China Photo Expeditions 2017
14-Day Chengdu, Tibet Expeditions
Departure on April 4
Group size: 8-10
Summary:
This tour route almost covers all of the well-known photo sites in Tibet.  After flying from Chengdu to Nyingchi, you will be surprised with peach blossoms all over the area, where snow peaks and pristine glacier lakes of Himalaya are in the.  We will spend a couple of days in Nyingchi, visiting peach flower valley, villages, and the Nyang River.   Then we will head west to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, and visit Locking Grove and Basumtso Lake on the way.  We will visit Potala background Palace in the morning, plus photograph the Potala Palace in the early morning and evening.  In Lhasa, we will explore the locals as they prostrate themselves around the Johkang Temple, plus we’ll visit the bustling markets of the Barkhor.  We will watch debating of the lamas at Sera Monastery.  Then we will continue west through the Yarlung Zangbo valley, Gambara snow mountain, Holy Lake of Yamdrok, and Karuola Glacier.  We will see the Palcho Monastery’s Hundred Thousand Pagodas, and Zong Castle.  We will arrive in the second biggest city of Tibet, Shigatse.  After visiting Tashilunpo Monastery, we will head north, to see Lake Namtso.  We will stop by Yambajan, where is famous for its geothermal landscape.  It will feel like the whole earth is filled with hot air, and steam, scorching from everywhere.  We will go back to Lhasa, and then fly home.
We will spend five nights at Lhasa Shangri-La Hotel, which is rated five-star, the second best hotel in Lhasa. http://www.shangri-la.com/lhasa/shangrila/
 
 
Itinerary of Tibet Expedition 2017
Date Places Tour Hotel Note
4/4 Portland/SF Alaska Air, leave Portland at 9:19am, United Air, FL#UA5949. Arrive SFO at 10:10am. LV SFO at 1:20pm. UA9, United Airlines   Air
4/5 SF/Chengdu Arrive Chengdu at 6:40pm. ***** Air
4/6 Chengdu Rest in the morning. Panda Center in the afternoon. Sichuan Opera at night (option) ***** Bus
4/7 Chengdu/Nyingchi Fly to Nyingchi in the morning. Local villages and Nyang River **** Air/Bus
4/8 Nyingchi Gala Valley (Peach Flowers Village), Great Cypress Nature Reserve, and Ice lake **** Bus
4/9 Nyingchi/Basumtso Gengzhang Village, Locking Groove, and Bajietang grassland *** Bus
4/10 Basumtso/Lhasa Basumtso Lake, Ganden Monastery, Mira Pass, and Kongpo Gamda Town ***** Bus
4/11 Lhasa Potala Palace, Dragon King Pool Park, Sara Monastery ***** Bus
4/12 Lhasa Ramocha, Johkang Temple and markets of Barkhor. Reflestion of Potala Palace in early evening ***** Bus
4/13 Lhasa/Gyanse Yarlung Zangbo Valley, Gambara snow mountain, Lake Yamdrok, Karuola Glacier *** Bus
4/14 Gyanse/Shigatse Hundred Thousand Pagodas at Palcho Monastery, Zong Castle and Changzhug Monastery **** Bus
4/15 Shigatse/Lhasa Tashilunpul Monastery, Yarlung Tsangpo River, Friendship Highway, and Nimu town ***** Bus
4/16 Lhasa/Namtso/Lhasa Lake Namtso, Nagengna Pass, Dangxiong Grassland and Yambajan twon ***** Bus
4/17 Lhasa/Chengdu Fly to Chengdu in the morning. Visit Wide and Narrow Hutong at Chengdu ***** Bus/Air
4/18 Chengdu/USA LV at 9:50am,UA8, United Air. Arr SFO at 7:50am. Lv SFO at 10:45am, UA550, United Air, arr Portland at 12:27pm   Air
 
Price: $4690/person
Single room supplement: $900
Departure will be on April 4, 2016
 
Tour package features:
  • Round-trip international airfare from Portland, Oregon, or from California, plus all airfares in China.
  • Sightseeing tours by air-conditioned motor coach.
  • Fine meals during the whole trip.
  • Four-star and five-star hotels or best hotel at local site.
  • English-speak tour guide.
  • Medical insurance in China.
  • Itinerary can be adjusted if photo opportunities appear.
  • Tibet tour deadline for registration is March 10, 2017
  • Call Su Zhou at 503-639-8396, e-mail: zhousu@zhousu.us
  • Tour web site: https://www.zhousu.us and click on Tour 2017.
  • Tips not included. We collect tips in advance, to be announced later.
Sichuan Province

Located in the west of Sichuan Basin and in the center of Chengdu Plain, Chengdu covers a total area of 4,749 square miles with a population of over 11 million.
Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan Province, renowned for its fertile land and agricultural wealth, which have earned the city the nickname "Storehouse of Heaven". It is a well-known city with a longstanding history and civilization, also named as City of Brocade and City of Hibiscus. The hot-spicy cuisine and authentic teahouse culture have become the integrated part of local people's life.

Su's Note: We will arrive Chengdu 10:20pm and everyone might be tired. But we will take a rest the next morning, visiting Panda Center in the afternoon. In the evening, if you want, we will enjoy the splendid Sichuan Opera which is world known for its opera, "Changing Face". On april 17, we will fly from Lhasa in the morning, visiting famous old streets and strolling the narrow lands of Hutong in the afternoon.
Tibet Autonomous Region

Tibet Autonomous Region is located in the southwest China, the main part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It borders on Sichuan and Yunnan provinces to the east, Qinghai and Xinjiang to the north. Famous for the "Roof of the World", the region has an average elevation of more than 4,000 meters with various complex landforms, such as: high and steep mountains, deep valleys, glaciers, bare rocks and Gobi deserts. It is bitterly hot in summer, with a distinct difference in temperature between day and night.
Geographically, the region covers more than 1.2 million square kilometers, accounting for one eighth of China's total land mass. It can be divided into three major parts - north, south and east. The population is 2.3 million, 92.2% of whom are Tibetans. With the strong influence from the geography of the Himalayas, and the neighboring civilizations of India and China, Tibet is famous for its imposing scenery, culture and history, which firmly rooted in Tibetan religion. As soon as you step onto this mysterious land and follow the tracks of the pilgrims, you will not only be immediately attracted by the snow-clad peaks, the wonderful mountains and rivers, but also the brilliant Tibetan culture and the unique, mysterious customs of the highland.

Nyingchi

Nyingchi, 'throne of the sun' in Tibetan, is located in the valley in the southeast Tibet, 3100 meters above sea level, where the Himalaya Mountains and Nyainqentanglha Mountains extend from west to east, like parallel huge dragons, to join the Hengduan Mountains in the east.  In April, it is still cold at other places of Tibet and the mountains afar are still covered with snow, but peach flowers are already in full blossom in Nyingchi. The Peach Valley is bordered by mountains on three sides. Rivers stream down from the mountaintop, sided by numerous peach trees.
The town of Bayi is located on the northern bank of the Nyang River, a tributary of the Yarlung Zangbo River. It is the political and economic center in Nyingchi. It is also ideal for photography, scientific research and exploration.

Basum Tso Lake

Basum-Tso, is a highland lake which surface is about 3,538 meters above sea level. The lake covers an area of 25.9 square kilometers. The deepest part is about 60 meters from the surface. The blue, limpid lake water and the verdant mountain around the lake combine into a charming scene that can be compared with those in Switzerland. In 1997, the Basum Lake was listed by the World Tourist Organization as one of the world's best tourist spots.

Su's Note: We will stay at Nyingchi (altitude 2900ft) two nights and Basum Tso (altitude 13,270ft) one night. It is very beautiful on the way from Nyingchi airport to Bayi town. We will get the view room at Nyingchi hotel, please prepare for night star shooting or sunrise pictures at the top of the hotel building. In the morning of April 10, we will visit Basomtso Lake, the lake originates from Nyching Tangha Mountain and is a dozen kilometers long. Snow-covered mountains, glaciers and trees are reflected upon the lake’s rippling surface. There are small islands in the middle of the lake with Buddhist temples built upon them.

Lhasa

Lhasa, as the capital of Tibet, is showcased in its dense cultural and spiritual atmosphere. It is usually the first window through which travelers discover Tibet. The grand Potala Palace on the Red Hill, the Jokhang Temple, the three greatest monasteries of Gelugpa - Drepung, Ganden and Sera, and the Tibetan Museum are always popular tourist destinations.

Su's Note: From Basum Tso to Lhasa (altitude 11,975ft), we will visit Ganden Monastery which is the first Gelugpa monastery, and one of the three "great" Gelugpa monasteries in Tibet (the other two being Sera and Drepung monasteries). Founded in 1409, Ganden Monastery was traditionally considered to be the seat of Geluk administrative and political power. After crossing the Mira Pass (altitude 16,500ft), we arrive Lhasa. The next two days, we will take the challenge of climbing up to Potala Palace (altitude 11,972ft) and get a great view of Lhasa's urban areas, we will see Jokhang Tample, which is within walking distance from Pltala Palace. It is considered the spiritual center of Tibet. You will see many pilgrims worship within or nearby the temple. Enter the first floor of the temple and absorb the religious atmosphere, you will see pilgrims are donating butter oil to keep the lights burning for the Buddha. We will join locals in a traditional pilgrimage route by taking a relaxing walk in a large circular path around Jokhang Temple at Barkor Street. The street is filled with pilgrims taking part in religious activities and street venders selling a wide variety of traditional Tibetan goods and religious items. We will visit Sera Monasery, where you will get the chance to experience "Buddhism Scriptures Debating". The Shingri-La International Hotel where we will stay for five nights, is a very fancy and serving good foods hotel, also it is the second best hotel in Lhasa, we can see Potala Palace in its front door. There is only a few minutes taxi drive from our hotel to Potala Palace, we have time to get early morning and early evening photos of Potala Palace.
Gyantse

Gyantse, which means "winning a battle at the summit and the heavenly king resides here" in Tibetan, covers an area of 3,595 sq km and has a population of 61,839. It is a mid-sized town located 260kms southeast of Lhasa and lies along the southern route of the Sino-Nepal Friendship Highway linking Lhasa with Kathmandu, capital of Nepal. Gyantse sits at an elevation of 13,125 feet. 

Yamdrok Lake

Yamdrok Lake is a over 45 mi long freshwater lake located in town of Gyantse and Lhasa is a hundred km to the northeast. It is one of the three largest sacred lake in Tibet. The lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and is fed by numerous small streams. According to local mythology, Yamdok Yumtso lake is the transformation of a goddess.

Su's Note: On April 14, we will see a lots of beautiful scenery on the way while we drive to Gyantse. Passing over the Gampala pass (altitude 15,711ft), we have a glimpse of Yamdrok Lake (altitude 14,432ft). The Lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and in the distance you have spectacular views of holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar (23,586ft), the highest mountain near Lhasa.We head westward along the lake and appreciate Karo La Glacier and later drive towards Gyantse. Gyantse (altitude 12,956ft) was historically known as Tibet's third largest city (after Lhasa and Shigatse). We will tour Pelkor Monastery to admire fance frescoes, statues and sculptures in next day.
Shigatse

Shigatse means "the fertile land" in Tibetan for it sits in the plain at the confluence of the Yarlung Tsangpo and Nyainchu River. Located at an average elevation in range of 12,595ft to 14,642ft, and 273 km west to Lhasa, Shigatse is the second largest city of Tibet and one of the world's highest cities and has the most comprehensive natural sceneries, from vast plateau pasture and beautiful cultivated fields to subtropic forest and grand snow-covered mountains, most famed one of which is the world's highest mount, Mt. Everest.
Shigatse has a history going back more than 600 years and it is this ancient holy city that is the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama. So Shigatse is also rich in historical sites, such as the 600 year-old majestic Tashilhunpo Monastery, which is the throne of Panchen Lama.

Namtso Lake

Namtso Lake, which means “Heavenly Lake” in Tibetan, is the largest lake in Tibet, and the world’s highest lake. It is located about 260 Km on the North of Lhasa, at 15,479 ft of altitude,  measuring about 70 kilometers long and 30 kilometers broad, with a surface area of 1,920 square kilometers. In order to arrive to the Lake you’ll have to reach a mountain pass at 5,300 m of altitude and then descend to the Lake.  
The melted snow and ice of the Nyenchen Tangula Mountains from the main water supply of Namtso Lake. It was these mountains that Heinrich Harrer and Peter Aufschnaiter crossed on their incredible journey to Lhasa. With lush grass growing on the vast land near the lake, the place is the best pasture land of northern Tibet. In Nov. 14, 2005, Namtso Lake was selected as one of the five most beautiful lakes in China by Chinese National Geography magazine.

Su's Note: After one and half hour's driving from Gyantse, we will reach Shigatse (altitude 12,792). We will visit the famous Tashi Lhunpo monastery where you can see the well preserved largest statue of Jampa (future Buddha) in the world. This monastery is the seat of Tibet's second highest incarnation, the Panchen Lama. Next day, we will drive back to Lhasa on the friendship Highway. The whole distance is almost 280km and it takes 6 hours along the Yarlung Tsangpo River/ Bhamaputra river (the Longest and largest river in Tibet).