to suffer the more serious effects of acute altitude sickness
but anyone with significant heart or respiratory disorders would be strongly
advised to consult a physician before committing to a journey of this nature.
Health Formalities - There are no statutory (vaccination) requirements for Nepal
or Tibet unless arriving from an infected area. All group members should however
ensure that they are reasonably fit, and as much of our route across Tibet is
above 3,500m (maximum altitude over 5,000m) consider a medical check-up before
departure.
Insurance - It is a condition of travelling with The Oriental Caravan that each
group member be insured against medical and personal accident risks (including
the cost of repatriation) and have adequate baggage cover. In addition, it is
strongly recommended that all travellers take out cancellation insurance at the
time of booking to cover their costs should they, for any reason, need to cancel
prior to departure. (The Oriental Caravan is able to provide details of a
suitable single/multi-trip insurance policy, available direct from Campbell
Irvine Insurance Ltd).
Passport & Visa - All nationalities require a passport valid for at least 6
months beyond the date of final departure from Nepal. Nearly all nationalities -
including British - require a visa for Nepal, and as we will be entering twice a
multiple-entry visa is required. This should be obtained before departure,
directly from the Nepalese Consulate (cost £55), or if you would prefer to use
a visa service, we can recommend Travcour (phone 020 7223 5295). The Chinese
visa is organised by The Oriental Caravan as a group visa, on arrival in Nepal.
You should allow approx. US$60 (cash) for this. To ensure the timely processing
of the Chinese visa and Tibetan permits we will need a photocopy of the personal
details page in your passport at the earliest opportunity.
Special Equipment - Group members will need a 3-4 season sleeping bag (can be
hired in Kathmandu), warm jacket, UV sunglasses and skin protection, strong
walking shoes, and a water bottle. More specific information regarding clothing
and what to pack is included in the 'Pre-departure Information' that will be
sent to group members closer to the date of departure.
This dossier, and the itinerary it describes, have been carefully
compiled and are provided in good faith. As with any such journey to a remote
destination unusual and unexpected conditions can occur at any time and this
kind of holiday can be subject to unforeseen changes; to fully enjoy this kind
of travel it is, on occasion, necessary for participants to be prepared to adopt
a certain amount of flexibility. Copyright (c) The Oriental Caravan PJC 11/02
