Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
From Yangpachen Monastery it's an 18km road journey to Yangpachen town. About
halfway there look out for
Galo Nunnery
, nestled in the hills to the left after about 7km.
For a post-trek treat, the swimming-pool-sized
hot-springs complex
(Yangbajian Wen-
chuan; admission ¥120; 7am-9pm)
, located 7km west of Yangpachen town, is great for eas-
ing your aching limbs. This entire region has undergone rapid development in recent years.
Shalu to Nartang
This trek follows the old trade route between the great Buddhist centres of Shalu and
Nartang, marking a glorious chapter in Tibetan history. Treading the ancient trail you can
almost feel the caravans laden with scriptures and treasures that once passed this way.
The trek begins at the historic Shalu Monastery and traverses west over a couple of
small ranges to Ngor Monastery. From Ngor it's a downhill roll to Nartang Monastery. The
route passes through several villages as well as uninhabited dry canyons. It's about a
10-hour walk to Ngor from Shalu, which is best divided into two days and, if you chose to
walk the road, another five hours from there to Nartang. Finding guides and burros to
carry your gear in Shalu is usually not difficult. Expect to pay ¥120 to ¥160 for each. Hav-
ing local support is a good thing because the route is not always easy to discern - the trail
tends to vanish in the canyons.
The optimal walking season is from the beginning of April to the end of October. In
summer the trail can be sizzling hot, and in other months cold and windy, so be prepared.
