The Great Outdoors

Dupu Valley – Discover the Fascinating Territory of Kham

The Great Outdoors

Dupu Valley – Discover the Fascinating Territory of Kham

The Great Outdoors

Dupu Valley – Discover the Fascinating Territory of Kham

  • Destination

    Sichuan

  • Trip duration

    9 days, 8 nights

  • Availability period

    1 May. 2022

  • Min/Max travelers

    Min.2; Max.6

  • Transport

    Van / Foot

  • Accommodation

    3-star local hotels and camping

Derge is located in a valley with rich plantations. With elevations ranging between3400 m and 4000m, it is a hiker’s paradise. The landscape features beautifulsnowcapped mountains, forests, and glistening rivers and streams that run throughnomads’ pastures and fields of barley among colorful wooden houses. However, thisplace is not only special due to its natural beauty, it is also a cultural hub for manywith its prominent centuries’ old religious institutions and a vibrant hand-craftedarts scene

You will visit the workshops, talk with theartisans, and get hands-on and learn from the masters without missing The DergeParkhang Chemo (the Great Derge Print House), the world’s biggest traditional printing house.

Dupu Valley – Discover the Fascinating Territory of Kham

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Travel is an emotional experience, cherishing new corners and venture into unknown landscapes. Respecting this and giving back to society has taken an important role in our endeavours in leaving only footprints and taking only memories. ATRAILS committed to improving the conditions of communities we encounter on our journeys whilst safeguarding and protecting nature and wildlife

Sichuan, China

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Day 1

Kangding-Tagong Grassland- Luhuo County

Leaving Kangding airport, we will visit the nomadic grassland plains, where you will start to notice a drop in temperature. As we drive toward Balhagong (Chinese: Ta Gong), Palmo Snow Mountain appears in the distance. The mountain pass is 3800 meters high and is an amazing spot from which you can enjoy the sunrise.  Afterward, we will visit Lhagong Monastery, the center for the Sakyapa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism in the area, located in a nomadic town. Visit Lhagong Monastery’s temples, examine Buddhist sculptures, and admire Tibetan paintings (Thangkas). We will continue our drive and pass through Tawu County. Tawu was once an important geopolitical region that served as a border between Tibet’s Minyak and Gyarong Kingdoms for hundreds of years. Even today, you will be able to see many of the watchtowers that safeguarded the Minyak Kingdom border as early as the 13th century. The Tawu region is home to Minyak Tibetan Villages. These villages have very unique architecture that differs slightly from most parts of Tibet. We will visit a couple of the families in the Minyak villages and have tea with village elders. Afterward, we will drive another hour to Drago (Chinese: Luhuo County) and will check into your hotel. 


Food

B/L/D

Accommodation

Standard 3-star hotel

Day 2

Luhuo County-Karze

We will walk to one of the region’s most important religious sites: Wela Nunnery. This temple, located only 25 kilometers outside of town, is always crowded with local devotees and practicing nuns. It is one of the biggest Nyingma-sect nunneries in the area and has quite a spectacular view of the mountains. Late afternoon, we will drive to Karze town, 2-hour driving through some amazing landscapes. As you leave Drago town, Tibetan villages with Kham-style houses are situated on both sides of the road. The border between Drago and Karze is divided by Kasar lake. We will stop near the lake to enjoy the landscape. Continue driving another hour to Karze, another farming county, vast and surrounded by high snow-covered peaks.  We will arrive in Karze around noon. Lunch in town, after lunch, we will use the whole afternoon to explore the surroundings. Overnight in Karze town.


Food

B/L/D

Accommodation

Camping

Day 3

Karze-Derge

Today we drive towards the southern Kham region through narrow gorges that are crowded with Tibetan villages. These gorges are surrounded by breathtaking Trola range peaks which seem to touch the sky. We will stop for a breath of fresh air before driving to the top. There is a panoramic view of two different terrains: rough, the Rocky Mountains on one hand, and smooth, endless grasslands on the other. Throwing Tibetan wind-horse prayers into the thin air, which will protect us on our travels. Next, we will descend into another valley that is part of Derge Kingdom, full of natural wonders such as idyllic lakes and unique wildlife. We will spend some time here with local nomads and find the best possible place for a picnic After lunch, we will travel further down the forested valley, where you will see the large wooden houses of the Khampa. It is Derge Town in the early evening. Check-in your hotel.


Food

B/L/D

Accommodation

Standard 3-star hotel

Day 4

Derge -Zongsar village

We will walk to Derge Parkhang Chenmo, the Great Derge Printing House, one of the three major printing houses in Tibet. The Derge Parkhang is a living institution devoted to the printing and preservation of Tibetan literature and holds the greatest number of Tibetan woodblocks in the world. The printing house is one of the most important cultural, social, religious, and historical institutions in Tibet. Founded in 1729 by Demba Tsering, the fortieth King of Derge (1678–1739), the Derge Parkhang is an active center for the publication of Tibetan Buddhist sutra, commentaries, and thangka, as well as works of history, technology, biography, medicine, and literature. The printing house has printed books using the same methods for almost three hundred years: utilizing hand-carved wooden block technology. We will eat lunch in town and continue discovering the great mountain town of Derge on foot. We will also visit a bustling local marketplace. After lunch, we will start to drive toward Zongsar. After leaving Derge, we will drive along the Yangtse river through some small villages of Khampas. We will stop for Gaytsa fort that was built in the 13th century as a fort. Today it became one temple for the local deviators. Continue to drive along the Yangtse river, we will turn into the valley where Zongsar is situated. Arrive in the Zongsar in the early evening, we will meet with our host in Gyagong village. Dinner will be prepared in the yard where you can get a great view of the whole valley. After dinner, we will take a short walk around the village. Homestay at the village for the night.


Food

B/L/D

Accommodation

Camping

Day 5

Mesho – Tashi-Tang – Dupu Valley

Today, we will start our 3 days of trekking through a wildness of unknown regions in the region where you will see some of the most breathtaking snow-capped mountains, holy lakes, and remote retreats. Start our trek by driving to Kasa village about 20 minutes driving in distance. From the village, we will walk up to Gagu Rutrö retreat area.  As we start to walk down along a steeply tail to Tashi Thang, you will see the lower valley covered by rich forests and Dupu river rushing through. We will stop to have our packed lunch on a spot where you can get a great view of the whole region. After lunch, we will continue our trekking into the deep valley of Dupu. Arrive at our camp side early evening. We will set up our tents not so far from the Dupu river and prepare dinner. Overnight in Dupu

Food

B/L/D

Accommodation

Camping

Day 6

Dupu Valley-Turuma pasture


Our team will prepare breakfast with coffee/tea, fried eggs, and toasts. Then we will start our second day of trekking. The landscapes will change dramatically as you leave Dupu valley. After 2 hours of the trek, the Ngadra Gongri mountains appear from the distance. By noon, we will be able to make to Shagmongla pass (4900m). Enjoy our lunch with a whole view of the Ngadra Gongri mountain. After lunch, we will start to descend in the lower valley of Turuma where the local nomads spend their summer. The temperature rises as you walk down into the valley. Before we end our trek, we will take a detour to visit Seling Yutso, a holy lake with prayer flags and stupas. Another one-hour walk to reach our camping site. Your tents are already set up and coffee/tea and other snacks are prepared. Dinner will be served around 7.30 pm. Overnight at the Turuma pasture.

Food

B/L/D

Accommodation

Camping

Day 7

Turuma pasture – Rongme Karmo Taktsang retreat – Gyalgong village.


Today we will visit Rongme Karmo Taktsang retreat after breakfast. It is located less than an hour walking distance from our campsite. Rongme Karmo Taktsang is one of he most sacred retreats for Buddhist practitioners. Many great Tibetan Buddhist masters have spent years in this pace to complete their retreats and meditations including Mipham Rinpoche who did a 13-year meditation there. After visiting this great place, we continue our trek into the lower part of the valley, then we will arrive at the Tso Koma Lake full the After visiting this great place, we continue our trek into the lower part of the valley, then we will arrive at the Tso Koma Lake. The sacred lake full the prayer flags. We will trek another one hour. We will meet with our driver, drive to Gyalgong village. Overnight at Kyanle guest house.

Food

B/L/D

Accommodation

Guest House

Day 8

Gyalgong village – Derge – Mani Gango – Karzi County.

Today, we will say goodbye to our host and then start to drive toward Sershul county. One-hour driving to Derge, then continues to Mani Gango where we will do small shopping for our picnic. Then drive another hour, we will stop for a picnic lunch on the grassland. Arrive in Karzi in the evening. Check-in our hotel. Meet me at the hotel lobby at 7.30 pm for dinner.

Food

B/L/D

Accommodation

Standard 3-star hotel

Day 9

Karzi County – Gesaer Airport.

Drive to the airport, fly out

Food

B

Travel is an emotional experience, cherishing new corners and venture into unknown landscapes.
Respecting this and giving back to society has taken an important role in our endeavours in leaving only footprints and taking only memories.
ATRAILS committed to improving the conditions of communities we encounter on our journeys whilst safeguarding and protecting nature and wildlife

to Know More
on the way

Standard 3-Star Hotel

hotel with daily breakfast, 24-hour hot shower, standard toilets. Simple accommodation, locally managed.

various

Camping

1. Tents.
 2. Air mattress for each person.
 3. Air pillow for each person.
 4. Camping lamp.
 5. Dinning sets (table and chairs).
 6. Dinning tent
 7. Toilet tent.
 8. All cooking equipment.
 9. Plates, cups, bowls, spoons, forks, tissues.

Travel is an emotional experience, cherishing new corners and venture into unknown landscapes.
Respecting this and giving back to society has taken an important role in our endeavours in leaving only footprints and taking only memories.
ATRAILS committed to improving the conditions of communities we encounter on our journeys whilst safeguarding and protecting nature and wildlife

to Know More
Carbon Emission Initiative - Gold Standard

As of 2020 Asian Trails has introduced a voluntary carbon offsetting initiative for our travellers to compensate for unavoidable emissions during their tours with us. Emissions during multi-day package tours (not including international flights to our destinations) are pegged at a cost of $1.50 per traveller per day. This amount is based on average daily emissions of travellers across our eight destinations. Contributions from clients to our carbon offsetting initiative will go into a destination-specific fund to support climate protection projects certified to Gold Standard in that country. Certification to Gold Standard assures that the projects supported through our carbon offsetting initiative not only reduce harmful emissions but also positively contribute to sustainable development. Our contributions to projects in a country will be relative to the CO2 emitted by our travelers in that destination. To know more about this project: https://marketplace.goldstandard.org/collections/projects/products/more-efficient-cooking-and-heating-china

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