Eastern Tibet
Eastern Tibet
Why Go?
Overlapping much of the historic Tibetan region of Kham (ཁམས་), eastern Tibet is the face you never knew Tibet had: a land of raging rivers and deep gorges, immense pine forests and azalea-filled meadows, outspoken monks and rebel nomads. It is here that the plateau begins its descent towards the subtropical Sìchuān basin, and the landscapes represent both extremes: you can drive over a scrubby high mountain pass dusted with snow and a few hours later be sliding your way through rainforest on a mud-bath road. Chances are you’ll be the only foreigner in sight.
Most of eastern Tibet is off limits these days but fortunately the traditional territory of Kongpo, a cradle of early Tibetan civilisation, is open. In this lush, fairy-tale-like land there are intriguing distinctions in architecture, dress, food, worship (the area has a high number of Bönpo) and quirky legends regarding towering figures of Tibetan history.
When to Go
A May and June are the best months to travel in eastern Tibet, followed closely by September and October. Temperatures are at their most comfortable in these periods, while the trade-off for an early-season visit is that heavier rains mean much of the landscape is covered in blankets of bright-yellow rapeseed flowers and, at higher elevations, blooming azaleas.
Best Temples & Monasteries
Eastern Tibet Highlights
1 Mikdo Glacier Marvelling at this massive glacier in the shadow of a 6385m peak.
2 Draksum-tso Exploring the shores of a holy lake and the island monastery therein.
3 Bakha Gompa Learning why a monastery was built on the grave of Princess Wenchang’s child and enjoying sunset views from the porch of a guesthouse.
4 Dodung Monastery Seeing traditional wood-block printing at a stunning location atop a forested hillside.
5 Lamaling Temple Admiring the rare Zangtok Pelri architectural style, unique to the Nyingma order of Tibetan Buddhism.
6 Bönri kora Emulating the devotional spirit of Bön pilgrims as they circumambulate the religion’s holiest mountain.
History
The area around Chamdo was one of the first settled in Tibet, as indicated by the 5000-year-old Neolithic remains at nearby Karo. Fossilised millet hints at a five-millennia-old tradition of agriculture in the region.
Kham was the home of many early lamas, including the founders of the Drigungpa and Karmapa schools. In 1070 many Buddhists fled persecution in central Tibet for Kham, where they set up influential monasteries, later returning to central Tibet to spearhead the so-called second diffusion of Buddhism in Tibet.
Lhasa first gained control of Kham thanks to Mongol assistance, but the majority of the region has traditionally enjoyed de facto political independence. Until recently, much of Kham comprised of many small fiefdoms ruled by kings (in Derge, for instance), lamas (Lithang) or hereditary chieftains (Bathang). Relations with China were mostly restricted to the trade caravans, which brought in bricks of Chinese tea and left with pastoral products.
Today eastern Tibet remains quite heavily Sinicised along the southern Sìchuān–Tibet Hwy. Off the main highways, Khampa life remains culturally strong.
Permits
Military presence is strong in eastern Tibet, and for a long time this has been a heavily restricted area for general travel. Since 2008 the whole of the Chamdo prefecture (except Rawok) and much of Nyingchi prefecture, especially along the border with Arunachel Pradesh (which the Chinese claim), have been closed to foreigners. Be aware that regions can close without notice, especially around Tibetan holidays and important dates.
At the time of research, foreign visitors need three permits to travel in eastern Tibet: an Alien’s Travel Permit, a military permit and a Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) permit. These permits need to be registered at the Public Security Bureau (PSB), the Foreign Affairs Office and the Military Office. Your travel agency will organise all these permits for you (and the registration process), but give them at least three weeks.
Police in this region are particularly picky about verifying travel permits, so demand that your travel agent lists every single monastery, temple and overnight stay specifically or risk the disappointment of being turned back at the gate.
NYINGTRI PREFECTURE ཉིང་ཁྲི་གྲོང་ཁྱེར། 林芝
Nyingtri prefecture (ཉིང་ཁྲི་གྲོང་ཁྱེར།, 林芝, Línzhī) is not the Tibet you think you know – it’s lush, green and at lower elevations than most of Tibet. Once famous among other Tibetans for wily villagers who would poison guests and offer their souls as sacrifice to the gods, visitors now come for picturesque glaciers, scenic mountain lakes, and quiet sanctuaries of Bön and Tibetan Buddhism hidden up wooded mountain valleys.
Covering much of the area historically known as Kongpo, the region is prime overlanding territory for Chinese road-trippers but only recently came back on the radar for international travellers.
Draksum-tso བྲག་གསུམ་མཚོ 巴松错
%0894 / ELEV 3490M
One of eastern Tibet’s most beautiful lakes, Draksum-tso (Bāsōng Cuò; admission ¥120, shuttle bus ¥50; 
h8am-9.30pm summer, 9am-6pm winter) is also its most sacred, with strong connections to three towering figures in Tibetan history. It’s the soul lake of Gesar of Ling, the semi-mythical king of Tibetan legends and epic poems. Gesar is said to have resided near the lake and spent years in one of the nearby monasteries. Ruins associated with the king can be found on the road up to the lake, as well as around the lake itself.
Draksum-tso was also visited by Guru Rinpoche and, as in many other places, the great sage left signs of his journey on rocks and caves. Finally, the Nyimpgpa lama Sangye Linpa founded the Tsodzong Monastery on a tiny islet just off the southern shore. Today the monastery is one of Kham’s most important pilgrimage sites.
About 12km from the highway junction, the road up to the lake passes tall 12-sided stone towers on both sides. No one quite knows for what purpose they were built – they stand empty and entry-less. Locals refer to them as dudkhang (demons’ houses) and recite legends connecting them to Gesar of Ling.
There’s one cluster of inexpensive Sìchuān restaurants in Bahel village at the highway turn-off, and another at the entrance to the Draksum-Tso scenic area.
Draksum-tso is about a six-hour drive east of Lhasa, or two hours west of Bāyī. The road to the lake branches off the Sìchuān–Tibet Hwy 318 at Bahel (also known as Namse). From there it’s around 35km to the lake up a gorgeous farming valley dotted with Tibetan villages and intersected with deep-sided canyons.
Tsodzong MonasteryBUDDHIST MONASTERY
The monastery (Fortress on the Lake) is a small Nyingmapa chapel tucked into the forest on a tiny islet off the shore of Draksum-tso. Associated with the 8th-century king Trisong Detsen, it is also the 14th-century birthplace of Sangye Lingpa, a terton. Tertons are reincarnations of Guru Rinpoche’s disciples and are tasked with recovering the great spiritual leader’s buried relics and texts. The monastery and surrounding kora are filled with holy relics and attract numerous pilgrims.
Dáqièlā Sightseeing PlatformVIEWPOINT
(达切拉观光台, Dáqièlā Guānguāngtái)
Around 500m back to the west from the Mid-lake Island Tourist Service Centre (湖心岛旅游服务中心, Húxīndǎo Lǚyóu Fúwù Zhōngxīn), climb a small hill to a viewing platform with magnificent panoramic views over the lake and Tsodzong Monastery.
Shuba Ancient FortARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
(秀巴千年古堡, Xiùbā Qiānnián Gǔbǎo; ¥90; h9am-6pm)
These reconstructed towers, known as the Shuba Ancient Fort, stand off the old highway 7km east of Bahel. They are said to date from the reign of Songtsen Gampo (r 630–49).
Bāyī བརྒྱད་གཅིག་ 八一
%0894 / POP 70,000 / ELEV 2990M
Bāyī, a recent Chinese creation close to the older Tibetan town of Nyingtri, is the largest town found along this stretch of Hwy 318 and now the capital of Nyingtri prefecture. It is surrounded by forested hills and the descent into town offers fine views of the valley, though the town itself is nothing remarkable. Locals tend to be coolly curious rather than friendly towards foreigners.
Ask your guide to show you Bayi Pelri mountain, on the east side of town. This holy mountain is associated with the epic battles of Guru Rinpoche against an array of evil forces. The kora (pilgrim circuit) around the mountain takes a few hours to complete, though it is highly unlikely you will be allowed to join.
1Sights
oLamaling TempleBUDDHIST TEMPLE
(བླ་མ་གླིང་དགོན་པ་, 喇嘛岭寺, Lǎmalǐng Sì; ¥15)
The centerpiece of a large walled complex, the colourful Lamaling Temple is a rare example of the Zangtok Pelri style of building. This style, which imitates the ‘Glorious Copper Mountain Paradise’ of Guru Rinpoche with a three-storey pagoda-like temple, is unique to the Nyingma order. As with all such temples, the ground floor has a statue of Guru Rinpoche, the second Chenresig (Avalokiteshvara), while the top chapel is for Sakyamuni.
The Glorious Copper Mountain is Guru Rinpoche’s Pure Land, and has been described as a mountain on an island in the cosmic ocean. The island forms a mandala, which is represented architecturally by the Lamaling complex walls: the temple, with its golden-eaved pagoda structure rising from a square base (itself coloured differently on each side), is the mountain in the centre. Statues of Guru Rinpoche are matched with Chenresig and Öpagme to symbolise his birth legend in which Öpagme imagined a being of perfect enlightenment and compassion, and Chenresig sent a golden vajra (thunderbolt) into a lotus bud to give birth to the guru.
The original Lamaling Temple burned down in the 1930s and a new structure was built on the flat below. In the 1960s this, too, was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. In 1989 work began on the current temple under the supervision of the daughter of Dudjom Rinpoche (1904–87), former head of the Nyingma order, who had his seat at Lamaling. The monastery is home to around 20 monks, 30 nuns and a couple of languid deer.
Take your shoes off before entering the temple – the floor is polished wood. On the ground floor next to the Guru Rinpoche statue look for a stone footprint of the guru on the altar. A passageway behind the altar leads to a mezzanine level with four protector chapels in each corner. Also note the giant coloured prayer beads festooned on the outer walls.
The complex’s other main building, to the right, is the assembly hall, where religious services are held on the 10th, 15th and 25th days of each lunar month. The hall is dominated by a huge statue of Sakyamuni and more images of Dudjom Rinpoche wearing his characteristic sunglasses. Pilgrims circumambulate both this building and the main temple.
Lamaling is about 30km south of Bāyī, around 4km up from the signposted turn-off 1km south of Buchu Temple.
Buchu TempleBUDDHIST TEMPLE
(བུ་ཆུ་དགོན།, 布久寺, Bùjiǔ Sì) 
F
This small Gelugpa monastery dates from the 7th century, when it was built at the command of King Songtsen Gampo as one of the demoness-subduing temples; it pins the demoness’ right elbow. Inside are a number of holy relics, including a footprint of Guru Rinpoche and a lado (a ‘life supporting’ stone) in a glass case. It’s home to five monks.
BönriMOUNTAIN
(བོན་རི་, 苯日神山, Běnrì Shénshān)
Bönri is the Bön religion’s most sacred mountain, a sprawling massif where Bön founder Tonpa Shenrab fought and defeated his arch rival Khyabpa Lagring, and where legend holds that Guru Rinpoche fought epic battles against an array of evil forces. Bönpo pilgrims come from all over Tibet to circumambulate the mountain in an anticlockwise direction. Foreign travellers are currently not permitted to do the full kora, though it is possible to do a shortened version over the 4500m Bönri-la pass.
Demo MonasteryBUDDHIST MONASTERY
(德木寺, Démù Sì; Qunigongga village; 曲尼贡嘎村) F
This small Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) sect monastery with a hilltop location was founded in the 17th century as a branch of Drepung Monastery. It was named after the famous lama Temo, who later became a black sheep and was ostracised from the community after having been accused of trying to harm the 13th Dalai Lama with black magic. The monastery was damaged heavily in a 1949 earthquake and rebuilding started only in 1990; it’s now home to 20 monks.
Neche Goshog MonasteryMONASTERY
(尼池寺, Níchí Sì; Nyingtri village; 林芝村; Línzhī cūn) F
This small, golden-roofed Bön monastery was rebuilt in 2008 after being gutted in a fire. It’s home to eight monks and is famous for a 2000-year-old juniper tree that is sacred to Bönpos (the name Neche Goshog translates roughly to ‘Gate of the Juniper Tree’). The modern temple, dating to 1981, is built on the site of a 500-year-old chapel that was destroyed in a fire. It’s about 17km east of Bāyī, on your right just before you reach Nyingtri.
Kading Valley Scenic AreaFOREST
(卡定沟风景区, Kǎdìnggōu Fēngjǐngqū; ¥50)
This small forested park contains a 200m-high waterfall. It’s a beautiful, fresh area for an hour-long break. Note that, while the Chinese have built pathways around the forest, lined them with bamboo, and created fresh legends out of the many rocks and land formations in the area, this does not sit right with Tibetans who consider the place sacred to Paldon Lhamo.
Cypress ParkFOREST
(世界柏树王园林, Shìjiè Bóshù Wáng Yuánlín; ¥30; h9am-5pm)
Two kilometres southeast of Bāyī a stand of ancient cypress trees dot a steep but inviting hillside. The most venerable cypress is a reported 2500 years old, making it the oldest tree in China, and as old as the Buddha himself. This, in addition to the tree being sacred to Bön founder Tonpa Shenrab, makes the site exceptionally holy for Tibetans, and a prime pilgrim spot.
4Sleeping
A full day’s drive from Lhasa including stops for sightseeing, Bāyī is an obvious choice for an overnight stay and there are a handful of hotels in town that accept foreigners.
Azalea HotelHOTEL$$
(杜鹃花酒店, Dùjuānhuā Jiǔdiàn; map Google map; %139 8994 0450, 0894-582 3222; azasuoci@168.com; 408 Guangdong Lu; 广东路408号; tw/tr ¥220/340; 
a
W)
The hotel is ageing but is still a good first choice for clean and comfortable rooms in a central location.
Mínshān Grand HotelHOTEL$$$
(岷山大酒店, Mínshān Dàjiǔdiàn; map; %0894-587 2999; www.msanehotel.com; Binhe Dadao Zhongduan; 滨河大道中段; r incl breakfast ¥520; aW)
Clean modern rooms and a riverside location combine to make this the nicest hotel in central Bāyī; discounts of up to 20% make the price a little more palatable as well.
5Eating & Drinking
In northern Bāyī, Xianggang Lu (香港路) and the surrounding alleys make up a small pedestrianised area with the highest concentration of restaurants in town. Outside of there, head to the main roads for Sìchuān noodle shops, and Guangdong Lu (广东路) for Hui Muslim restaurants. For breakfast, steamed dumplings (包子, bāozi) are sold in tiny shops along the main roads.
Āmā ChúfángTIBETAN$
(阿妈厨房; map; %138 8904 8050; dishes ¥10-24; h8.30am-8pm; W)
East of the canal area, this small but friendly Tibetan teahouse with a seemingly endless supply of tea does a great job with Tibetan and Chinese dishes.
Héngyuán XiǎochīCHINESE$
(恒源小吃; map Google map; 109 Fujian Lu; 福建路109号; dishes ¥15-35; h9am-4am)
This late-running establishment specialises in pig’s trotters (猪蹄, zhūtí; half a trotter ¥15) from the local free-ranging swine. It also serves decent noodles – try the spicy dàndàn miàn (担担面; per small/large bowl ¥15/18).
Xiōngdì XiǎochǎoSICHUAN$$
(兄弟小炒; map; %139 8904 6929; 180 Pingan Lu; 平安路180号; dishes ¥28-58; h9am-10pm)
Convenient to Bāyī’s main cluster of tourist-friendly hotels, this small cafe does excellent Sìchuān dishes.
Bǎiyì SupermarketMARKET
(百益超市, Bǎiyì Chāoshì; map; 13 Gongbu Laojie; 工布老街113号; h9.30am-9.30pm)
Stock up on snacks for the road and lunches for hikes at Bāyī’s best-stocked supermarket.
8Information
Bank of China (中国银行, Zhōngguó Yínháng; %95566; www.boc.cn; 399 Bayi Dajie; 八一大街399号; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri) Two blocks south of Ping’an Lu on the east side of Bayi Dajie. ATM accepts foreign cards.
Bank of China ATM (中国银行取款机, Zhōngguó Yínháng Qǔkuǎnjī; map; %95566; 76 Bayi Dajie Beiduan; 八一大街北段76号; h24hr) Stand-alone ATM near the main roundabout.
Police Station (公安局, Gōng’ānjú; map; %0894-524 6185; 88 Pingan Lu; 平安路88号; h9.30am-12.30pm & 3.30-5.30pm)
8Getting There & Away
Driving from Lhasa to Bāyī directly takes around six hours, more with sightseeing stops. Leaving Bāyī to the east it’s around a five-hour drive to Pomi and a further eight hours to Pomda in Chamdo prefecture.
Línzhī Airport (林芝米林机场, Línzhī Mǐlín Jīchǎng), about 50km south of Bāyī near Miling village (米林; Mǐlín), has daily flights to Chéngdū, Chóngqìng and Guǎngzhōu.
THE KONGPO REGION
Kongpo is a large traditional territory in southwestern Kham. While no longer an official administrative name (though it’s more or less the same territory as Nyingtri prefecture), for Tibetans it still spells out an area that is linguistically, culturally and even ecologically distinct. A former kingdom of the early Yarlung kings and a rival to Lhasa, Kongpo has for centuries been vilified by central Tibetan rulers as a land of incest and poison, a land where strangers are drugged so that locals can steal their souls.
The traditional Kongpo costume features a round hat with an upturned rim of golden brocade for men (known as a gyasha) and a pretty pillbox hat with winged edges (known as a dieu) for women. Men also wear brown woollen tunics, belted around the waist.
Kongpo is a stronghold for Bön, with several of the religion’s holiest pilgrim sites found in the forested hills around Bāyī. Locals also revere Princess Wenchang, who is seen as having a special fondness for the region she reputedly passed through on her way to meet King Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century.
Owing to the heavy rainfall, Kongpo houses have slanted roofs, unlike the flat-tops seen in Lhasa. These days sheet metal (often coloured pink or blue) is used, but the open gables allow for ventilation of the attic space (used to store goods).
Barley, potatoes, corn and other staples are farmed all over the region, but several local foods are worth seeking out. Best in our opinion is the red chili mashed into a paste and spread on flat bread. The chili has a sweetness of a jalapeño. You might be able to to eat the adorable free-roaming pigs – they apparently live up to their Chinese name of Zàng xiāng zhū (藏香猪; fragrant Tibetan pig). In the Lunang area check out the stone-pot chicken.
Warmer, wetter and more forested than anywhere else in Tibet, Kongpo has numerous biological niches with large concentrations of rare animals and plants. In the dense forests of the subtropical regions along the southern borderlands are takins, red pandas, long-tailed monkeys, musk deer and abundant bird species. The region is also a botanical powerhouse, and attracted the attention of intrepid 19th- and 20th-century British plant hunters. From May onwards Kongpo is a riot of wildflowers, bursting with 190 species of rhododendron, 110 types of gentians, and rare flowers such as the blue poppy. Pockets of ancient cypresses up to 2500 years old also continue to thrive, and the first week of April brings the bloom of cherry blossom trees.
Bakha Island སྦ་ཧ 巴卡岛
%0891 / ELEV 2680M
The road from Tashigang to Bakha Gompa, situated on idyllic Bakha Island (Bākǎ Dǎo) in the Parlung Tsangpo river, is alternately one of the most dramatic and bucolic in all of Kham.
At the village of Pelung (鲁朗, Lǔlǎng), the water flow changes direction: the Parlung Tsangpo and Rong-chu rivers (coming from different directions) meet here and then continue southeast through a canyon that may be the world’s deepest. After Tangmi the valley begins to widen again, the river swells to over a kilometre wide, and stone-house villages with yellow rapeseed fields hemmed in by wattle fences appear on the banks. These achingly beautiful landscapes are backed by towering snow-capped peaks, so be sure you make time for photo breaks.
Travelling east from Tashigang, the Rong-chu river valley narrows and enters a deep canyon where road washouts are common and delays are to be expected: it could take two hours to drive this route, or double that. At Km4036 look for a small bridge south to Bakha Island. Cross and head left 200m to reach Bakha Gompa.
Continuing east from Bakha Island, expect around one hour to reach Pomi.
Bakha GompaBUDDHIST MONASTERY
(སྦ་ཧ་, 巴卡寺)
On pretty Bakha Island in the middle of the Parlung Tsangpo sits Bakha Gompa, an 800-year-old Nyingma monastery which was previously the seat of power in Powo (the traditional name of the once highly independent region bordering Kongpo). The monastery is home to 11 monks and is reputed to have been built on the grave site of the illegitimate child of Princess Wencheng and Tibetan Minister Gar Tongtsen (who had accompanied her from Chang’an).
oRinchen Family GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$$
(仁青家庭旅馆, Rénqīng Jiātíng Lǚguǎn; %139 0894 0848; r ¥280-380)
Set on a slope above the Parlung Tsangpo beside Bakha Gompa, this family-run guesthouse is one of the most scenically placed in all of Kham, overlooking the monastery, the river and snowy peaks beyond. In the handsome pine main lodge you’ll find cosy wood-panelled rooms (those on the 2nd floor are best) with large bathrooms, Tibetan details and outstanding balcony views.
Pomi སྤོ་མེས། 波密
%0894 / POP 28,000 / ELEV 2740M
This county capital (Bōmì) has well-stocked shops and plenty of hotels and restaurants, making it a good place to spend the night (though Bakha Island is prettier). The main street sports wide sidewalks, and re-facaded buildings in a fake but still pleasant Tibetan style. High forested mountains provide the backdrop, while Dodung Monastery sits on a forested hilltop above town.
On the southeast side of the central square, clean and pleasant rooms at the Dēngfēng Dàfàndiàn (登峰大饭店; %0894-566 5556; Pomi Sq; 波密广场; r incl breakfast ¥380; aW) make it the obvious choice for travellers who aren’t on a backpacker budget. The run-down but acceptably clean Mínzú Bīnguǎn (民族宾馆; %0894-542 8188, 152 8914 5666; Pomi Sq; 新农贸市场; r ¥200; aW) caters to lower price points, accessible through an alleyway off the central square to the north of the highway.
Pomi makes a natural stopping point between Bāyī and Pasho, around five hours’ drive from each with no stops.
Dodung MonasteryBUDDHIST MONASTERY
(多东寺, Duōdōng Sì)
This tranquil 17th-century Nyingma-sect monastery is set on a pine-clad hill overlooking the valley, and is home to 52 monks. The main prayer hall includes the footprint of the seventh Khamtrul Rinpoche, Sangye Tenzin (1909–29). Upstairs are murals depicting the life of two forms of Gesar, as well as Guru Rinpoche and Tsepame (Amitayus). Also look for a traditional wood-block printing room just left of the entrance.
Chamdo Prefecture
Remote and beautiful Chamdo prefecture was for many years the rough overland route from southwestern China into the Tibet Autonomous Region, but most of the area has been closed to foreign visitors since 2010. Rawok, Pasho and Pomda were open at the time of research, accessible either from Nyingtri prefecture or the overland route to Yúnnán via Markham.
Rawok ར་འོག་ 然乌
%0895 / POP 2900 / ELEV 3910M
Rawok (Ránwū) is a small outpost off Hwy 318 on the northeast corner of the eponymous lake, a decent place to break up the long drive between Pomda and Bāyī and an excellent base for visiting the local glaciers and lakes.
There are camping spots around the lakeshore, but check first that you are allowed to camp; often the authorities don’t permit it. In that case, the Diānzàng Míngzhū Dàjiǔdiàn (滇藏明珠大酒店; %155 9915 8657; Rawok; r ¥150; aW) is the only show in town.
Rawok is around halfway between Pomi and Pasho, roughly 2½ hours east of the former and two hours west of the latter.
oMikdo GlacierGLACIER
(米堆冰川, Mǐduī Bīngchuān; ¥50)
This quiet and picturesque glacier, under a towering 6385m peak, is reached by first driving 7km off the main highway to a car park and a cluster of shops and restaurants at Mǐduī Village (米堆村, Mǐduī Cūn). From here the glacier is a further 1.5km along a wooden pathway ending at a series of viewing platforms overlooking the glacier and a small lake. On the walk back, detour through the village for a glimpse into Tibetan life in the region.
Rawok-tsoLAKE
(然乌湖, Ránwū Hú)
Ringed by mountains all around, the two largest of the three connected Rawok lakes are joined by a stream that on the map resembles an infinity symbol. Rawok Lower Lake (然乌下湖, Ránwū Xiàhú) is the first you’ll encounter if you approach from Bāyī. Long stretches of sandy beach here call for a leisurely lakeside stroll, while past the town centre Rawok Middle Lake (然乌中湖, Ránwū Zhōnghú) and the craggy hills along the shore call more to climbers and photographers.
Pasho དཔའ་ཤོད་ 八宿
%0895 / POP 4000 / ELEV 3240M
The pleasant one-street town of Pasho (Bāsù) is worth a few hours’ break for the two small monasteries in the vicinity, as well as a convenient overnight from which to visit Pomda as a day trip before returning towards Lhasa.
The local police here are stricter than most, so if you want to visit the nearby monasteries you’ll need them specifically listed on your Tibet Tourism (TTB) Permit.
The Nùjiāngyún Dàjiǔdiàn (怒江云大酒店; %0895-456 6666; Baima Shangjie; 白玛上街; r incl breakfast ¥480; aW) is the only place in town that can accommodate foreigners, and standard discounts give it a palatable price.
Pasho’s long main street is overwhelmed by Sìchuān joints of various varieties – though if you need a break, there are a handful of midsized markets where it’s possible to self-cater something simple.
From Pasho it’s three hours east towards Pomda or travelling west it’s two hours to Rawok and 10 hours to Bāyī.
A handful of teahouses lines the main strip, but coffee-starved travellers will want to head to Wèijìng Coffee (未境咖啡, Wèijìng Kāfēi; %0895-456 5588; 2nd fl, off Baima Shanglu; h9.30am-11pm; W). If you’re looking for something a little harder, cafes and markets can rustle up a can of chang (barley beer) or sometimes even a bottle of imported beer.
Neru MonasteryBUDDHIST MONASTERY
(呐然寺, Nàrán Sì; hdawn-dusk) F
This Gelugpa monastery, dating to 1595, is home to 40 monks and nuns and is worth a visit if you have a couple of spare hours in Pasho. There’s a daily 7am prayer meeting that’s open to visitors and debating is held most days at 6pm, except on the 10th and 25th days of the Tibetan month.
Dola Gompa MonasteryBUDDHIST SITE
(多拉神山, Duōlā Shénshān; Hwy 318; hdawn-dusk) F
Today the Nyingmapa school Dola Gompa Monastery is home to 32 monks and nuns. The older lower chapel dates to the 9th century, but was undergoing a complete renovation when we visited. The area is surrounded by chörtens and ancient yak-hide prayer wheels, and is a great place to meet local pilgrims. A popular kora (pilgrim circuit) leads up the mountainside to a plateau and then descends west to Pasho town, with fine views of the arid valley.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
DRIVING TOUR: OVERLAND ON THE YúNNáN–TIBET HIGHWAY
From Lhasa to Bāyī is a full-day’s drive, so it’s best just to include some of the minor stops in Ü region along the route.
On your second day visit temples Lamaling, Buchu and Neche Goshog in Bāyī before continuing to Bakha Island and overnighting at Rinchen Family Guesthouse; or add a day to your itinerary and spend the afternoon hiking the Bönri kora after a visit to two small monasteries near the trailhead.
Explore Bakha Island on the morning of your third day before continuing to Pomi to visit the hilltop Dodung Monastery.
On day four push on to Rawok and the Rawok-tso lakes surrounding the settlement, with a stop at the remarkable Mikdo Glacier about 35km before the town itself. Though it is possible to overnight in Rawok if the day runs short, travellers would be advised to stop in Pasho to prepare for the long trip to Pomda the next morning.
On your fifth day the two small monasteries in Pasho are worth a look in the morning before hitting the road, along which the landscapes slowly transition to the desertified terrain more typical of Chamdo prefecture. Around three hours after leaving Pasho is Pomda Junction, where hotels and restaurants service road-trippers and overnight travellers looking to spend some serious time at Pomda Monastery.
On days six and seven though the landscapes remain impressive between Pomda and Zhōngdiàn, major tourist sites are scarce. Plan to overnight in the small town of Markham, just north of the Yúnnán border, before finishing in Zhōngdiàn or Lìjiāng (both of which are open to independent travellers and so don’t require guides or drivers).
Pomda སྤོམ་མདའ་ 邦达
%0895 / POP 150 / ELEV 4120M
Tiny Pomda (Bāngdá) may feel like it’s on the edge of the map, but an impressive monastery and arid landscape distinct from the west of the region makes for a long, rewarding and offbeat trip.
Pomda junction is a three-point cluster of restaurants, teahouses and guesthouses that makes for a good lunch stop; there are no facilities at the monastery itself.
If you need to overnight here, the Bāngdá Máogē Dàjiǔdiàn (邦达毛哥大酒店; %136 2895 1738; Pomda junction; r ¥150; W) is the best option. The junction of Hwys 317 and 318 leads west towards Pasho (three hours) and Lhasa (20 hours) or east towards Yúnnán province. Hwy 317 north to Chamdo is closed to foreigners beyond Pomda Monastery, including the next 38km to Qamdo Bamda Airport.
Pomda MonasteryBUDDHIST MONASTERY
(邦达寺, Bāngdá Sì; hdawn-dusk) F
The monastery dates back 360 years, but was destroyed in the Cultural Revolution and rebuilt in 1981. It is now home to 53 monks. The main hall has excellent murals and statues of Sakyamuni (Sakya Thukpa) flanked by Jampelyang (Manjushi), Jampa (Maitreya) and Drölma (Tara). The inner sanctum features Tsongkhapa (founder of the Geulgpa sect) and his two disciples.