The Land of Snows

Golog Tibet Autonomous Prefecture

Golog Tibet Autonomous Prefecture (མགོ་ལོག་བོད་རིགས་རང་སྐྱོང་ཁུལ་) is located in southeastern Qinghai province, in the Amdo region of Tibet. Over 90% of the 125,000 people who live in Golog are Tibetan. Most of the people in Golog are nomadic with many of them living in traditional style Tibetan tents. Most of Golog is well above 4000m / 13,120 feet so summers are short and winters are long and cold. Golog is famous across the Tibetan Plateau as being the home of Amnye Machen, one of the 4  main holy mountains of Tibet. Each year, thousands of pilgrims make their way to Amnye Machen (pictured above) to make a pilgrimage around the mountain. The trek around the mountain takes around 7 days. Amnye Machen rises 6282m / 20,605 feet and is the highest mountain in Amdo.

Another famous holy mountain in Golog is Nyenbo Yurtse. Nyenbo Yurtse is located in the remote far eastern corner of Golog prefecture and stand 5369m / 17,611 feet high. This mountain sees very few foreign travelers, but is possibly the most beautiful place in all of the northern Tibetan Plateau. A deep fresh water lake sits at the base of the mountain. Several rivers run into the lake. The area around Nyenbo Yurtse (pictured above) is excellent for hiking.

In addition to these two mountains, Golog is filled with grasslands, valleys, rivers and lakes. The Yellow River flows throughout Golog prefecture creating awesome canyons. With lots of excellent hiking, culture and wildlike, Golog makes an excellent place to visit.

A tour to through Golog takes between 9 and 11 days leaving from Xining (ཟི་ལིང་). Here is a sample itinerary for this trip.

Day 1: Drive 110kms from Xining to Kumbum monastery and then to Guide (pictured above). Kumbum is one of the most famous monasteries in the Amdo region. Guide sits along the banks of the Yellow River and is surrounded by red earth mountains which are excellent for hiking.

Day 2: Drive 250kms from Guide to the monastery town of Rabgya (pictured below). Rabgya is a large Gelukpa sect monastery along the Yellow River. The monastery has around 500 monks and sits at the bottom of a mountain.

Day 3: Drive 75kms from Rabgya to the town of Machen (Dawu in Chinese). Machen is the capital town of Golog prefecture and is the starting point in going to Amnye Machen.

Day 4: Drive 90kms from Machen to the base camp of Amnye Machen at the small town of Xueshan (pictured below). This is the starting point for the pilgrimage around the holy mountain. You can camp for a night or two here if you want.

Day 5: Drive 250kms from Xueshan to Darlag. Darlag is a small town along the Yellow River. Along the way from Xueshan to Darlag, you pass through large grasslands full of nomads and yaks.

Day 6: Drive 220kms from Darlag to Nyenbo Yurtse base camp. Along the way you will pass several monasteries including Tarthang Monastery (pictured above). Camp at base camp.

Day 7: Spend the day hiking around Nyenbo Yurtse. Camp at base camp.

Day 8: Drive 480kms from Nyenbo Yurtse to Huashixia in western Golog prefecture. You will cross over several sections of the Yellow River (pictured below) as well as several nomad camps.

Day 9: Drive 330kms from Huashixia to Qinghai Lake, the largest lake in China.

Day 10: Drive from Qinghai Lake back to Xining.

If you have any questions about Golog or any other region of Tibet, please send an email to [email protected]

Highway 214 Through East Tibet

Highway 214 is one of the most scenic highways in Tibet. It cuts across the eastern regions of the Tibetan Plateau going through many great Tibetan areas in Amdo and Kham. The highway begins in Xining in northeast Amdo and goes south though the eastern parts of the Tibet Autonomous Region and western Yunnan before ending near the border of China and Myanmar. All together it travels well over 2500kms / 1563 miles. It is one of my favorite highways on the planet. I have been fortunate enough to travel many tens of thousands of kilometers along this route.

Highway 214 begins in northeast Amdo in the city of Xining (known as Silang in Tibetan). Not far outside of Xining is Kumbum Monastery (pictured above), which is one of the 6 great Gelukpa monasteries of Tibet. This monastery is a major tourist destination in the summer months, but during Tibetan New Year many Tibetan pilgrims from across Amdo come here to worship. The area around Xining is around 2400m / 7875 feet above sea level. The population here is an interesting mix of Han Chinese, Tibetans, Hui Muslims, Mongolians, Tu and Salar (a Turkic speaking Muslim people group).

About 90kms south of Xining you cross over the Sun Moon Mountain pass which is the historical and cultural boundary between Chinese and Tibetan people. Once you cross this pass, the landscape changes to wide open grasslands full of yaks and sheep. Nomads living in white canvas tents are often seen. Nomads are very friendly people and almost always invite foreigners in for some tea. Though this is China, it is traditionally referred to as the Amdo province of Tibet.

Two hundred and fifty kilometers south of Xining or 160kms south of the Sun Moon Mountain Pass you come to Xinghai county (known as Tsigorthang in Tibetan). This county sits at 3500m / 11,480 feet and has a high percentage of Tibetan nomads. There are no trees in this area, but grasslands are far as the eye can see. In the early fall through late spring, most of the mountains here are snow capped. There are many places to stop and camp with nomads in Xinghai. This area sees very few tourist, but is a great place to go.

Mado County (Maduo in Chinese) is one of the highest and coldest counties in all of Tibet. It sits at 4300m / 14,105 feet and is cold all year long. I have seen snow here every month of the year. Mado, 480kms south of Xining, is situated on the upper reaches of the Yellow River. The actual source of the river is found about 300kms west of Mado. Mado, like Xinghai county, is populated heavily with Tibetan nomads. In the winter, the highway through here can often be closed due to heavy snow.

 The holy mountain of Amnye Machen (elevation 6282m / 20,605 feet) is located not too far off of Highway 214. You can't actually see it from the highway, but there is a pass about 60kms off of the highway (southeast from Huashixia heading towards Darlag) which provides an excellent view of the mountain. One of 4 main holy mountains in Tibetan buddhism, Amnye Machen attracts many Tibetan pilgrims during the summer months. It is the best place in the Amdo region for high altitude trekking.

One hundred twenty kilometers south of Mado and 600 kms south of Xining, you pass the Bayan Ka La Mountain Pass which is the border between the Amdo and Kham provinces of Tibet. This county is known as Trindo (Chengduo in Chinese) and also is very high. The northern regions of the county have an average elevation of over 4400m / 14,432 feet. The population here is nearly 100% nomadic with many of the nomads living in black yak hair tents. The only two towns along this stretch of highway are Domda (Qingshui He in Chinese) and Shewu (Xiewu in Chinese).

 The large Kham Tibetan town of Jyekundo is 825kms south of Xining and 375 kms north of Riwoche on Highway 214. This growing town has a large monk population due to several large monasteries in the area. It is a major trading center being situated roughly halfway between Xining and Lhasa. Each year on July 25th, Jyekundo is home to one of the largest horse festivals in Tibet. During the festival, thousands of Tibetan families live in tents at the horse festival grasslands (pictured above).There are many interesting sights to see around Jyekundo (elevation 3700m / 12,136 feet) such as the Princess Wencheng Temple, The Gyanak Mani Temple and the Lheba gorge.

Nangchen (elevation 3550m / 11,644 feet) is located 985kms south of Xining and 215kms north of Riwoche. It is an amazingly beautiful county that very few people outside the area get to see. Nangchen has one of the highest percentages of monks and nuns anywhere on the Plateau. There are around 80 monasteries in this county, many of which are in remote locations far off the main highway. The Mekong River flows through Nangchen county. The river is a turquoise color in the late summer and early fall. The south part of the county has evergreen forests and incredible rocky mountains. Tibetans make up over 98% of the population of Nangchen county which is one of the highest percentages of Tibetans anywhere.

Located 230kms south of Jyekundo and 30kms north of the border between Qinghai and the Tibet Autonomous Region, is the former residence of the Nangchen king. A monastery as well as a large collection of mani stones (hand carved prayer stones) are found near the kings former home. The home sits about 5kms off of highway 214. This little known place is very important in the history of Tibet. There are around 250 monks who live here.

About 115kms north of Riwoche town and 1085 kms south of Xining is the border between Qinghai and the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). There are a couple of checkpoints in this area. The first one is a quarantine checkpoint. A man will come out and spray all the tires of your vehicle with some kind of disinfectant. The next checkpoint is where they will inspect the inside of vehicles, though this is mainly done to large trucks. Once you enter into the TAR, there is another quarantine checkpoint where they will spray your tires again. To legally be in this region of the TAR you need to have 4 seperate permits, a 4WD, driver and a guide. Getting caught in this region without these could land you in a lot of trouble. The road leading south into Riwoche county is a nice, new 2 lane highway in excellent condition. Not too long ago, this road used to be a muddy path.

Eighty-five kilometers south of the Qinghai-TAR border is the large Riwoche Tsuklakhang monastery (pictured above). This massive building is lined with prayer wheels all along the outisde walls. On the south side of the building are the massive doors which lead inside. There are many monasteries in Riwoche county, but this monastery is the largest and most famous. Pilgrims can been seen walking the kora around the monastery every day.

Chamdo, 3350m / 10,990 feet, is 105kms east of Riwoche and 480kms south of Jyekundo. Chamdo is the unofficial capital of Kham province, Tibet. The large modern town is spread out along the Mekong River. Because this area is so remote and inaccessible using public transportation (foreigners must arrange all travel through a travel agency in order to go to Chamdo legally), Chamdo doesn't see many foreign tourists. Chamdo is full of history and culture and is worth going to if you have the time and money.

From Chamdo, Highway 214 runs south 420kms to Markham. From Markham it is another 225kms before reaching Dechen (Diqing) in far northwest Yunnan province. From Dechen it is 185kms to Shangri-La (Zhongdian) which  marks the end of the Tibetan world along highway 214. From Xining to Shangri-La, the highway covers 2135kms / 1335 miles. All of this route is excelent to take. For an authentic Tibetan experience with few other tourists around, this route is one of the best to take through Tibet. Conditions along the way are often poor. Many places have only basic guesthouses with no running water or attached bathrooms. Food options are limited in many of the small towns and villages. Weather can be very cold in the high elevation regions. English speakers can be difficult or impossible to find. But, for those wanting to get off the beaten path, this is the route for you. It promises to be an adventure. I just returned from doing the route from Xining to Chamdo prefecture and it was great. I would have loved to continue all the way down to Shangri-La, but I ran out of time.

For more information about this area, please send an email to [email protected]

Ku Tso

 Ku Tso (Lake) is a small lake found in western Amdo at an elevation of 4000m / 13,120 feet. Most people who take the bus from Xining to Jyekundo pass by it without ever seeing it since the bus passes it at night. The lake sits about 3kms (2 miles) off the main highway along some grasslands inhabited by yaks and Tibetan nomads. Mountains surrround the lake on two sides (pictured below). They are usually snowcapped during the months from October to June.

The area around the lake is sparsely populated. There are far more yaks to be found than people. There are no towns near the lake. The only people you might see would be nomads living in tents (there was one family of 6 living in one tent the day I took these pictures). The lake is extremely quiet. The only noise being the wind.

 There are no buses directly to Ku Tso. It isn't listed in any guidebook. There are no hotels or restaurants or towns in the area. I have been to this lake many times and have never come across another traveler. It is one of those places in Tibet where you can go and enjoy the beauty and be all by yourself. There are lots of lakes in Tibet. Many are bigger and even more beautiful than Ku Tso. But, for some reason, this lake is one of my favorites.

Amnye Machen...Pilgrimage of a Lifetime

Amnye Machen is one of the four main holy mountains of Tibet along with Kailash, Gongga and Meili Xue. Located in Golog Tibet Autonomous Prefecture (མགོ་ལོག་བོད་རིགས་རང་སྐྱོང་ཁུལ་) in Amdo (ཨ༌མདོ) , it rises to 6282m / 20,605 feet. In 1929, adventure traveler/botanist Joseph Rock incorrectly measured the mountain at over 9000m / 29,520 feet, making it the world's highest mountain for a short time. Later, the mountain was remeasured at its current height.

This lesser known holy mountain is equally as important to the Tibetan people as the more well known Mt. Kailash (Gang Rinpoche). Amnye Machen attracts Tibetan pilgrims from all across eastern and northern Tibet (pictured below) during the summer months. The only people found around the mountain are nomad Tibetans. A trek around the holy mountain normally takes 7 to 10 days. There are many rivers and streams to cross over so having yaks and horses are essential. Most of the trek is above 4600m / 15,090 feet. The best time to do the trek around the mountain is from late June to early September. Even during these months, nights can be very cold and snow is possible. During the winter, the lows can reach -30C making it a bad time to do the trek.

Trekking around Amnye Machen can be difficult without having a guide who is familiar with the area. To reach the mountain independently, the launching point is the small town of Machen (known as Dawu in Chinese). From Machen you can hire a vehicle to take you out to Chuwarna (Xue Shan in Chinese). Another option is to take the Xining-Jyekundo highway to the town of Huashixia. From Huashixia a road cuts down to the southeast towards the town of Darlag (known as Dari in Chinese). About 60kms after leaving Huashixia, you will cross a mountain pass with an excellent view of Amnye Machen. For the adventurous, you can get off here and trek on your own around the mountain.  This is only recommended if you are familiar with the area and are experienced in high elevation trekking.

Amnye Machen is the mountain that symbolizes Amdo and the northern region of Tibet. It is a great trek with amazing scenery.  For more information about Amnye Machen, please email [email protected]

 

Camping with Nomads on the Grasslands

The grasslands of Tibet in the summer are amazing. They are bright green with many wildflowers mixed in with mountains in the distance. Many nomads are actually only semi-nomadic. Many live in a mud-brick home during the winter months and then live in tents from late spring through early fall. Nomad tents can often be found across the sprawling grasslands of Tibet. The above picture was taken near the Ganjia grasslands located between Rebkong and Labrang in eastern Amdo (near the Qinghai-Gansu province border).

Camping with Tibetans on the grasslands of Amdo can give you an up close look at nomadic Tibetan life that is quickly disappearing. You can help milk the yaks in the morning and then lead them up the mountains to graze (under the watchful eye of a local nomad of course). You can learn how meals are cooked over a yak dung fire and explore the vast grasslands by doing day hikes in the area. Most importantly, you can experience Tibetan hospitality which is second to none. The regions where nomadic camping is arranged are authentic Tibetan areas. They are not "special camps" that are set up for tourists like the one's found in some places in Mongolia. Living conditions are difficult with very few modern conveniences. Even without these things, your time will be a lot of fun and one that you will remember for a lifetime. Living among Tibetan nomads is something that few foreigners are able to experience.

Summer is the best time to go camping with nomads. Most home stays are for 4 to 6 days. Unless you can speak Tibetan, it is highly recommended to hire an English speaking Tibetan translator to go with you.  For more information about camping with Tibetan nomads or information on other regions of Tibet, please send an email to [email protected]

 

 

Tibetan Children

Tibetan children are a lot of fun to be around. No matter if they are from a farming or nomadic family, they are always entertaining to be with. A lot of nomad children, like the girl pictured above, are often shy when you first meet them, but it doesn't take long for them to warm up around you. Young Tibetan children who live in small towns often will use the few words of English that they know when they see you. It is not uncommon to hear children scream "Hal-low!" to you from 300m away. Children who live in remote areas are very curious about the foreigners they see. When walking around temples or small towns, children will often walk behind you studying every action you do.

 Nomad families usually have between 3 and 6 children. The children live in very poor conditions and often aren't able to go to school. Children begin doing chores around the house (many nomads are becoming semi-nomadic living in a mud-brick houses in the winter) or tent when they are 5 or 6 years old. Some of the daily chores include milking the yaks (dri), collecting dung to dry to use as fuel, herding the yaks up the mountain to graze and getting water. Nomad children are often dirty and have dreadlocked hair. During the winter months, the rivers are all frozen solid so it is impossible for them to bathe. Many of my favorite pictures of Tibet are of the nomad children who live there.

 Children in any country are great to take pictures of, but the children of Tibet seem to make the best pictures. I have taken many pictures of Tibetan children over the years that I have lived here, but I have posted just some of my favorites. I hope you enjoy them.

All of these pictures of children were taken in Amdo or Kham. For more information about these regions of Tibet, send an email to [email protected].

                           

            

Nomad Camping Adventure

I camped next to this Amdo Tibetan family last month. They live in a remote region about 110km west of Mado (Maduo) along the shore of Ngoring Lake. Ngoring Lake is one of the main sources which the Yellow River (known as the Ma Chu in Tibetan) flows out of. Nomads are very friendly and hospitable people.

This region sits at 4400m and is well above the tree line. Snow can fall here any day of the year. At night, it was well below freezing even though it was mid-May. Our tents were covered with thick frost in the mornings. I bought 10kg worth of dried yak dung from this family so I could build a campfire. They invited me and my Tibetan friend traveling with me in to share a small meal with them in their black yak hair tent. The meal was some dried yak meat with rice, topped with a lot of yak butter poured over the top served with some milk tea. It was actually quite good.

The family consisted of a set of parents, 3 daughters, a son and a niece of the father. The two younger daughters and the son spent a lot of time over at our tent, which was about 200m from their family's tent. We shared some of our snack food with them which they seemed to enjoy. Living in the remote area where they do,it is not often that they are able to eat any candy. The children have never been to school since the nearest school was nearly 4 hours away by 4WD. The nomads of Tibet are some of the poorest people in China.

On the last morning of our stay at Ngoring Lake, we went over to the nomad family's tent and took a lot of pictures of them. I told them I would bring them a copy of the pictures next time I am in the area. More and more nomads are moving to small towns each year. Who knows how many nomads will exist in 20 years. Tibetan nomads offer a view of traditional Tibetan life and culture that is getting harder and harder to find. I spend a lot of time each year with nomads in both Amdo and Kham. Some of the best times of my life have been spent with them. If you have an opportunity to see authentic Tibetan nomadic life, I encourage you to take it. It will be an unforgetable experience.

For more information about Tibetan nomads, email me at [email protected]

Yellow River in Amdo

The Yellow River has it's source in Yushu Tibet Autonomous Region in southern Qinghai province. The river is the second longest in China with a total length of over 5400kms /3400 miles. From it's source all the way off of the TIbetan Plateau, the Yellow River area is stunning. It offers everything from high snow-capped mountains, to grasslands filled with yaks to farmlands. The Tibetan culture in this area is some of the best preserved in all of Tibet. Here is an example itinerary through the region.

Day 1: Drive 230km from Xining to Qinghai Lake (Tso Ngon in Tibetan). Qinghai Lake is the largest lake in China. From Qinghai Lake you will go to Chabcha (ele. 2800m) to help acclimatize.

Day 2: Travel 350km from Chabcha to Mado (Maduo) in Golok Tibet Autonomous Prefecture. Mado sits at 4300m / 14,104 feet. It is one of the coldest counties of greater Tibet. Snow can fall here any day of the year. The area around Mado is 100% nomadic (pictured below) with many yaks and sheep. There is a small monastery on a hill on the east end of town with thousands of prayer flags around it. In Mado you will stay in a guesthouse.

Day 3: Travel 110km from Mado to Ngoring Lake (pictured at very top). This huge alpine lake is one of the most beautiful and one of the most unknown lakes in Tibet. The road from Mado to the lake is rough and in bad condition. Though it is only 110km, it takes 4 or 5 hours to reach. Ngoring Lake and the lake next to it, Kyaring Lake, are two of the main lakes that the Yellow River flows out of. The remote temple of Tsowar Kartse Dokha (pictured below) is found near the western shore of Ngoring Lake (ele. 4300m). It has many stupas and huge stacks of hand carved Tibetan scripture made from stone. Even in this remote location, it is possible to see some Tibetan pilgrims and worshippers here. Ngoring Lake provides an excellent remote setting for camping. There are many nomads and yaks in the region.

Day 4: Camp again at Ngoring Lake.

Day 5: Drive 200km from Ngoring Lake to the small town of Huashixia in northwest Golok prefecture. Huashixia sits at 4050m / 13,284 feet. Huashixia is a small town with not a lot to do, but it serves as a good place to stay the night and get a good meal. Accommodation is limited to inexpensive guesthouses.

Day 6: Drive 250km from Huashixia to Machen (Dawu). Machen is the capital town of Golok Tibet Autonomous Prefecture. Sixty kilometers past Huashixia, you will come across the holy mountain of Amnye Machen. Amnye Machen (pictured below) sits at 6282m / 20,605 feet and is the site of pilgrimage for many Amdo Tibetans. It is one of the holiest mountains in Tibet. Much of the road from Huashixia to Machen sits above 4500m / 14,760 feet with passes over 4800m. The population along this route is 100% nomadic. It is an excellent route to experience authentic Tibetan nomadic culture. About 50km before arriving in Machen (Dawu) there is another good place to see Amnye Machen. In Machen there are hotels with dorm style rooms as well as double rooms with attached bathrooms.

Day 7: Stay in Machen. There is a huge collection of prayer flags and hand carved scripture tablets as well as a small temple on a hill in the northwest part of town. It is a great place to go hiking. According to locals, this temple serves as a memorial for a battle that was fought here long ago.

Day 8: Travel 330km from Machen to Guide (Trika in Tibetan). Sixty kilometers north of Machen there is the large monastery of Rabgya (elevation 3100m) which has around 500 monks. Rabgya (pictured below) is right along the bank of the Yellow River with huge cliffs above the monastery. Further north of Rabgya monastery you will drive through regions that look similar to the Grand Canyon. The closer you get to Guide, the more green things become. Guide is an oasis town on the Yellow River (pictured at the bottom) sitting at only 2300m / 7544 feet. Most of the Tibetans who live in Guide are farmers. Guide is famous for its hot springs. There are several hotels in town that have access to these hot springs.

Day 9: Drive 140km from Guide to Xining via Kumbum Monastery. Going north from Guide to Xining you cross over a 3800m / 12,464 feet pass. After crossing this pass it's almost all downhill to Xining (elevation 2275m). Twenty kilomters before Xining you reach the cutoff that goes out to Kumbum Monastery. After visiting the monastery you return to Xining.

For more information on this area, please send an email to [email protected]

Rebkong

Rebkong (known as Tongren in Chinese) is a mid-sized town in eastern Amdo.  The town lies next to the Longwu River which is a tributary of the Yellow River.  Rebkong sits in a valley at 2500m with mountains on all sides. It is known in Tibet as a center for Tibetan art. Thangkas (Tibetan Buddhist paintings) from Rebkong can be found in homes and monasteries all across Tibet. In Rebkong and in several of the small villages nearby, you can see the Tibetan artist's carefully painting thangkas in great detail. Art students from Amdo and beyond come here to study under skilled artists until they become master painters themselves.

There are several large monasteries in and around Rebkong. Gomar, Rongbo, Wutun and Nyentok monasteries are all within 7km of town. Some of the most elaborate chortens (pictured above) in Amdo are found around Rebkong. Though Rebkong has a diverse population of Tibetans, Chinese and Hui (a Muslim people group found in northeastern Amdo), it is still a good place to go to learn more about traditional Tibetan culture.

Getting to Rebkong is easy. There are buses every hour from Xining and a daily bus from Labrang (Xiahe). More and more people are going to Rebkong from Xining and then continuing on to Labrang and then Langmusi. This route takes you through some great regions of Amdo. In Rebkong there are a couple of decent hotels to stay at. The most popular are the Huangnan Hotel and the Post Hotel. Both places have reasonably priced doubles with attached bathrooms and showers.

For more information on Rebkong, please send an email to [email protected]

Handwoven Yak Wool Tents

Nomad tents are usually made from yak wool that has been hand spun into yarn. It takes about a year to make a mid-sized tent. When going to a nomad home, it is common to see the women spinning yak wool into yarn. Mongolian gers (nomad tents) are often very thick and well insulated. Tibetan tents are very thin. From inside the tent you can see the blue Tibetan sky through the hand spun yarn. Nomad tents are held up using hand spun yak wool rope and 8 to 12 wooden poles. The top of the tent has a large opening that is used to let smoke out and to let the warm sunshine in. Prayer flags will always be flying outside across the top.

The inside of nomad tents are very simple. Nomads are very poor and own few belongings. Inside there will be some sleeping mats and blankets, a stove, a table or two, a few extra clothes and a little food. Nearly all tents will have a picture of a local lama and often will have a picture of the 14th Dalai Lama. A thangka (Tibetan buddhist painting) will also be found hanging inside.

Yaks are kept tied up outside of the tent using lines of rope that are made secure by two wooden stakes driven into the ground. Each line of rope will have 8 to 10 small loops which are put around one of the yaks feet at night (or tied through the yak's nose). A few dogs will also be kept tied up outside the tent. Large piles of dried yak dung are stored close to the tent. Since many nomadic areas of Tibet have no trees, yak dung is often the only source of fuel. It is common to see Tibetan buddhist sculptures made in the yak dung.

Hand woven yak wool tents are quickly disappearing. Many nomads now only live in these tents in the summer months. They live in mud-brick homes the rest of the year. Others are moving into towns to live in traditional style Tibetan homes or are being relocated into cities (such as Xining) where the government gives them a modern style apartment. I visited a remote monastery last December and came across several dozen yak wool tents in a storage area. I was told that these tents had be sold to the monastery over the past 6 months by nomads who were moving into mud-brick homes.

Though there are fewer and fewer yak wool tents each year in Tibet, there are still a few areas that have them. The northern regions of Nagchu and Ngari prefectures in the Tibet Autonomous Region, Yushu prefecture in southern Qinghai and northern Ganzi prefecture in Sichuan province all have nomads still living in yak wool tents. For more information about nomads, please email me at [email protected].

Tibet Highways

This is a shot along the Xining-Jyekundo Highway between Mado (Maduo) and Domda (Qingshui He) just as the sun was about to set. The elevation here is about 4500m.

I came across an article a while back that was about the construction of the railway from Golmud to Lhasa. The article is from December 2003 and it stated that up to that point there had been no deaths during the construction of the railway due to altitude sickness. The article, from a Chinese website, went on to talk about deaths that occured while building highways across the Tibetan Plateau, particularly the highways from Xining to Jyekundo (Yushu), Sichuan to Lhasa and Qinghai to Lhasa. I was amazed by the statistics that I read. During the construction of the Sichuan-Tibet and Qinghai-Tibet highways a total of 3000 people were killed or 1 person for every 2 kilometers. Those are pretty high numbers, but not nearly as high as the number killed building the highway from Xining to Jyekundo. Over 10,000 people died building the highway to Jyekundo (which was finished in 1943)! From Xining to Jyekundo is about 825km / 516 miles. That equals 12 deaths per kilometer or 19 deaths per mile! That is insane! I don't think I can ever travel on these highways again without thinking about how many people died building them. I thought I would include some pictures of these main highways that go through the Tibetan Plateau.

 

The top picture is along the route from Darlag to Machen at an elevation of 3800m. The picture above is along the south side of Amnye Machen near the town of Huashixia at 4100m.

This is near Amnye Machen along the north face at 4100m.

Tibetan Hospitality

For this article I am going to write about Tibetan hospitality. According to Wiktionary hospitality is defined as "the act or service of welcoming, receiving, hosting or entertaining guests". Hospitality is something that Tibetans are very good at. I never cease to be amazed at the courtesies extended to me by nomads, college-aged students or by my Tibetan neighbors living in my complex.

I am from the US (west coast to be precise) where we are not really known for our hospitality. I am familiar with the term "Southern Hospitality" and have experienced it to some degree, but even that is of no comparison to the hospitality found in Tibet (and really in most of Asia). When I was young, I read a few stories about people who would hitchhike across the US in the 1950's and totally rely on the hospitality of strangers to make it from one coast to the other. These people weren't free loaders. They would offer to work for the family in exchange for a ride, a hot meal or a place to stay for a few days. Many young people traveled across the States and Canada in this way. Back then it seemed that taking in people was something normal to do. Offering a ride to a hitchhiker was common. Inviting strangers to dinner wasn't weird. But times change. Most people in the US don't pick up hitchhikers. Most people don't stop to talk to people they don't know. Most people would never think of inviting someone over for tea or dinner that they had just met. Some people may argue that it is too dangerous to do those acts of hospitality and kindness in this day and age. I understand that (but I don't accept that as an excuse). But, in many regions of the world (even in some areas that are thought "dangerous") this type of hospitality is found everyday.

I have been fortunate to travel to most corners of Tibet over the past 5 years. In 2006 alone I traveled nearly 25,000km (15,600 miles) overland through Greater Tibet. The hospitality shown to me was amazing. In December 2006, I did some research for The Discovery Channel among the nomads of northern Kham. For 8 days I spent my time with nomads who lived either in black yak hair tents, or in small mud brick houses. When I entered into their homes, they were always excited to see me. Even if they were busy doing work, they took time to sit down with me to talk. Within a minute or two of me arriving, a cup of milk tea or butter tea was in front of me. Every time I took even the smallest sip of tea, someone (usually the wife or oldest daughter) was there to refill my cup. Bread and candies were placed in front of me as well as some dried yak meat. I came to these nomad tents unannounced. They had no idea I was coming. At one place I visited, one of the older daughters began to cook up some yak meat just for me and my two Tibetan friends who were traveling with me (picture is above). Many of the families I interviewed during this trip offered to let me stay in their tents or houses free of charge.

In 2003 my wife and I visited a good friend of mine who lived in northeast Amdo. We were in the area and decided to take the hour long taxi ride to his village (his village was actually only about 25km / 15 miles away, but it took over an hour due to horrible road conditions). The plan was to visit him and his family for a few hours or so and then head back to the county town. When we arrived, my friends family was so happy to see us. They had no idea we were coming, but were still excited that we came to visit them. We visited them for a few hours and then told them we had to get on our way back into the county town. Our friends had a puzzled look on their faces. They thought we were going to stay with them for 3 or 4 days...not just 3 or 4 hours! Even though we had shown up completely uninvited, they wanted us to stay with them for as long as we could. We kindly explained to them that we only had a short time to be with them and that we had to be on our way. They couldn't understand why we would only come to visit them for a few hours. My wife and I felt bad, but we really had to be on our way.

In the US if people show up at your house uninvited, you will probably be annoyed with them. "Why didn't they give us a call before they showed up??", some may think. Most people in the US definitely wouldn't want people to stay with them 3 or 4 days having arrived uninvited. Tibetan hospitality is so much different than that of Americans. I have read many books about Tibetans who have went on pilgrimage to the capital city of Lhasa. Many of them live in places far from Lhasa and it takes them a year or more to walk there. The pilgrims often rely on other Tibetans for food and shelter while on the long pilgrimage. These pilgrims tell many stories of the Tibetan families that took them in during their journey. These families fed them, gave them a bed to sleep in and often gave them a little money or tsampa (roasted barley flour) to help them with the rest of their trip. This may have existed in America in the 1950's, but it is gone today.

We have many Tibetan friends. Tibetans don't celebrate birthdays. Many Tibetans are not even sure when their birthday is (I once had a friend tell me that he was born either in the spring of 1981 or spring 1982. His father wasn't quite sure.). Since I am an American, birthday parties are a part of my culture. I always have a birthday party and invite between 25 to 35 of my good Tibetan friends to my house for a party. I always tell them NOT to bring me gifts. Since Tibetans don't exchange presents or even celebrate their birthdays, I wouldn't want to ask them to do something that was contrary to their culture. But every year almost all of my Tibetan friends bring me a gift. My office at my home is filled with gifts my Tibetan friends have given me over the years (from yak heads to sheep skins). Their hospitality to me isn't just shown in their homes. They bring it with them to my home as well.

I want to say thank you to the countless Tibetans I have met over the years who have shown me a form of hospitality I have NEVER been shown in my country. Of all the things I have learned from Tibetans, I hope I never forget how to be a hospitable person. Most Americans are too busy to show real hospitality. Maybe it isn't just that they are busy. Perhaps they just don't care. I know I didn't care about it before I came to Tibet. But after living on the Tibetan Plateau for 5 years, I hope I have changed. Thanks for taking a minute to read this.

Tibetan Horse Festival in Amdo

Horse festivals take place throughout Tibet each summer. Some of the more famous ones such as the Jyekundo, Litang and Nagchu horse festivals attract tens of thousands of spectators, while smaller ones may only have a few hundred. This picture was taken at a small horse festival  on the grasslands near Labrang in eastern Amdo province. Hundreds on nomad Tibetans arrived to the event on horseback. The dew on the grasslands was frozen even though it was July. Amdo Tibetans are known for their horse riding skills, even though more and more nomads are trading in their horse for a motorcycle. Horse festivals are one of the most fascinating aspects of Tibetan culture.

Kumbum Monastery

Kumbum Monastery is one of the six great Gelukpa sect monasteries in Tibet. The others are Ganden (70 minutes outside Lhasa), Sera (Lhasa), Drepung (Lhasa), Tashilhunpo (Shigatse) and Labrang (Xiahe). Kumbum monastery is located 26km / 16 miles from Xining (known as Silang in Tibetan) in northeast Amdo. Though it is now known as being one of the biggest Chinese tourist attractions in the area, Kumbum has been a very important monastery in Tibetan history.

Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelukpa sect, was born in 1357 where Kumbum monastery now stands. Tsongkhapa was responsible for bringing a major reformation to Tibetan buddhism in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. The Gelukpa sect eventually gained political power in Tibet and rules Tibet (in exile) to this day. When Tsongkhapa was born, a drop of blood from his cut umbilical cord fell to the ground. From this drop of blood a huge sandalwood tree grew with 100,000 leaves. Each leaf supposedly had an image of buddha on it (Kumbum means "100,000 images" in Tibetan). In 1379, Tsongkhapa's mother built a small temple with a chorten (Sanskrit: stupa) around the tree. In 1481, local nomads from the area added other buildings to the temple. In 1577 Sonam Gyatso, the 3rd Dalai Lama, was invited to Mongolia by Altan Khan. Enroute to Mongolia, he stopped at the area where Tsongkhapa was born. He ordered that a large monastery be built and appointed a head lama. The monastery was finished in 1583.

Several other Dalai Lama's visited or lived at Kumbum. In 1603, the 4th Dalai Lama, Yonten Gyatso, stopped at Kumbum monastery on his way to Lhasa. The 7th Dalai Lama, Kelsang Gyatso, was also taken to Kumbum before going to Lhasa. The 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso, visited the monastery several times during his reign. The 14th and current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, was born in the small village of Takster about 65km / 41 miles from Kumbum. When he was recognized as the Dalai Lama, he was taken to Kumbum where he lived for 18 months before moving to Lhasa. Pictures of the 14th Dalai Lama are found in several of the halls of Kumbum. His picture is illegal to have in Tibet, but many monasteries and families outside of the Lhasa-Shigatse area keep his picture up despite the law.

In the 1950's there were around 3500 monks at Kumbum. Today there are around 700. Kumbum is famous across Tibet for its yak butter sculptures. These elaborate creations are made by hand and are made completely of butter. Monk dancing (Tibetan: Cham) takes place on several occasions each year. The current abbot of Kumbum monastery is Arjia Lobsang Thubten Rinpoche. He was born to a Mongolian family in eastern Amdo. He fled Tibet in 1998 and lives in exile in California.

Kumbum monastery can be easily reached from Xining. On Kunlun Zhong Lu (near Xi Men) there are taxi's that will take you the 26km to the monastery for Y20. This price is per car and not per person. You can also take a bus to the town of Huangzhong (the small town where Kumbum is) for Y4 per person. The entrance fee to the monastery is Y80 (it was raised from Y35 to Y80 in 2006). The best time to go to the monastery is around Losar (Tibetan New Year). Many Tibetans from Amdo come to the monastery during this time. Try and avoid going to the monastery during the summer. Loads of Chinese tourists are there everyday.

Milking the yak

 This Amdo nomad girl was out early in the morning milking her family's yaks. Her and her family were very happy to see me when I stopped and took this picture in early November. This girl and her family owned around 100 sheep and 60 yaks.

Nomad Trip on the Northern Plateau

November 10th I had three friends arrive in Xining who wanted to check out some nomad areas in the northern Kham region of Tibet. I had been planning this short trip with them for over a month and was very excited. Anytime I can get off the beaten paths across Tibet makes me happy. I had arranged to rent a car (a Hong Qi...an Audi rip-off that is made in China) from a company in Xining. Since I have a Chinese driver's license I am able to rent cars without any problems. I took along a good Tibetan friend of mine on the trip named Sonam Gonpo (aka "Bill"). Bill comes from Nangchen on his mother's side and from Trindo on his father's side. Since my Tibetan is far from fluent, Bill would act as our translator among the nomad families we would be visiting. Bill can speak his native language of Kham Tibetan, but also speaks Chinese fluently and his Amdo Tibetan and English aren't too bad either.

On November 11th around 10:30am we began our trip. Since my three friends from back home (Rima, Patrick and Adriel) weren't acclimatized to the altitude, we decided to take two days to drive down to Jyekundo, the capital town of Yushu Tibet Autonomous Prefecture. The drive down would take us to just about 5000m in a couple of different places, so taking time to properly acclimatize was important. The drive south was full of adventures. Only about 30 minutes west of Xining there was a rockslide that came down and buried 3/4 of the 4-lane highway. An army 4WD vehicle was badly damaged in the rockslide. The road was covered in huge boulders. We safely navigated our way through the rocks being thankful that we weren't there when the slide actually happened.

Ninety-five kilometers southwest of Xining we reached the 3400m/11,152ft Sun Moon Mountain Pass (Nyima Dawa La in Tibetan). This mountain pass is considered the cultural border of Tibet and China to many Tibetan people. The Tibetan side of the pass is quite different from the Chinese side. Farmlands turn into grasslands full of yaks. Ni Hao (Hello in Chinese) is replaced with Cho De Mo (a typical gretting in Amdo Tibetan). Milk tea or butter tea is served instead of green tea. To the Chinese this is Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. To the Tibetans this Amdo province, Tibet. We stopped for a few minutes at the top of the pass to gaze on the grasslands of Amdo.

From the pass we continued to head south to the small Tibetan town of Tsigorthang. Tsigorthang (Xinghai in Chinese) sits at 3300m/10825 ft so it would serve as a good place to spend the night before crossing the 5000m passes the next day. We found a decent hotel for Y25/$3 a person. The hotel had heat which was important since night time temperatures here got down to around -13C/8F. We found a decent Chinese restaurant and had an early dinner before exploring the town. Not many foreigners make it to Tsigorthang so we were stared at plenty by the locals. A lot of nomads were in the town buying supplies. We walked through a local market that sells a lot of nomad supplies and literally everyone stopped to look at us. There is a small monastery on the outskirts of town so we made our way over there. I have been to countless monasteries across Tibet so I was fairly unimpressed with it. There were quite a few local Tibetans walking around the large stupa in front of the monastery chanting the classic Tibetan prayer "Om Mani Padme Hum". We went to bed early since we had a long day ahead of us.

We left around 8am the next day. The sunrise was beautiful as it rose above the snow-capped Amnye Machen range. It was cold, but we were happy to be on our way. About an hour after we left we came across a family of Amdo Tibetan nomads. We stopped and they happily greeted us. They allowed us to take a lot of pictures and to freely walk around their camp. They had around 120 sheep and at least 50 yaks. They lived in 4 tents that were set up close to each other. All together there

were around 12 people living in these 4 tents. Since it was still early, they had yet to take their sheep and yak out to graze. We stayed with the family for around a half an hour before getting back on the road.

After we left, the nice paved road turned into a not-so-good dirt road that lasted for about 45km/28 miles. Not far into it we not only blew a tire, but the muffler fell off. We quickly changed the flat tire, but fixing the muffler was a bit more difficult. We had no wire or anything to tie the muffler back on. Someone found a shoe string to use, but it only held the muffler for about 10 minutes before it fell off again. After it fell off the second time, we found some wire and Adriel crawled under the car and tied the muffler up again. When we reached the next town (over 90 minutes away) we found a mechanic who fixed the muffler and patched up our blown tire. He charged us Y50/$6 which I thought wasn't too bad for an hour's work. After eating some disgusting noodles, we were back on our way.

After the 45km stretch of dirt road, the road became paved again so driving went by fast. We quickly cruised through the Amdo region of Tibet to the Bayan Kala mountain pass. There were three signs listing the elevation for the pass and all three were different. My altimeter read 4950m/16,236ft which was in the middle of the three elevations listed. This pass marks the border between Amdo and Kham. North of the pass is Amdo. South is Kham. We stopped there to take some pictures of the pass and the view from the top.

From the pass the road barely drops in elevation. Most of the highway through here sits at around 4500m/14,760ft. We found a nomad family camped alongside the road so we stopped for a visit. The men were actually out working. The mom and daughter were left at the tent to work. I walked in their black yak hair tent. The top flap of the tent was open to allow the warm sunshine in. The outside temperature at 4500m on the northern Tibetan Plateau was cold, but the bright sun made it feel a lot warmer. A couple of us sat down and the women poured some yak milk tea for us and offered us some food. We politely declined the food, but drank the tea. Using Bill as a translator, I asked the family a few questions. They were nomads from the Domda area of Trindo county in northern Yushu Tibet Autonomous Prefecture. They weren't rich, but weren't poor either. They owned around 70 yaks. The young woman was 18 and had never attended school in her life. Her family had never even traveled to the prefecture capital of Jyekundo.  The two women let us take a

lot of great pictures and we thanked them many times for their hospitality and kindness. I told them that I would bring them a copy of the pictures I took next spring.  I look forward to meeting them again at that time.

From there we continued our journey south. Just outside the small town of Domda (Qingshui He in Chinese) we came across another nomad family. This family was actually related to our Tibetan companion Bill. We were all getting tired and is was getting dark so we didn't stay too long. We were all looking forward to getting to Jyekundo and eating some decent food.

At around 7:30pm we pulled into Jyekundo. We stopped into a new guesthouse on the edge of town and then went out to eat. Since Jyekundo is a big town, there are lots of good restaurants and we were all very hungry after a long day of traveling.

We spent the next two days hiking around the areas around Jyekundo. We drove out to the Batang sky burial site and then up to the Princess Wencheng Temple. From there we drove about an hour or so out a dirt road leading to the Lheba area. We almost didn't make it since we had to cross a small river. We took it nice and slow and made our way across. I had met a nomad family in this area earlier in the summer and I was hoping that they would still be there. They weren't. There was no trace of them. We parked the car and decided to hike up a small "hill". Our car was parked at an elevation of 4600m/15,088ft. We hiked up the "hill" and were rewarded with an awesome panoramic view of the mountains. The elevation at the top of our "hill" was around 4800m/15,744ft. The wind was blowing hard at the top which caused the air to be freezing cold.

After our time in Jyekundo, we went north to the nomadic county of Trindo. It was only 126km/79 miles so we made it into town around noon. Bill's father's family is from this area so he knew many people. He took us over to his uncle's house were we stayed that night. The county town of Trindo is a small, quiet town. Like most Tibetan towns, there was an outdoor pool hall in the middle of town. We stopped and played some pool for a while before walking around town. There is a small Sakya monastery in town that we walked around. I have two good Tibetan friends who work as elementary teachers in the county town. One of them invited us to the school. All of the students went crazy when they saw us! They were all so excited to have foreigners visiting their school. The four of us split up and each taught a 45 minute English class. It was a great time!

After our class, we went to visit some of Bill's relatives who were nomads. They lived about 20 minutes outside of the county town on a dirt road high up in a valley. Bill's older brother lived there along with Bill's grandma and one of his uncles. Together the family owned 140 yaks. Bill hadn't seen his grandma in over 5 years. When we pulled up his grandma came out of the house. She had no idea who we were. We all walked toward her house including Bill. At first Bill's grandma didn't recognize him. Then she realized who he was. She grabbed him and began to kiss him on his forehead, cheeks and lips. She then began to cry. It had been five long years since she had seen her grandson. Bill was a bit embarrassed, but understood why his grandma was so happy.  We spent the

next several hours hanging out with different members of Bill's family. They gave us fresh yak milk basically straight from the udder (tasted a lot like yak meat). The family changed into their best clothes and let us take pictures of them. The yaks were all high up on the mountain. Later that evening they were brought down and tied up. When the yaks are brought down, everyone in the family helps with tying them up for the night. Bill's uncle brought out a bigger yak for us to take turns riding. It's always a lot of fun riding a yak!!

After spending several hours with Bill's nomad relatives we had to leave. Bill and his grandma said goodbye in a very traditional way...by pressing their foreheads together. Tibetans are very close with their relatives. We were all a bit sad to see Bill say goodbye to some relatives he probably won't see again for quite some time. From there we went back to Bill's uncle's house in the county town.

When we arrived the family was busy cooking dinner for us. Dinner was simple...some noodles with yak meat and vegetables. We were all exhauseted so after dinner we went to bed.

The next morning we started out early for Mado. Mado is 275km/172 miles north of Trindo and is actually in Amdo. We stopped and visited another Kham Tibetan nomad family near the border between Kham and Amdo. This family was very poor. They owned only 7 yaks and no sheep. For nomads this is extreme poverty. Even though the family was so poor, they invited me and Adriel in for some yak milk tea. They pulled out some mats for us to sit on and we spent some time relaxing with them. After we finished our tea, we were on our way.

The part of the northern Plateau we were driving through is all above 4200m / 13,776ft so it is cold even in the summer. As we got close to Mado we came across two young Amdo Tibetan boys herding their sheep. They weren't too far off the road so Bill and I made our way over to them. I had Bill ask them how old they were. Both of them answered that they had no idea how old they were. It is very common for Tibetan nomads to not know their birthday. In Tibetan culture, birthdays are not observed. I have met many Tibetan nomads over the past few years who don't have a clue when their birthday is or even how old they really are. These two boys were herding their sheep with their big dog by their side. The older boy held the dog by the thick chain around it's neck. They let us take a couple of pictures and then we were on our way to Mado.

Mado is one of the highest towns on the far northern Tibetan Plateau. It sits at 4300m / 14,104ft and is more north than any town on the Changtang. It freezes here close to 300 days a year. When we arrived at 2 in the afternoon it was around -9C/16F with winds close to 50kph/32mph. I have no idea what that put the windchill at, but it was cold. Almost unbearable. That night it got down to almost -18C/0F. That evening around 8pm, Patrick and I went for a walk. We didn't walk far because of the cold. We peaked our head into a restaurant and saw a bunch of nomads sitting around a coal stove. We decided to get out of the cold and join them. The waitress quickly brought us a cup of salty tea. We spent the next 45 minutes hanging out with a group of tough Amdo nomads.

The next day we drove the rest of the way back to Xining. About 3 hours before Xining I hit a big pothole and blew a front strut (shock). That made driving the rest of the way very difficult. The car was wanting to go all over the road. Around 3pm we finally pulled into town. All of us were exhausted and were either sick or just getting over being sick (3 of us came down with giardia). Even though we were only gone 7 days, we all had a great time. In total we met with five Tibetan nomad families. Those three people from my hometown who traveled with me may not be back in Tibet ever again, but I am sure they will never forget those 7 days. This was just another of many great trips I have had through Tibet.

Yaks...The official animal of Tibet

Yaks. When people think of the animals of Tibet, a yak has to be among the first they think of. Eighty-five percent (or about 10 million) of the world's yaks live on the Tibetan Plateau. A yak is built to survive tough environments. Yaks have three times more red blood cells than normal cows so they are able to live without any problems on the high elevation grasslands of Tibet. Their long, thick hair insulates their bodies from winter temperatures that can get to -30C (-22F) or colder. Most yaks are black, but it is not uncommon to see white or gray ones especially on the grasslands of northern Amdo (modern day Qinghai province).

Tibetans have a long history of using yaks. Experts believe that yaks were first domesticated in Tibet at least 3000 years ago. They are sturdy, sure-footed and perfect for using as pack animals to cross high mountain passes. They can easily carry loads of 70kg (154lb) along rough and steep mountain trails. For centuries yaks have been used to carry salt from the Changtang (northern Plateau) to towns across Tibet and even across the Himalaya into the Dolpo region of Nepal. Yaks can begin being used as pack animals at age 2 and can often live to be over 20 years old.

Yaks are the most important animals to the Tibetan people. Nomads keep yaks in herds between 20 and 100. Most of Tibet is treeless, so dried yak dung is used as fuel for fires. Yak hair is woven into yarn and used to make tents and rope. Yak hide is used to make boots and boats. Yak meat is eaten by nearly every Tibetan family. It is high in protein with only one-sixth the fat of regular beef. In the summer months it is dried, but in winter it is often eaten raw. Yak milk is high in fat and is usually made into butter, yogurt and cheese. Yaks are always given names, but their names are different from the names given to people.

Wild yaks, called "drong" in Tibetan, once roamed all across Tibet. They were hunted to near extinction and now number less than 1000. Males can measure up to 2m (6ft 6in) at the shoulder and weigh up to 1000kg (2200lb). Most of the wild yaks of Tibet now live in the Kekexili Nature Preserve located in southwest Qinghai and northeast Tibet Autonomous Region. Inside Kekexili they are protected from hunters. China government officials are spending a lot of money in hopes of multiplying the number of wild yak in Tibet.

 In nomadic areas, yaks are still used as a mode of transportation. Yaks are either fitted with a saddle or are ridden bareback. It is not uncommon to see children riding a yak while out grazing the yaks. Many towns across Tibet hold annual summer horse festivals. Nearly every horse festival will hold a yak race which adds to the fun of the festival.

Nomads

Even though it is now the 21st century, there are still well over 1 million nomads on the Tibetan Plateau. Nomads, known as "drokpa" in Tibetan, live a difficult life. Most Tibetan nomads live in Amdo, northwest Kham and Changtang. Nomads are easily identifiable by their wind-burned cheeks and thick fur coats. Winters in these areas are brutal with temperatures often getting below -30C (-22F). Most areas where nomads live are above 4000m (13,120ft) so winters are long and summers are short.

Tibetan nomads live in black yak wool tents  called "ba" in Tibetan. These tents will house an entire family and their belongings. The tent is heated with a yak dung stove. Since many regions of Tibet are above the tree line, dried yak dung is used as fuel. Women and children go out every morning and collect yak dung to be dried. Nomad tents are easy to put up and take down. When a family is ready to move to a new pasture, the tents are rolled up and packed onto yaks. Prayer flags can usually be found strung up outside of nomad tents. It is also common for nomad tents to have idols and images of Buddha inside. In the summer months it is common for Tibetans to live in white, canvas tents. These tents often have one or more of the eight auspicious symbols on it. These canvas tents are also used during horse festivals. Nomads will often live with members of their extended family. Usually nomad tents are in groups of two or three, though sometimes they are alone. Nomads live far from towns and villages and have little in modern technology. In some areas, nomad life has changed little over the past 500 years.

Nomads herd yaks and sheep. A small herd of yaks will be 20 while a large herd could have over 100. Nomads keep their yak in line using a sling shot made of woven yak hair. Boys as young as 7 can be seen herding yaks on their own. Older men will bring a thermos of milk tea or butter tea with them when they head out to graze their yaks. Watching the yaks graze can be quite boring so often nomad men can be seen laying in the bright sun taking short naps. While the men are out grazing the yaks, the women stay at the tent and take care of the chores there. Gathering water is important as is cooking food and watching the children.

Nomads don't sleep on beds, but on sleeping mats. The sleeping mats are more like rugs. They keep warm using blankets and sheep furs. Nomads wear big sheep fur lined coats with extra long sleeves called "chuba". These coats are very warm and help to keep them warm on cold winter days. Hats made from fox fur are worn by most nomads along with boots made from yak hide and lined with fur. These boots come up high on the leg to just below the knee. A long, sharp knife can be found on the side of every nomad. Tibetans cut towards themselves, not away from themselves as most people in the West are taught. Amulets or pictures of the Dalai Lama are worn around their necks along with many strings of prayer beads.

Tibetan nomads are some of the most interesting people on earth. They life in some of the most remote areas and endure many hardships. Nomads are happy to have you come and look around their tent and share a cup of butter tea with them. Most travelers to Tibet don't see nomads. They live far from the bright lights of Lhasa. If you have the chance, I would highly recommend spending a few days with this unique group of people. A lot of my free time is spent hanging out with them.

Go here for more nomad pictures.