Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
enough height as you head north, you will be able to see a group of white houses at the
base of a hill to the far northwest. The Dorje Ling Nunnery is just downstream from here.
One excellent possible side trip from here is the 20-minute climb to the top of the hill to
the right (east), known as Nyinga Ri (4800m; N 29°51.688ʹ, E 090°25.990ʹ). Views of the
Nyenchen Tanglha Range, and the distinctive flat-topped 7111m massif that gives its name
to the entire range, are fantastic from here. Nyenchen Tanglha is the holiest mountain in
central Tibet, the haunt of a divine white warrior on a white horse. The range is part of the
trans-Himalaya, which circumscribes the plateau, dividing southern Tibet from the
Changtang.
A steep descent from the saddle of Nyinga Ri brings you to a stream at the base of a
ridge, aligned east to west. Ford the stream and look for the uppermost house in a group of
seven dwellings. A trail from this house climbs to the ridge top in just a few minutes.
From the top of the ridge the terrain gradually falls away to the north. Here you have good
views of the village just upstream of Dorje Ling Nunnery. The nunnery, which is out of
view, sits at the bottom of a rock outcrop visible from the ridge top.
Strike out directly across the plain in a northwesterly direction for the village, taking in
the awesome views of the glaciers tumbling off Brize and the fertile flood plain below.
After dipping briefly into a dry gully you crest a small ridge and see Dorje Ling (4474m;
N 29°53.600ʹ, E 090°24.782ʹ); the nunnery is less than one hour away (two to three hours
from Tajung).
The centrepiece of this friendly nunnery is the red dukhang (assembly hall). Camping is
found in the meadow to the southwest of the nunnery, but cleaner camps can be found up-
stream of Dorje Ling.
Most treks now end at Dorje Ling. In recent years a concrete road link has been con-
structed to Dorje Ling and places further up the valley. If you are hardcore it is still pos-
sible, however, to trek the 14km from the nunnery via Tsaburing Valley to the monastery
of Yangpachen.
Perched on top of a ridge, the 15th-century Yangpachen Monastery overlooks a broad
sweep of trans-Himalaya peaks. The monastery was once home to 115 monks, but many of
them have fled to Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim, and less than half remain behind. Yang-
pachen is headed by Shamar Rinpoche (also known as the Sharmapa), a leading lama of
the Kagyupa order, whose 14th incarnation is based in India. You'll see images here of the
important fourth Sharmapa (wearing a red hat), the 16th Karmapa (a black hat) and the 'al-
ternative' rival Karmapa, who is supported by the Sharmapa in India.
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