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Eastern Tibet (Kham) ཁམས་

Why Go? Pasho ...... 194 Kham is the face you never knew Tibet had: a land of rag- Pomi ...... 196 ing rivers and deep gorges, alpine forests and rolling grass- lands, outspoken monks and rebel cowboys. Compared Tashigang ...... 198 with the rest of this largely barren land, it’s a world apart. Bāyī ...... 199 It’s still part of the Tibetan plateau, but Kham is where Draksum-tso ...... 201 Tibet begins its descent towards the subtropical Sìchuān Chamdo ...... 205 basin, and the landscapes here represent both extremes: Riwoche one day you’ll drive over a breathtakingly high mountain Tsuglhakhang ...... 209 pass, the next you’ll slide your way through rainforest on a mud-bath road. This is off -the-beaten-track adventure Tengchen ...... 210 travel at its most exhilarating, and the chances are you’ll Sok ...... 212 be the only foreigner in sight. Nagchu ...... 213 Kham gains much of its charm from its people. Kham- pas dressed in sheepskin cloaks and with braided hair cruise the region on motorbikes. It can sometimes feel like Best Places to Eat America’s Wild West, only with the cowboys and buff alos replaced by Khampas and yaks. » Lo Les Traditional Emotion Palace (p199 ) » Guzel (p 197 ) » Lhasa Wealth God Restaurant (p 213 ) When to Go » Qílín Cānguǎn (p 209 ) May and June are the best months to travel in eastern Ti- bet. There’s hardly any rain, temperatures are at their most » Y īpǐnxiāng Lǔròuguǎn comfortable and much of the landscape is covered in blan- (p 211 ) kets of bright-yellow rapeseed fl owers. If you’re here in early August, try to pop in on the Nag- Best Places to chu Horse Festival; well worth a look if you’re on the North- Stay ern Route. And don’t discount coming in winter (November– » Ránwūhú Fēngqíngyuán February). Temperatures are warmer than you’d think (p196 ) (apart from in the Nagchu region, of course), there’s hardly » Tashigang Village (p198 ) any rain and usually not another tourist in sight. » Rinchen Family Guesthouse (p197 ) » B āngdá Qīngnián Lǚshè (p 194 ) Amdo 190 Qinghai–Tibet Gangli Kundo-la A M D O (4850m) Bachen Birong Sok 317 Jiangge-la Xiang Yangan Shel-la (4929m) Gangduo (4905m) Choedo Shagchu Sok Tsanden Chak-la (4800m) Dodoka Monastery Bajung Zhamu Gompa (4500m) 317 Hwy Sertsa Ridazeng Ronpo Tuoka-la (4640m) Gompa Biru Chongnye-la Nagchu (4460m)

Qinghai–Lhasa Train Line 109

Drolma (Salween Valley ὄὄὄNu Jiang River) Gulok

To Damxung (10km); Nam-tso (76km); Lhari Yangpachen (90km) Artsa ὄὄὄὄὄYi'ong Tsangpo

Drigung Til Monastery EASTERN TIBET (KHAM) TIBET EASTERN Tangmi Draksum-tso Jimda Pelung Drigung Qu Nyiba Gyashing Gyala Pelri Songdo ὄὄ318 Bahel (Namse) (7151m) Medro-chu Gyamda Kongpo Bepa Tashigang Medro Pa-la (Mi-la) Shol Gyamda Nyang-chu Lunang (5013m) Gongkar Bayi To Lhasa Rutok (71km) Buchu Nyingtri Monastery Namche Lhamo Bonri Barwa La-tso Lamaling (4500m) (7756m) Temple Tsetang

Kyimpong Miling Nang Yarlung Tsangpo Dzong Chongye Gyatsa Xian (Brahmaputra River)

Yarlung Tsari Tsangpo (5735m)

Eastern Tibet Highlights 1 Stay with a Tibetan family 2 Join devout Bön pilgrims suspended on stilts above the in the charming village of on an unforgettable seven- cool blue waters of Ngan-tso Tashigang (p 198 ) hour trek around holy (p 196 ) mountain Bönri (p200 ) 4 Detour to Dodoka Gompa 3 Sleep in Tibet’s most to see its remarkable skull romantic guesthouse, wall (p 214 ), in one of Tibet’s CHINA Nangchen 191 0 100 km QINGHAI 0 60 miles To Ganzi (10km) Jiding Derge Wara Tengchen Chaksamkha Monastery CHINA Monastery Jomda Nge-la SICHUAN Tengchen Riwoche Tsuglhakhang Kaji-la Zong-la (4245m) (4680m) (4481m) Langtang Chayab 317 Monastery Monastery Topa Lamutang Dragu Chugu Gele-la Pelyul Riba Si Riwoche Monastery (4352m) Shala Jue'en Gompa (Baiyu) Reshe Jinkar Chamdo Söda Gompa Monastery Chabi-la Tsedru Seya-la Dzonglho Monastery (4680m) (4612m) Rotung Monastery Monastery Nya-la (3465m) K H A M Kyitang Drayab Lhorong Yushig Monastery Lang-la (4572m) Dri-chu (Jinsha Tongkha Jiang/Yangzi) 317 ὄὄὄ Kyidrup Monastery H Dza-chu (Mekong River) e Pomda Village n Pomda g Zar Gama-la Junction d (4618m) u (KHAM) TIBET EASTERN a Dodung Pasho n Katthar Monastery Tashitse Dola Gompa Monastery Thenthuk R Markham Lhorong a Druparong Pomi Monastery Shel-la (4905m) n (4360m) ὄὄ Dzongsar g 318 Baha Sundzom Dzogang e Gompa Parlung Tsangpo Ngajuk-la (4462m) Yupu Rongme To Lithang Dongda-la Denpa (97km) Rawok (5008m) Juetu-la (3908m)

Rawok-tso Yu-chu Hong-la Southern Midui (4220m) Sichuan– Glacier Ngan-tso Tibet Hwy ὄὄὄὄὄ Nu Jiang (Salween River) Metok Demu-la Lhegu (4802m) Glacier

Retob Kangri Lhegu Tsakalho (Kangri Karpo)

ὄ Deqin Kyigang INDIA Dzayul ARUNACHAL PRADESH MYANMAR (BURMA) YUNNAN

least-visited and creepiest 6 Hike towards the 7 Hunt down the three sights magnifi cent Midui Glacier closely guarded keys needed 5 Clamber up wooden (p 197 ) to unlock the treasures of ladders to cliff -top shrines at Riwoche Tsuglhakhang the spectacularly sited Tsedru (p209 ) Monastery (p 211 ) History iron roofs) is fast altering the face of the re- 192 The area around Chamdo was one of the gion. Off the main highways, Khampa life fi rst settled in Tibet, as indicated by the remains culturally strong. 5000-year-old Neolithic remains at nearby Karo. Fossilised millet hints at a 5000-year Permits tradition of agriculture in the region. Military presence is strong in eastern Tibet, Kham was the home of many early lamas, and this has for a long time been a heav- including the founders of the Drigungpa ily restricted area for general travel. Since and Karmapa schools. In 1070 many Bud- 2008 the whole of the Chamdo and Nying- dhists fl ed persecution in central Tibet to tri regions (an area which covers almost Kham, where they set up infl uential mon- all of eastern Tibet, save the area closest asteries, later returning to central Tibet to to Lhasa) have been closed to foreigners spearhead the so-called second diff usion of for around three weeks every year during Buddhism in Tibet. March. At other times travel is allowed, Lhasa’s control over the region has waxed although foreigners cannot normally take and waned over the centuries. Lhasa fi rst public transport and must, of course, have gained control of Kham thanks to Mongol all the necessary permits. assistance, but the majority of the region At the time of research, foreign visitors has traditionally enjoyed de facto politi- needed three permits to travel in eastern cal independence. Until recently, much of Tibet: an Alien Travel Permit, a military Kham comprised many small fi efdoms permit and a Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) ruled by kings (in Derge, for instance), permit. These permits were registered at lamas (Lithang) or hereditary chieftains the Public Security Bureau (PSB), Foreign (Bathang). Relations with China were Aff airs Offi ce and Military Offi ce. They also

EASTERN TIBET (KHAM) TIBET EASTERN mostly restricted to the trade caravans, needed to be shown at a number of check- which brought in bricks of Chinese tea and points along the Sìchuān–Tibet Hwy. Your left with pastoral products. travel agency will organise all these permits Chinese warlords such as Zhao Erfeng for you (and the registration process), but it and Liu Wenhui swept through the east- will take a minimum of 15 days. ern part of Kham (modern-day western Itineraries Sìchuān) in the late 19th and early 20th There are three main routes for those want- centuries, eventually setting up the Chinese ing to see eastern Tibet: the southern route province of Xīkāng (western Kham). Kham- of the Sìchuān–Tibet Hwy, the northern pa rebellions occurred frequently, notably route of that same highway, and a big loop, in 1918, 1928 and 1932, though not all were

taking in parts of both the southern and the against the Chinese; in 1933 the Khampas northern route. tried to shake off Lhasa’s nominal rule. Scenery in these parts is stunning wher- In 1950 Chamdo fell to the People’s Liber- ever you travel, but the southern route prob- ation Army (PLA) and much of eastern Ti- ably just about edges the northern route bet came under Chinese control. In 1954 the when it comes to landscape diversity. It also part of Kham east of the upper Yangzi River has more in terms of sights. Bank on needing was merged into Sìchuān province and a between one and two weeks to drive from program of land reforms was introduced, Bathang, in Sìchuān province, to Lhasa. including the collectivisation of monaster- You need about the same amount of time ies. When in 1955 the Chinese tried to dis- to drive the drier, more barren northern arm the Khampas and settle the nomads, route from Derge, also in Sìchuān province, the Kāngdìng Rebellion erupted and fi ght- to Lhasa. For both routes it’s worth factor- ing spread to Lithang, Zhōngdiàn and Dào- ing in one or two rest days to help you ac- chéng. When the PLA bombed monasteries in Dàochéng and Lithang, the rebels fl ed to Chamdo, and later to India and Nepal, to organise armed resistance from Mustang in PUBLIC TRANSPORT Nepal with CIA assistance. At the time of research, foreigners Today eastern Tibet remains quite heavily were not allowed to travel on public Sinicised along the southern Sìchuān–Tibet transport in Tibet. Basic information Hwy, where the controversial construction of is included here in case the situation new towns (with multicoloured corrugated- changes. FOUR RIVERS, SIX RANGES: THE KHAMPA RESISTANCE 193

Following a failed rebellion against new Chinese rule in the late 1950s, a core of Khampa fi ghters managed to regroup in Lhoka, in southern Tibet, and in a rare mo- ment of Khampa unity formed an organisation called Chizhi Gangdrung (Four Rivers, Six Ranges), the traditional local name for the Kham region. Soon 15,000 men were assembled. The Khampa’s cause attracted attention from abroad, and before long Tibetan leaders were liaising with CIA agents in Kolkata (Calcutta), arranging secret meetings through dead letter drops. The fi rst batch of six Khampa agents trekked over the bor- der to India, were driven to Bangladesh and then fl own to the Pacifi c island of Saipan, where they were trained to organise guerrilla groups. Agents were later parachuted behind enemy lines into Samye and Lithang. In 1957 guerrilla attacks were made on Chinese garrisons and road camps, and in 1958, 700 Chinese soldiers were killed by guerrillas near Nyemo. The movement met with the Dalai Lama in southern Tibet when he fl ed Lhasa in 1959 as the CIA readied three planeloads of arms – enough for 2000 people. The fl ight of the Dalai Lama to India marked a setback for the resistance and the fo- cus switched to a base in Mustang, an ethnically Tibetan area in Nepal, where initially at least the Nepalis turned a blind eye to the movement. Between 1960 and 1962 over 150 Tibetans were sent to Colorado for training. Yet the resistance was living on borrowed time. By the mid-1960s CIA funding had dried up. By 1972 the international political climate had changed; US president

Richard Nixon’s visit to China and the coronation of Nepal’s pro-Chinese king left the EASTERN TIBETTHE (KHAM) SOUTHERN ROUTE Khampas out on a limb. Moreover, the resistance was riddled with feuds – most of the Khampa rebels had always been fi ghting more for their local valley and monastery than for any national ideal. In 1973 the Nepalis demanded the closure of the Mustang base and the Dalai Lama asked the rebels to surrender. It was the end of the Khampa rebellion and the end of Tibetan armed resistance to the Chinese. climatise to the altitude, if nothing else, but so you won’t feel like you’re missing out. Al- this is particularly the case for the northern low between one and two weeks.

route. An alternative route here starts in

Derge but heads south from Chamdo before joining the southern route at Pomda junc- tion. Allow the same amount of time. THE SOUTHERN ROUTE Those with more time on their hands (HWY 318) could try a big loop, starting and fi nish- This chapter covers the two main overland ing in Lhasa, taking in both southern and routes from Sìchuān province to Lhasa. northern routes as well as the short stretch Both are part of the legendary Sìchu ān– between Chamdo and Pomda junction. Tibet Hwy, which splits in two about 200km You’ll need between two and three weeks for east of the Tibetan border to form the this, whichever direction you go in. Northern Hwy (Hwy 317) and the Southern At the time of research, foreigners Hwy (Hwy 318), both of which eventually weren’t allowed into Chamdo prefecture, lead to Lhasa. the region that stretches along the TAR bor- The slightly busier and strategically more der with Sìchuān province. This means it important southern route takes in the best was impossible to complete any of the three of the alpine scenery. Here you’ll see (and itineraries mentioned above. If this is still hear) rivers powering their way through the case when you’re planning your trip, deep gorges and subtropical forests before consider driving only the western stretch of opening out to form sublime mirror lakes the southern route, from Lhasa to Rawok, overlooked by distant snowcapped peaks. before coming back the same way. This Most of the road is paved these days, the stretch includes some of the best sights and muddy single-lane track just west of Tang- most stunning scenery in the whole region, mi being a notable exception. 194 Markham  ར་ཁམས་ 芒康 REMAINING KHAM %0895 It’s possible to make it all the way to Pomda The traditional Tibetan province of from Bathang in one long day’s drive (about Kham incorporates much of the east- eight hours), but stopping in Markham ern part of the Tibetan Autonomous (pronounced Mángkāng in Chinese) makes Region (TAR), most of western Sìchuān some sense. Markham has for centuries and a small part of northwest Yúnnán. been a strategic crossroads town on the This chapter covers only the eastern salt and tea trade routes between Tibet and TAR, where travel permits are required. China. The road leading south from here For information on overland travel goes to the remote but fascinating river- through western Sìchuān, see p 216 . For information on Yúnnán province, side salt-mining town of Tsakalho (盐井; Yánjǐng), which still produces salt from its see Lonely Planet’s China guide. open salt pans beside the Mekong River, be- fore continuing across the border into Yún- the edge of a wide valley. It dates back 360 nán province. Foreigners haven’t been al- years, but was destroyed in 1959 and rebuilt lowed to use this border for some time now, between 1984 and 1988. It is now home to although, as always, getting out of Tibet is 70 monks. The main entry hallway of the considerably easier than getting in. assembly hall has excellent murals depict- These days Markham has a largely Han ing monastic dress codes and the gelong ex- Chinese feel to it, plus a strong police pres- amination that all monks must pass. There ence, so make sure you have your papers in is also a protector chapel and a debating order before showing up.

EASTERN TIBET (KHAM) (KHAM) TIBET EASTERN courtyard, as well as a huge mani wall (a 雪域宾馆 % Xuěyù Bīnguǎn ( ; 454 3399; tw wall made of engraved prayer stones) and is a reliable backpacker-friendly guest- Y110) mani lhakhang (prayer-wheel chapel). house with OK rooms. Private bathrooms At Pomda junction, have sit-down loos. It’s on the southbound Bāngdá Qīngnián 邦达青年旅舍 % road, about 200m from the T-junction with Lǚshè ( ; 139 0895 0026, 189- iW is a Hwy 318. 0895 2463; dm/tw/tr Y20/50/60; ) popular hostel. Simple rooms have clean Between Xuěyù Bīnguǎn and the Hwy and comfy beds. Shared toilets are with the 318 junction is a cluster of decent Sichua- bedrooms on the 1st fl oor, while a hot show- nese restaurants, some of which are open er is available on the ground fl oor. There’s round the clock. free laundry and, if you’re touring, man- It takes about three hours to drive THE SOUTHERN ROUTE (HWY 318) agement will wash your bicycle for free! It’s here from Bathang. Public buses passing right on the main junction. Look for ‘youth through Markham tend to stop at the hotel hostel’ in English on the sign. The Sichua- Jiāotōng Bīnguǎn (交通宾馆) to fi ll up any nese restaurant (dishes Y15 to Y40) on the spare seats they may have. ground fl oor is decent. Nearby 高原 POMDA  མ་མདའ་ 邦达 Gāoyuán Xuěniú Bīnguǎn ( %0895 / ELEV 4390M 雪牛宾馆; %133 9805 2677; tw Y60-80, tr Y45- The roller-coaster road east from Markham 60) is a cheaper, Tibetan-run option. Rooms crosses three high mountain passes and aren’t the cleanest and there’s no shower, some stunning scenery before arriving but it’s fi ne for one night. There’s a popular at Pomda. Known as Bāngdá in Chinese, Tibetan restaurant on the ground fl oor. Pomda comes in two parts: the T-junction, Buses travelling in all three directions where Hwy 318 meets Hwy 317; and the tend to stop in Pomda for lunch, but times village, about 5km north of the junction, vary. Buses heading towards Lhasa are where you’ll fi nd Pomda Monastery. most frequent. The junction is full of restaurants, teahouses and guesthouses and makes an OK place to bunk up for the night before Pasho དཔའ་ ད་ 八宿 heading north to Chamdo, west towards %0895 / ELEV 3270M Lhasa or east towards Sìchuān province. Heading west from Pomda the paved road Pomda Monastery (邦达寺; Bāngdá Sì), a only lasts for 13km, as far as the 4618m- colourfully decorated whitewashed build- high pass Zar Gama-la (业拉山; Yèlā Shān). ing, lies in the lovely village of Pomda, set at From here a 72-switchback dirt track de- scends into the Salween Valley, crossing the 195 Ngul-chu (怒江; Nù Jiāng or Salween River) CHEAP HOTELS before hitting the pleasant one-street town of Pasho, known as Bāsù in Chinese. Contrary to how things appear in this chapter, there are actually a lot of very 1 Sights & Activities cheap hotels in eastern Tibet – it’s just On the northwestern outskirts of the town that most don’t accept foreign guests. We’ve tried to list hotels that tradition- is Neru Monastery, a Gelugpa monastery that’s home to 36 monks and is worth a visit ally have been foreigner friendly, and if you have a couple of spare hours. The reno- they tend to be the more expensive vated central chapel holds the throne of the ones. Rules change, though, so don’t Pakhpala, a religious leader based in Cham- be surprised if a hotel we recommend do, whose current incarnation is a govern- here turns you away. And before you ment minister. It was the current Pakhpala get into an argument with reception, who paid for the restoration of Neru Monas- remember it’s the PSB that decides tery. To the right of the main chapel is the fu- which hotels can and can’t register neral chörten of the monastery’s last trulku foreigners. (reincarnated lama) and the back room has a large seated Jampa (Maitreya) statue Piāoxiāng Fàndiàn SÌCHUĀN $ made by craftsmen from Chamdo. The top ( 飘香饭店; dishes Y10-30; h9am-10pm) fl oor contains a gönkhang (protector cha- This 22-year-old establishment, opposite pel) loaded with old Khampa weaponry. Jiāotōng Bīnguǎn, still knocks up excellent The monastery is a 25-minute walk from the Sìchuān cuisine. centre of town along a winding road leading (KHAM) TIBET EASTERN THE SOUTHERN ROUTE north from town centre and across a river 8 Information bridge. You can drive here via the sturdier 农业银 bridge west of town. Agricultural Bank of China ATM ( 行; Nóngyè Yínháng) On main strip. Accepts About 4km east of town, beside the main foreign bank cards. 多 highway, is Dola Gompa Monastery ( 网缘网吧 拉神山; Duōlā Shénshān), home to just 12 Wǎngyuán Wǎngbā ( ; per hr Y5; h7am-midnight) Internet cafe down a side monks these days. The older lower chapel street off main highway. here is surrounded by chörtens and ancient yak-hide prayer wheels, and is a great place 8 Getting There & Away to meet local pilgrims. A popular kora SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES leads up the mountainside to a plateau and Buses to Chamdo leave from Jiāotōng Bīnguǎn RAWOK TO SIGHTSPASHO & ACTIVITIES then descends west to Pasho town, with every morning at around 8am. Buses to other fi ne views of the arid valley. The leisurely destinations – Bāyī, Markham and Lhasa – are through buses, so are less predictable. half-day kora is chock-a-block with jovial pilgrims during the Saga Dawa festival (p22 ). Pasho to Rawok 4 Sleeping & Eating The landscape changes dramatically along this 90km stretch of road. Rocky purples Bāsù Bīnguǎn HOTEL $$ and reds, reminiscent of Utah or Arizona ( 八宿宾馆; %456 3333; d/tw Y200/300) This new place is the best hotel in town and in the United States, make way for arid worth considering for a splurge. Good- khaki colours in an area sprinkled with quality, clean rooms have sparkling bath- traditional whitewashed villages. The road rooms and there’s a nice cafe and restaurant then climbs the 4462m-high pass, Ngajuk- on the 1st fl oor plus a well-stocked super- la, which marks the end of the arid plateau market (open from 7.40am to 11pm) below. and the start of the descent into the sub- tropical Parlung Tsangpo Valley. Jiāotōng Bīnguǎn HOTEL $ Around 13km before the pass, it’s worth ( 交通宾馆; %465 2235; dm/tr Y15/75, tw with detouring 2km west to the lovely village There’s a wide range of rea- bathroom Y140) of Dzongsar, which has the small Sangha sonably clean rooms on off er here at this Lhakhang (recognisable by the stuff ed unoffi cial bus station hotel in the western sheep outside) and the fort-like ruins of end of town (24-hour hot water too). Ramo Monastery. This is a very friendly village and you’ll need to allocate extra time front with decent twin rooms around the car 196 for yak-butter tea breaks with the locals. A park out the back. But it’s what’s behind the 20-minute walk to the west leads to the ac- main building that makes this place eastern tive Lhorong Monastery. Be on the look out Tibet’s stand-out guesthouse: a pinewood for dogs here. On the hillside further west is cabin with stilts hovering above the cool-blue the ruined Yarlo Monastery. waters of Ngan-tso. It’s a dream location on Back on the main highway, you’ll cross a stunning lake surrounded by snowcapped Ngajuk-la and descend into the valley past a mountains, and could hardly be more ro- small azure lake and some nomads’ camps mantic. The long cabin with verandas on before reaching Rawok and its two stun- three sides is joined to the lakeside by a nar- ning alpine lakes. row wooden walkway, and has a handful of rooms: some dorms, some twins. All are neat and clean and come with wi-fi access. Rawok 然乌 The only downside is that you have to walk ར་ ག་ back onto dry land if want to use the shared %0895 / ELEV 3880M Rawok (Ránwū in Chinese) has the ram- toilets. There is, of course, the peeing-in-the- shackle and temporary feel of a frontier lake option, but we didn’t say that. outpost, but without the charm. The short Ránwū Bīnguǎn GUESTHOUSE $$ main drag is strewn with guesthouses and ( 然乌宾馆; %139 8905 8387; dm Y40, tw with- noodle joints, not to mention the occasional out/with bathroom Y80/180) Slightly further body part (we found a human skull lying ig- into town from Ránwūhú Fēngqíngyuán, nored in the gutter a few years back). For- this place has acceptable twins, some of tunately, you can skip all this by staying a which have bathrooms. The shared show- few hundred metres east of town in what is ers and toilets are suspended precariously EASTERN TIBET (KHAM) (KHAM) TIBET EASTERN quite possibly the coolest guesthouse in all above ground in a wooden shack at the end of Tibet, situated literally on the waters of of the 1st-fl oor corridor. This place also has Ngan-tso . a restaurant. It is, after all, the stunning lakes of Ngan- tso and Rawok-tso that most travellers stop 8 Getting There & Away here for, and there are great opportunities for walking round them. Although ‘through buses’ between Pomi and Pasho do stop here, times are unpredictable, The old town is also worth a wander. A so if you haven’t organised a tour you may have road leads into the warren from the north to hitch. end of the Rawok strip. From here you

THE SOUTHERN ROUTE (HWY 318) can work your way through to the large chörten, mani wall and small temple over- 波密 looking the lake in the southeast of town. Pomi  ་ ས། The surrounding fi elds are full of wooden %0894 / ELEV 2740M Known as Bōmì in Chinese, this bustling platforms for drying barley. county capital has well-stocked shops and It’s worth heading north of town and tak- several hotels and restaurants, making it a ing the side road southeast for around 6km logical place to spend the night. The town to the second lake, . The views Rawok-tso itself isn’t pretty to look at (although the here are excellent and it’s a great place for old town over the river is more interesting), a picnic. It’s a popular location for Chinese but the surrounding scenery is lovely and tourists, who come to watch the sunrise. there’s scope for exploring nearby valleys. 4 Sleeping & Eating There are great camping spots around ei- 1 Sights Around 6km west of Pomi is the tranquil, ther of the two lakes, but it’s worth check- 600-year-old Nyingma-sect ing fi rst that you are allowed to camp; Dodung Mon- , set on a pine-clad hill overlooking sometimes the authorities don’t permit it. astery the valley and home to 56 monks. The main oRánwūhú Fēngqíngyuán prayer hall includes the footprint of the sev- GUESTHOUSE $$ enth Khamtrul Rinpoche, Sangye Tenzin ( 然乌湖风情园; %456 2606; dm/tw Y60/180; W) (1909–29). Upstairs are murals depicting This excellent place, a few hundred metres the life story of two forms of Gesar, as well east of the main strip, is traveller central for as Guru Rinpoche and Tsepame (Amitayus). Rawok. There’s a lively restaurant-cafe at the The monastery is a branch of Chayab Mon- astery (see the box, p211 ) and so there are some photos of the sixth Taksam Rinpoche. 197 Several delightful mani lhakhangs (build- ings holding prayer wheels) make up the MIDUI GLACIER rest of the lovely complex. The most popular excursion from To reach the monastery from Pomi, cross Rawok is to the Lhegu Glacier (来古 the road bridge over the Parlung Tsangpo, 冰川; Láigǔ Bīnchuān; admission/parking opposite the Jiāotōng Lǚguǎn, and take the Y20/10), 31km south of Rawok, but this fi rst right. The dirt track you’re on contin- was off -limits to foreigners at the time ues all the way to Metok (this road when of research. In any case, it’s becoming completed will make Metok the last county so popular with Chinese tourists that in China to be connected by road!), but af- it can be a bit of a zoo. Quieter, and ter about three to four kilometres you need actually more picturesque, is Midui to turn sharp left uphill to the monastery. Glacier (米堆冰川; Mǐduī Bīngchuān; admission Y50; h8am-5pm) about 35km 4 Sleeping & Eating west of Rawok, on the road to Pomi. Míngzhū Bīnguǎn HOTEL $$ You can drive 7km from the entrance ( 明珠宾馆; %542 4688; Zhamuxi Lu; 扎木西路; on the main highway to a car park from tw/d Y288, discounted to Y140; i) Among the where it’s a two-hour horse ride (Y100) best-quality rooms in town, they come with or walk to Midui Village (Mǐduī Cūn; clean bathrooms, 24-hour hot water, inter- 米堆村). The glacier is a further 2km net access for laptop users and, in some cas- away, but tourists (of any nationality) es, river views. At the west end of the main aren’t allowed beyond the village after road, next to the petrol station. two Korean travellers went missing hik-

ing up to the glacier in 2009. The views (KHAM) TIBET EASTERN THE SOUTHERN ROUTE Jiāotōng Lǚguǎn HOTEL $ ( 交通旅馆; %542 2798; dm Y20, tw without/ from the village, though, are stunning. with bathroom Y40/80) Pretty basic rooms here, but claims to have 24-hour hot water. If they let you pay per bed, this is a pretty Chéngdū every two days. Minibuses for Bāyī wait good deal. Not to be confused with the outside. larger hotel of the same name just opposite. Guzel TIBETAN TEAHOUSE $ Baha Gompa  ་ཧ་ o( 艺人; Yìrén; Píng’ān Jiē; 平安街; dishes This 800-year-old Nyingma monastery – Y4-10) Run by local artist Gyatso, who & EATING SLEEPING speaks a little English, this lovely pocket- offi cially called Orgyen Sanga Chöling – is & EATING SLEEPING BAHA GOMPA sized teahouse has its walls adorned with home to 12 monks and an enormous, tusked, Mr Jiang’s unusual Tibetan calligraphy, 20-year-old pet pig, and is reputed to have which is for sale, although doesn’t come been built on the site of the grave of the il- cheap. The atmosphere is very welcom- legitimate child of Princess Wencheng. The ing and the food simple but decent with monks here say the child was born in secrecy shemdre (Y10), momos (Y10), thugpa (Y5), while the Chinese princess was on her way tsampa (Y4) and butter tea (Y10) all on to Lhasa to marry Tibetan king Songtsen the menu. Ping’an Jie is a small tree-lined Gampo. street that leads south off the main road You’ll get a friendly welcome here, but towards the river. sadly travellers are no longer allowed to camp either in the grounds of the mon- 8 Information astery or anywhere around the beautiful nearby lake. Luckily, a gorgeous two-storey Agricultural Bank of China ATM (农业银行; Nóngyè Yínháng) On main road; accepts foreign pine guesthouse recently opened in a pret- cards. ty rapeseed fi eld next to the monastery. 仁青家庭旅 Internet cafe (网吧; wǎngbā; per hr Y5; Rinchen Family Guesthouse ( 馆 h24hr) On Shangmao Jie, the road with the ; Rénqīng Jiātíng Lǚguǎn; %139 0894 0848, archway entrance, just east of Ping’an Jie. 136 5959 0828; dm without bathroom Y40, tw with bathroom Y100), or Rinchen Khyimtshang 8 Getting There & Away Dönkhâng in Tibetan, has basic but spotless rooms, some of which have bathrooms, and The bus station, opposite Míngzhū Bīnguǎn, fabulous views of the lake and surrounding has one daily service to Chamdo, plus a bus to countryside, which is perfect for walking. seed, and framed by forested mountains, 198 They serve simple but tasty home-cooked Tashigang (or Zhāxīgǎng in Chinese), with Tibetan food. its pigs and chickens roaming free, is made Keep walking past the monastery, which up of a handful of large stone Tibetan block itself is accessed from the highway by cross- homes, six of which have been converted ing a suspension bridge over a fast-fl owing into fabulous family guesthouses. river. This is a wonderful chance to stay with a Tibetan family and eat genuine Tibetan home-cooked food, and the countryside of- Tangmi 通麦 fers an almost endless selection of walks. This tiny, one-street lunch-stop, known Locals are also on hand to rent horses (Y10 in Chinese as Tōngmài, has a handful of to Y100) for short treks into the hills. restaurants and guesthouses. The ugly Be aware that a couple of kilometres east blue-grey concrete block that is of here is the Lunang Scenic Area (鲁朗风 Jiāotōng 景区 , where 交通宾馆 % ; Lǔlǎng Fēngjǐngqū; entrance Y170) Bīnguǎn ( ; 138 8904 8533; dm/ you have to pay an extortionate fee for the tw Y20/140) has clean, comfortable twins with bathroom in the main building and a pleasure of walking around the country- row of rustic, bathroomless wooden huts in side. Everywhere else, it’s free. the back garden, which go for Y20 per bed. Local villager Po Phuntsok turned his There’s an OK restaurant next door, with home into a family guesthouse (%136 5894 others to be found 200m further up the road 6031; beds Y30-40; meals Y20-40) in 2004, the in Tangmi proper. fi rst Tashigang villager to do so. It’s made A couple of kilometres beyond here, the up of two stone-walled, wood-beamed buildings that house clean, tidy bedrooms southern highway crosses Tangmi Sus- EASTERN TIBET (KHAM) (KHAM) TIBET EASTERN decked out in beautifully painted tradition- pension Bridge at the confl uence of three rushing rivers. Photography here is strictly al wood furniture, a shared bathroom with forbidden. a hot-water shower-pod and a large, fabu- Immediately after the bridge, a poor- lously atmospheric old kitchen that doubles quality side road heads 23km northwest up as a communal dining area. Five other neighbours have since followed suit. All to Yigong-tso (elevation 2150m), a stunning but hard-to-reach lake that was created by have almost identical facilities and prices, a landslide in 1900. Tea is produced in this but we like Tangci Ren’s the most – there’s area. just something about it. Apart from the The main highway, though, bears left and generic tourism-board plaque that all the guesthouses here have over their front gate,

THE SOUTHERN ROUTE (HWY 318) turns into a narrow and often treacherous, cliff -hugging dirt track. This is arguably there’s no sign or name, but as the village the most stunning stretch of scenery on the lane bends round to the left, it’s the white southern route – subtropical, mist-shrouded stone house right in front of you. A wooden forests line steep-sided gorges above raging sign with the village name on it stands out- rivers, framed most of the time by distant side its end wall. snowcapped mountains – but it’s also the If you’re pining for shops or a restaurant, most dangerous with the road becoming walk 20 minutes east along the main high- particularly susceptible to landslides after way to the one-street town of Lunang where rain. you’ll fi nd a couple of Tibetan teahouses and a string of Chinese restaurants selling the expensive local speciality shíguōjī (石锅 鸡; stone-pot chicken; Y100-280), as well as the Tashigang usual Chinese fare. བ ་ ས་ ང་དམར་ག ལ་ ང་ ་ 扎西岗民俗村 %0894 / ELEV 2530M Tashigang to Bāyī A stay in this gorgeous tiny rural village, The 70km-stretch from Tashigang to Bāyī a couple of kilometres east of the small passes over the 4582m Serkhym-la (色齐 town of Lunang (鲁朗; Lǔlǎng), is for many 拉; Sèqí Lā). On a rare clear day there are travellers a highlight of a trip to this part dramatic views of shark-toothed Namche of eastern Tibet. Surrounded by fi elds of Barwa (7756m) and Gyala Pelri (7151m). deep green barley and bright yellow rape- The road then descends around the back of the forested holy mountain, Bönri (4500m), e# 0400m Bāyī 00.1miles passing the point at which the Bönri kora A B 199 meets the highway, marked by a fl urry of u (S S L ic huangyong Lu g hua prayer fl ags, before continuing on to the n o n- small, two-street county capital of Nying- d Tibet H g

n 1 a 6 1 tri, 18km east of Bāyī. ue X u y #ú wy Just down from where the Bönri kora u u G ) an L 3 #ð u #ÿ Ao L meets the main highway, a side road turns 2 X M m i e a #ÿ ia arke n n Lu h left into the village of Kāngzhā Cūn (康扎 g t u g h

村) from where you can see an #ò Z Takdrugtse #ú4 g ‚ Lu #ó Monastery about 3km away, up in the hills ang-chu To Bayi Fujian Lu # Kodak

gLu Pelri (2km); to your left. This Bön pilgrimage site con- Ny #ú #ì Express Nyingtri

5 u tains a large central stone with ‘tiger paw L (18km)

u

n L prints’ on it. Long ago, legend says, monks 2 Stadium e Xiamen Square 2

e h

z #ñ (Xiamen H decided to build a temple here after seeing Guangdon n g Ping'anLu e Guangchang) n an auspicious tak (tiger) crouching on the a #ÿ h iy #› S rock. N 1 A B

B āyī བ ད་ག ག་ 八一 Bāyī %0894 / POP 60,000 / ELEV 2990M Bāyī, a recent Chinese creation close to the ÿ Sleeping small county capital of Nyingtri, is the larg- 1 Azalea Hotel...... A2 est town along this stretch of the southern 2 Bātáng Línqiáo Zhùsùbù...... A1 route so an obvious choice for an overnight 3 Post Hotel...... A1 (KHAM) TIBET EASTERN THE SOUTHERN ROUTE stay, especially if you fancy hiking the near- ú Eating by Bönri kora. 4 Bātáng Zàngcān ...... A2 This is also where you or your guide will 5 Héngyuán Xiǎochī...... A2 almost certainly need to register with the rather unwelcoming local PSB. Just keep 6 Lo Les Traditional Emotion smiling. Palace ...... B1

4 Sleeping common showers are hot (once you’ve wait- Azalea Hotel HOTEL $$ ed 30 minutes for them to warm up). SLEEPING ( 杜鹃花酒店; Dùjuānhuā Jiǔdiàn; %582 3222; SLEEPING B Ā

Guangdong Lu; tw/tr Y688/588, discounted to Y Ī

5 Eating Y120/200; ai) The smartest aff ordable option in town, Azalea has clean, bright oLo Les Traditional Emotion doubles with decent bathrooms and free Palace TIBETAN $$$ 拉列思藏餐厅 internet for laptop users. ( ; Lālièsī Zàng Cāntīng; Zhuhai Lu; dishes Y10-68; h9am-10pm) Fabulous food, re- Post Hotel HOTEL $$ gal Tibetan decor and fantastically dressed ( 邮政大酒店; Yóuzhèng Dàjiǔdiàn; %588 9666; staff make this easily the best place in town cnr Xianggang Lu & Xiamen Lu; d without/with to sample Tibetan food. English menu, too. bathroom Y168/488, discounted to Y80/120; a) Twins here are modern and very comfort- Bātáng Zàngcān TIBETAN $ 巴塘藏餐 h able with carpeted fl oors, TV and piping- ( ; Xiamen Lu, meals from Y7; 8am- Hang with the locals in this salt- hot showers in admittedly slightly grubby midnight]) of-the-earth, pocket-sized Tibetan teahouse bathrooms. The bathroomless versions are serving tsampa (Y2), thugpa (Y7/8), momo basic but clean, but you might struggle to (Y1 each) and butter tea (Y6). land one as they tend to be for drivers and guides only. Héngyuán Xiǎochī CHINESE $ ( 恒源小吃; Fujian Lu; dishes Y8-18; h9am-6am) Bātáng Línqiáo Zhùsùbù GUESTHOUSE $ This almost 24-hour establishment, spe- 巴塘林桥住宿部 % ( ; 136 5894 8880; Xiamen Lu; cialising in pigs trotters (猪蹄; zhūtí; half a The cheapest place we dm/s/tw Y20/40/60) trotter Y7), gets good reviews from Chinese could fi nd that was allowing foreigners to travellers. Also serves decent noodles – try stay, rooms here are pretty shabby but the the spicy dàndàn miàn (担担面; Y8/10 per ground and among such fabulous scenery. 200 small/large bowl). The forested mountainside eventually opens up onto grasslands at the top where 8 Information nomads graze their yaks. Rhododendron bushes also cover parts of the top of the Agricultural Bank of China ATM (农业银行; Nóngyè Yínháng; Fujian Lu) Accepts foreign mountain in blankets of colour. If it’s rain- cards. ing be particularly careful on the descent Eastern Express Internet Café (东方快车网 as the path is unmade and can get very 吧; Dōngfāng Kuàichē Wǎngba; Aomen Lu; per muddy. hr Y4; h24hr) Another 24-hour internet cafe sits This seven-hour section of the kora starts above Kodak Express. in the tiny but modern village of Miru (米瑞; Kodak Express (柯达快速彩色; Kēdá Kuàisù Mǐruì). From Nyingtri’s main street, turn Cǎisè; Xiamen Square; Xiamen Guangchang) CD south and continue past a military base to burning from Y20. a T-junction. Turn left and follow the road a Post Office (中国邮政; Zhōngguó Yóuzhèng; few kilometres to a road barrier where non- Zhuhai Lu; h9.30am-7pm) Tibetans have to pay Y50 entrance fee to en- Telephone Office (中国电信; Zhōngguó ter the Nyang River Tourism Area (尼洋河 Diànxìn; %582 1048; Zhuhai Lu; h9.30am- 风光带; Níyánghé Fēngguāngdài). 7.30pm) Immediately after the barrier is a 2km- long signposted track on your left that leads 8 Getting There & Away to Taktse Yungdrungling Monastery, which houses some interesting iconography Several buses run daily to Lhasa from the Bus Station (客运站; Kèyùn Zhàn; Guangdong Lu). (was it us or is one deity in the main cha- There are also buses every other day to Chamdo, pel holding a Rubik’s cube?) as well as some EASTERN TIBET (KHAM) (KHAM) TIBET EASTERN Chéngdū and Markham. lovely ruined chörtens and water-driven Shared 4WDs and minivans leave for other prayer wheels. destinations from outside the bus station, in- From the road barrier it’s a 20km drive cluding Nyingtri, Miling (for the airport), Lunang past charming farming villages and a beauti- and Pomi. ful, wide river valley to Miru, where you can Línzh ī Airport (林芝机场; Línzhī Jīchǎng), get a bite to eat and stock up on provisions. about 70km south of Bāyī near Miling (米林; There are also cheap lodgings here if you Mǐlín), has daily fl ights to Chéngdū. want to get an early start up the mountain. Locals in Miru can act as your hiking guide (Y80), but it’s just as easy to follow Around Bāyī the pilgrims. In any case, prayer fl ags line THE SOUTHERN ROUTE (HWY 318) pretty much the whole route. BÖNRI 苯日神山  ན་ ་ The path will take you up and over Bönri, or Běnrì Shénshān in Chinese, is Bönri-la until you eventually meet the main the Bön religion’s most sacred mountain, a Sìchuān–Tibet Hwy (Hwy 318) where your sprawling massif where Bön founder Tonpa driver can pick you up or you can hitch back Shenrab fought and defeated his arch-rival to Bāyī or the other way to Lunang. Khyabpa Lagring. Bönpo pilgrims come Don’t be persuaded by your guide or from all over Tibet to circumambulate the driver to either start from the highway, or mountain in an anticlockwise direction. to trek up and down the same side of the The full 60km kora starts and fi nishes in mountain. Doing this may be quicker, and Nyingtri, 18km west of Bāyī, and takes two more convenient for your driver of course, or three days, climbing to the 4500m Bönri- but will result in you walking part of the la on the second day. It passes many sites kora in a clockwise instead of anti-clockwise connected to Tonpa Shenrab, as well as an direction and will be considered highly dis- ancient burial tumulus, a 9th-century stele respectful by the Bönpo pilgrims. and a cemetery for babies. Thanks to a new road built around the LAMALING TEMPLE back of the mountain, it’s now possible 喇嘛宁寺 to complete the main part of the kora in  ་མ་ ང་ད ན་པ་ around seven hours. It’s a tough trek be- About 30km south of Bāyī is the attractive cause of the steepness of the climb, not to Lamaling Temple (Lǎmaníng Sì). This mon- mention the altitude, but it’s incredibly re- astery was the seat of the exiled Dudjom warding to follow pilgrims over such sacred Rinpoche (1904–87), the former head of the Nyingma order. It is now looked after by his BUCHU MONASTERY 布久寺 son-in-law Chuni Rinpoche and is home to  ་ ་ད ན། 201 around 40 monks and 30 nuns. About one kilometre before the turning for The octagonal main Zangtok Pelri tem- Lamaling Temple you pass the small but ple was wonderfully restored in the early ancient Gelugpa monastery of Buchu (Bùjiǔ ’90s and rises through four storeys, bring- Sì). The original dates from the 7th century, ing to mind the Ütse of Samye Monastery. when it was built at the command of King The building is draped in long strands of Songtsen Gampo as one of the demoness- cannonball-sized wooden prayer beads. subduing temples (see the box, p56 ); it pins The grassy courtyard in front is home to the demoness’ right elbow. The monastery is a few doleful mountain goats brought here recognisable by its striking golden roof. from Tsodzong Monastery at Draksum-tso. The entrance to the main chapel is Don’t get too close: they buck. fl anked by unusual murals of several pro- Take your shoes off before entering the tector gods, including the Kongpo deity temple. The ground fl oor has a statue of Kongtsun Demo (in the far right on horse- Guru Rinpoche, with two stone footprints back, next to the wheel of life). The main of the guru on the altar (curiously, both the hall has statues of the standing form of right foot!) and puppet-like images of the Guru Rinpoche and a large Jampa (Mai- protector Tseumar to the left. A passageway treya), and there are two small statues of behind the altar leads up to a mezzanine the protectors Dorje Lekpa and Kongtsun level with four protector chapels in each Demo in the left corner. corner. The chapel above this houses stat- The inner sanctum houses statues of ues of Chenresig (Avalokiteshvara), fl anked Chenresig (Avalokiteshvara), with Songt- by Jampelyang (Manjushri) and Chana sen Gampo in the left corner. Behind these

Dorje (Vajrapani), known collectively as the is the trinity of Guru Rinpoche, the In- EASTERN TIBETTHE (KHAM) SOUTHERN ROUTE Rigsum Gonpo. The top-fl oor chapel con- dian translator Shantarakshita and King tains a statue of Öpagme. Trisong Detsen. The other main building, to the right, is A lovely kora surrounds the timeless the assembly hall, where religious services temple. are held on the 10th, 15th and 25th days of NECHE GOSHOG MONASTERY 尼池寺 each lunar month. The hall is dominated This small, golden-roofed Bön monastery by a huge statue of Sakyamuni and more about 17km east of Bāyī, on your right just images of Dudjom Rinpoche wearing his before you reach the town of Nyingtri, was characteristic sunglasses. Pilgrims circum- rebuilt in 2008 after being gutted in a fi re. ambulate both this building and the main It’s home to around 25 monks and is famous 8 DR AKSUM-TSO AKSUM-TSO 8 DR temple. for its 2000-year-old juniper tree that is sa- If you want to stretch your legs, a trail cred to Bönpos. The manicured courtyard leads off from the corner of the car park to includes a small side shrine dedicated to the an atmospheric prayer-fl ag-draped chörten Bön founder Tonpa Shenrab. and then winds up the hillside for about 40 minutes (follow the prayer fl ags) to Norbu Ri, where the original Lamaling Temple Draksum-tso stood before it was destroyed in a 1930 earthquake. Look out for the Sakyamuni  ག་ག མ་མ ་ 巴松措 footprint on a cloth above the door. %0894 / ELEV 3470M Eastern Tibet is blessed with many beau- tiful lakes but this is arguably the best of the lot. Known as Bāsōngcuò in Chinese, WHICH WAY TO Draksum-tso (admission Y100), and particu- CIRCUMAMBULATE? larly its monastery island, is a photogra- pher’s dream. It’s also a great opportunity Even if you’re not a pilgrim , you’ll still to dust off those hiking boots and that tent be expected to walk in the correct that you’ve been lugging around. direction around or inside monaster- Apart from the sheer beauty of the lake ies and around kora trails. This means and its surrounding 6000m peaks, the site clockwise for Buddhist monasteries has strong connections to Gesar of Ling, and koras, but anti-clockwise for the the semi-mythical ruler of eastern Tibet, Bön-religion equivalents. and Guru Rinpoche, the Indian sage, both Kongpo Region 202

Yi'ong Tsangpo

6750m

6200m

Qiuzi Dong Draksum-tso Stone Towers Tsodzong Shuba Monastery Bahel Ancient (Namse) Fort

To Kongpo Bepa Gyamda Mt Kongpo (43km) Nya Jom Nixi Lapsen n Takdrugtse g-c Tashigang h Monastery Rong-chu u Lunang Bayi

EASTERN TIBET (KHAM) (KHAM) TIBET EASTERN Langmulin Bayi Pelri Serkhym-la (4582m) Neche Goshog Nyingtri Monastery Bonri Kora Taktse Yungdrungling Prayer Fags Monastery Mirui Buchu Monastery Bönri (4500m) Lamaling Tamnyang Temple

THE SOUTHERN ROUTE (HWY 318) Miling Bridge Linzhi Kyimpong Airport Yarlung Tsangpo Miling INDIA

of whom are said to have resided at the The monastery was founded by Sangye lake. Lingpa in the 14th century. The main chapel The entrance fee to the area is payable has statues of a wrathful and peaceful Guru at a toll gate 33km past the Hwy 318 turn- Rinpoche and smaller statues of Sakyamuni, off at Bahel, and 4km before the lake. PSB Chenresig (Avalokiteshvara) and Kongtsun offi cers here and at the hotel by the lake Demo, a local protector, on horseback. The will want to see your travel permits. A free statues were actually shot and then burned shuttle bus takes visitors from the gate to by Red Guards during the Cultural Revolu- the lake, although it’s fi ne to walk. tion, before being restored by the famous The highlight of the lake is the charming local lama Dudjom Rinpoche and his son Tsodzong Monastery (The Fortress on the Chuni Rinpoche (now resident at Lamaling Lake), a small Nyingmapa chapel sited on Monastery). In the corner of the monastery a photogenic island just off the southern is what is said to be a stone hoofprint of Ge- shore. This is where the bus drops you off . sar’s horse. You may see Tibetans rubbing 0 40 km across from Tsodzong Monastery at a place 0 20 miles known as Qiúzǐ Dòng (求子洞) or ‘Search- 203 ing for a Son Cave’. From the bus drop-off point, walk clockwise around the lake for about three hours until you reach the cave, leaving you with another four-hour hike to Yigong complete your circuit of the lake the next Yigong-tso morning. For something more comfortable, walk a few hundred metres beyond Tsodzong Mon- Tangmi astery to Basomtso Holiday Resort (巴松 措度假村; Bāsōng Cuò Dùjià Cūn; %541 3508; dm To Pomi Y80-100, d/tw Y120/240, tw cabin Y380; dishes Pelung Parlung (45km) Y18-188), which has clean, well-kept rooms Tsa ngpo as well as private wood cabins. There’s an Tongjuk upmarket restaurant in reception with (as Baha you’d imagine) a lot of fi sh dishes. There are Gompa cheaper restaurants as well as small shops just outside the toll gate. Gyala Pelri Great Bend of (7151m) Yarlung Tsangpo Draksum-tso is about a fi ve-hour drive from Lhasa, or a couple of hours from Bāyī. The road to the lake branches off the Sìchuān–Tibet Hwy at Bahel (also known as Gyala Tsangpo Namse), where there’s a cluster of teahous-

Gorges es, restaurants and lodgings. From there EASTERN TIBETTHE (KHAM) SOUTHERN ROUTE Nyima-la Namche Barwa it’s around 40km to the lake, turning right (7756m) about halfway at a blue sign in Chinese for the lake (巴松措; Bāsōngcuò). Doshong-la (4115m) AROUND DRAKSUM-TSO Pe About 12km from the highway junction, the road up to the lake passes three tall 12-sided stone towers, on your left, which can be reached with a bit of scrambling. No

one quite knows for what purpose the enig- 8 KONGPO GYAMDA 8 KONGPO Metok matic towers were built – they stand empty and entryless. Locals refer to them as dud- khang (demons’ houses) and recite legends Yarlung Tsangpo connecting them to Gesar of Ling. A more accessible group of half-ruined towers, known as the Shuba Ancient Fort (秀巴千年古堡; Xiùbā Qiānnián Gǔbǎo; admis- sion Y20), stands on the main highway, 7km this on their backs to take advantage of its east of Bahel. These fi ve magnifi cent towers healing powers. The steps to the monastery are said to date from the reign of Songtsen are fl anked by ancient-looking male and fe- Gampo (r 630–49). male fertility symbols. A small kora squeezes its way around the back of the monastery. Kongpo Gyamda Six- to 10-person motorboats (per hour  ང་ ་ ་མདའ་ 工布江达 leave from beside Tsodzong Mon- Y400-800) %0894 / ELEV 3400M astery for trips on the lake. Unless it’s getting late in the day, there’s There’s plenty of scope for hiking around little reason to stop in this modern town. the lake. One good spot for camping – if the But there’s a decent range of accommoda- authorities allow you to camp, that is (check tion and restaurants if you do stop. with your guide or with people at the toll The Kathok Nunnery, located in the gate) – is near the far corner of the lake hills to the north of town, has eight nuns 204 HOT SPRINGS

There are a couple of places between Kongpo Gyamda and Lhasa where you can stop for a good long soak. Less than an hour’s drive from Kongpo Gyamda, the one-street town of Songdo (松多; Sōngduō) has hot springs (per person Y10) in a cute little wooden hut, accessed by crossing a small, rickety suspension bridge on the right-hand side of the highway about 1km before you reach Songdo. You could also stop for lunch here. Among the Chinese restaurants is the Tashi Teahouse (扎西茶馆; Zhāxī Cháguǎn), a simple Tibetan teahouse serving delicious diru (yak-meat noodle soup, Y12), tsampa (Y2), Tibetan bread (Y2) and butter tea (Y6). About 50 minutes further towards Lhasa, over the 5013m-high Pa-la pass, is Rutok (日多; Rìduō; elev 4300m), which has a monastery on the hillside north of town and several Tibetan teahouses. Rutok is named after the hot springs that are on the main road here, which take the form of a large swimming pool (per person Y60) in the main building, or smaller private pools (per pool Y150) down by the river behind it. Rutok is also the trailhead for the six-day trek to Lhamo La-tso (p 125 ).

and a small chapel housing an image of 8 Getting There & Away Guru Rinpoche and King Trisong Detsen. Shared minibuses to Bāyī leave from the main A path (a 30-minute walk) leads up to the strip, over the river from Hwy 318. Minibuses to nunnery from the plaza on the main road, EASTERN TIBET (KHAM) (KHAM) TIBET EASTERN Lhasa tend to leave from the highway. climbing some steps and weaving through It’s about 4½ hours’ drive from here to Lhasa. the old quarter to off er fi ne views. The nunnery is backed by a cleft in the forested Baripo Mountain, which has a small hermitage marked by fl uttering THE NORTHERN ROUTE prayer fl ags; it takes 45 minutes to walk (HWY 317) here from the nunnery. The less well-paved northern route is a higher roller-coaster ride past ancient tem- 4 Sleeping & Eating ples, remote Bön monasteries and herding The main street is lined with Sichuanese communities. Far fewer travellers take this THE NORTHERN ROUTE (HWY 317) restaurants and Tibetan teahouses. There’s route, and those that do tend to head south also a couple of popular Tibetan teahouses from Chamdo to join up with Hwy 318 be- opposite the internet cafe. fore carrying on to Lhasa. Those that stay Guolinka Hotel HOTEL $ on the northern route will not only have ( 果林卡宾馆; Guǒlínkǎ Bīnguǎn; %541 2046; tw most of it to themselves, they’ll also have Y100-120, tr Y120) Housed in an unattractive the opportunity to visit some of Tibet’s white block set back from the main strip, most unusual and least-visited sights. this place, one of the few that were accept- Roads here are mostly unpaved (al- ing foreigners at the time of research, has though the relative lack of rain means they spacious, tidy rooms with TV, bathroom and are normally passable). However, there was hot water in the evenings. some serious road repairing going on at the time of research, especially south and Huátíng Kāngshà Dàjiǔdiàn HOTEL $$$ west of Chamdo, meaning journeying along 华庭康厦大酒店 % a This ( ; 541 3111; tw Y480; ) smooth tarmac should be just around the plush place is probably the best in town, corner. with soft carpets, Western-style bathrooms and hot water in the evenings. It’s down a JOMDA འ ་མདའ་ 江达 side street on the north side of the main %0895 / ELEV 3665M strip, opposite the police station. You can break the 347km-journey from Derge to Chamdo by stopping fi rst in Jomda 8 Information (Jiāngdá in Chinese) and then in Topa, both Internet cafe (网吧; wǎngba; per hr Y4; h24hr) of which have lunch options as well as mon- First side street on left off main road. asteries that are worth a peek. If you want to stay the night, Jomda is the more com- Overlooking it is the rarely visited Ny- fortable choice. ingmapa monastery, Söda Gompa (索德 205 The 700-year-old Wara Monastery (瓦 寺; Suǒdé Sì), which was built in 1872 and 拉寺; Wǎlā Sì; www.warabuddhism.com), 30km is home to 30 monks. The hilltop grassland east of Jomda, contains Tibet’s largest setting here is stunning, with wonderful Sakyapa monastic school with more than views of the surrounding mountains and 200 monks studying here at any time. The Chugu Gompa below. monastery has two main sites: one, which The fi rst hall you reach on the approach contains the school, is beside the river and to the monastery is original; the main hall can be seen from the main highway; the to the left is a newer construction. Friendly other is home to just 30 monks and over- monks set up Tibetan-style tents outside looks the school from a scenic hilltop perch during summer, while the surrounding a few hundred metres above the river. The grasslands make for some wonderful picnic recently renovated but undeniably attrac- spots – if you bring along some food from tive main hall of the hilltop monastery has Topa or Jomda. Take the same turn-off as an interesting mix of Tibetan, Mongolian Chugu Gompa, but turn right at the prayer and Chinese architectural styles. Both sites fl ags after about 3km then head up the are monitored on a regular basis by plain- winding hillside track. clothes security guards who may ask to see, In Topa itself, the main strip is made and then delete, the photographs you’ve up of newer Chinese-style buildings at its just taken. Monks were arrested here as eastern end and older Tibetan-style ones at recently as July 2010 for their alleged role its western end. At the Tibetan end, on the in riots that took place in Jomda county in south side of the road, is the cute Tuǒchāng 2008. Fàndiàn (妥昌饭店), which makes a nice In Jomda itself, Jiāotōng Fàndiàn (交通 lunch stop. It takes about two hours to car- EASTERN TIBETTHE (KHAM) NORTHERN ROUTE 饭店; %493 1188; tw Y120) is a decent hotel ry on from here to Chamdo. on the main strip. Twins come with 24- hour hot-water showers. A cheaper option is Chéngdū Lǚguǎn (成都旅馆; %451 2451; Chamdo 昌都 , also on the main strip. Corridors ཆམ་མ ་ beds Y20) %0895 / POP 80,000 / ELEV 3300M are a bit grotty and there are no showers, Chamdo (or Chāngdū in Chinese), at the but the beds are comfy and clean. strategic river junction of the Dza-chu and There are a number of Sichuanese and the Ngon-chu, is a surprisingly pleasant Muslim restaurants on the main road, town. It is dominated by the hilltop Galden where you’ll also fi nd a foreign-friendly SIGHTS

Jampaling Monastery, while below huddles SIGHTS CHAMDO ATM, an internet cafe (网吧; wǎngbā; per the tiny Tibetan old town and a much larger, hour Y4; h9am-1am) and the bus station with sprawling Chinese new town. Over 1000km daily buses to Chamdo. from Lhasa and 1250km from Chéngdū, the There tends to be a strong police pres- town is the major transport, administrative ence in Jomda. and trade centre of the Kham region. Make sure you have your permits in order, other- TOPA 妥坝 wise the PSB here are likely track you down, %0895 / ELEV 3981M The small, one-street town of Topa (Tuǒbà fi ne you and kick you out. in Chinese), 115km west of Jomda and about Chamdo has had a troubled relationship the same distance from Chamdo, makes a with nearby China. The Chinese warlord nice lunch stop, especially if you decide to Zhao Erfeng (the ‘Butcher of Kham’) cap- picnic in the surrounding grasslands. tured Chamdo in 1909 and ruled the region Five kilometres east of the main strip until the Tibetans recaptured it in 1917. on the south side of Hwy 317 is the turn-off Chamdo fell to communist troops in 1950, for two nearby monasteries. The fi rst, and marking the beginning of the end for inde- better known of the two, is the Kagyupa- pendent Tibet. sect Chugu Gompa (珠古寺; Zhūgǔ Sì), about 6km south of the turn-off . Home to 1 Sights more than 100 monks and nuns, it has an Galden Jampaling Monastery MONASTERY enormous courtyard and a lovely grassland This active hilltop monastery (དགའ་ ན་ མས་ setting. It dates back to 1670, although the པ་ ང་ད ན་; 强巴林寺; known in Chinese as main hall is a recent rebuild. Qiángbālín Sì) of around 1000 monks e# 0250m Chamdo 00.1miles 206 A B C D ‚ 11 To Sky Burial 7 3 #æ #æ Site (260m) 8 #æ #æ #æ 1 14#æ 15 1 #æ1 GALDEN Dza- #æ #æ JAMPALING 2 10 c #ñ MONASTERY 13 hu 4 #æ 6 #ô 12 6#æ 9 #ÿ

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A B C D THE NORTHERN ROUTE (HWY 317) dominates Chamdo. The monastery was pel) packed with guns, knives and pistols – founded in 1444 by Jangsem Sherab Zangpo, echoes of the region’s warrior past. a disciple of Tsongkhapa. It was destroyed Back outside, the monastery’s enormous in 1912 and then rebuilt in 1917, after the Ti- kitchen is well worth a look, but only men betan army retook Chamdo. can enter. Pilgrims circumambulate the exterior The main dukhang (assembly hall) is of the walled compound in the mornings particularly impressive, especially when and it’s worth following them on at least it is packed with hundreds of murmuring one circuit. Behind the monastery, to monks. This is probably the largest assem- the north of town, trails lead up to a sky- bly of monks you will see in Tibet these burial site and views over the city. The days, outside festival times. The glorious steep paved road up to the east gate is one inner sanctum is dominated by Sakyamuni, of the town’s most interesting, lined with Tsongkhapa and Atisha. The statue second Tibetan teahouses, tailors and prayer-wheel to the left is the Pakhpala, the line of re- repair workshops. ligious leaders that head the monastery. The fi rst building on the right is the im- The bearded statue in the far right is of the pressive Tsenyi Lhakhang (Dialectic Col- monastery’s founder. lege), behind which is a debating courtyard. In the main monastery courtyard is the Just to the left of the college is a side en- gönkhang, lined with fantastic murals and trance; go in here, take an immediate left statues of protector gods, and lots of old ar- up the stairs and then turn right at the top. mour. The Jamkhang to the south holds a This leads to a gönkhang (protector cha- large new statue of Jampa (Maitreya). bathrooms with 24-hour hot water. Rooms Chamdo are arranged around a smoke-fi lled mah- 207 æ Top Sights jong hall, but it closes at 9pm. Galden Jampaling Monastery...... B1 Chamdo Hotel HOTEL $$ æ Sights ( 昌都饭店; Chāngdū Fàndiàn; %482 5998; 22 1 Debating Courtyard...... C1 Changdu Xilu; tw Y350, discounted to Y210; W) 2 Dukhang (Assembly Hall)...... C1 A bit posher than Jīnchuān, rooms at the 3 Dukhor (Kalachakra) Tratsang...... B1 back look out over a pleasant garden. Inter- 4 Former Residence of the net access for laptop users is free. Service Phakhpala ...... B1 can be grumpy. 5 Golden Eagle Statue...... C4 6 Gönkhang (Protector Chapel) ...... B2 5 Eating & Drinking 7 Guhyasamaja Tratsang...... C1 The narrow streets one block east of 8 Hevajra Tratsang ...... B1 Jīnchuān Bīnguǎn have loads of cheap Sich- uanese restaurants where you’ll get dishes 9 Jamkhang ...... C2 for around Y20. There’s a decent vegetable 10 Kitchen ...... C1 market in the lanes south of Dekyi Lam 11 Prayer Flags...... C1 where you can pick up fruit and snacks. 12 Tsenkhang (Earth Spirit House)...... B2 Zhèngzōng Lāsà Tiáncháguǎn TEAHOUSE $ 13 Tsenyi Lhakhang...... C1 ( 正宗拉萨甜茶馆; tea per pot Y10) Very 14 Vairocana (Namse) Tratsang ...... B1 popular with the locals, this no-nonsense 15 Yamantaka Tratsang...... C1 teahouse is the place to come for your fi x of Tibetan sweet tea. Sit on plastic stools or ÿ Sleeping wooden benches either inside or under the EASTERN TIBETTHE (KHAM) NORTHERN ROUTE 16 Chamdo Hotel ...... A2 tarpaulin on the pavement out front. 17 Jīnchuān Bīnguǎn ...... B4

ú Eating 7 Shopping 18 Sichuanese Restaurants...... C4 The well-stocked supermarket on the ground fl oor of the Jīnchuān Bīnguǎn has 19 Vegetable Market ...... C3 items such as batteries as well as foodstuff s. ü Drinking Toread (探路者; Tànlùzhě; Pedestrian Mar- 20 Zhèngzōng Lāsà Tiáncháguǎn...... C3 ket) An outdoor shop that off ers down vests, camping gas canisters, sleeping bags and þ Shopping the like. SLEEPING 21 Kodak Express ...... D3 SLEEPING CHAMDO Kodak Express (柯达快速彩色; Kēdá Supermarket ...... (see 17) Kuàisù Cǎisè; Binjiang Lu; h10am-10pm) Burns 22 Toread...... C3 CDs from around Y10.

8 Information Behind the gönkhang is the former residence of the Pakhpala, whose 11th A couple of ATMs around town now accept for- reincarnation currently works for the Ti- eign bank cards. We’ve marked them on the map. betan government in Lhasa. The exit in the Jiāhuá Wǎngluò (嘉华网络; per hr Y4; h24hr) southwest corner leads to the Tsenkhang Internet cafe near the Jīnchuān Bīnguǎn. (earth spirit house), hidden around the back Post Office (中国邮政; Zhōngguó Yóuzhèng; of the interior courtyard, with a fantastic Zhong Lu; h9am-7.30pm) collection of protectors strung up on a se- PSB (公安局; Gōng’ānjú; %482 5085; Changdu ries of pillars like a crack squad of gravity- Xilu; h9am-12pm & 3.30-5.30pm Mon-Fri) Visa defying martial arts warriors. Look also for extensions are possible if travel permits are in the skeleton and monkey outfi ts worn dur- order. The phone is sometimes answered by ing cham dances, as well as a stuff ed bear. English speakers. Around the back is a small tsampa mill. Shèngjié Bathhouse (圣洁淋室; Shèngjié Línshì; Binjiang Lu; shower/bath Y8/Y25; 4 Sleeping h9am-midnight) 中国电信 Jīnchuān Bīnguǎn HOTEL $$ Telephone Office ( ; Zhōngguó h ( 金川宾馆; %484 4998; Wolong Jie; tw Y320, Diànxìn; Changdu Xilu; 10am-9pm) Sells phonecards. discounted to Y192) Large rooms come with 208 THE ROAD SOUTH FROM CHAMDO

Most public buses heading to Lhasa from Chamdo head south rather than west, main- ly because the state of the road on the southern route is better, although major work to improve the northern route was being done at the time of research. This southern splinter of Hwy 317 passes by or near a number of interesting mon- asteries and small villages as well as Chamdo-Pomda Airport before joining Hwy 318 at Pomda. The road follows the Mekong River (Dza-chu; 澜沧江; Láncāng Jiāng) 65km to Ky- itang, passing a Willy Wonka-esque landscape of spearmint green fi elds, raspberry purple hills and chocolate streams. A few kilometres before Kyitang, and just 7km before a 3465m-high pass (Nya-la) a turn-off to your left takes you along a 42km dirt track to Drayab (察雅; Cháyǎ) and the Endun Monastery (烟多寺; Yānduō Sì). Back on the main highway, the road climbs the pass then descends into the village of Kyitang (吉塘; Jítáng). Tra’e Monastery, on the southeastern edge of the village, is worth a look. The kora around the ancient-feeling old chapel is lined with animal skulls. The turn-off for the 10-minute walk to the monastery is marked by a huge new white chörten. The barracks-style Jíxiáng Bīnguǎn (吉祥宾馆; dm Y15) at the north end of town off ers basic rooms and pit toilets in an emergency. There’s a Tibetan-style restaurant opposite. Leaving Kyitang, the road climbs dramatically 29km to a 4572m-high pass, Lang-la (浪拉山; Lànglā Shān) before descending again, past the turn-off for the old caravan

EASTERN TIBET (KHAM) (KHAM) TIBET EASTERN trail to Lhasa and on to the airport. Around 10km past the old caravan-trail turn-off , and 6km before the airport, is a turn-off onto a dirt road that heads 7km to the remote and welcoming Yushig Mon- astery, home to 50 Kagyupa monks and three trulkus (reincarnated lamas), one of whom is considered a manifestation of Rechungpa, a disciple of Milarepa. The main hall contains images of Sakyamuni, Marpa and Milarepa. The spirited debating that takes place here in the afternoons sounds more like a pub brawl than a theological discussion! The turn-off for the monastery is to the right (west) about 100m after the bridge. The wide plain here supports large herds of grazing yaks. If you’re fl ying in or out of Chamdo-Pomda Airport (昌都邦达机场; Chāngdū Bāngdá Jīcháng), about 130km south of Chamdo, the previously shoddy airport THE NORTHERN ROUTE (HWY 317) hotel Xīzàng Chāngdū Bāngdá Jīcháng Bīnguǎn (西藏昌都邦达机场宾馆; %0895 462 3166, 136 5955 0479; tw Y228) has been spruced up and now has quite plush twin rooms with laminated wood fl ooring and bathrooms with squat loos. The canteen is open from 7am to 11pm. If that option is too expensive, you can stay in one of the guesthouses on the main highway right by the turn-off for the airport. Rújiā Chuāncàiwǎng (如家川菜王; %152 8915 1243; per bed Y40) has a ground-fl oor Sichua- nese restaurant and basic but clean rooms with metal-framed beds upstairs. From here it’s about 200m to the airport turn-off and less than 1km to the airport itself. About 20km beyond the airport a bridge gives access to the yellow-painted and rather derelict Shongba Guen Tashi Chöling Monastery. It is visible from the high- way, across a glorious grassy plain; a pleasant walk here takes about 25 minutes. Another 10km brings you to Kyidrup Monastery, which is home to a handful of monks and nuns and is about 15km from Pomda.

8 Getting There & Away 11.30am) is 500m south of the Dza-chu River. Staff might sell you a ticket without checking Air for permits, but you’ll probably still be asked for There’s a weekly fl ight to Lhasa (Y1170, 9am) on them at the airport when you check in. Monday and to Chéngdū (Y900, 9.15am) every Chamdo-Pomda Airport (昌都帮大机场; day except Sunday. An extra midday fl ight to Chāngdū-Bāngdà Jīchǎng) is 130km south of Chéngdū is laid on Monday and Wednesday. Chamdo. Airport buses (Y40) depart from oppo- 中国民航售票处 The ticket offi ce ( ; Zhōngguó site the ticket offi ce before fl ights, but the unreli- Mínháng Shòupiàochù; %482 1004; h9.30- ability of the roads here means it may be safer to leave the day before your morning fl ight, then on the corner of Hwy 317 and a side road overnight near the airport. A taxi from Chamdo in the centre of town is probably the best 209 costs around Y120 per person and takes about of several cheapies. Rooms are small but two hours. clean. Common bathrooms have squat toi- lets and no showers. Bus Chamdo Bus Station (顺康客运站; Shùnkāng Dàshān Bīnguǎn HOTEL $$ Kèyùn Zhàn; %482 7351) has daily services to ( 大山宾馆; %450 4433; d/tw Y160/200) De- Jomda and Markham, services every other day cent rooms with clean bedding and lami- to Pomi, and two services a week to Nagchu and nated wood fl ooring come with bathrooms Yùshù. with slightly tight shower cubicles but hot water. Like Zìgòng Bīnguǎn, it’s also on the CHAMDO TO RIWOCHE (110KM) corner of Hwy 317 and a side road, but fur- A couple of monasteries en route to Ri- ther east. woche are worth a visit. Soon after the road leaves the Dza-chu (Mekong River; 澜沧江; Qílín Cānguǎn CHINESE $ Láncāng Jiāng) and swings south, it climbs ( 麒麟餐馆; Yúzhōng Lù; dishes Y7-30; h8.30am- past the stunningly located Dragu (or Tru- midnight) A couple of doors down a side road gu) Monastery (朱吉寺; Zhūjí Sì) perched by Sunny Hotel (which is between the two on a grassy plateau at around 4200m and hotels mentioned above), this place, run by backed by granite bluff s and snowcapped a guy from Shaanxi province, does delicious peaks. The 50 or so monks are friendly and clay-pot stews (砂锅; shāguō; Y15). Try the will point out the tiger and snow leopard shāguō niúròu miàn (砂锅牛肉面), which is pelts in the upper protector chapel. A huge cooked with beef and noodles. The braised thangka is unfurled on a platform outside the pork belly (红烧猪肉; hóngshāo zhūròu; monastery gate during the Losar festival. Y35) is also delicious. EASTERN TIBETTHE (KHAM) NORTHERN ROUTE To drive here, take the steep 3km dirt road to the right just after some houses, 8 Information before kilometre marker 1331 and about Agricultural Bank of China ATM (农业银行; 38km past Chamdo. The best views of the Nóngyè Yínháng) On main highway opposite monastery are actually from the main Zìgòng Bīnguǎn; accepts Visa and Mastercard. road. Fēixiáng Internet Bar (飞翔网吧; Fēixiáng The main road continues to climb for 17km Wǎngba; per hr Y4; h24hr) Far side of the through sections of 1500-year-old juniper for- square past Qílín Cānguǎn. est to cross the 4612m Chabi-la before making Meijie Yushi (美洁浴室; shower/bath Y10/25; a long descent past herders’ huts into a lovely h & EATING SLEEPING

8am-10pm) Public bathhouse in same square & EATING SLEEPING RIWOCHE alpine valley. About 88km past Chamdo, next as Fēixiáng Internet. to the road, is the restored Dzonglho Monas- tery (宗洛兴旺林寺; Zōngluò Xīngwànglín Sì) 8 Getting There & Away If you fancy a walk, a suspension bridge leads Buses from the station, Kèyùn Zhōngxīn (客运中 across the river to the ruins of the original 心), which is down the same side road as Zìgòng monastery, at the base of a bluff with the ru- Bīnguǎn, go to destinations including Chamdo, ins of the old dzong atop it. Nagchu and Yùshù.

Riwoche  ་ ་ ་ 类乌齐县 Riwoche Tsuglhakhang %0895 / ELEV 3800M 类乌齐寺 The mid-sized town of Riwoche (known as  ་ ་ ་ག ག་ལག་ཁང་ From the western edge of Riwoche town, a Lèiwūqí Xiàn in Chinese) is of limited inter- road branches northwest off the main high- est but makes a good base from which to way, crosses the river and follows a newly explore the village of Riwoche, 26km to the paved section of the road north to Yùshù in north, which houses the fascinating monas- Qīnghǎi province. A couple of kilometres tery Riwoche Tsuglhakhang. before Riwoche village (类乌齐镇; Lèiwūqí Zhèn) the road crests a ridge and you get the 4 Sleeping & Eating fi rst view of the amazing golden-roofed Ri- Zìgòng Bīnguǎn GUESTHOUSE $ woche Tsuglhakhang (Lèiwūqí Sì). ( 自贡宾馆; %4932 798; s/tw/tr Y30/40/60) This simple but clean Sichuanese-run place Founded in 1276 by Sangye On, who relo- cated to Kham after the death of his master The middle fl oor is relatively bare but 210 has some fi ne murals and statues of Guru UNDER LOCK & KEY, Rinpoche, a 1000-armed Chenresig (Avalok- TIMES THREE iteshvara) and Sakyamuni. A small hut on the roof is where the real The ground-fl oor courtyard of the gems are kept, though. Again you’ll need Riwoche Tsuglhakhang is always to have the door here unlocked for you, open, but access to the 1st and 2nd and photography is strictly prohibited in- fl oors is through a triple-locked door at side the hut. Items include some beautiful the side of the courtyard. You will need antique statues and ancient horse saddles to fi nd three separate monks who look that are said to belong to Gesar of Ling and after the three separate keys that each his general. Look for the very old statue of open one of the locks. The monks will Dorje Chang (Vajradhara), with the slender then have to follow you up each fl oor waist. There are fi ne views of the village, because there are more doors to un- the valley and the surrounding mountains lock along the way, not least the one to from the roof top here. the highly revered treasures inside the Monks’ quarters lie to the north, and it’s monastery’s rooftop hut. worth walking up the hillside a little to get overviews of the site. Sangye Yarjon (1203–72), the third leader of the Talung order, Riwoche started as an off - 8 Getting There & Away shoot of Talung Monastery in Ü. Eventually You’ll need to catch a shared minibus or a taxi it grew to eclipse its parent monastery and it to the monastery (about Y200 return including now ranks as one of Tibet’s most impressive waiting time) from Riwoche. EASTERN TIBET (KHAM) (KHAM) TIBET EASTERN monasteries. It is still the more vibrant of the two, retains the characteristic red, white and black vertical stripes of the Talung school, Tengchen ཐང་ ན་ 丁青 and is home to more than 500 monks. %0895 / ELEV 3820M The largely Tibetan town of Tengchen The Monastery The huge tsuglhakhang towers over Ri- (Dīngqīng in Chinese) is a forlorn outpost of woche village, dwarfi ng the pilgrims who crumbling concrete blocks and half-broken circumambulate the massive structure. You facilities. Both Tengchen and the surround- enter through 20m-tall doors into a breath- ing area of Khyungpo are strong centres of taking open inner courtyard covered with the Bön religion. THE NORTHERN ROUTE (HWY 317) a plastic-glass roof. Photos are not allowed in the chapels. 1 Sights & Activities The eye is immediately drawn to the huge The main reason to stop here is to visit the statues that loom out of the half-light. The Tengchen Monastery, on a hillside about entry is fl anked on the left by Jampa (Mai- three kilometres west of town. This inter- treya) and eight chörtens, and on the right esting Bön monastery, home to more than by two dramatic protector masks that peer 200 monks, is made up of two separate in- down at you from a high pillar. The left wall stitutions. The main building, founded in has statues of Tsepame (Amitayus), Guru 1110, has an impressive assembly hall and Rinpoche (one peaceful and one smaller upper-fl oor chapel. Bön deities include Ton- wrathful variety with a scorpion in his pa Shenrab and an amazing Palpa Phurbu, hand) and Sakyamuni. The west wall has whose lower half consists of a ritual dagger. the funerary chörten of a local rinpoche, To the east is the Ritro Lhakhang, built three Sakyamunis, two abbots and the two in 1180. The main chapel, the Serdung, early Talung lamas – Sangye Yarjon on the contains three funerary chörtens, another right and Sangye On to the left. The altars many-armed Palpa Phurbu and a statue of are fronted by elephant tusks and long ban- Monlam Tai, the founder of the monastery. ners made of petals. Along the right wall is Another chapel displays a row of six Bön a white statue of Namse (Vairocana) in front gods on a variety of mounts. There are fi ne of a mandala, a gold chörten, a seated Jam- views from the roof. pa (Maitreya), Matrö Bodhisattva, Sakya- To get here, take Hwy 317 west for about muni Buddha and fi nally two 1000-armed 3km out of town. The road crosses a bridge statues of Chenresig (Avalokiteshvara). then climbs steeply. As you round a tight ON THE ROAD GEMS 211

The 148km stretch of Hwy 317 from Riwoche to Tengchen is littered with monasteries. Here are the standout ones: » Chayab Monastery (大香寺; Dàxiāng Sì) Also known as Taksam or Dashang Gompa, this small but very charming Nyingma-school monastery, 17km from Ri- woche, is surrounded by over 100 chörtens, thousands of mani stones and a short kora. The design of the main chapel is similar to that of Lamaling Temple, but on a much smaller scale. Look for a photo of the current Taksam Rinpoche, the re- incarnation of Taksam Nuden Dorje, an 18th-century terton (treasure finder) who founded the monastery (and whose portrait is painted in the right-hand corner of the chapel). There are good camping possibilities nearby. Only three monks actually live here, although others visit regularly. » Rìb ā Sì (日巴寺) One or two kilometres north of the highway, and 57km west of Riwoche, is a turn-off marked by large collection of prayer flags and chörtens that leads to this 240-year-old Nyingma-school monastery, last renovated in 1984. It’s set among grassland with an eye-catching backdrop of unusual jagged mountains. Just one monk lives here, although even he’s not always in, so you might just have the whole area to yourself. » Jinkar Monastery (金卡寺; Jīnkǎ Sì) This 500-year-old walled Gelugpa-school monastery, 95km from Riwoche, was rebuilt in 1984 and is now home to around 200 monks. The kitchen and metal workshop to the side of the main assembly hall are particularly worth visiting here. The monastery is on the south side of Hwy 317, after the highway descends through a series of red-rock gorges. EASTERN TIBETTHE (KHAM) NORTHERN ROUTE » Rotung Monastery (绒通寺; Róngtōng Sì) A few minutes’ walk west of Jinkar, past a chörten and through some barley fields, brings you down to this remarkable small monastery that’s home to around 40 monks. The monastery is surrounded by a large number of chörtens and tens of thousands of votive-carved mani stones, the first of which is said to have been laid by Princess Wencheng when she passed through here on her way to Lhasa. Pilgrims circle the monastery from dawn to dusk. A road leads south from here back to Hwy 317 so you don’t need to go back via Jinkar Monastery. » Tsedru Monastery (孜珠寺; Zīzhū Sì) At 4800m this is one of Tibet’s highest

monasteries, and its location, strung out along a ridgeline below a series of natural & EATING SLEEPING cliffs and caves, is one of the most fantastical you can imagine. This is considered & EATING SLEEPING TENGCHEN Tibet’s largest and oldest Bön monastery and is home to more than 200 monks. Once you’ve visited the main chapels (there’s debating in the afternoon), walk up to the large natural arch to the left, where ancient wooden ladders lead up the cliff-face to a precarious ridge-top shrine that features a stone footprint of the monastery’s founder inlaid in the floor. If you have time, it’s well worth walking the kora around the base of Ngon Ri, the mountain to the east. When you reach a small chapel on the south side, climb the kora path to the peak for amazing views. The skies around the cliffs are sometimes full of soaring eagles and vultures, attracted by the sky-burial site in the valley below. The turn-off for Tsedru is 18km past Jinkar Monastery and marked by a blue sign. From here, follow the track over a bridge and, 2km from the highway, turn left up an 11km-long switchback dirt track that climbs 800m to the monastery. All told, it’s a half-day detour. right-hand bend, turn right up a small 500m- (一品香卤肉馆), that’s been around for years. long track that takes you to the monastery. It sells cold portions of pre-cooked pig meat including ears, trotters and tongues; take- 4 Sleeping & Eating away nibbles for the brave. There’s a row of decent Sichuanese restau- rants on the right side of the town square. Gōnglù Bīnguǎn GUESTHOUSE $ 公路宾馆 % On the left of the entrance to the square, is ( ; 459 3389; dm Y20, tw from Y60) Cheap but a bit on the shabby side, with no a very popular deli, Yīpǐnxiāng Lǔròuguǎn showers and pretty grim shared toilets, it’s town that off ers food and basic accommo- 212 on the right of Hwy 317, just as you enter dation. For lunch, try Chuānhóng Fàndiàn the town. (川洪饭店; dishes from Y20), a good Sichua- nese restaurant set slightly below road level Yōuyǎ Bīnguǎn HOTEL $$ on the south side of the highway at the east- 优雅宾馆 % ( ; 152 8905 0412, 136 1895 7963; ern end of the town. There is a large mani New and very 13-19 Dongqing Dadao; tw Y168) wall at the western end of town. clean rooms have bathrooms with sit-down The road climbs yet again to the 4500m loos and multijet shower pods, with round- , where you turn a corner for a dra- the-clock hot water. It’s on Hwy 317 on your Chak-la matic view of one of the Salween’s many left just before the town square. tributaries. The road then makes a long descent past scattered nomad camps and 8 Information a chörten to the village of Yangan, where Agricultural Bank of China ATM (农业银行; there is a collection of basic teahouses. Nóngyè Yínháng; 8 Jiǎmùtáng Lù; 甲木塘路8号) From here it’s another 48km to the dull Accepts Visa bank cards. county town of Bachen (巴青; Bāqīng), E’wǎng Qíngshēn Wǎngba (E网情深网吧; per which has plenty of places to eat and sleep hr Y4; h10am-midnight) Internet cafe down an if you need to stop. Bus passengers over- alley to the left side of the main square. night at the aircraft-hanger-like 琼布淋室 Jiāotōng Qióngbù Línshì ( ; shower Y10) Public Bīnguǎn (交通宾馆; %0896-390 1656, 0896- bathhouse on right-hand side of town square. 3612 755; tw & tr Y120), which has twins with bathrooms and triples without, as well as 8 Getting There & Away pool tables in the simply enormous lobby. Buses go to Chamdo and Nagchu. Tickets are There’s an internet cafe (网吧; wǎngbā; per EASTERN TIBET (KHAM) (KHAM) TIBET EASTERN sold at Gōnglù Bīnguǎn. hr Y7; h9am-3am) a few doors east. From Bachen it’s 33km to Sok. TENGCHEN TO SOK (270KM) The 33km stretch of Hwy 317 from Teng- chen to the 4460m-high pass Chongnye-la (Chuni-la) launches you up into the high- Sok  ག་ 索县 lands of northeastern Tibet, off ering fabu- %0896 / ELEV 4000M lous views across nomad camps and yak This crossroad town’s claim to fame is the herds to the huge range of snowy peaks to impressive Sok Tsanden Monastery (索赞 the south. In June and July wild fl owers cov- 丹寺; Suǒzàndān Sì) perched on an outcrop in er the grasslands here in a blanket of colour. the southern suburbs. Built in 1667 by the

THE NORTHERN ROUTE (HWY 317) The road then descends for 9km to the Mongol leader Gushri Khan, this Gelugpa lovely village of Bajung, where you can monastery, home to 150 monks, looks like explore the cliff -top Bön-sect Yongdzong a miniature version of the Potala. The best Monastery and the Gelugpa-sect Tashiling views of the building are from the south as Monastery. you leave town. Just below Bajung, and 44km from The monastery was made off limits to Tengchen, is the run-down modern town of foreigners in 2001 after tourists smuggled Sertsa (色扎; Sèzhā, also known as Khar- out a letter from the monks to the Dalai dong), which off ers restaurants, a couple of Lama. Local authorities remain very sus- simple guesthouses and a large collection of picious of foreign visitors and threaten a mani stones in the southwest corner. About Y20,000 fi ne for anyone trying to sneak 14km from Sertsa keep an eye out for the into the monastery. If you want to try to Bön-sect Targye Monastery perched dra- get permission to visit the monastery, make matically across the valley on the face of a sure that Sok Monastery (not just the town) high ridge. Some 66km past Tengchen, the is specifi cally written on your travel per- unremarkable town of Choedo has some mits. Even this is no guarantee. shops and another guesthouse. The Repung Nunnery to the northeast Here the road swings north and starts to of town is also technically off limits. climb up to the stunning 4905m-high Shel- la, 102km past Tengchen and the highest 4 Sleeping & Eating and most dramatic pass along the northern There are lots of Tibetan teahouses around route. Some 40km past the Shel-la brings the roundabout crossroads in the centre of town. you to Ronpo (荣布; Róngbù), a one-street Yàlā Xìnyuàn Jiǔdiàn/Diànxìn Bīnguǎn Nagchu is a literally breathtaking place: HOTEL $$ oxygen levels here are only 60% of those at 213 ( 亚拉信苑酒店/电信宾馆; %370 3000, 189 sea level, so be prepared for headaches and 0896 1577; dm/tw/q Y30/150/150; a) With a watch for the symptoms of altitude sickness decent range of rooms, this hotel with two (AMS). Bring warm clothes, even in summer. names is probably the best choice overall, The town holds a large horse-racing fes- though like all Sok hotels there’s no shower tival, which usually falls at the beginning facilities. The four-bed economy rooms are of August, when Nagchu swells with up to perfect for accommodating 4WD groups, 10,000 nomads and their tents from all over while the doubles with TV and air-con are a the Changtang. Accommodation can be bit overpriced considering all rooms use the very tight at this time, but it’s a fascinating same shared squat toilets. Guests can use the spectacle. washing machine in the shared bathroom. On the western outskirts of the town is the surprisingly large Shabten Monastery Chéngdū Xiǎochī GUESTHOUSE $ (founded 1814), a branch of Lhasa’s Sera ( 成都小吃; r from Y80; dishes Y10-30) This good Sichuanese restaurant doubles as a Monastery, with more than 90 monks. The guesthouse with OK 1st-fl oor rooms and main hall here is particularly atmospheric. clean shared toilets. Coming from the east, Look in the back hall for the strings of dried turn left at the roundabout crossroads and tamarind pods, said to have been brought it’s on your right almost immediately. here from India as gifts for the Buddha. Samtenling Nunnery, home to 47 nuns, Dōngpō Jiǔlóu CHINESE $$ is a 30-minute walk northwest of here above ( 东坡酒楼; mains Y18-38) The best restaurant the Qīnghǎi–Tibet Hwy. in town is this relatively pricey option by the main junction. Coming from the east, 4 Sleeping & Eating (KHAM) TIBET EASTERN THE NORTHERN ROUTE turn right at the roundabout crossroads Nǎqū Fàndiàn HOTEL $$ and it’s on your right. ( 那曲饭店; %382 2424; 23 Zhejiang Zhonglu; d Y268, discounted to Y180; a) The best-value 8 Information of the three hotels that were accepting for- Xīnshìjì Wǎngba (新世纪网吧; per hr Y5; eigners at the time of research, this place h24hr) Internet cafe on main highway just west has smart clean rooms (spoiled only by the of the roundabout crossroads. mosaics of cigarette burns on the carpets) Yīhéyuán Línyù (伊河源淋浴; shower/bath and decent bathrooms with 24-hour hot wa- Y10/40; h7am-midnight) A clean bathhouse on ter and squat toilets. Nice touches include the right just before the roundabout crossroads mist-free bathroom mirrors and oxygen can- 8 8 NAGCHU if coming from the east. isters and altitude sickness pills for sale in each room. Coming from Chamdo, Zhejiang 8 Getting There & Away Zhonglu is on your left off the main highway The bus station is south of the roundabout, (called Lasa Donglu at this point) that bi- just beyond Chéngdū Xiǎochī. It’s 237km from sects the town. The hotel is then on your left. here to Nagchu, which takes around nine hours Post Hotel HOTEL $$ in a 4WD. Once the new road surface is laid it ( 邮苑宾馆; Yóuyuàn Bīnguǎn; %382 0999; cnr shouldn’t take more than fi ve hours. Zhejiang Zhong Lu & Liaoning Zhonglu; tw with- out/with bathroom Y188/338, discounted to Y100/188; a) Next to the post offi ce, this Nagchu ནག་ ་ 那曲 place is a bit on the grimy side, but tends %0896 / POP 70,000 / ELEV 4500M to have the cheapest rooms available for Nagchu (Nǎqū in Chinese) is one of the foreigners. Common bathrooms have no highest, coldest and most windswept towns shower, but if you want a private bath- in all of Tibet. Perched on the edge of the room, you’re much better off going to Nǎqū Changtang (northern plateau), it is an often- Fàndiàn. The Post Hotel is on the right be- dismal town of mud and concrete, but is fore Nǎqū Fàndiàn. still an important stop on both the road and railway line between Qīnghǎi and Tibet. In oLhasa Wealth God Restaurant fact, this is where Hwy 317 ends as it joins TIBETAN TEAHOUSE $ the Qīnghǎi–Tibet Hwy (Hwy 109) on its ( 拉萨财神藏餐; Lāsà Cáishén Zàngcān; Liaoning way to Lhasa. Zhonglu; dishes Y4-30) Beautifully decorat- ed, and so popular you may have to share 214 BIRU’S SKULL WALL

About halfway between Sok and Nagchu is a turn off , south of Hwy 317, that brings you to Dodoka Gompa (达木寺; Dámù Sì), a remote monastery in Biru County containing one of Tibet’s strangest, creepiest and least-visited sights: the mysterious skull wall (骷髅墙; kūlóu qiáng; entrance Y10). Making up the southern part of a half-open courtyard in the monastery, the wall looks like any other Tibetan mani wall from a distance. But as you approach it you realise that instead of being made of engraved prayer stones, it’s made of hundreds and hundreds of human skulls. The skulls, which are still being added to from sky burials carried out within the courtyard, are placed in neat rows and set into wooden blocks, looking not unlike large bookshelves which are in turn set into the inside of the courtyard’s 6ft clay walls. At the northern end of the courtyard is a small building (usually locked) that is used by the monks who carry out the sky burials and that contains religious scriptures and icons. It is thought that only three monasteries in Tibet – all in Biru County – have ever carried out the practice of displaying human skulls like this. Ridazeng Gompa (日丹 寺; Rìdān Sì), just across the river from Dodoka, and Quedai Gompa, on a separate site some distance away, still contain a few human skulls, but nothing like the number on display at Dodoka. The practice was stopped for a number of years during the Cul- tural Revolution and the walls were destroyed with many of the skulls damaged or lost, but it has been revived by monks at Dodoka in the past 10 years, using old, recovered

EASTERN TIBET (KHAM) (KHAM) TIBET EASTERN skulls then adding to them with the skulls of recently deceased locals. No one really knows when or why the ritual of displaying human skulls started here, but monks say that they display row upon row of identical-looking skulls to illustrate to people that no matter what we do in life, we are all equal after death. Dodoka Monastery is about 50km from the highway turn-off on a well paved road leading to the town of Biru (比如; Bǐrú), which is about 75km further south. There’s no sign for the monastery on the Biru road, but you can see the main hall on your left from the road. A track leads to the hall and nearby chörtens. To get to the skull wall, either walk south from the main hall, through monks living quarters, or take the right fork on the road to the main hall. The skull wall’s courtyard has two entrances: the west gate is for living people so THE NORTHERN ROUTE (HWY 317) can be opened (although you’ll need to fi nd a monk to unlock it for you). The south gate is for the dead, so is never unlocked. Note there is an extortionate fee for foreigners wishing to take photos (Y200) or videos (Y2000). If you don’t have time to make it back to Sok or Nagchu, you can overnight in Biru. Liángmào Bīnguǎn (粮贸宾馆; %0896-362 2810; tw Y150-160) has decent rooms with bathrooms and hot showers.

a table, this place just up from Post Hotel Kāngdá Wǎngluò Shìjiè (康达网络世界; cnr has a pretty extensive menu of Chinese and Zhejiang Donglu & Chaodan Zhonglu; per hr Tibetan dishes, including Tibetan noodles Y3-4, h24hr) Fast internet access, just past (藏面; zàngmiàn; Y4 to Y6), yak-meat dump- Nǎqū Fàndiàn. lings (牛肉包子; niúròu bāozi; Y1 each) and Post Office (中国邮局; Zhōngguó Yóujú; an excellent shemdre (咖喱饭; gāli fàn; Y10), cnr Zhejiang Zhonglu & Liaoning Zhonglu; although most locals just come here for a h9.30am-7pm) game of cards and some butter tea. 8 Getting There & Away 8 Information The main bus station (客运中占; Kèyùn Agricultural Bank of China ATM (农业银 Zhōngzhàn), round the corner from Nǎqū 行; Nóngyè Yínháng; cnr Zhejiang Zhonglu & Fàndiàn (turn right out of the hotel, then fi rst Liaoning Zhonglu) Opposite the post office, it right) on Liaoning Zhonglu, has regular buses to accepts foreign cards. Lhasa and Sok. You can get cheaper, less com- ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd fortable Lhasa-bound buses or minibuses from per bed), but no showers or anywhere to Nǎqū Kèyùn Zhàn (那曲客运站), a smaller bus eat, so bring instant noodles if you plan 215 station on the main highway (called Lasa Nanlu to stay over. Travellers are also welcome here), on the way to the train station. to set up their own tent on the nunnery’s The train station (火车站; huǒchē zhàn) is small lawn, home to fi ve extremely cute 8km south of town. Hard-seat tickets to Lhasa half-tamed marmots. The main hall here 格尔木 (Y51, fi ve hours, seven daily) or Golmud ( ; contains 1000 silver statues of the female Gé’ěrmù; Y106, 10 hours, seven daily) in Qīnghǎi, bodhisattva Drölma (Tara). are reasonably easy to obtain, depending on the A two-hour walk up the valley brings you permit situation. to a mountain lake and fi ne views of the DRÖLMA VALLEY surrounding snowcapped mountains. An interesting place to break the seven-hour The turn-off for Drölma Valley (not journey from Nagchu to Lhasa is the rocky signposted) is between kilometre markers Drölma Valley, home to 80 monks, 49 nuns 3666 and 3667, 9km past the wind-swept and a beautiful mountain lake. one-street town of Gulok (古露; Gǔlù) if The 800-year-old monastery Bamrim you’re coming from Nagchu; or 61km past Gompa was undergoing extensive renova- Damxung if you’re coming from Lhasa. The tion when we visited, including construc- valley is on the west side of the highway. tion work for a guesthouse just outside the Damxung (当雄; Dāngxióng) is the best main chapel. place for a lunch stop on this stretch of the A short walk further up the valley, the highway. Try Snowland Tangla Yak Tibetan small nunnery known as Drölma Lhakang Restaurant. From here it’s about three Ani Gompa (Tara Nunnery) already has a hours’ drive to Lhasa. basic guesthouse with dorm rooms (Y20 EASTERN TIBET (KHAM) 8 NAGCHU (KHAM) TIBET EASTERN THE NORTHERN ROUTE 8

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