Tibetan Treks - Tibet - page 440

5-7 hours / 10km / 1000m ascent/450m descent
Above Yama Do the valley's watercourse splits into three branches. Follow the central
(southern) branch, not the southeast or southwest branches. The route leaves the flank of
the valley and follows the valley bottom. The trail becomes indistinct but it's a straight
shot up to the pass. About 30 minutes from Yama Do are two single-tent camp sites, the
last good ones until the other side of the pass, at least five hours away. One hour past
Yama Do leave the valley floor and ascend a shelf on the east side of the valley to avoid a
steep gully that forms around the stream. In another 45 minutes you enter a wet alpine
basin studded with tussock grass.
The Shuga-la is at least 1¼ hours from the basin. Remain on the east side of the valley
as it bends to the left. You have to negotiate boulders and lumpy ground along the final
steep climb to the pass. The Shuga-la (5250m; N 29°38.472ʹ, E 091°32.015ʹ) cannot be
seen until you're virtually on top of it. It's marked by a large cairn covered in prayer flags
and yak horns, and is the highest point of the trek.
The route continues over the Shuga-la and then descends sharply through a boulder
field. Be on the lookout for a clear trail marked by cairns on the left side of the boulder
field. This trail traverses the ridge in a southeasterly direction, paralleling the valley below.
Do not head directly down to the valley floor from the pass unless you have good reason.
It's a long, steep descent and once at the bottom you have to go back up the valley to com-
plete the trek. In case of emergency, retreat down the valley for a bolt back to the
Lhasa-Ganden Hwy, a long day of walking away.
The trail gradually descends to the valley floor, 1½ hours from the pass and 200m below
it. The views of the valley and the lake at its head are one of the highlights of the trek.
Cross the large Tsotup-chu (4980m; N 29°37.366ʹ, E 091°33.288ʹ), which flows through
the valley, and keep an eye out for the herders' dogs. During heavy summer rains take spe-
cial care to find a safe ford. The pastures in the area support large herds of yaks, goats and
sheep, and during the trekking season herders are normally camped here. Known as Tsogo
Numa, this is an ideal place to camp and meet the drokpas (nomads).
An alternative route to Samye via the Gampa-la (5050m) follows the main branch of
the Tsotup-chu past a couple of lakes to the pass. South of the Gampa-la the trail plunges
into a gorge, crisscrossing the stream that flows down from it. These fords may pose prob-
lems during summer rains or when completely frozen. See Gary McCue's Trekking in
Tibet - A Traveler's Guide for details of this route.