Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Eastern Tibet (Kham)
ཁམས་
Why Go?
Kham is the face you never knew Tibet had: a land of raging rivers and deep gorges, im-
mense pine forests and azalea-filled meadows, outspoken monks and rebel nomads. In
Kham the Tibetan plateau begins its descent towards the subtropical Sìchuān basin, and the
landscapes represent both extremes: you can drive over a scrubby high mountain pass dus-
ted with snow and a few hours later be sliding your way through rainforest on a mud-bath
road. And chances are you'll be the only foreigner in sight.
Most of Kham 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 some of the towering figures of Tibetan
history.
