Tibetan Treks - Tibet - page 454

sandy north-south valley, intersecting a road. Shigatse is about three hours north along this
road.
The valley watercourse is dry except during summer flash floods. West of it is a poplar
and willow copse (3950m; N 29°06.572ʹ, E 088°54.093ʹ), the only bit of shade in the
area. Consider stopping here for lunch and a rest. From the copse, you enter a side valley,
continuing in a westerly direction towards the Char-la. There are places suitable for camp-
ing along the length of this valley and water is available in the villages. In a few minutes
you will reach the village of Manitinge , on the southern margin of the valley, and pick up
the main cart track going up the valley. The track passes through the village of Siphu and,
one hour from the copse, crosses to the south side of the valley. You can glimpse the Char-
la from here, which for most of the trek is hidden behind folds in the mountains.
In 30 minutes you will reach Lower Lungsang (4060m; N 29°06.265ʹ, E 088°51.824ʹ);
a few minutes later Upper Lungsang . There is a fine old wood here ideal for camping and
resting.
Stage 2: Upper Lungsang to Ngor Monastery
3½-4 hours / 8km / 550m ascent/240m descent
From Upper Lungsang the trail cuts across the valley floor, gradually making its way back
to the northern side of the valley. The cart track does not extend past the village and the
trail up to the pass may be difficult to find in places. It is at least three hours from Upper
Lungsang to the Char-la. At first, the trail skirts the edge of a gravel wash. However, in 15
minutes a series of livestock tracks climbs out of the stream bed and onto an eroded shelf
that forms above it. Observe the old agricultural fields here, many of which have been long
abandoned due to a lack of water.
The terrain becomes more rugged and a gorge forms below the trail. There is a side-
stream and small reservoir (4190m; N 29°06.619ʹ, E 088°50.763ʹ) 45 minutes above Up-
per Lungsang. This is the last convenient place to collect water until over the pass. From
the reservoir, the trail descends back to the stream bed but quickly exits the opposite side
of the valley.
Look for a series of switchbacks on the southern side of the gorge and then follow them
up. A further 15 minutes on, the trail crosses a gully and then another gully in 15 more
minutes. The final leg to the pass is pretty much cross-country over a steep slope of raw
expanses of rock. From the second gully, the Char-la can be reached in 45 minutes of steep