Our East Tibet-Kham Motorbike tour is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We will ride through beautiful farming areas, to open vast grassland where we experience the nomadic lifestyle.
October 2016: Eastern Tibet Motorcycle Tour
This October 10—23, 2016, expert Tibetan cultural guide Nyima Tashi will be leading a 14 day motorcycle journey through the Eastern Tibet regions of Amdo and Kham. This exciting adventure will begin in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan. From Chengdu, participants will travel by motorcycle through some of the most beautiful regions of Eastern Tibet in Sichuan province. This adventure will go through Tibetan farming villages, across nomadic grasslands filled with yaks, along the upper Yangtze River, and near rugged snow-covered peaks. You will visit remote monasteries, see sacred lakes, visit with local Tibetan families, and go to Larung Gar, the largest Buddhist Institute in the Tibetan world. This will be the adventure of a lifetime! Space is limited to only 5 participants.
Day 1: Chengdu to Dartsemdo(Kangding), Ride Time: 6 hours, Elevation: 22300m / 7550ft
We will drive to Dartsemdo, a modern Tibetan city that was once any important trade center for Tibetans. It is now the capital city of Kardzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.
Day 2: Dartsemdo to Rongdrak(Danba). Ride Time: 4 hours, Elevation: 1800m / 5900ft
Today we will be riding to Rongdrak. THe route is not as scenic at some we will travel, but the destination will be worth the trip! Once we get to Rongdrak, the riding becomes spectacular.
Day 3: Rongdrak to Drakgo(Luhuo), Ride Time: 6 hours, Elevation: 3250m / 10,660ft
In the morning we leave for Drakgo. Today will be one of the most enjoyable riding days of the tour. The scenery will be beautiful; especially Mt. Zhakra Latse. We will also pass many beautiful villages along our journey, and see a wide variety of architectural styles.
Day 4: Drakgo to Serta(Seda), Ride Time:4 hours, Elevation:3800m / 12,500ft
Riding to the world’s largest Buddhist Institute, we pass some nice villages on our way. Once we arrive in Serta, we will visit a Sky-Burial Site, where we experience how Tibetans react to death, and the impermanence of life.
Day 5: Serta to Kardzi(Ganzi), Ride Time: 6 hours, Elevation: 3390m / 11122ft
Riding over Stongkhor Mountain, we will enjoy the beauty of nature in this place. In the afternoon, we reach Kardzi, a lovely Tibetan town surrounded by beautiful mountains.
Day 6: Kardzi, Elevation: 3390m / 11122 ft
Today we ride around Kardzi town, where there are lovely villages to explore and monasteries to visit.
Day 7: Kardzi to Derge(Dege), Ride Time: 6 hours, Elevation: 3220m / 10,560ft
On our way to Derge, we will visit Dargye Monastery and have lunch in Manigango. Then we’ll continue our ride to Derge. The route is overwhelmingly beautiful, as we pass two spectacular sites, Yulung Lake: a crystal clear lake surrounded by snow-mountains, and Chola pass, over 5000 meters of altitude.
Day 8: Derge, Elevation: 3220m / 10,560ft
We will explore the Derge region today, and visit Derge Printing Press which is over 300 years old. Then we will bustle around the market, and relax for the rest of the day.
Day 9: Derge to Payul(Baiyu), Ride Time: 4 hours, Elevation: 3030m / 9950ft
We will ride to Payul along the Yangtse River, arriving in Payul pretty early. After lunch, we ride Payul Monasery, one of the six important monasteries in Nyingmapa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
Day 10: Payul to Kardzi, Ride Time: 6 hours, Elevation: 3390m / 11,122ft
Today’s route will be a bit longer, but there is so much to see! We will visit Yachen Buddhist Institute, a wonderful place, and home to thousands of Buddhist practitioners.
Day 11: Kardzi to Dartsemdo(Kangding), Ride Time: 6 hours, Elevation: 2300m / 7545ft
Today we ride to Darstemdo, the capital city of Kardzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. The scenery along the way is spectacular. Our Kham Motorbike tour is approaching to the end, but we still have one more day to ride to Chengdu.
Day 12: Dartsemdo to Chengdu, Ride Time: 7 hours
Today we return to Chengdu. Traveling through the Er Lang Tunnel, we leave the Snow-mountain region of Tibet behind. We hope you have had we have a wonderful tour, and we sincerely wish you a safe trip back home.
