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Ganden To Samye Trek |
Ganden situated 45 km East of
Lhasa on the Highway that follows the south bank
of the Kyi Chu to Medro Gongkar. This is one of
the most beautiful sites in central Tibet, which
is considered as an abode of Champa, the future
Buddha. The monastery perched on the ridge
called Gokpo Ri, the site was chosen by Tsong
Lhapa (1357-1419) for his first meditation where
the monastery built later. This is one of the
great monasteries out of six, built by Gelukpa
sect.
This itinerary linking two of the most important
monasteries in Central Tibet crosses the Yatro
Drak range of mountains that divide the Tsangpo
basin from the Lhasa Valley. The trek provides a
superb means of access to Tibet's first
monastery an institution founded in the 8 th
Century. |
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Day 1 :
The flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa is
spectacular. From Gongkar airport it is about 1½
hours’ drive to Lhasa, first along the Yarlung
Tsangpo then into the Kyi Chu Valley. |
Day 2-3 :
With a relaxed pace to allow for the effects of
altitude, explore this fantastic city on the
roof of the world. The spiritual heart of Tibet
is the Jokhang Temple and every morning is full
of life as pilgrims bring offerings of butter
and barley flour. The Potala Palace rises above
the city and, more than any other sight,
symbolizes the history and culture of Tibet.
Nearby are the huge monastic universities of
Drepung and Sera – still active institutions. |
Day 4 :
At leisure |
Day 5 :
Ganden (4500m) is the seat of the head of the
Gelukpa order, the Ganden Tripa. Founded by
Tsong Khapa in 1417, the monastery has exercised
powerful political influence and perhaps because
of this suffered almost total destruction in the
1960s. Rebuilding is well underway, but the
extent of the damage is quite evident. The kora,
pilgrimage curcuit, here is one of the most
fascinating with numerous pilgrims and great
views of the Kyi Chu valley. |
Day 6 :
From the high point of the Ganden kora continue
to ascend towards the top of the ridge, marked
by a cairn. From here the view is down the Kyi
Chu Valley to Lhasa. Pass through Hepu village
with its red and yellow protector-deity
residence on the edge of the village – the
Divine White Yak. The trail continues along the
stream as the valley narrows to the site of a
ruined nunnery before emerging onto marshy
meadowland and Yama Do. |
Day 7 :
Damp alpine meadows continue to the pass, Shuga
La (5250m) where cairns, prayerflags and yak
horns mark the summit. Descend past a small lake
into the Tsotup Chu Valley, an area of rich
pasture supporting yak, sheep and goats. There
are often herders camped here and it is an ideal
opportunity to get a glimpse of this traditional
Tibetan lifestyle. |
Day 8 :
Climbing a wide basin the Chitu-La (5100) is
visible as a rocky rampart at the head of the
valley. On the far side small lakes dot a shrub
area where herders have carved out small level
areas for their tents. A narrow gorge leads out
onto the wider meadows where there are larger
herder’s camps along the river. |
Day 9 :
Scrub willow and rosebush forest become thicker
as you descend down the river, into forest of
juniper and rhododendron. This is one of the
most attractive sections of the trek, especially
in May and June when the rhododendrons are in
flower and the hillside is a blaze of color.
There is a shrine to the protectoress of the
area, Dorje Yudronma, and further down the
valley, the first permanent settlement since
Hepu – Chanda. Looking south the mountain range
across the Yarlung Tsangpo is visible in the
distance. |
Day 10 :
A detour leads to Yamalung hermitage where Guru
Rinpoche meditated and received empowerment from
the Buddha Amitayus. There are several small
temples, a sacred spring and numerous carvings;
the temple enclosing Guru Rinpoche’s meditation
cave contains a hand and footprints of the
saint.
From the tiny hamlet of Pisha you can see Hepo
Ri, one of Tibet’s most sacred mountains, in the
middle of the Samye Valley below. From here the
valley is a tapestry of fields, woods and
villages contrasting with the sandy river bank.
Tiny temples and shrines dot the path down
towards the golden roofs of Samye.
Samye, built in the form of a mandala, was the
first monastery to be built in Tibet and where
Guru Rinpoche subdued many local demons,
converting them to Buddhism. |
Day 11 :
Visit Samye Monastery |
Day 12 :
Visit Yambulakhang, Thandrek and Tombs of
Tibetan Kings. Overnight at hotel |
Day 13 :
Drive to Gonggar and fly back to onward
destination |
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