China
| country: | China |
| location: | Yunnan, Sichuan |
| trip type: | Strenuous trekking holidays |
| departures: | This trip is no longer running |
| price: | From £1650 (17 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Trekking holiday in China, Yunnan & Sichuan
This trekking itinerary takes you into the rugged mountainous areas of Yunnan and western Sichuan - a region closely akin to the culture and history of Tibet. Starting in the predominantly Tibetan town of Zhongdian (or Gyalthang) we explore the ancient Sumtsaling monastery.
We then embark on a five day trek to Bala Mountain whose dragon back ridges are spectacular and where the remote village life beneath will not fail to inspire. A further five day trek takes us from the remote small village of Yading to Sichuan Province. From here we saddle our packhorses and set off on our superbly supported trek following mountain trails in and around the sacred peaks of the Xianeri Mountains passing through tiny Tibetan settlements and visiting the serene Dolmala Lake. We trek along passes of altitudes between 3900 and 4300m witnessing dramatic mountain and lake scenery.
Price includes *16 Breakfasts, 16 lunches, 15 dinners *flights Kunming /Zhongdian/Kunming US$176 *airport transfers on Day 1 and Day 17 *expert bilingual guide *medical kit * comfortable hotels *private air conditioned transport *sightseeing as listed in itinerary *site & national park entry fees *camping equipment including tents, mattresses and sleeping bags *Porter support during trek
Grading
Grade 2, moderate: Involves trekking for up to seven hours a day at a steady pace. These treks may spend successive days at altitudes not generally exceeding 5,500m.
You will need a good level of fitness. Suggested preparation: 45 minutes of aerobic type exercise, three to five times a week for the three months leading up to your trek. Hill walking with a pack in variable weather conditions is also recommended.
This trekking itinerary takes you into the rugged mountainous areas of Yunnan and western Sichuan - a region closely akin to the culture and history of Tibet. Starting in the predominantly Tibetan town of Zhongdian (or Gyalthang) we explore the ancient Sumtsaling monastery.
We then embark on a five day trek to Bala Mountain whose dragon back ridges are spectacular and where the remote village life beneath will not fail to inspire. A further five day trek takes us from the remote small village of Yading to Sichuan Province. From here we saddle our packhorses and set off on our superbly supported trek following mountain trails in and around the sacred peaks of the Xianeri Mountains passing through tiny Tibetan settlements and visiting the serene Dolmala Lake. We trek along passes of altitudes between 3900 and 4300m witnessing dramatic mountain and lake scenery.
Price includes *16 Breakfasts, 16 lunches, 15 dinners *flights Kunming /Zhongdian/Kunming US$176 *airport transfers on Day 1 and Day 17 *expert bilingual guide *medical kit * comfortable hotels *private air conditioned transport *sightseeing as listed in itinerary *site & national park entry fees *camping equipment including tents, mattresses and sleeping bags *Porter support during trek
Grading
Grade 2, moderate: Involves trekking for up to seven hours a day at a steady pace. These treks may spend successive days at altitudes not generally exceeding 5,500m.
You will need a good level of fitness. Suggested preparation: 45 minutes of aerobic type exercise, three to five times a week for the three months leading up to your trek. Hill walking with a pack in variable weather conditions is also recommended.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive Kunming |
| Day 2: | Fly to Zhongdian (Gyalthang) |
| Day 3: | Visit Sacred Hill and Temple of the Five Wisdom Buddha's at Ringha |
| Day 4-7: | Drive to Yangtse tributary, commence trek to Bala Mountain |
| Day 8: | Return to Yangtse River and on to the fabled Sun Valley and Derong |
| Day 9: | Drive to Shating |
| Day 10: | Drive to Yading Reserve via Daocheng, commence trek in Sacred Mountains of Risum Gompo |
| Day 11: | Explore Chegu Temple and trek to view Chenrezi Peak |
| Day 12: | Descend to "Five-Colour Lake" |
| Day 13-14: | Breathtaking trek past sacred mountain to Yading, and drive to Shating via Daoteng visiting a Monastery en route |
| Day 15: | Drive to Zhongdian (Gyalthang) |
| Day 16: | Fly to Kunming |
| Day 17: | Trip concludes in Kunming |
highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2006 First Choice Responsible Tourism Awards the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society. Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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On this delightful trek in this remote area of China you will be introduced to the land, people and the culture of the Khampa region of Tibet in a manner that is both personal and participatory. We are committed to conserving the cultures and pristine environment of the region and your visit will help us support local conservation efforts in the area.
We are careful minimise our impact by making sure all rubbish is carried out of the area and have banned the use of plastic bags. Instead we provide you with a biodegradable bag for your picnic lunches etc which you can return to us for re-use. We are careful to follow only developed trails and paths so we avoid any damage to local vegetation or thus add to the problems caused by erosion. All travellers are provided with our award-winning 20 page Responsible Travel Booklet which outlines our environmental guidelines and practices and will provide you will clear details on how you can play a vital part in reducing your impact on the fragile environments and cultures around the world. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |