TREK between ganden and samye MONASTERies (19.-23.10. 2003)

December 7, 2003

Trek between Ganden and Samye monasteries is one of the most popular routes in the central Tibet. The journey is 80km long and leads through two passes over 5200m high. The trail connects two of the most important monasteries in Tibet. Ganden was the first Gelugpa monastery and the head of the order still resides here. Samye was the first Buddhist monastery that was educating Tibetan monks. Every valley on the trek has different character and the landscape changes from sand dunes to pastures and snow capped peaks. The trail leads through several villages,  one can meet nomads with their herds of yaks and can choose to set up camp next to their typical black tents. 

Map [175kB]

Our trek starts in 4500 m above sea level at the wonderfully located Ganden monastery.

Seemingly never ending mountains are stretching far in front of us. This valley will lead us to the first 5200m high pass, which we have to cross. The ascend will take about 6 hours.

We met this kind Tibetan in Hepu village. He invited us to his home. He - and many others - are trying to earn some money by offering yaks to tourists who do not feel like dragging their heavy backpacks up through the high passes. We declined his services, but not his invitation and enjoyed a friendly talk with him. His wife served us snacks.

In developing countries, it is one of the main tasks of the women to collect fire wood. Since there is no wood in highlands of Tibet, they have to collect yak dung.

Kitchen in a Tibetan house.  Yak dung is drying on the top of the stove.

Nomads live in large black tents every summer. Modernization has already reached them. Many use solar panels, so that they can have light or listen to a radio for a few hours in the evening.

 Nomads spend their days on pastures. They take their herds back down to the valley every evening. One day they passed directly through our camp.

Two herders (yes, many of them are women) stopped at our tent and one of them asked Jitka to treat her grazed finger. It was probably just a way to make contact with tourists. She asked the same of our friends who trekked through the same area just two days later. By that time, the bandage we provided was gone.

Jitka hikes up to the first pass

Possibly every pass in Tibet is marked by a cairn and many prayer flags.

Another beautiful valley surrounded by bare mountains

Only a few wild yaks remain in Tibet and are very hard to see. There are many domesticated breeds and hybrids of yaks and cattle, however. They are used in agriculture, for transportation and as a source of milk, butter and meat.

Yaks are well adopted to life in high altitudes of Tibet. They actually tend to die in altitudes below 3000m. These domesticated yaks are smaller than wild yaks, but still look very impressive.

Lakes are a rare sight in Tibet. These two are probably of glacier origin and we passed by them on the south side of the second pass of our trek.

Jitka with her hiking equipment.
Mid October is the end of trekking season in Tibet. Strong sun still manages to warm the air during the day, but as soon as it sets behind the mountains, it immediately gets very cold. Because the valleys are deep and mountains around high, sun does not reach campsites along the trek till about 10AM. Therefore, getting out of the warm sleeping back and cooking breakfast is not a pleasant task.

The trail leads through an unexpectedly fertile valley with over 15 kinds of trees and bushes. Their turning leaves were very colorful.

We were alone on the trek most of the way. Last day we met a caravan of yaks, which carried gear for a group of French tourists.

Besides many large monasteries, there are also numerous small hermitages all over Tibet. Monks live there temporarily and spend time in meditation. One night we camped just below this hermitage.

Tibetan village

Curious children were on break when we passed by and ran out of their school to see us.

The trek ends at Samye monastery, which was the first monastery that trained Tibetan monks (Buddhism was being spread only by scholars invited from India at first).

Even though we hiked through a green and fertile valley just a few hours before reaching Samye, the monastery is surrounded by dry desert and sand dunes.