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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Sep 26, 2024 12:00 AM Back in Lhasa
After driving a big loop of 3700 kms I am back in Lhasa. It is cloudy, with occasional light showers. Since the morrning I hear many car trumpets and I appreciate the free public toilets - they are plentiful and well marked. The other thing os what you will find inside: European- style sitting closets are rare, so take your ski- training in advance!
When it cleared-up in the middle of the day I took a long walk to Bakhor Bazaar where street vendors offer a lot of souvenirs and handicrafts - see pictures!
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Sep 25, 2024 12:00 AM In the darkness of monasteries
In the morning I went to Sakya monastery. All those fantastic monasteries they normally work, receiving local pilgrims and prayers, but... Nowadays foreigners must buy the tickets. The price is around 100 yuan...
Lucky me! It was the praying time and about 100 monks were sitting in the main hall conducting ceremonies and I recognized that the assembly hall in Sakya is probably the biggest I saw in my life. Unforgettable! They do not allow to take the pictures inside, but if you are discret... Everyone keeps smartphone in the hand including monks!...
In the afternoon we visited another famous monastery - Tashi Lumpo in Shigatse. This one is the settlement of Panchen Lama and is well restored. But the atmosphere here is rather like in the museum. So if you have a choice - go rather to Sakya!
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Sep 24, 2024 12:00 AM To ancient city of Sakya
I have been already twice in Tibet, but Sakya always was out of my route. So I was excited when we departed from the level 2500 m at 8 am. It was heavy climb to the pass 5200 m in the cloudy weather. But the real nightmare of travel in Tibet are police controls where, where you wait. Your passport and permit are checked, photographed and nobody says "thank you". We had 3 such controls today plus some minor ones. The real tragedy was today when in a small town on the way the police totally blocked entry and city exit creating kilometers- long traffic jam. Reason: meeting on the stadium... Ufff....
We reached Sakya just before the dusk. The city is famous for its walled monastery reminding me a castle with solid towers. Opposite - on the other side of the river there is an old town with other temples, Buddhist College and cobbled streets. I like it. But the monastery will be open only tomorrow! Today I'll sleep on the level 4400 m!
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Sep 23, 2024 12:00 AM From 5000 m to 2500 m above sea
It is hard to believe that huge Tibet have only one border crossing point with the neighbors. In 1987 I crossed here the border to Nepal in Zhangmu. Later this route was destroyed by earthquake and new crossing was built in Gyirong. That's where I am today. In our small expedition there were 3 persons heading to Nepal - we delivered them to the border point. It was also great occasion to enjoy the landscape: The road from Saga is dropping about 2500 m from the semi-desert zone to the forest level. Gyirong is a small town with one Tibetan monastery and strong Nepalese influence. There are Nepalese shops and restaurants. After a night in the inexpensive hotel tomorrow we are planning to climb back to the Tibetan Plateau!
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Sep 22, 2024 12:00 AM Great lakes of Tibet
Not far from Mt Kailash there are beautiful and quiet big lakes. So far they are accesible only by gravel roads, but it is worth to ne be there to enjoy conalt color of water, green and yellow meadows and white snow on the mountains. I met there local family in the national dressing so I am happy to show you them. Later we returned to our main road heading to distant Saga. That's like 9 hours drive through the beautiful emptiness: yak and sheep pastures, green wetlands under fantastic clouds! It will be one more long and tiring day in Western Tibet. But what a great impression!
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Sep 21, 2024 12:00 AM Guge Kingdom - the end of Western Tibet
It is not nice to wake up in the darkness, to rush with a breakfast and report at the car with all your luggage... But this happened here every day! At sunrise we were already at the entrance to well- restored ruins of Guge Kingdom. It was 10-11 century when in this area was a powerful king and his people was making big money between Tibet, India, Pakistan... Gold was main product... We know little about details, but today I saw remains of Guge...
From the ticket office they will take you on eco-electric bus to the bottom of the hill where temples are built on the different levels. Be prepared for the serious climbing high stone steps if you want to see more. There are caves, where people lived, remains of comunal buildings, frescos on the temple walls. And of vourse great, panoramic view from the upper part of the hill. Who knows about Guge? It is the last frontier of Western Tibet. Further west is closed for foreigners disputed territory of Aksai Chin. So we turned back, climbing again 5000+ snowy passes and enjoying the landscapes along G219 road, exposed by the strong, evening sun. I saw yaks and wild donkeys before we reached our hotel at 8 pm. Tomorrow will be another busy day!
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Sep 20, 2024 12:00 AM Marvelous Valley...
Did I epect that I will be throwing snow balls today? After lunch we started our long drive to the west. After 2 hours we turned left - up the mountains. There were 3 snow-covered passes on the way. The last was the highest: 5370 m. Thes was our record on this expedition! We made a stopover to make the pictures on the snow. Then we started descent to the control point at the bottom of the range.
After turn to Da Da we fouund ourself in the marvelous valley. Imagine eroded high rock formation on both sides of multi-kilometers canyon. Little known marvel! Late in the afternoon we reached provincial town of DaDa with little but bright monastery. Great day!
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Sep 19, 2024 12:00 AM Famous Mount Kailash
There are few mountains in the world who has spiritual meaning for people. Do you remember my climbing of Mt Fuji in Japan or Ayers Rock in Australia? Here, on Tibet they have 6600 meters high Mt Kailash.
The road G219 is rather bumpy, forcing often the driver to reduce speed. The base for 3-days walk around Kailash is little town of Darchen. Bulldogers removed old houses making the place for the new hotels on approach it is worth to make stopover at the entrance to the town. If it is clear you will see on front pf you copula-like summit, overlooking other ones. This is magic Kailash!
Buddha beliewers and tourists are coming here to walk
3-days kora - walk around the mountain.
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Sep 19, 2024 12:00 AM Ready for Kailash kora?
Kora is 3-days religious trail around Mt Kailash. It requires 2 overnight stays in the primitive dormitory accommodation on the route, in poor sanitary conditions and limited food offered. First day it is 20 km medium walk to little monastery. Second day there will be difficult climb to the pass, third day - easy walk down. For Buddhists is religious event, but why tourists are making kora? It doesn't offer any super-extra views because you walk too close to the summit. Probably they want to add one more famous trek to the list of their achievements. On the day one you start in the dark at 7.00 and walk to the park gate, where you pay for entry ticket. Then you walk along many mani walls, stupas and prayer weels to Kangyi chorten where it is possible to rent a horse for you or even yak for your baggage. Happy climbing!
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Sep 17, 2024 12:00 AM 510 kms of mountain roads
We departed today from Saga before sunrise - at 8 am. My companions were not happy, but it is a fistance and ee wanted te reach the target before sunrise. On the outskirts of the town we started the climb to the first pass - 4800 m. Unfortunately the pases has names in Chinese only, no maps so you cannpt recognize the names. Then we went down to the valley with many yak herds. Then drive up again and a kind of mini desert overlooking upper Brahmaputra River. When sun arrived there were many opportunities to photohraph snow- capped mountains. We entered in the afternoon West Tibet province called Neri (in Tibetan) or Ali (in Chinese). Strong control again... When we climbed next pass on the left side I saw a big lake Manasarovar. Old ladies on the car park were selling dried fish from this huge lake... 6 pm. Are we already 10 hours on the road? Fortunately I am already adjusted to the high altilitude, no headache, no coughing... Only one more drive to Darchen! That's Himalaya!
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