Trekking in Tibet

We have just returned back to work after an amazing Golden Week here in China.

This past holiday I decided that I would try something different and have the most adventure packed vacation in recent memory.  I went to Tibet!

For those of you who don't know, Tibet Autonomous Region is technically part of mainland China, although the people and culture are very different.  This is the former home of the Dali Lama.

So I set off with two other adventurous ladies on a 40 hour train ride from Chengdu, China, to the capital of Tibet--Lhasa.  We thought it would be a good idea to take the train in order to acclimate to the high altitude.  Unfortunately for us we booked too late and had to stay in a hard-sleeper compartment, one with 3 beds stacked on top of each other.

I've done this before--back in 2007 when I went on my whirl-wind backing adventure with a few of my besties.  However this experience was not quite as pleasant.  I'm not 20 years old any more and I had a hard time coping with the lack of space and dirty toilets.  If I have to take a train again, I am going 1st class all the way.  The train to Lhasa felt like torture in a prison cell.

Once we arrived, things started to look up.  Tibet is absolutely stunning and we were excited to meet our guide and get exploring.  Due to the political situation in Tibet, all foreigners need to have a special permit and a guide to take them around the region (something that the authorities checked and rechecked a ridiculous number of times on the train).

When we met our guide, everything seemed okay.  He took us to the hotel, let us get cleaned up, and explained where we could go look around.  Old Lhasa was actually really cool.

We got a chance to see the locals walking around the main square and take in some of the sights.  We had an early day ahead of us so we turned in at a respectable hour and started our "Tibetan Bedtime" ritual of sleep at 8pm.

Day 2 in Tibet saw us to the Potala Palace, the former home of the Dali Lama.  It was a beautiful building and even though we struggled up the stairs (warning sign for things to come) we had a great time checking out the Buddhist temple and taking in the views.

Nun praying as she walked down the street

Monks checking out what is happening below.

After the palace, our guide informed us that we would head out to our first camping spot.  Unfortunately the car that was hired couldn't make it up some of the steep hills, so we were forced to camp about 2.5km away for the intended spot, making our first day of trekking slightly more difficult. 

Before the trekking began.  We didn't know what we had gotten ourselves in to yet.

Man, trekking was NOT easy.  Although the hiking itself wasn't too complicated, it was very tough to complete the walk.  The high altitude affected each of us very different.  I felt like my brain was going to be squished out of my ears and eye sockets, which made climbing uphill all the more difficult.  In total we trekked for three days, around 48km (30 miles) and up to 5850m (over 19,000ft...higher than Everest Base Camp!) We walked for about 5-6 hours per day, would have some dinner, and then collapse in our tents.  

Home for 3 nights

View from my tent in the morning.  Notice all the yaks.

This was the first time I have been proper camping.  Like sleeping in a tent, going to the bathroom outside for multiple days, camping. It was freezing at night, something we were NOT prepared for.  Our tents had frost on them in the morning and we could hear the yaks chomping away on the grass outside most of the night.  It was definitely a new experience for me.  But the views were definitely worth it.

Even though we had a pretty awful experience with our tour company, I'd still recommend Tibet to anyone looking to get off the beaten path.  During our 3 days of trekking, we didn't see another sole. The mountain was ours, which was especially nice when we were struggling up the hills.

After we finished our trek, we headed back to Lhasa for a final day of shopping, showering, and rest. At this point we were ready to go home.  My first night back in Shanghai was one of the best nights' sleep I've had in a long time.

I can safely say that I am looking forward to my next beach vacation, but I am definitely happy I had the experience.