Amdo region
The frontier land of Amdo (North-east Tibet) is a relatively low-lying region of spacious rolling pastures, where successive waves of ethnic migration have left their mark. Amdowa Tibetans, Mongols and Tu, Moslems (Hui, Salar, and Kazakh), and Han Chinese all have their own enclaves and spheres of influence. Amdo extends from the Kunlun Mountains in the west to the fabled Lake Kokonor, through the meandering upper reaches of the Yellow River and its tributaries, east to the upper reaches of the Min and Jialing rivers, and south, through Golok, to the upper reaches of the Gyarong (Sertal, Dzamtang, Ngawa, Chuchen and Rongtrak). The sixty counties of Amdo and Gyarong are currently divided between the provinces of Qinghai, Sichuan and Gansu.
Access
There are airports at Ziling (Ch. Xining), and Dzitsa Degu (Ch. Jiuzhaigou), as well as at the gateway cities of Lanzhou and Chengdu. The railway runs from Lanzhou through Ziling to Kermu and on to Lhasa, while most areas are linked through the road network: H109 passing through the Tsong-chu valley and Kokonor region to Kermu and the Kunluns, H227 through Serkhok, Mongyon and Chilen to Dunhuang, H214 through Chabcha, Tsogortang and Mato, and H213 through Lanzhou, Labrang, Luchu, Dzoge, Mewa and Zungchu to Chengdu.
Culture
The rich grazing pastures of Amdo sustain a high nomadic population in the Banak and Golok areas, where the sacred Mt Amnye Machen is the focal point for pilgrimage. Further north are the cultural centers of Rebkong, home to a distinctly vibrant tradition of Tibetan painting and clay sculpture, the hermitages of Achung Namdzong, contained with the Khamra National Park, and the monastic cities of Labrang and Kumbum Jampaling, To the south of Golok and west of Mt Nyenpo Yurtse, Amdo’s second sacred range, are the major Nyingmapa monasteries of Tartang, Dodrubchen, Nyenlung and Larung Gar, and the Jonangpa enclaves of Dzamtang and Ngawa. The pre-Buddhist Bon tradition is strongest in Ngawa, in Gyarong – particularly in Chuchen and Rongtrak counties, nearby the sacred Bon mountain of Gyelmo Murdo, and further south in the national parks of Dzita Degu and Sertso, which until recently claimed the only five star hotels on the Tibetan plateau.
Food
We cannot think, sleep, or travel without having the thought of trying the local cuisine while traveling. Our expert guides are there to guide you in the right direction to find a budget-friendly dine-in option for you.
If you are a foodie then you can also plan ahead with us with one day or half-a-day food tour of your destination country. It will add a lot of fun to your entire tour as well!AMDO REGION
Kham region
Far eastern Tibet (Kham) is the most densely populated region of the plateau – its inhabitants are distinguished from other Tibetans not only by their robust physical appearance, colourful dress and braided coiffure, but by distinctive dialects and social customs. The terrain is characterized by extremely rugged and glaciated snow mountains, ranging from northwest to southeast, broken by rich grassland pastures and deep forested gorges formed by the Salween, Mekong, Yangtze, and their numerous tributaries. The region’s forty-seven counties are divided for political and historical reasons between four provinces, twenty-five of them in the Chamdo, Nakchu, and Nyangtri prefectures of the Tibet Autonomous Region, three in the Dechen Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan, seventeen in the Kandze and Mili autonomous areas of Sichuan, and six in the Jyekundo Autonomous Prefecture of Qinghai.
Access
There are several airports in Kham now. The first is in Ponda near Chamdo, the second is in Ganze near Dartsedo and the third one is in Yushu, Qinghai province. Most of the areas are accessible from Lhasa or the gateway cities (Chengdu, Kunming and Xining) on national highways: H109 passes through Nakchu, H 317 through Chamdo, Derge, Kandze and Dartsedo, H318 through Po-me, Markham, Batang and Litang, and H214 through Jyekundo, Nangchen, Chamdo, and Dechen.
Culture
The monasteries of Kham, far removed from the political cauldron of Lhasa, are fast rebuilding and extending their influence as far as the neo-Buddhist communities of mainland China. Among them, the Nyingmapa are strongest in Derge, Pelyul and Nyarong, the Kagyupa in Nangchen, Derge and Derong, the Sakyapa in Derge and Jyekundo, and the Gelukpa in Chamdo, Litang, Batang and the south. The pre-Buddhist Bon tradition still has a significant presence in the Khyungpo region of the upper Salween.basin.
Kham is a region where the pageantry of Buddhist and secular festivals is renowned. Sacred masked dances performed in the context of the drubchen ceremony are frequently held, exemplified by those at Katok commemorating the birth of Padmasambhava. Horse festivals, including officially sponsored events at Jyekundo and Litang are occasions for song, dance and sporting contests, at which boisterous Khampa crowds proudly display their local costume and traditions.
It is no exaggeration to say that each county has its unique focal points for pilgrimage – foremost among them being Kyadrak Senge Dzong in Dzachuka, Gawalung in Po-me, Mt Kawa Karpo in Dechen, Nabun Dzong in Nangchen, Yegyel Namka Dzong in Riwoche, Chakdu Khawa Lungring in Nyarong, Mt Zhara Lhatse in Minyak, Rudam Gangi Rawa at Dzogchen, Pema Shelphuk in Mesho, Tsandra Rinchen Drak at Pelpung, Katok Dorjeden near Pelyul, and Khampo Nenang near Litang.
Utsang region
Utsang , the cultural heartland of Tibet, occupying the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra River, and its sheltered lateral valleys, is home to traditional agricultural communities, medieval monasteries of historic importance, and several modern towns and cities: Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, stands on the Kyichu, Gyantse and Shigatse are on the Nyang-chu, Tsetang on the Yarlung-chu, and Bayi on the Gyamda Nyang-chu. The highland ( lato ) region to the southwest of Utsang is divided from Nepal by the Great Himalayan barrier range, which includes Mt Everest, the world’s highest peak.
Access
The only airports are at Gongkar, which has international flights to Kathmandu and domestic flights to several Chinese cities; Bayi in Kongpo, which is serviced by domestic flights to and from Chengdu, and the newly opened airport at Shigatse. They are direct trains from major cities: Xining, Lanzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu, but the most favorable train is from Xining. See the Railway
Culture
Utsang’s prestige derives from the great cultural sites associated with the ancient Tibetan monarchy: Yumbu Lagang– the oldest castle, Tradruk– the oldest Buddhist temple, Samye-the oldest Buddhist monastery, Chongye – the burial ground of the kings, and Jokhang & Ramoche-the original royal temples of Lhasa.
All the main traditions of Tibetan Buddhism established their mother monasteries here during medieval times: the Nyingmapa at Mindroling and Dorje Drak, the Kagyupa at Tsurphu, Drigung, Taklung and Ralung, the Sakyapa at Sakya and Ngor, and the Gelukpa at Ganden, Sera, Drepung, and Tashilhunpo. Even the Bon tradition established its principal centers at Yungdrungling and Menri in Tsang and at Bonri in Kongpo.
Lhasa’s skyline is dominated by the Potala Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is the winter residence of the successive Dalai Lamas.
Sacred and secular festivals are held throughout the year, according to the Tibetan lunar calendar. One of the most popular events is the Zhodun “yogurt” festival, held at Lhasa during the summer when performances of Tibetan opera are staged in the gardens of Norbulingka, the summer palace of the Dalai Lamas.
For trekkers, there are excellent trails in Utsang-from Dingri to Everest Base Camp, from Ganden to Samye, Tsurphu to Yangpachen, in the vicinity of Mt Namchak Barwa, and through the low-lying subtropical forested zone of Pemako.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Tibet?
Many people believe that Tibet consists only of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) where Lhasa is located. To Tibetans, however, Tibet is much larger than just the TAR. It is the entire Tibetan Plateau. Traditionally, Tibet was split into regions called U-Tsang, Kham, Amdo, and Ngari all of which comprise the Tibetan Plateau. The regions remain today, but China has incorporated Amdo and most of Kham into the Chinese provinces of Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, and Yunnan. So the Tibetan Plateau includes all of these much larger regions besides just the TAR, and it is this entire area that the Tibetan people call “Tibet.” Throughout this website, this is how we use the term “Tibet.” .
Why can I not find Amdo or Kham on the map?
As explained in Question 1, above, after the Cultural Revolution, China gave Chinese names to many of the Tibetan regions, cities, and sacred sites. Since most Tibet maps are made in China, they usually include only the Chinese names. For example, on a map, you will see the city Xining, which in Tibetan was called Ziling, or the city of Xiahe, which is the famous Tibetan monastic city of Labrang. Many travelers to Tibet find this very confusing when they are wanting to visit Labrang Monastery or other holy places, but cannot find it on a map. As a cooperative dedicated to helping preserve Tibetan culture and language, while also respecting our Chinese friends, we provide both names on this website. The traditional Tibetan names appear first, followed by the Chinese names in parenthesis. We hope this helps you in planning your trip.
Do I need a visa or permit to travel in Tibet?
In order to travel to all regions of Tibet, you must have a valid China visa. You must apply for a visa from your local Chinese embassy. In addition, in order to travel to the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), which includes Lhasa and central Tibet, you must also obtain a Tibet Travel Permit (TTP) from the Tibet Tourism Bureau. As your tour company, we will work to get the permits for you, however, the Chinese government puts many restrictions on the issuance of these permits, which restrictions change regularly. The government often closes the TAR completely to foreign travelers. At other times, the government may issue permits, but only to groups of 5 people or more of the same nationality, with passports from the same country. Because of these changing restrictions, it is often difficult to plan trips to the TAR, including Lhasa. Fortunately, at this time, no permits are required to travel in the Amdo and Kham regions of Tibet. You only need a China visa. These regions cover 50% of the Tibetan Plateau and are heavily populated with Tibetan people. The Tibetan culture has been better preserved in these areas than in the TAR region. There you can freely experience the full range of Tibet – its mountains, grasslands, nomads, Buddhist monasteries, mystical Bon traditions, and many festivals. We highly recommend that anyone who wants an authentic Tibetan experience should visit Amdo and Kham, particularly when TAR permits are restricted.
How do I get to Tibet?
Tourists can enter Tibet from either Nepal in the west or China in the east. By airplane: For entering by airplane, you can fly into Lhasa Gonggar Airport, Xining Caojiabo Airport in Ziling (Xining), or Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. depending on where you want to begin your tour. For Lhasa, you will need to have your original TTB permit in hand in order to board the connecting flight to Lhasa. Usually, you must stay one night in a hotel in mainland China or Kathmandu and provide us the hotel address where we can send your permit. By train: You can also enter central Tibet by train from mainland China (e.g., Beijing). The trains go to Ziling (Xining) or Chengdu and continue to Lhasa. Again, if traveling to Lhasa, you will need to have your TTB permit to board the train (copies are usually accepted on trains). There is no train from Nepal, but you can arrange for your tour to begin at the border where we can drive across the infamous “Friendship Bridge.”
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