Trips China Tibet

Tibet Ganden to Samye Monastery Trek

Tibet is a beautiful rugged, desolated, mountainous region with numerous snow-capped peaks, jade-green lakes, with a predominant Buddhist influence. What better than a trek in the highland plateau of Tibet ?

Founded in 1409, Ganden ( 4500m ) was the first Gelugpa monastery and has remained the main seat of this major Buddhist order since then. If you only have time for one monastery excursion outside Lhasa, Ganden would probably be the best choice. With its stupendous views of the surrounding Kyi-chu Valley and fascinating kora, Ganden is an experience unlike the other major Gelugpa monasteries in the Lhasa area.

Samye, established between 765 and 780, was Tibet's very first monastery and has a history that spans over 1200 years. Samye, located in the middle of the sandy Samye valley and approached via a beautiful river crossing, has a magic about it that causes many travellers to stay longer than they had intended.

The Ganden to Samye trek is one of the most popular in Tibet; offering lakes, beautiful alpine forests and meadows, as well as two centres of Tibetan religious culture. The trek may begin less than 50km from Lhasa but it is a demanding 4-5 day trek, over a distance of 80km and crossing 2 high passes over 5000m.

Due to the high altitude, we take good time acclimatizing in Lhasa and Ganden before we start out on this trek. Trekkers must be well-prepared for extremes in weather and terrain and for some people, the altitude will create serious difficulties for them while crossing the high passes of Shug La of Chitu La if they're slow-acclimatizers.

This trip covers the highlights of Tsetang, Lhasa, Samye & Ganden. Activities include overland drive, culture sightseeing, trekking, visit to alpine lakes. Photos here

Included

• 2-way internal / domestic return airfares between Chengdu & Lhasa including airport taxes
• Full accommodation arrangement ( hotels in Chengdu, Lhasa, and guesthouse in Ganden & Samye ) with daily breakfasts
• Full transport arrangement & airport transfers
• Full trekking arrangement ( group camping & kitchen equipment, yak porterage, guides, cook, and return transfers )
• Entrance tickets to the listed scenic spots as well as special travel permits for Tibet
• Either Chinese or English speaking guide service
• All expenses for guides, drivers, and vehicles
• Oxygen support for overland journey & trek in Tibet
• Complimentary use of sleeping bags and down jackets, if departing from Singapore

Excluded

• 2-way international economy class return airfares between Singapore & Chengdu
• All airport taxes and fuel surcharges
• Meals during tour except for breakfast which is provided with accommodation
• Tipping & gratuities to guide & driver
• Fees for photography inside monastery chapels & other places where extra fees are required
• Personal travel insurance, pre-trip medical immunizations, and all expenses of a personal nature
• Personal travel & trekking gear & clothing

Beware that any trip to Tibet will involve high altitude travel and may be tough especially for most of us who live at sea level. The main deciding factor to whether you'll enjoy the trip or not will be your ability to acclimatize to the high altitudes within the prescribed trip period. We will provide oxygen support during the overland & trek period but do note that this is not a substitute for proper acclimatization which is subjective and cannot be pre-determined in each person.

Our typical Tibet overland trips are rated 3 'mountains' due to the high altitude. For most people, getting used to the thin air is already a major task so for this trip with 5 days of trekking at high altitude above 5000m, it is rated at a difficulty level of '4 mountains'. Beside an abilit y to acclimatize well, good fitness level is required.

At high altitudes between 4000m to 5200m, even an easy walk will push your lungs pretty hard if one is not well-acclimatized enough so sufficient acclimatization is one of the main criteria to an enjoyable & comfortable time on this outing. On certain days, the overland drives will be long so this trip may not be suitable for those who dislike long drives as well as unprepared people looking for a comfortable holiday. All participants must travel with an open mind and positive attitude. For many, however, the superb beauty of the Tibetan highlands will more than often not make up for whatever discomfort you may experience on the trip and leave you with lasting memories of this adventure of a lifetime.

All participants are strongly advised to join our weekly GCS to tune up their fitness for this trip.