Wonderful Tibet Trek from Tsurphu to Yangpachen

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If you are interested in Tibetan nomads and want to get a close contact with them and experience their semi-nomadic life, the trek from Tsurphu to Yangpachen can meet your desire. It is one of the top 10 treks in China and a well-known mature trekking route in Tibet.



The starts at Tsurphu Monastery, crosses several high valleys like Leten valley and Bartso valley, then emerges into the broad and windswept Yangpachen Valley. It has a perfect balance in the balanced combination of cultural and wilderness activities. On the track, you can see alpine tundra, mountain panoramas, ancient monasteries and a remote nunnery.



Tsurphu Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery located in Gurum town, 70 km from Lhasa and 4,300 meters above sea level. It is about 28 km up the Dowo Lung Valley, on the north side of the river. It is the traditional seat of the Karmapa lamas. Travelers can take a bus or rent a car from Lhasa to this monastery and then spend a night there for acclimatization and preparation.



On the way, trekkers will pass through the vast Qiangtang Grassland, which is the second largest natural reserve in the world, after the Greenland National Park of Denmark. But the Greenland is covered by snow all year around. Here trekkers can drop a visit to the nomads who spend much of the year camping with their animals in spite of their permanent winter homes. Be careful to the Tibetan mastiffs which are usually kept outside of the tents.



The Tibet trek ends at Yangpachen Monastery that is perched on top of a small hill, overlooking a broad sweep of trans-Himalaya peaks. From Yangpachen Monastery, it is 15km road journey to Yangpachen town where many minibuses back to Lhasa can be found.



Mid-April to mid-October is the best time to trek in Tibet as it is warmer, but summer can be rainy. If you choose this trek, do also be prepared for snow at any time.



It usually takes four days to do this trek. On the way, there is no restaurant or hotel. So it is best to hire a cook to prepare food for you.

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