The Mystery of Tibet 2006

Tentative departures: April 27 to May 11, 2006* and September 7 to 21, 2006*

Est. cost: $2195

(including all hotels, land costs, guides, most meals and all flights inside China!! – Excluding international airfare)

(Cost is based on a group of 8 to 10 participants, double occupancy – Single supplement: est. $449.)

TENTATIVE ITINERARY:

Day 1-April 27: depart USA.

Beijing. The capital city of China is one of the most historic and at the same time one of the most modern cities in China. We will only have time to unwind from the international flight and enjoy a meal and a night’s rest…but you may choose to extend your stay here at the end of the trip to visit the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, Tienanmen Square and other gems of China’s past and present.

Day 2-April 28: Arrive in Beijing. Welcome dinner and overnight rest. (D)

Day 3-April 29: Flight to Chengdu.

Chengdu. The capital of Sichuan province is one of the most vibrant cities in western China. We can enjoy some of the city bustle and also get away to scenic spots away from the urban area. From here we will visit the Great Buddha at Leshan, an astonishing 8^th-century sculptural and engineering feat, some 230 feet tall and other scenic and historic sights. We can also visit the panda research center to see where scientists are trying to protect and breed both greater and lesser pandas which are at home in the regions mountains.

Day 3-April 29: Arrive in Chengdu. Spicy Sichuan cuisine is world-famous, and we won’t miss teasing our palates with the rich flavors that are so unique here we will enjoy dinner and an evening introduction to the city. (B, L, D)

Day 4-April 30: Drive to Leshan where the Great Buddha and other shrines are carved into the native stone above the confluence of three rivers. From a boat below or from the hills above, he inspires awe. To experience local life away from the big city, we will also take in the ancient charms of Lingyin Temple and Huanglongxi Old Town; here the well-preserved old Sichuan architecture has attracted many Chinese filmmakers to use the town as the backdrop for their movies. (B, L, D)

Day 5-May 1: We will drive out beyond the city to spend the morning at the Panda Research Center. Here you can see more pandas in one area than at any other place in the world, and you can learn about the efforts to breed and preserve these magnificent animals. As time allows in the afternoon and evening, we will visit the marvelous Wuhou Temple which commemorates Zhuge Liang, a hero of the Three Kingdoms period some 1,800 years ago, and will amble through Old Jinli Street, which was already a famous craft and merchant center in the same era or we can visit Wenshu Monastery where worshippers pray in the beautiful halls and gardens or stop for tea and vegetarian cuisine. (B, L, D)

Day 6-May 2: Morning flight from Chengdu to Lhasa Gankhor airport.

Lhasa. Lhasa is the exotic and beautiful capital of Tibet, the rooftop of the world. In the vastness of the Tibetan plateau and among many of the highest peaks in the world, it is possible to experience the history and customs of the ethnic Tibetan nomads, the distant monasteries, and the rich beauty of the mountains. Here you can witness the spiritual traditions, the arts and crafts and the gentle humanity of the Tibetan people.

Day 6-May 2: Arrive at the Lhasa Gankhor airport and transfer into the city for a day of
getting acclimatized to the altitude here in the Tibetan highlands. It is recommended that you take it easy and let your body adjust. Of course, here in Lhasa and at any place during our stay in Tibet there will be oxygen available if your body needs a boost. (B, L, D)

Day 7-May 3: The entire day will be spent getting acquainted with the city of Lhasa. We will visit Potala Palace, once home to the Dalai Lamas and the center of government and religious authority in Tibet for more than 1300 years. Nearby, are the ancient alleyways of the Barkhor neighborhood and market where all manner of traditional goods are for sale and where colorful Tibetan pilgrims converge from all points of the compass to visit one of the most sacred
places in Tibet, the Jokhang Temple. You will want to join them on their rounds through the temple and feel their intense faith. Jokang was built in the 7th century to receive a gold statue of Buddha, a dowry of the Chinese Princess Wencheng, who became one of the most storied and beloved women in Tibetan history after she arrived in Lhasa to be married to the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo. (B, L, D)

Day 8-May 4: The previous day will only whet your appetite for Lhasa’s fascinating sights and people. We will depart for other adventures, but we will return again to Lhasa to give us time for personal exploration of the city’s exotic charm. This morning we will leave on our journey heading south and west over Kambala Pass to the glistening magnificence of Yamdrok Lake. Then we will press on past glaciers, snowcapped peaks and over mountain passes to Gyantse. There we will join the faithful circling the great stupa of Kumbum at Pelkor Choede Monastery. From here we will press on to the market town of Shigatse to spend the night. (B, L, D)

Day 9-May 5: Today we will hope for clear weather as we approach the most highest, and in many ways most revered, mountain in the world…Everest (Chomolungma to the Tibetans). We will over the Gyamtso La Pass to the town of Tingri, where we will change our mode of transportation. In small vehicles we will drive into the nature reserve set up to protect the most spectacular mountain environment in the world here at the heart of the Himalayas. Our goals are the small Rongbu MonasteryÖthe world’s highestÖand the Everest Base Camp at the foot of Rongbu Glacier. From here we will hope for a bird’s eye view of Chomolungma. Towering over the Sino-Nepal border with an elevation of 8,848.13 meters, it is the highest peak in the world. And it is not alone. Within a 20 km radius, five of the 14 highest peaks in the world (each with an elevation of over 8,000 meters) reach into the heavens. After our exploration, we will return to Tingri to spend the night. (B, L, D)

Day 10-May 6: We will return to Shigatse, where we will have more time to enjoy the
town and its history. This is the second largest city in Tibet, and is filled with activity. Particularly fascinating is the 15^th-century Tashilhunpo Monastery, the traditional seat of the Panchen Lamas and therefore one of the most important sacred sites in Tibet. You may want to join the pilgrims as they circle the monastery and explore the temple halls and passageways.

Day 11-May 7: Return from Shigatse to Lhasa. (B, L, D)

Day 12-May 8: Drive to NamtsoÖthe world’s highest salt lakeÖwhere sapphire water
is surrounded by vistas of peaks. The 5 small islands in the lake are believed to be incarnations of the Buddha of Five Directions, and Buddhist pilgrims come from all parts of Tibet to walk the circuit around the lake. On the return to Lhasa, we will visit the Yangbajing hot springs, surrounded by a surprising oasis in the barren plateau. A thermal plant now generates much of Lhasa’s power needs hereÖbut the bubbling springs, spouts and geysers are also a favorite stop for bathers. (B, L, D)

Day 13-May 9: Free day. Take the time to wander and shop and sightsee around Lhasa. You may want to explore Drepung Monastery where for centuries successive Dalai Lamas were trained. The gardens and historic rooms of Norbu Lingka, the Dalai Lama’s summer palace may entice you. Or you may want to simply wander the streets and markets with the pilgrims and visitors. (B)

Day 14-May 10: Flights to Chengdu and to Beijing. (B, D)

Beijing.

Day 15-May 11: Depart from Beijing to the USA(B) Or you can extend your China stay for a few days. The Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the hutong neighborhoods, Summer
Palace, Temple of Heaven, and Tienanmen Square are just a few of the things Beijing has to offer.