This extraordinary cultural exchange experience and spiritual journey explores eastern Tibet from the perspective of Tibetan women villagers and nuns.
Our Eastern Tibet Buddhist Pilgrimage Tour for Women is now in its fourth year. We've enjoyed three years of incredible experiences and transformed participants since 2016! This extraordinary cultural exchange experience and spiritual journey explores eastern Tibet in a 12-night/11-day adventure. The tour explores the area culturally known as the Amdo Region, which encompasses much of Sichuan Province and southern Gansu Province in the central part of China.
Our goal in this tour is to learn about the lives of rural Tibetan women, and explore Tibetan Buddhism from their perspective. We will visit with Tibetan Buddhist nuns and local Tibetan villagers, and share cross-cultural experiences with them. We will experience what their daily lives are like, and the general living conditions at nunneries and in villages. We’ll get a glimpse of what educational opportunities are available to them in this region of Tibet.
This tour is for women only, and involves a homestay, nunnery stay, and visits to various monasteries and villages. You don’t need to know anything about Tibetan Buddhism to join the tour, and you certainly do not need to be a Buddhist!
Accommodations are a mixture of simple-yet-comfortable local hotels with private bathrooms, and authentic, rustic village and nunnery homestays. New this year, we have added one night at the end of our trip 'glamping' in nomadic tents in Xiahe!
Moderate fitness is required. We will walk daily, and you can enjoy your choice of easy to moderate hiking on a couple of days of this tour.
Tour Dates:
September 21-October 3, 2019
2018 Tour Price:
$2850.00USD
Small Group:
Maximum of 6 Participants
Contact us to get the full expanded itinerary of this magical tour in a printable PDF format.
Eastern Tibet Buddhist Pilgrimage Tour for Women
12 nights/11 Days
Day 0: Arrive Chengdu
Welcome to Chengdu. China
Welcome dinner at the amazing Are's Tibetan Vegetarian Restaurant. Meet your pilgrimage sisters, the founders of the Kham Voyage Pilgrimage tour, your Tibetan guide Tsering Tso, and Are herself!
~ Accommodation: Holiday Inn. Showers and Private Bathrooms.
~ Elevation: 1667 feet
Day 1: Explore Chengdu
Breakfast at Hotel (Western or Chinese style)
Visit Giant Panda Research and Breeding Center to see and photograph, Giant Pandas, Adorable baby Giant Pandas, rare Red Pandas in open air habitats
Visit 7th Century Wenshu Monastery, is the best-preserved Buddhist Monastery in Chengdu
Orientation Meeting at Are's Tibetan Coffee Shop
Free time to explore nearby local shopping
~ Accommodation: Holiday Inn again for 2nd night. Showers and private bathrooms.
~ Elevation: 1667 feet
Day 2: Fly to Xiahe, Drive to Diebu County Town
Breakfast early at the hotel, then to Chengdu Airport to fly to Xiahe in the Amdo Region.
Meet Dorje, our fabulous Tibetan Driver. 4-hour drive through spectacular grasslands to Deibu, where we will spend two nights acclimatizing to altitude.
~ Accommodation: Local hotel in Deibu. Showers and private bathrooms
~ Elevation: 7800 feet
Day 3: Day Trip to Zhagana Tibetan Village
Acclimatization day trip: Zhagana ("Land of Stone" in Tibetan) is a 30 Minute drive from Deibu. The valley known is for rocky outcrops and mountain gorges. Explore a local village and meet Tibetan people. Option to hike to other villages. Lunch in the home of a local family.
Return to Deibu for Dinner
~ Accommodation: Local hotel in Deibu. Showers and private bathrooms
~ Elevation: 9400 feet during day, 6600 feet at night.
Day 4: Deibu to Maigang Village
2-hour drive to Maigang Village for Tibetan homestay. 3 days/2 nights Pack a smaller bag to carry into the village along steep pathways.
Visit the village temple, meet locals, relax or hike or help Drolma (your hostess and Tsering So's sister) prepare lunch.
~ Accommodation: Traditional sleeping mats in wood-stove-heated family area. Sink with running water available. Family outhouse (with great view) just outside main house
~ Elevation: 9100ft
Day 5: Homestay Maigang Village
Get up early and help Tsering to take the family’s yaks to pasture or stay at the family home and help Drolma to prepare a traditional Tibetan breakfast.
After breakfast, hike to stunning location above the village (1 hr) for picnic lunch and meditation. Longer hike options available.
~ Accommodation: 2nd night with Tsering Tso's family
~ Elevation: 9100 ft
Day 6: Maigang Village to Damo Nunnery
After breakfast, drive to the Damo nunnery and arrive by lunch time. Lunch at Nun's house. Ani La Xie Xie will welcome us. (Due to the narrowness of the road, we will switch from van to smaller cars. Again, you will use your smaller bag for the nunnery stay.)
~ Accommodation: Nunnery homestay. No showers, outhouse toilets. Water for teeth brushing, handwashing, face washing.
~ Elevation: 10500 ft
Day 7: Damo Nunnery
Rise early (6:00am) to join nuns’ chanting and meditation in their temple.
After breakfast, Ani La Xie Xie will give us a tour of the nunnery.
After lunch, hike to a small lake above Damo Nunnery where we will do mantra chanting and meditation with the nuns.
After dinner, we’ll immerse ourselves in conversation with several nuns, including Tsering Tso’s aunt, Ani Drolma and will learn of their experiences and values.
~ Accommodation: Nunnery homestay. No showers, outhouse toilets. Water for teeth brushing, handwashing, face washing.
~ Elevation: 10500 ft
Day 8: Nunnery to Langmu monastery
Rise early (6:00am) to join nuns’ chanting and meditation in their temple.
After breakfast with the nuns, the morning is free to spend as you wish: explore the nunnery, talk to the nuns, spend time in contemplation on your own.
After lunch, drive to Langmu Monastery in Langmusi town. (Langmusi is a diverse mix of three cultures: Han Chinese, Tibetan and Hui people) and tour the monastery if time allows.
Dinner will be Muslim style noodles in the town.
~ Accommodation: Langmu Monastery in simple hotel-like accommodations. Showers and private
~ Elevation: 10,000+ ft
Day 9: Langmu Monastery to Xiahe
After breakfast, enjoy a stream side hike through the canyon beyond the monastery. Out-and-back hike at your own pace, past shrines and prayer flags, 2-3 hours.
Lunch in town, then explore the local shops, and perhaps get a private tour of Langmu Monastery
Leave by 3pm to drive to Tibetan 'glamping' accommodations for a taste of Nomad living. On the way, we will visit the Norlha textile factory and meet Tibetan women weavers.
~ Accommodation: Norden Nomad-style Glamping Camp. Shared bathrooms and showers, Yoga Center, Sauna, Dining Hall
~ Elevation: 10,000+ ft
Day 10: Tour Labrang Monastery
Labrang is one of the most important monasteries today to Tibetan Buddhists. Founded in 1709, it is strategically located between Mongolians and Tibetans, and has been near the center of many conflicts.
~ Accommodation: Hotel in Xiahe county town. Showers and private baths.
~ Elevation 10,000+ ft
Day 11: Flight from Xiahe to Chengdu (~1.5 hr flight)
After breakfast, drive to the Airport and say farewell to Dorje.
Arrive in Chengdu in early afternoon with time for shopping and sightseeing.
Enjoy a sumptuous farewell dinner at one of Are’s wonderful Tibetan restaurants.
~ Accommodation: Holiday Inn, showers and private bathrooms. The Hotel will store your bags if you continue to explore more of ~ China or Tibet from Chengdu.
Day 12: Departure flights
Kham Voyage will supply free transportation transfers back to the Chengdu airport.
Contact us to get the full expanded itinerary of this magical tour in a printable PDF format.
TOUR:
- Arriving Day 0 with welcome dinner that evening
- 12 Dinners
- 11 Lunches
- 12 Breakfasts
- Departing Day 12
Price: $2850
Price Includes:
1. Transportation (toll fees, parking fees and gasoline)
2. In-country Flights (Chengdu –Xiahe –Chengdu)
3. Airport pick up and drop off
4. Accommodations (shared room) – 12 nights
5. English-speaking local Tibetan guide and 1 Chinese-speaking American guide
6. All meals for 11 days and 12 nights
7. Expense for driver and guide
8. Tour price includes $50USD per person that will be donated to a local family in Maigang Village or to the Nunnery where we stay – wherever the need is greatest.
8. Entrance tickets to all scheduled tour attractions (Wushu temple, panda reserve, monasteries, etc.)
Price Excludes:
1. International Flights to/from Chengdu, China
2. Travel insurance – required
3. Personal expense
4. Guide and driver gratuities
5. Optional small donations at nunneries & monasteries. For example, 10-20RMB is the equivalent of $1-3 and is often requested in order to be able to take photos inside monasteries.
Your Guides on this Women's Pilgrimage Tour
You will have an incredibly experienced Tibetan female guide leading this tour who is from the Amdo region. Request the full trip itinerary to learn more about our guides and this tour.
