Tibetpedia

Author: Tsering Tso

  • Inspiration from a Tibetan Mother

    Inspiration from a Tibetan Mother

    Namdon is the owner of the beautiful Tibet Family Kitchen in Lhasa. More than a restaurant offering mouth-watering Tibetan food, the cooking classes offered here are a cultural experience every traveler must include on their trip to this ancient city. Though her one room kitchen operation has grown into a two-story restaurant with a roof-top patio near the old town, her friendliness and hospitality still ensures every guest experiences the warmth of a “family kitchen”. Extravagant Yak is proud to know her and feature her business on Tibetpedia.com. This is her story.

    Outside Tibet Family Kitchen, Lhasa
    Tibetan Family Kitchen in Lhasa

    My name is Namdon. I was born in Shigatse, a small village of Renbu County, central Tibet. I had a hard childhood compared to many other kids in my village because both of my parents worked away from our hometown. As a child, I spent most my time with my grandma. I looked after our family’s cows in the morning and went to school in the afternoon.  My family’s economic condition didn’t allow me to continue my education journey after primary school. Later on, I moved to Lhasa and stayed with my cousin who helped me with my studies and sent me to a private language school. I picked up English and with this skill, became a guide at my cousin’s travel agency until 2013. I loved the guiding job and it was also during that time I met my husband Lumbum. We married in 2009 and our first daughter was born in 2011. Our parents helped us look after her while we continued guiding, but it was hard for me to be away from her so, I decided to give up my job and take care of her myself. I enjoyed being a full-time mother, but it was challenging for our family to rely solely on my husband’s income. 

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    Namdon and Her Lovely Daughters

    With my cousin’s brainstorming and encouragement, I opened a small restaurant on the floor above her office to provide staff meals for her employees. I loved this business as I am passionate about cooking. This is how the “Tibetan Family Kitchen” was born. At the beginning, I cooked, and my husband delivered the food. I love how our family worked as a team. We worked to make income, yet most importantly our family did not need to be apart anymore.  After some time went by, travel agencies added our cooking classes to their activities and they became popular on Trip Advisor. I was honored to receive many international friends at my restaurant and share Tibetan food with them.  In 2015, we had one more new family member, our younger daughter Tenzin Wangmu was born. She has grown up at our restaurant and when she was small, often my guests helped me feed her when she cried. One of my guests wrote some humorous feedback, “the food is amazing, but you need to prepare to be a nanny!” 

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    Cooking Class at Tibetan Family Kitchen

    I enjoy introducing Tibetan food to international friends in Lhasa. A special time each afternoon is after 4:30pm when I take my guests to the Lhasa Old Market to purchase food and show them local people’s daily life. After school, my kids spend most of their time at my restaurant doing their homework and sometimes helping me order food or clean the restaurant. I am so lucky and blessed to be with them. Every international children’s day we close the restaurant and celebrate with them. We take them to visit monasteries and go hiking. When it’s low season for our business, we take family trips to different places in Tibet. I want my kids to grow up with happiness, health and peace. I love being a mom and I love my work. Having my family a part of my job each day is a gift. The best love I can give my children is to be with them as they grow up. 

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    Namdon and Her Family

    The COVID 19 virus has affected my business and unfortunately also so many others in the world. I hope the virus will be gone soon and people can get back to their normal life. I also hope people treasure their loved ones and maintain health and peace at this difficult time. 

    Being a mother helped me understand and love my mother more and be more compassionate towards others. I hope I can be a role model for my daughters. Enjoy the amazing journey of being a mother. On this Mother’s Day, I wish all mothers the best! Happy Mother’s Day!

  • Tibet Travel Information

    Are there any Taboos for travelers in Tibet?

    While much grace is given by Tibetan hosts to foreigners to not have to totally fit in, there are a few big no-no’s to try to avoid while traveling in Tibet.

    • Don’t step on religious objects or prayer flags.
    • When entering a door, step over (not on) the threshold.
    • Usually you are expected to remove shoes before entering monasteries or temples. Typically, though, you do not need to remove shoes to enter a person’s home.
    • Don’t touch (or even approach!) dogs in Tibet. Whether stray or domestic, dogs are wild and unpredicatable.
    • Do not show public displays of affection (kissing, excessive touching, etc.)
    • Don’t take pictures of people or inside the monasteries unless you have permission.
    • Don’t discuss any sensitive political topics in public.
    • Dress conservatively (nothing above the knees, no spaghetti straps, etc.)

    Anything I should avoid if I stay at a local Tibetan family’s home?

    • Don’t place bowls or cups on the floor. The floor is the dirtiest part of the house and the feet are the dirtiest part of the body.
    • Don’t put your feet on tables.
    • Don’t wear revealing clothes outside your bedroom (i.e. be fully dressed when you emerge!)
    • Don’t go in the god-room (shrine) without family’s permission.
    • Don’t put your socks on the fireplace to dry. (It’s been tried.)
    • Always drink boiled water.

    Can I withdraw cash from local banks in Tibet?

    At certain banks, yes. But banks are not always abundant outside of major towns. Large Chinese banks like ICBC, Construction Bank and Bank of Communications are connected internationally and foreigners usually have no trouble withdrawing cash from these banks. When you get to more rural areas, there may only be small local banks or an Agriculture Bank of China. These are not as reliable for international cash withdrawal. We recommend getting sufficient cash in Chengdu, Kangding, Lhasa or other major cities before going to travel to more remote places in Tibet. Please notify your bank regarding your travel dates before departing for your trip. Debit cards such as American Express, Diners Club, JCB, Master and Visa are accepted at most banks.

    Can I use my credit card in Tibet?

    In the not too distant past, across all of China, merchants who accepted international credit cards were a very rare breed. Today, it is much more possible to pay with credit card in Chinese cities. However, while it may grow to become more ubiquitous in Tibet, credit card payment systems are still virtually non-existent (with perhaps the exception of a few five-star hotels in Lhasa). So, bring your card for your shopping malls in Chinese cities, but don’t expect to be able to use them during your time in Tibet.

    What about tipping? How much?

    Tips are not required at restaurants and hotels. Some are relieved by this, but most have a difficult time fighting the urge from their cultural background to give tips to these staff. Feel no compunction in those situations! However, TIPS ARE EXPECTED for your driver and guide after a tour concludes. A rule of thumb is: $20 per day for guide and $10 per day for driver collectively as tour group.

    Do I need to get a permit to travel to Kham and Amdo Tibetan areas?

    No, you don’t need Tibet permit to travel to the Kham and Amdo Tibetan areas. You only need a Chinese tourist visa to travel to these areas. Tibet Travel Permits (TTP) are required for all travelers wishing to visit the open tourist areas of the Tibetan province (TAR). Your guide will keep the original document with him/her at all times during your travels. Your guide will need to present it along with your passports for inspection in order to pass through airports, train stations, bus stations and roadside checkpoints.

    Can I travel on my own in Tibet after my tour is finished?

    Yes, in the Kham and Amdo areas, you are allowed to travel in as an individual. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to stay more time than your organized tour itinerary dictates in Lhasa or other regions of the TAR. Your travel agency representative and/or tour guide assigned to your group will ensure that you exit the TAR before your permit expires.

    When I’m applying for a Chinese visa, should I write “Tibet” as one of my destinations?

    No. Doing so may cause your visa to be denied. Include cities of entry, such as Beijing or Chengdu. No need to include an exhaustive itinerary of your planned destinations.

    What is the easiest way to reach the Kham area of Tibet?

    The easiest way to reach the Kham area of Tibet is through Chengdu. Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan. It is a 6-8 hour drive or 50 minute flight from Chengdu to the capital of Kham, Kangding (Dartsendo).

    What is the easiest way to reach the Amdo area of Tibet?

    The easiest way to reach Amdo is through Xining or Chengdu. Xining is the capital of Qinghai province and also is the largest city on Tibetan plateau. From Xining, it takes 2-3 hours by bus to reach Qinghai Tibetan nomad area. Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan; it takes 7 hours by bus to reach Amdo areas of Tibet and it takes 1 and 20 minutes to fly to Xiahe (Labrang) airport.

    Are there airports in the Kham area of Tibet?

    Yes. Kangding (Dartsendo) airport (KGT), Yushu (Yulshul) airport (YUS) and Yading (Nyiden) airport (DCY) are all located in the Kham area of Tibet.

    Are their airports in the Amdo area of Tibet?

    Yes. Xiahe (Labrang) airport (GXH), Hongyuan (Krhongche) airport (AHJ) and Huanglong (Sertso) airport (JZH) are located in the Amdo area of Tibet.

    Can I stay with local Tibetan families in Tibet?

    Yes, you can stay with local Tibetans in Kham and Amdo areas. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to stay with local Tibetan families in TAR.

    Is Tibet open for tourists all the time?

    No, the TAR usually closes to foreign tourists during the month of March. Kham and Amdo areas are sometimes open and sometimes closed. It is better to get clear information from a local travel agency before planning a trip. You are also welcome to ask us at info@tibetpedia.com

    Am I able to extend my visa in Tibet?

    Visa extensions are not available in Lhasa. It is possible, however, to get visa extensions in Dartsendo (Kangding), Yulshul (Yushu), Barkham (Maerkang), Gyelthang (Shangri-la) and Tsoe (Hezuo).

    Do I have to join a group tour or I can travel individually?

    Though your group size may be one (you), you must still purchase an organized tour product through a travel agency to visit the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR). You are free to travel solo (without purchasing a tour product) in Kham and Amdo regions, but we still recommend hiring a guide as English and sometimes even Chinese are rarely spoken. Having a local introduce you is also the best way to get the most information and story about Tibet.

    When is the rainy season in Tibet?

    The rainy reason is from July to August (about two months). It rains often but not everyday so it is not an issue if you desire to travel during this time.

    What times should I avoid traveling to Tibet?

    Prices at hotels and restaurants will double during some major Chinese holidays –especially Chinese National Holiday (Oct 1-7th), Chinese May Holiday (May 1-3th) During these times Tibetan areas will be very crowded and noisy. For Chinese people, Tibet is their main travel destination during the holiday. So you should chose a better time to travel to Tibet.

    Is it okay to give a donation to a monastery?

    Yes, you can offer donations to the monastery. You will find some donation boxes usually near the entrance of the monastery.

    Is it possible to spend a few days in a monastery or a nunnery in order to meditate or study Buddhism?

    Yes, it is possible in the Kham and Amdo areas of Tibet. Local travel agencies can help you make arrangements for your stay. Again, this is impossible in the TAR.

    What tools would you recommend if I want to study some basic Tibetan language or Tibetan Buddhism in order to prepare for my trip to Tibet?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LtK8ycb-Dc

    http://www.tibetanlanguage.org/

    What would you recommend if I want to experience the most authentic Tibetan culture?

    We recommend you have a homestay experience, a village tour and a cultural tour. Check out http://extravagantyak.com/trips/amdo-tibet-tserings-village/ as an example of a great homestay and village tour experience.

    Is it difficult to go vegetarian in Tibet?

    No, in the bigger cities such as Lhasa and Xining there are some vegetarian restaurants. In small towns or villages, you can order vegetable noodles and dishes.

    What kinds of meat options are there in Tibet?

    We have Yak meat, pork, mutton and chicken. In larger towns, some seafood is available.

    What is the most effective way to prevent high altitude sickness?

    It is impossible to avoid all symptoms of traveling at high altitude. Most travelers (even Tibetans I should add) feel breathless, light-headed, loss of sleep, minor headaches, etc. during the first couple days of acclimatization. However, there are very good measures to prevent severe symptoms and to mitigate even the minor ones.

    • The most important is ascend slowly. If your tour itinerary has you arriving in China and then immediately whisking you up to 4,000 meters, put your foot down and demand they build in at least 1-2 nights between 2,000m and 3,000m. In Kham, we always recommend groups acclimatize in Kangding for two nights.
    • The second most important things is to drink TONS of water. Seriously, drink more water than you feel comfortable drinking. You will thank us.

    Other measures, in no particular order of importance:

    • Try not to over-exert yourself on your first day at altitude.
    • Also, do not take a hot shower on your first day at altitude.
    • Don’t drink alcohol while you are still acclimating.
    • There are herbal medicines that some claim help reduce symptoms of altitude discomfort. A local one called Hongjingtian (红景天) is readily available in pharmacies in China. It is most effective to begin taking several days leading up to your trip to high altitude and then every day at altitude.
    • Did we mention drink lots of water? Good. Just checking your still awake.

    What kind of medicine should I prepare for my trip to Tibet?

    We suggest that you prepare basic medicines for colds, Diamox for high altitude sickness and something for traveler’s diarrhea. It never hurts to bring some basic first aid essentials, too.

    What are the main festivals in Tibet?

    Tibetan festivals are based on lunar calendar

    Name of the Festival Active Place 2016 2017 2018
    Tibetan New Year (Losar) Almost all Tibet  Feb 09 Feb 27 Feb 16
    Monlam Prayer Festival Lhasa  Feb 23 Mar 11 Feb 23
    Butter Oil Lantern Festival Almost all Tibet  Feb 23 Mar 11 Mar 11
    Saga Dawa Almost all Tibet  May 21 June 9 May 29
    Gyantse Horse Racing Festival (Gyantse Damag) Gyantse July 18 July 8 July 18
    Tashi Lhunpo Thangka Display Shigatse July 17 July 17 July 
    Zamling Chisang / Samye Dolde Samye Monastery July 19 July 9 July 
    Chokor Duchen Festival Almost all Tibet  Aug 6 July 27 July 16
    Ganden Thangka Display Ganden Monastery Aug 18 Aug 7 Aug 
    Shoton Festival Lhasa  Sept 1 – 7 Aug 21 -27 Aug 11 – 17
    Nachu Horse Racing Nachu Aug 10 – 16 Aug 10-16 Aug 10-16
    Lhabab Duchen Festival Almost all Tibet  Nov 20 Nov 10 Oct 31
    Pal Lhamo Festival Lhasa  Dec 13 Dec 3 Nov 26
    Ganden Ngacho Almost all Tibet  Dec 23 Dec 12 Dec 2
    Labrang Monlam Festival Amdo,Labrang — Sept 02 Sept 
    Lithang Horse Racing Festival ( Not permanent) Lithang — Aug 01  Aug 10
    Jye Kundo (Yushu) Horse Racing Festival Yushu July 25th July 25 July 25

     

    Who can I contact if I have a problem booking the hotels that are recommended on the Tibetpedia website?

    You are welcome to email us at info@tibetpedia.com. We are very happy to help you book a hotel.

    Can I write an article and share it on the Tibetpedia platform?

    Yes, please, if you have any helpful information or positive reviews of local Tibetan entrepreneurs’ businesses you are more than welcome to write and share. Send us your idea at info@tibetpedia.com.

    Is it worthwhile to visit Jiuzhai national park? Is it in Tibet?

    Yes, it is in northeast Tibet. It is a 7-8 hour drive by bus (or 1 hour flight) from Chengdu. It’s a stunning place to visit. Be aware, though: the park has more than 20,000 visitors every day. If you can take the crowds and the slightly more expensive hotels, the beauty of the park is still worth it.

    Do I need to bring electrical adaptors/plugs?

    In Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau, the common power voltage is 220 Volt 50 Hz AC. Most of your electronics, computers and cell phone chargers are rated to support this. Household appliances (some shavers, blow dryers, etc.) from North America (110V, 60Hz) are typically not compatible with electricity in Asia. If you must bring that favorite electric coffee grinder with you, then you will need to also bring an electrical converter. Otherwise, you don’t need to worry about this. China power sockets are compatible with most North American and European male adaptors. There are two kinds of sockets widely used in Mainland China: type A and type I. The type A can also accept plugs of type C or F.

    Is Wi-Fi available in Tibet ?

    Yes, Wi-Fi is available in most hotels, hostels and guesthouses. Also, most restaurants and cafes have Wi-Fi. There may be some homestays and hotels in remote areas that do not yet have internet, though.

    Is there coffee in Tibet?

    We would suggest that you should bring your own coffee if you are a coffee connoisseur. Cafes and coffee shops are popular in towns across Tibet. But it is still not uncommon to find one using instant coffee. Yuck!

    Can Tibetans speak English?

    Not many Tibetan people speak English. It’s better to have a local English-speaking guide with you.

    Would it be offensive if I spoke Chinese to them?

    Not at all! Most young Tibetans speak Chinese, so you could practice your Mandarin with them.

    Is it safe to walk down the street in the night in Tibet?

    In most Tibetan places, it is relatively safe to walk at night in town. However, we would recommend that you do not go out alone. It is not uncommon for young Tibetan men to be found drinking too much at night and breaking out in fights in local clubs and bars. Be wise and be safe.

  • Prostration

    Prostration

     In Tibet, prostration (ཕྱག་འཚལ་བ།) is a common religious practice. Tibetan people perform prostration in their home shrine in the early morning or when they enter monasteries, nunneries, holy mountains and stupas.

    What is Prostration?

    Prostration is performed by dropping the body forward and stretching it full length on the floor, with arms outstretched. Then bring the hands together and place them on the crown of the head, then to the mouth and then heart.

    Tibetan pilgrims often progress by prostrating themselves fully at each step, then moving forward as they get up, in such a way that they have lain face down on each part of their route. Every three paces involve a full prostration; the number three is taken to refer to the Triratna; the Buddha, the Buddha dharma, and Sangha. This is often done around the outside of a monastery. You will see a lot of local Tibetans or pilgrims performing prostrations in front of Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, and around holy mountains, such as Mt. Kailash (Kang Rinpoche) which takes about four weeks to complete the 52 kilometer circuit. Pilgrims from Amdo and Kham will prostrate all the way from their home to Lhasa, sometimes a distance of over 2000 km, the process taking up to two years to complete.

    Perform prostration to Mt. Kailash (Kang Rinpoche).
    Perform prostration to Mt. Kailash (Kang Rinpoche).

     

    There is a good documentary about Tibetan people, pilgrims, and prostration to Mt. Kailash (Kang Rinpoche). The documentary is called “Kang Rinpoche” and “Paths of Soul.” It is about the Tibetan peoples’ devoted faith and love and compassion for humankind. We recommend you watch this documentary if you are interested in learning about Tibetan people’s religious life. It has both Chinese and English subtitle.

    The Meaning of Prostration

    A lot of Tibetan people have a daily habit of performing a certain number of prostrations, such as 100, and they do these in front of their shrine. When they prostrate they pray and recite Bodhichitta mantra. Prostrations are more than a show of respect for Buddha, Dharma and Sangha: they are a method to purify the mind, body and heart. It’s hard for modern western Buddhists and non-Buddhists to understand why we prostrate to an image of Buddha or a teacher. But once they get the meanings and values behind prostration, they can accept the concept. Lama Zopa Rinpoche put it this way: “ Making prostration is an excellent antidote for slicing through false pride.” We believe that every sentient being has Buddha nature, bowing down to our guru or other Buddhist teachers can be thought of as bowing to the Buddha Nature in all of us. And even physical reasons for prostration: Doing 100-500 full body floor prostration sounds difficult, but it’s very good for health. In our Tibetan community, people often do prostrations when they have problems with their stomach.

    prostration in front of monastery
    prostration in front of a monastery

  • Caterpillar Fungus (Yartsa Gunbu)

    Caterpillar Fungus (Yartsa Gunbu)

    Caterpillar fungus are known as yartsa gunbu  (དབྱར་རྩྭ་དགུན་འབུ།) in Tibet—yartsa means summer grass, gunbu means winter worm. In Chinese it’s called “chongcao” or “dong chong xia cao” which also translates to “summer grass winter worm.” It’s a rare herb found in Tibet and other Himalayan regions and only grows above an altitude of 4000 meters. The fungus is highly valued for its purported medicinal benefits, for instance, as a treatment for cancer and aging, high blood pressure, as a libido booster and as an immune system booster. This is why the fungus is so popular among Han Chinese people in mainland China, and even in some western countries. Demand for the fungus has soared.

    Caterpillar Fungus (Yartsa Gunbu)
    Caterpillar Fungus (Yartsa Gunbu)

    May and June are the harvest season for caterpillar fungus. Tibetan Nomadic yak herders and farmers leave their home and set up tents near the mountains for the harvest. They collect the caterpillar larvae with its parasitic fungus whole from the ground. This highly prized medicinal fungus has mostly been traded to China for centuries. During the short harvest period a prolific harvester can earn more than enough cash to live on for an entire year. In the last few decades harvesting caterpillar fungus has developed into the main source of income for rural Tibetans.

    Caterpillar Fungus (Yartsa Gunbu)
    people are looking for Caterpillar Fungus (Yartsa Gunbu)

    Every spring business traders from China travel to Tibet to collect caterpillar fungus from local people. The Chinese grind up the fungus and sell it as a powder, use it whole as a garnish, cook it with soup and drink it with tea. It costs 30-70 RMB for a single caterpillar fungus, though it also depends on where and who you buy from. It’s cheaper if you buy from local Tibetans and more expensive if you buy from shops in mainland China, due to the processing and packaging. It’s better to get local people’s help if you want to purchase some because there are fakes in the market.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • T.Lhamo Studio

    T.Lhamo Studio

    Tashi Lhamo was the founder of T.Lhamo studio. She is a passionate and hardworking fashion designer who has a cool and cozy shop in Chengdu where she keeps herself busy designing and selling clothes to her customers.

    Tashi Lhamo was born into a nomadic family, in Hong Yuan County of the Ngawa Prefecture of the Sichuan province in 1989. At a very young age she found her interest in sketching, and she was often the only girl in her school who would take multiple awards in different sketching competitions.

    The founder of T. Lhamo Studio
    Tashi Lhamo: The founder of T. Lhamo Studio

    In 2009, she completed high school and enrolled in Pearl Academy of Fashion – one of the best design institutes in India. Although she was the only Tibetan in her class, she was always considered a bright and hardworking student, and on several occasions her professors even assigned her to work with senior students. During her 4th (and final) year, her portfolio was widely recognized as one of the best collections among her peers.

    In 2013, she had an opportunity to intern for two months in which she designed a collection for SAA in Chennai, India, and where she also got to work backstage at Cochin Fashion Week. In 2014, she also worked under a Chennai based designer, Karishma, for a short time.

    Inside T. Lhamo Studio
    Inside T. Lhamo Studio

    After studying, and getting further experience and skills, she decided to open her own fashion studio and brand in Chengdu where her dream of being a fashion designer and bringing Tibetan fashion to the world all began. Chengdu is the main gateway city to Tibet, so more and more young Tibetans are coming to Chengdu to study or run a business. Chengdu is also the biggest and most important city in Southwest China. Tashi opened T.Lhamo Studio on April 9th, 2016 with her confidence and passion brimming. In the same year, she successfully organized her first fashion show in Charu’s Co-Working Space in Chengdu.

    T. Lhamo Studio's product on Fall collection in 2016
    T. Lhamo Studio’s product on Fall collection in 2016

    Tashi’s products are unique and stunning, and with each piece you know there is a beautiful story behind the hands that made it. We hope Tashi Lhamo will achieve her dreams of bringing Tibetan fashion to the world stage. When you visit Chengdu, we gladly invite you to visit T.Lhamo Studio if you are interested in knowing about Tashi while also getting yourself a fashionable Tibetan dress.

    T. Lhamo Studio opened a new shop in Lhasa in 2019 and you can get her Tibetan products there.

    Lhasa T. Lhamo Studio  shop Address: 

    Cross the Yak hotel , No. 20 Beijing East Road, Chengguan District, Lhasa City.

    拉萨市城关区北京东路20号亚宾馆正对面

    Contact Info for Chengdu T. Lhamo Studio:

    Building A Unit 1, Rm 103 No .19 First Ring Southern Section 4, Wuhou District, Chengdu, Sichuan,China.

    成都市武侯区一环路四段19号高升桥北街成都A 区5栋1单元103

    Phone：13730883502

  • Sky Burial

    Sky Burial

    WHAT IS  SKY BURIAL?

    When a Tibetan person dies, the family lights butter lamps beside the deceased while monks pray and give blessings over the body for three to five days. During this time the body is not touched. The funeral day is determined by divination. Family members and relatives do not attend the funeral. Instead, they stay home and pray. Villagers take the body to the sky burial site by horse or car. The master of the sky burial ceremony performs rituals over the body. He then burns incense and tsampa to summon the vultures. In no time, birds begin to circle over the site. The master then proceeds to chop the body into small pieces.

    And makes way for the feasting to happen.

    If the vultures consume the entire body, it’s a good sign. Tibetan folk custom believes that even vultures will not want to consume a human’s body if he or she has done evil deeds in life.

    Sky burial in Seda

    Due to the fact that vultures consume the remains of the human body, sky burial (དུར་ཁྲོད།) is also called “bird burial.” In Tibet, there are other ways to bury bodies after death, including water burial, cremation, and burial in the ground. Sky burial is the most common, though people who have died from leprosy or infectious diseases are not given a sky burial for fear of harming the vultures. Instead, they are buried in the ground or cremated. Sky burial sites are found all over Tibet.

    Vultures are at a sky burial

    THE VALUES OF SKY BURIAL

    Tibetan Buddhists believe that the corpse is nothing but a discarded shell. The spirit of the deceased has already moved on, through death and toward a new incarnation. For Buddhists in Tibet or Mongolia, offering their bodies to vultures or birds is the last great and honorable thing to do. It is an offering of generosity back to the earth that gave them life. With sky burial, there is no need to disturb the land to bury the body. This also expresses a value for environmental protection.

    Sky burial is a private matter, so we don’t encourage or recommend people to go to sky burial sites to take pictures unless you are invited by friends or family. Please remember that the greatest of respect needs to be shown during a sky burial. The most famous places for sky burials are the monasteries of Drigung and Ganden in central Tibet and Larung Gar Buddhist Institute near Sertar in Kham.

  • Khata

    Khata

    It is a Tibetan custom to offer a khata (ཁ་བཏགས།) or greeting scarf to friends, relatives or guests as a way of indicating your honorable intentions, and wishes of happiness. When given as a farewell gesture it symbolizes a safe journey. When given to arriving guests it symbolizes welcome.

    Why Do Tibetans Have the Custom of Offering Khata?

    Because there was no silk in Tibet, Tibetan people used to offer animal skins as gifts. According to Bon historical record, during the time of the ninth king Degong Jayshi, people would place sheep wool around the neck and head for some religious rituals. This custom has been handed down from that time. Over time, people started making scarves and using silk. So, the scarf replaced the plain sheep’s wool and people put scarves on the neck and head. This is how the custom of khata came into being.

    Offering Khata
    Offering Khata

    The Meaning of Offering Khata

    The khata symbolizes purity and compassion. Its main colour is white, symbolizing the pure heart of the giver, though it is also quite common to find yellow-gold, blue and red khata as well in Tibet. They are often placed around the necks of statues and hung on the top of Thangka paintings. It is an ancient custom to bring a Khata when visiting a temple, shrine, guru, or teacher. This is a way of showing gratitude for the kindness of your teacher and the gems of their teachings.

    Offering Khata at a Monastery
    Khatas at a Monastery

    How Do Tibetan People Present Khata?

    Tibetan people see khata as a very important gift, so offering Khata has its own ordination. People usually fold the khata into a double layer and hold it with two hands to offer. They usually bend 90 degrees and put their hands above their head when they offer to respected and honored people, such as the Buddha, a parent, teachers and elders. You can put the khata in their hands if giving it to a parent or elder. You can put it in front of the throne if it’s Buddha. If elders present Khata to young people, elders can put the Khata around the neck or on the hand of the young people.

    Ready to present the Khata
    Ready to present a Khata

     

    authentic tibet
  • Tsampa (Barley)

    Tsampa (Barley)

    Tsampa ( Barley) (རྩམ་པ། ) is one of the main cuisines in Tibet. Tibetan crops must be able to grow in the high altitudes of Tibet. The most important crop in Tibet is barley.  Flour milled from roasted barley, called Tsampa, has been the staple of Tibetan food for centuries. This cereal is an integral part of Tibetan people’s life. Most of Tibetan people grow up by eating Tsampa. If you get the chance to visit Tibet, you must try the taste of Tsampa!

    Tsampa ( Barely ) Products

    Barley wine/ Beer

    We call barley wine “chang” in Tibetan. Tibetan barley wine is brewed from fermented barley grown in the highlands. Some wine is mild, sweet and it has little alcohol. Some wine is very strong. Each glass Tibetan Chang is different from another due to the brewing method and duration. It is the most popular alcoholic drink in Tibet. You can easily get it in any Tibetan area.

    Barley Beer
    Barley Beer

     

    Tsampa ( Barley )Making Process

    • We have to choose a sunny day to wash and dry the barley
    • Once it is mostly dry, it is ready to roast
    • Heat the sand on the hot stove
    • Pour some barley on top of the heated sand and roast the barley, shaking it together with the sand in a big pan
    • Put the barley and sand to the sifting pan to sift out the sand
    • Finally, grind the roasted barely into Tsmapa flour

    It's ready to make the roasted barely into Tsmapa flour
    It’s ready to make the roasted barely into Tsampa flour

    How Tibetans drink/eat Tsampa ( Barley ) soup and bread?

    • Prepare the butter, dry cheese, sugar and tea
    • Put the butter and cheese in a bowel
    • Pour the tea in the bowel and let the butter melt and the cheese to become soft
    • Drink the tea until you have space to add the Tsampa
    • You can either make Tsampa soup with a spoon or make Tsampa bread with your hand. You can put sugar in it if you want it to be

    Tsampa bread/ Barley bread
    Tsampa ( Barley)  bread

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Mani Stones

    Mani Stones

    Mani stones  (མ་ཎི་རྡོ་འབུམ།)are stone plates or rocks that are carved with the Tibetan Buddhism six-word mantra Om Mani Padme Hum. But nowadays people not only carve the six words, but also carve other texts from Buddhism.
    The Meaning of Om Mani Padme Hum

    The first word, Om, symbolizes the practitioner’s impure body, speech, and mind; it also symbolizes the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha. Mani, meaning jewel, symbolizes the factors of method: altruistic intention to practice compassion and love.

    Padme, meaning lotus, symbolizes wisdom. Purity must be achieved by an indivisible unity of method and wisdom, symbolized by the final syllable hum, which indicates indivisibility.

    Thus the six syllables, om mani padme hum, mean that in dependence on the practice of a path which is an indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech, and mind into the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha.

    Different Type of Mani Stone

    The Mani stone is the one of the most popular forms of prayer and ritual in Tibetan culture. It’s originally from Bon’s stone worship.  When you are traveling to Tibet, you will find a lot of Mani stones. They are intentionally placed along the roadsides and rivers or placed together to form a big stupa, temple and mountain shapes. People also place the Mani stones along walls, as an offering to spirits of a place.

    Stupa shape of Mani Stone
    Stupa shape of Mani Stones

    The Largest Mani Stone Mound In The World

    Yushu Jiana Mani stone mound is the largest Mani stone mound in the world. It’s located in Xinzhai village of Yushu Tibetan autonomous prefecture. It’s said that the local Tibetan Buddhist Master Jiana built a small Mani stone mound 300 years ago. This is the reason why the Mani stone mound was given the name of the master. Since then, people kept putting more Mani stones on the mound to pray and collect merit. Now it has around 200 million stones, is 300 meters long, 3 meters high, and 80 meters wide.

    The largest mani stone mound in the world
    The largest mani stone mound in the world

    Colorful Mani stones

    In Tibet, you will also commonly find Mani stones in different colors and shapes, with different images and texts engraved in them. They showcase the artistic charm of Tibetan culture. Mani Stone carvers usually live near monasteries. You can visit them and watch the process of carving text on the stone, and even buy a small Mani stone as a souvenir.

    colorful mani stone
    colorful mani stones

  • Tibetan Antelope (Chiru)

    Tibetan Antelope (Chiru)

    The Tibetan antelope (གཙོད།) (Pantholops hodgsonii), traditionally known as the Chiru, is a rare and remarkable creature. While denominated as an antelope, the Chiru is in face more closely related to a wild goat. 

    Description

    The Tibetan antelope possesses the softest and warmest wool in the world, incomparably delicate and matchlessly dense. Their fur is comprised of long guard hairs which vary from russet to a pale fawn in color. The belly is particularly woolly, either hoar or creamy white, and very velvety. The tufts of the undercoat are silky in texture, and noticeably shorter fibres.The head is darker, almost black, with bulbous nasal swellings. The Chiru’s nostrils have inflatable air sacs to enhance breathing at high altitudes, which leads to a swollen muzzle. The Tibetan antelope is lean and nimble. The ears are quite short, and pointed.

    Males can be identified effortlessly by their slender, curved horns and the black stripes on their legs. These distinguishers are both absent with female Tibetan antelopes. The Chiru’s horns do not grow throughout their lifespans, but can reach up to 70 cm in length. A majority of the horns are ringed with prominent ridges until they taper back into a smooth, wickedly-pointed tip. Males are also substantially larger then females, weighting a hefty forty kilograms compared to around twenty-five or thirty.

    The Tibetan Antelope with a juvenile on the Tibetan Plateau

    Home

    The Tibetan plateau, one of the most isolated and inhospitable places on the planet, is the Chiru’s exclusive habitat. The steppe that this bovid calls home is a cruel combination of hypothermic temperatures and a semi-arid climate. The vacant plateau falls in long, slow slopes and ridges which offer little protection from the penetrating mountain winds. The Tibetan antelope uses its cloven hooves to gouge depressions into the soil, procuring shelter from the wind and predators.

    In decades past, the Tibetan antelope roamed a much more expansive territory. They are still occasionally spotted in the Qinghai and Xinjiang provinces, but have almost completely retreated into the ChangTang region of north-western Tibet, where their is a large wildlife sanctuary.

    Occasionally the Chiru ventures as low as 10,700 feet, but more commonly dwells between 13,000 of 18,000 feet. Due to the elevation of the Tibetan plateau, the air is extremely rarefied. The anoxic environment of this hinterland is responsible for the sparse vegetation.

    Diet

    The Tibetan Antelope is a grazer and survives off a meagre diet of grasses, herbs, forbs, sedges, and shrubs. In the winter it is often necessary for the Chiru to dredge through the snow to find a meal. Herds chiefly feed during in the mornings and evenings, and rest sporadically throughout the day.

    Predators

    Extraordinarily vigilant and wary creatures, Tibetan antelope have hair-trigger alertness. At the first sign of a predator, the Chiru will bolt and be off like a bullet. Despite the thin air at such a high elevation, Tibetan antelopes are serious runners. The air sacs in their nostrils permit them to run up to eighty kilometres per hour, with unparalleled endurance. Their principle predators are wolves and snow leopards, and foxes with attack newborn calves.

    Breeding and migration

    Rutting season begins in November and will carry on through the winter. Courtship are brief and devoid of fanfare. Instead of actually sparring, male antelopes will simply intimidate each other through aggressive displays until one flees. The male’s coat will pale to match the snow and contrast with the dark markings on their faces and legs. They will form harems of up to twelve females, however, less fortunate Chiru’s must be satisfied with between one to four.

    Tibetan antelopes are both nomadic and migratory, regularly covering vast distances as they wander between summer and winter pastures. Gestating females will travel north over three hundred kilometres to arrive at their traditional birthing grounds. Calves are delivered in June and July, after a six month pregnancy. The mothers will only produce a single offspring, and life expectancy for the newborn is startlingly grim. Calves are precocial, capable of walking within only fifteen minutes of birth and fully developed after fifteen months.

    In late April or May, just as their horns have begun to emerge, juvenile males will separate from their mothers. These adolescent antelopes will band together and either remain in their winter grounds throughout the summer or roam the plateau. Young females often decide to stay with their mother until they themselves give birth. They will converge in the autumn, just in time for the annual rut.

    Tibetan antelopes are extremely social animals, gathering in herds of usually a dozen or so individuals. It’s not strange however to hear of these herds numbering well up into the hundreds. Males and females always remain segregated, excluding the mating season. Solitary Chiru will drift alone across the steppe, dispersing the species widely thought the Tibetan plateau.

    A Tibetan Antelope by itself

    Shahtoosh

    The underfur of the Tibetan antelope, or “soft gold” as it’s called by poachers, is the warmest and softest wool in the animal kingdom. Predominantly, this underfur is woven into a traditional shawl known as a shahtoosh. Mainly given away as an extremely expensive wedding present, prices for this shawl on the international market can skyrocket to as high as $40,000. For a single shahtoosh, between three to five antelopes need to be killed and harvested for their desirable, valuable underfur.

    Tibet has experienced an illegal hunting epidemic that, over the course of two decades, almost resulted in the Chiru’s extinction. As a ramification of this unrestrained poaching, the Tibetan antelope population is estimated to have dropped by over 50%. There is calculated to be less than 75,000 remaining antelope left on the Tibetan plateau.

    In addition to poaching, the Chiru must also contend with the annexation and development of their rangelands. Domesticated herds, the introduction of railways, and gold mining all contribute to the dwindling numbers of the Tibetan antelope.

    The Chinese government employs rangers to patrol the sprawling expanse of the Tibetan Plateau. In China the Chiru is under second-class protection, but the species is also being safeguarded overseas. The Tibetan antelope was classified as endangered in the 2003 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The U.S. Endangered Species Act also prohibits shahtoosh products from being bought and sold within the United States.

    The Tibetan antelope was honoured as the mascot for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

  • Kora (Circumambulation)

    Kora (Circumambulation)

    Introduction: Kora (བསྐོར་བ།) is a form of pilgrimage and meditation that is shared by both Tibetan Buddhist and Bon traditions. The foundation of Kora is that, because of the trials of the pilgrimage, religious merit will be generated and obtained. Bodhicitta, or “an enlightened mind”, will result from purifying negative karma through the taxation of the body.

    3.pic
    Tibetan people are doing Kora in monastery

    Definitions:

    • Kora – A transliteration of the Tibetan term for “circumambulation”or “revolution”. The word is routinely associated with the entirety of ceremonies, celebrations and rituals that constitute a pilgrimage.
    • Circumambulation – Simply, to walk all the way around something. The word derives from the Latin circum (around) and ambulare (to walk).
    • Nékor – Directly translating to “circling around an abode”, nékor is another comprehensive word to describe the pilgrimage experience.
    • Né – The prefix to nékor, in correlation with the practice of kora, né is rendered as “holy”, “sacred”, or “consecrated”.
    • Né Korwa – A pilgrim, or “one who circles a né”.

    Tradition:

    Kora is fundamentally simple. The practitioner is required to walk in a circle around a né. A pilgrim may chant mantra and hum prayers, count rosary beads and spin prayer wheels. It its common to repeatedly prostate oneself along the circumambulation path in hopes of achieving extra merit or blessing. The pathways of Kora are usually lined with windhorses, prayer wheels, cairns, and and strings of prayer flags. Bon pilgrims traditionally orbit in a counterclockwise direction, while Buddhists circumambulate the opposite way to emulate the sun. Kora can be preformed at any given time, but the Tibetan lunar calendar marks certain days as especially advantageous. These are the 8th, 10th, 15th, 25th and 30th days of each month. During Saka Dawa almost all believers go out of their way to commemorate Kora.

    2.pic
    Paryer -wheel in a Tibetan Monastery

    Variations of Né

    Né can be anywhere, anything or even anyone believed to be endowed with a transformative blessing. Throughout the Tibetan region there are an abundance of recognized né, however these Kora pilgrimage sites can be grouped into four categories.

    1. A majority of prominent né are the spectacular and imposing facets of Tibet’s natural landscape. Throughout this breathtaking region, numerous lakes and mountains are revered as pilgrimage destinations. This may be due to the belief that they are inhabited by spirits, or perhaps a historical landmark associated with one of the ancient stories. From jutting peaks to crystalline confluences, gloomy caves to boulders, literally anywhere has the potential to be imbued with né. Practicing Kora in these wild locations routinely requires traversing formidable distances and navigating treacherous terrain. Traditional beliefs is that the arduous nature of the ritual escalates the blessings received during the pilgrimage. Two of the most notable Kora sites are Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar, both of which are considered holy by Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Bon devotees.
    2. Over centuries of Tibet’s history, numerous sacred sites have been erected and now the destinations of Kora. Despite primarily consisting of monasteries and temples, man-made né fluctuate in size from entire cities to a single relic. Sky-burial sites and stupas are also treated with respect and treated as sacred. Stupas are burial mounds which house śarīra, the bones of Buddhist monks and nuns.
    3. Beyul are paradisiacal valleys secreted away in the most remote and lonesome regions of the Himalayas. These hidden valleys are considered to be overlaps of the physical and spiritual worlds, preserved by deities and guardian spirits. The protective deities manifest themselves as snowstorms, snow leopards, and a variety of other calamities. Beyul can only be entered after terrible sacrifice and tribulation and, according to tradition, anyone who endeavours to force their way in will be rewarded with only failure and even death. These doctrines indicate that more beyul will be discovered as the planet careens towards destruction due to corruption and agnosticism. Pilgrims who journey to these distant valleys anticipate ethereal visions and strange encounters, just like the spiritual practitioners of legend.
    4. Né is not exclusive to inanimate places, individuals can also be revered as capable of conferring transformative blessings. Pilgrimages can be made to honour holy monks or hermits, as well as nonhuman deities: Iṣṭadevatās, Yidam and Dakinis.

      ( Kora ) Walk around holy mountain
      Local Tibetan people are doing Nékor

       

  • The Lammergeier

    The Lammergeier

    The Lammergeier

    The lammergeier (བྱ་རྒོད། ) is the largest of the old world vultures and traditionally revered as the sacred bird of Tibet. The Lammergeier (which is German for ‘lamb vulture’) is also referred to as the Ossifrage (Latin for ‘bone-breaker’) and the Bearded Vulture.

    Corpses are offered up to these vultures through a Sky Burial in the belief that the magnificent and elusive birds are actually Dakinis (‘sky-dancers’ or angels). Tibetan legend teaches that the Dakinis carry the spirits of the deceased into the heavenly realm where they will await their reincarnation.

    The lammergeier is loved and respected throughout the Himalayans. This is due to how the vulture consumes carrion that would otherwise pollute the rivers that provide drinking water to numerous Tibetans at the roof of the world and the multitudes downstream. Donations of human flesh to the lammergeier are celebrated. Drigung Thil Monastery in Maizhokunggar County, Lhasa, is renowned for its Sky Burial site and abundance of lammergeiers.

    The Lammergeier – Bearded Vulture

    The Lammergeier’s Diet

    The most distinctive trait of the lammergeier is that this imposing vulture thrives almost solely on bones and marrow. The lammergeier remains the only known animal in the world with this peculiar, macabre diet.

    From its aerial vantage point a lammergeier can surveil vast expanses of territory for the victims of predators or treacherous mountain gorges. After plummeting from the clouds to snatch up the bones, the lammergeier carries them to an altitude of over one hundred feet and drops them to be shattered on the rocks below. This exposes the marrow inside. After spiralling down to inspect its handiwork, the vulture will repeat the procedure if required. The lammergeier habitually returns to one location to crack open the bones. This favourited site is called an ossuary: which is defined as the place where the bones of the dead are stored.

    The lammergeier can swallow entire bones up to the size of a femur. With its powerful beak the vulture often bites through and fractures bones. The gastric fluids of the bird are so acidic and caustic (with a pH of only 1) that bones are easily dissolved. Due to their unique dietary inclinations, the lammergeier encounters almost no competition for its bones, which comprise 70-90% of their meals.

    The lammergeier usually refrains from preying upon living animals, however it may snatch up tortoises, hyraxes, hares, marmots and lizards. These animals are subjected to untimely deaths in the form of long drops. This vulture is even capable of dispatching animals much larger than itself. Sickly or elderly ibexes, Capra goats, Chamois and Steenboks are ambushed and battered by the lammergeier’s wings until they plunge off of precipitous mountain ledges.

    Due to their size and terrifying diet the lammergeier has garnered a fictitious reputation over the years. The vulture is accused of stealing away lambs, calves and even children. Despite this prestige, the lammergeier is reportedly harmless to humans. They have even been kept as a household pets throughout history.

    Feathers stained with iron oxide

    The Lammergeier’s Appearance

    A lammergeier’s colouring can encompass every shade from snow-white to black, but the bird is most commonly a tawny brown. The vulture has a pale head, with darker tail feathers and wings. While their plumage is naturally a dappled brown, the lammergeier will stain itself a fiery orange through bathing in sulphurous mountain springs, and rubbing soil rich with iron oxide into their feathers. After applying the soil, the lammergeier will preen for over an hour to guarantee their lustrous orange sheen. The vulture is also drawn to crimson-coloured items and will collect red leaves, bark, or unattended articles of clothing.

    The lammergeier bears a stronger resemblance to an eagle than any other variation of vulture, due to its feathered head and hooked beak. The lammergeier’s legs are also copiously feathered. Their curving talons are extremely prehensile and dexterous. The lammergeier possesses spots on its breast and neck, with black stripes along the head. The bristles at the base of their beak grow past the bill in tufted whiskers that provide the distinct impression of a beard.

    Juveniles are notably less easy to recognize as mature lammergeiers. Their brown, patchy plumage will fade to white over the course of five years.

    The lammergeier is colossal, growing up to 4 feet tall and weighting close to 15 pounds. Their wingspans can extend between 7 and 9 feet.

    The Lammergeier’s Home

    The lammergeier haunts the rocky crags and gorges of high mountain ranges. The vulture rarely ventures down from the soaring elevations that it calls home. During the winter season frigid temperatures force the lammergeier to descend to lower altitudes. Therefore, they become much easier to spot.

    With a habitat of desolate mountain regions, the lammergeier lives between 1,300 and 15,000 feet. The vulture has even been identified on Mount Everest at the incredible height of 24,600 ft. above sea level.

    Teetering on the brink of precipices and canyons, the lammergeier’s nests are haphazardly constructed from branches lined with wool, excrement, dried-up skin, and litter. The remote nests are often located near alpine pastures, montane forests or caves. The vulture will preferably roost in the vicinity of a wolf or golden eagle. These predators will provide bones for the lammergeier’s meals.

    As a monogamous species, the lammergeier mates just once a year. A breeding pair of vultures will share and defend enormous territories. To protect their young, the parents will refuse to tolerate the presence of other lammergeiers. Due to the size of the lammergeiers’ dominion and their territorial nature, the distribution of the species is very sparse.

    The lammergeier’s breeding season varies in timing according to geographical disparities. The courting pairs will execute breathtaking mating displays, swooping and soaring together and even interlocking their talons to plummet down till they almost collide with the earth.

    The lammergeier will only lay one or two eggs at a time. An occasional third egg as a biological rarity. Nest-predating hunters are generally incapable of traversing the sheer rock walls they are required to scale in order to reach the ledges or outcrops where the lammergeier’s roost. The inaccessibility of their aeries ensures that the chicks are safe from outside threats. However, within the first couple of weeks after hatching the eldest nestling will cannibalize its weaker sibling.

    The typical lifespan of a lammergeier in Tibet is 21-22 years, but vultures in captivity have recorded living over double that at 45 years old.

     

     

  • Zhilam Hostel

    Zhilam Hostel

    Zhilam Hostel is perched on a hillside above the city of Kangding, offering amazing views of Kangding town and the local mountains. After a short and invigorating climb (or taxi ride) up the narrow, winding road to the guesthouse, you will find this haven of coziness and hospitality a welcome reprieve from the bustling town below.

    Zhilam Hostel
    Zhilam Hostel

    Zhilam means “the path of peace” in Tibetan. The hostel is a place of peace and rest where travellers soon begin to feel like family. The owners, an American family, fell in love with Tibet and Tibetan people when they first traveled to Tibet. Kris and Stephanie dreamed of having a home in Tibet where they could welcome visitors into the mysterious and beautiful world of Tibet. Through passion and years of hard work, their dream has become a reality. For 12 years now, thousands of travelers from around the world have found themselves adopted by this generous family, many of which have extended their stay in Kangding just to enjoy an extra day or two of peace and rest in this hidden sanctuary. In Sep, 2019 Kris and Stephanie sold their business to a  local Tibetan guy- Gongbu as local government enforced a law that foreigners are not allowed to run business within 300 meters of a government building. Zhilam Hostel is within 300 meters of a government building. Now, the owner of Zhilam Hostel is different but the staff and services are as same as usual.

    Zhilam Hostel

    The Yard of Zhilam Hostel

    The helpful and friendly staff are all locals, and they are happy to share their immense knowledge about the town and surrounding areas. All of them speak good Tibetan, Chinese and English. Their eagerness to offer advice and suggestions makes it easy for guests to find great hiking, beautiful scenery, and delicious local Tibetan food! They go out of their way to help arrange transportation for a good price as well.

    You’ll find a diverse menu that includes delicious western and local Tibetan foods, great desserts, special drinks, and even imported beer. For dinner, potato and yak meat momos, yak meat pizza, and moroccan lentil soup are all some of our favorite options. They serve breakfast starting at 8:00am. The yak yogurt with homemade granola and western-style eggs and toast are among the most popular items first thing in the morning.

    Kris and Stephanie are also passionate about supporting and promoting other local businesses, as well as featuring locally made handicraft products in their hostel. If you are interested in Tibetan handicrafts, simply ask the staff for an introduction to the various items on display. In addition, Zhilam Hostel has an extensive library of books that you can borrow to read, or you can watch a movie in their cozy movie room downstairs.

    Zhilam
    Inside Zhilam Hostel

    Rooms are very clean, comfortable and nice. You have the option of staying in a private room with a big bed and ensuite bathroom/shower, or staying in a clean and quaint dorm with shared bathroom facilities. Each room is designed with local Tibetan characteristics, and the beds are very comfortable.

    Zhilam hostel is the perfect place if you are looking for Tibetan decor, comfortable and clean rooms for a reasonable price, fresh coffee, and delicious food.

    Contact info:

    Address: Bai Tuo Kan area, Kangding County 626000, China

    Phone:  0836-2831100

    Website: http://zhilamhostel.com

    地址：白土坎村藏族自治州宗教事务局附近

    电话：0836-2831100

  • Desti Youth Park Hostel

    Desti Youth Park Hostel

    Kelsang Phuntsok is a young Tibetan entrepreneur who is the owner of Desti Youth Park hostel. He was raised and very much influenced by his great-grandfather Richan Pizu, who in his younger days worked on the tea road as a horseman. Kelsang grew up listening to Richan’s endless and marvelous stories about the tea road, its folk tales, and ancient songs. Stories that had such a strong impact on young Kelsang, that he was aware of the richness of his Tibetan cultural heritage even as a young child. Kelsang has always embraced the Tibetan ideals of benefiting other sentient beings as a core principle of his behavior: he dreamed of becoming a Buddhist monk when he was a young child.

    Dormitory room at Desti Youth Park Hostel
    Dormitory room at Desti Youth Park Hostel

     

    When Kelsang graduated from school, his parents passed down his family’s old house to him. Most of his relatives and friends suggested that Kelsang should tear down the old house and build a new house, as all the other households in the village have built new houses. He was reluctant to demolish his family’s old house, because his great-grandpa built the house and he had spent his childhood growing up in the old house. Not only was the house the place where he spent his childhood, but it also shows an important part of his family history. When looking at the house, one can see the house shows the aptitude and hard-work that went into building it. Kelsang thinks that young Tibetan generations have to remember the spirit of their ancestors. As a result, Keslang decided to use the house as a hostel where he can receive people from all over the world and show them local Tibetan culture, architecture, and lifestyle.

    Beautiful night at Desti Youth Park Hostel
    Beautiful night at Desti Youth Park Hostel

     

    In a peaceful Tibetan village in Shangri-La, visitors will find a breathtaking hostel. The Desti Youth Park hostel is situated in Chengni Village, near Shangri-La International Airport. It is enclosed by bright flowers and seemingly endless grassland. Visitors who go to Chengni will find themselves temporarily transported away from the real world, into the colorful fairy tale kingdom that is the village. In this mysterious fantasyland and spectacular landscape, you can choose from amongst an assortment of activities that should appeal to a variety of interests. Watch a movie, barbeque a meal, join a campfire party with local Tibetan dancing, cycle around the village, or take a Thangka painting class.

    Room with single bed at Desti Youth Park Hostel
    Room with single bed at Desti Youth Park Hostel

    When staying at the hostel, you also have the option of choosing a room according to your travel budget. The hostel has family or single rooms with private hot showers and internet, or dormitory rooms with public showers. All the staff speaks English well, and the food is delicious. They also provide a van if you want to visit Shangri-La Old Town or some of the other local places.

    We would highly recommend Desti Youth Park Hostel if you are looking for a peaceful and authentic place to stay in Shangri-La.

    Contact Info: No.54 Chengni, Shini Village, Jiantang Town, Shangri-La County 674400, China

    Phone: 0887-8065355. 13038608855
    地址：香格里拉市建塘镇尼史村妄尼组54号
    电话： 0887-8065355. 13038608855

     

     

  • Bodhi Inn (Boutique Hotel)

    Bodhi Inn (Boutique Hotel)

    Bodhi Inn boutique hotel is just at the entrance of the charming Shangri-La Old Town. The hotel is also situated very close to the bus station. When you enter the hotel, you notice the beautiful Tibetan-style decorations right away. It is obvious that the Bodhi Inn gives special attention to detail, and they have done so in very good taste and with a desire for authentic style. The fireplace is a great place to hang out at night to relax, or to catch up over a meal. The owner of the hotel, Tashi, speaks excellent English and he is a very helpful guy. He is always happy to help his costumers with travel information and the best ways to discover the local food. Bodhi Inn also provides free pick up from bus station and airport, just be sure to let them know you arrival details ahead of time.

    The gate of Bodhi Inn
    The gate of Bodhi Inn

    Tashi is a Tibetan guy who was born in Nepal, but visiting Shangri-La was one of his biggest whishes. Fortunately, his wish came true in 2005. Tashi fell in love with this amazing place from the day he arrived, so he decided to work there as a guide. Tashi has received so many guests-turned-friends, from all over the world. They love Shangri-La and some of them even come back almost every year. That inspired Tashi to build a home for visitors and himself. He opened the hotel in April of 2014. Ever the entrepreneur, Tashi now also runs a coffee shop and handicraft shops. In total, Tashi has 11 staff work for him who speaks English well, and they are very friendly and welcoming to guests and shoppers alike.

    Inside Bodhi Inn
    Inside Bodhi Inn

    The rooms at the Boddhi Inn are clean and charming, have free wifi, are well equipped with electric blankets, new A/C, and have a modern bathroom with a nice shower. As a guest, you’ll be offered a tasty cup of ginger tea on arrival, which is freely available 24 hours per day. You have three options for breakfast in the morning: American, European, or Tibetan. True to your travel experience, we would highly recommend trying the Tibetan breakfast at least once with a cup of Yak butter tea.

    Family style room in Bodh Inn
    Family style room in Bodh Inn

    If you’re visiting Shangri-La Old Town, consider Bodhi Inn if you’re looking for a pleasant and comfortable place to stay.

    Contact Info:

    Adress: No.14 Yiruo Mulang, Beimen Street, Dukezong Old Town, Shangri-La County 674400, China.

    Phone: 0887-8226566 13988745770

    地址：云南省迪庆藏族自治州香格里拉市独克宗古城北门街依诺木廊14号

    联系电话：0887-8226566 13988745770

     

     

  • Momos (Tibetan Dumplings)

    Momos (Tibetan Dumplings)

    Momos ( ཤ་མོག) are seen as one of the most quintessential Tibetan foods, and travellers love to enjoy them. Often described as “Tibetan dumplings”, most see momos as a basic home cooked meal and it is often a family affair to prepare them. Whether you like to dip, dunk, bite, or swallow them whole, your trip to Tibet wouldn’t be complete without trying a few along the way.

    What’s in Momo?

    With a dough made of flour and water, the skins of the momo are very basic, but it is the numerous fillings that add variety to this dish. While the traditional filling is yak meat, other fillings may include potato, green onion, cabbage, or mushrooms, etc. They are typically served with some sort of spiced oil or a flavoured seasoning salt for dipping, and each sauce will be slightly different based on the chef’s individual preparations.

    The momo is made by rolling out the dough into thin circles, and then placing a small amount of filling in the center. Once the filling is centered on the skin, there is a technique to folding and twisting the dough to keep the momo shut (and to lock in the filling’s natural juices). Finally, the momos are cooked in a steamer until the outside is no longer sticky to the touch.

    Momos (Tibetan Dumplings)
    Tibetan Yak Meat Momos ( Tibetan Dumplings)

     

    Size of a Momo

    The size of a momo also varies, with large momos typically filling one’s entire hand and the smaller able to be consumed in one bite. As the smaller momos are fiddlier and take more time to prepare, these tend to be reserved for fancier affairs such as special occasions or to be served in restaurants. With the large momos, these are more commonly served at home as the average person would find one or two to be enough for a meal. The larger size cuts down on the time necessary to prepare them as less are required to make a meal.

    Eating Momo

    There is a bit of a technique involved in eating a momo. While you may use your chopsticks, Tibetans traditionally eat these with their hands, so go right ahead and pick it up between your thumb and forefingers.

    Once you have your momo ready to eat, be warned, the good momos have juice inside them! Carefully take a bite of the momo, and as you do, suck the juice into your mouth to get the full flavours of the filling. When biting into your momo, take care not to shoot juice across at your dining companion, as sometimes these things can surprise you (but hey, we’ve all done it a time or two)!

    I find there is a sweet spot for enjoying momos where the juices aren’t so piping hot they will burn your mouth, and they haven’t yet gone cold. Although cold momos aren’t bad, if you are eating yak meat momos, I would particularly recommend eating them while they are still warm, as the juices start to harden as they cool. Wait until the steam stops coming off of the momos, and then eat until your heart is content!

    Momos ( Tibetan Dumplings )
    Ready to steam Momos ( Tibetan Dumplings )

  • Yaks

    Yaks

    The yak (འབྲོང་། ) is considered the backbone of Tibetan nomad life, with this animal being important to the economic and personal wellbeing of the family. From the products crafted from yaks, the nomad family is able to clothe, shelter, and feed their family, so it is little wonder that some say their yaks are treated with similar importance as members of the family.

    Random Yak Facts

    • The domesticated yak is known as Bos grunniens (literally: “grunting ox”), while the wild variation is called Bos mutus.
    • A fully grown yak typically weighs between 350-1000kgs (approx. 670-2200lbs), and can stand at the shoulder between 1.6 meters to a whopping 2.2 meters (5.2-7.2ft).
    • A Tibetan nomad family may have more than 100 yaks, and each one will likely have a name. With so many animals, the names will usually be assigned based on physical characteristics such as “Two-Spot”, “Long-Tail”, or “White-Hoof”.
    • A female yak that is about to give birth will often have homing instincts. If the pregnant yak has been traded previously, the owner knows they need to watch them carefully in the days leading up to birth as they can be a flight-risk. If the mother yak decides to go walk about, they may be found several villages over in their place of birth. As a result, at certain times of the year, someone from the nomad family may simply wait down the road for the wandering yak to take them home!
    • Yaks are easily trained. When fetching the yaks in for milking, a person can use a slingshot and a stone to throw it near the yaks as their signal that it is time to come home. Once the stone is thrown, the yaks come running because they know what’s expected of them.
    • Similar to the English language calling female cattle cows and a male a bull, the Tibetan language actually uses the “yak” to refer to the male of the species, while the female is called a “bri” or “nak”. However, English has adopted the usage of “yak” for both genders.

    Yaks
    Yaks on Tibet Plateau

    Yak Products

    It is not an overstatement to say the yak is incredibly important to Tibetan nomadic family. When we say they use the whole animal, we aren’t joking! From head to tail, the following things are just a few of the products that can come from the yak. Any of these products can be used directly by the family, traded, or sold.

    Yak Horns/Skull

    The horns are traditionally carved into combs or pipes, while the skull is used as a Tibetan decoration.

    Yak Hair

    Yaks have several different types of hair with each type typically having a different usage. On the top of the yak (originating at their spine), the yaks tend to have coarse hair which is woven to make very durable products such as the black tents Tibetan nomads are known for. Moving successively lower on the animal, the hair becomes finer making this wool better for softer items such as clothing. Other products woven from yak wool include bags, blankets, carpets, accessories, sling shots, string, and other household or farming items, etc.

    Yaks
    A Black Yak Tent

    Yak Skin

    If you visit a nomadic house, you may be offered a seat on the floor with a yak skin as your cushion or mat. When the skin is made into leather, the leather can also be used to make shoes, belts, and packaging bags for food.

    Yak Meat

    As the yak is a livestock animal, it should be no surprise that the meat is eaten too. Similar to beef, but with a wilder flavour and typically a little tougher, most Tibetan dishes will use yak meat (even if the menu says beef). For example, yak meat is commonly found in Tibetan noodles, momos (Tibetan dumplings), and it is dried to make yak jerky.

    Yak Meat
    Yak meat and sussage

    Yak Tails

    The tails are used for brooms and dusters around the Tibetan home, although today you can also see them as decorations in Tibetan businesses as just another representation of the culture. The tail of a fully grown yak will typically be between 60-100cms long (24-39in.).

    Yak Dung

    While the Western nose might find the smell a little strong, yak dung is a valuable source of fuel for the Tibetan fireplace. The dung is collected daily, dried, and stored in a pile to last the entire year. From the energy of the dung, the Tibetan family is able to stay warm and cook, making this “waste-product” anything but waste!

    Yak Milk

    Obviously the milk itself is drunk, but it can also be used to make the typical dairy products such as butter, yogurt, and cheese. Without the yak milk, you wouldn’t be able to enjoy that cup of yak butter tea!

    Transportation

    The yak is a very strong animal, which makes it a perfect pack animal for the nomad family as they move around. It can also be ridden or used to plough the fields.

    Yak
    Two strong Yaks

    Breeding

    Just like any livestock animal, the family will also profit from the breeding of this animal. Not only is this animal breed for the sake of making the previously mentioned products, but a family can profit by trading or selling their extra animals, thus directly impacting the financial well-being of the nomad family.

  • Zang Yuan Qing Tibetan Restaurant

    Zang Yuan Qing Tibetan Restaurant

    In Maerkang city you will find a small and cozy local Rgyal Rong restaurant called “ Zang Yuan Qing Tibetan Restaurant ”. It’s simple inside but the food is very tasty and delicious. The basic menu offers the best local Tibetan food with fresh pork, yak meat, and organic vegetables. The local butter tea with fresh walnut is the best butter tea we have ever had (so if you’re going to try it anywhere, here’s the spot!). The menu doesn’t have any English translations, but you will find the most popular foods if you take a quick look at the other customer’s tables. There will be Tibetan noodles with pork and vegetables, momos (Tibetan dumplings) with butter, corn bread, local green vegetables, and of course, the yak butter tea. Even if you end up simply pointing at another diner’s food to order, you won’t regret it.

    The owner is a local Tibetan couple by the name of  Yeshi Mutso and Ajie. They are a very hard working and nice couple, and they opened the restaurant in June of 2014. Previously, both of them were local farmers, but they couldn’t make enough money to support the family and send their kids to school in the village at the same time. So instead, they decided to open a restaurant in the city. Even though they started with nothing, now their restaurant is doing well and their kids are being educated at the school in town.

    Inside the Zang Yuan Qing Tibetan Restaurant
    Inside the Zang Yuan Qing Tibetan Restaurant

    The wife, Yeshi Mutso, is the chef and her husband, Ajie, serves as one of the waiters. There are not only a happy couple, but they also make great business partners, as is evidenced by the growth in their business!

    When looking for the restaurant, you will find a fruit and vegetable market in front of the restaurant and on the rest of the street as it curves around. There are also a few shops that sell local clothing and handcrafted products along this street. The purple interior of this restaurant will stand out if you are looking in the doors of the right restaurant. (We couldn’t get the name of the street, but if you hop in a taxi, or ask at your hotel, hopefully you will find it. It’s worth the search.)

    If you walk along the left side of the same street (heading away from the river), you will find Maerkang square where the locals usually gather around 7:00pm to start Tibetan circle dancing. If you’re interested, they do this for two hours every evening and you are always welcome to join. The best way learn the moves is to watch other people.

    Local Tibetan noodle at Zang Yuan Qing Tibetan Restaurant
    Local Tibetan noodle at Zang Yuan Qing Tibetan Restaurant

    Maerkang is a place where most Rgayl Rong peole live. It’s a nice place to explore, and choosing to experience their local food will be one of your trip highlights. We encourage you to try some local food at Zang Yuan Qing Tibetan Restaurant if you have chance to visit Maerkang.

     

    Address: Gaoyuan Yingcheng, Maerkang City.

    Phone: 13540995161

    地址：马尔康市高原影城， 藏缘茶餐厅

    电话： 13540995161

     

  • De Le Tibetan Restaurant

    De Le Tibetan Restaurant

    There is a beautiful Rgyal Rong Tibetan town on the way to Maerkang Town, named Zhuo Ke Ji town. Zhuo Ke Ji is well-known place because the Zhuo Ke Ji Tusi Official Manor (a chieftain house) and the Xisuo Tibetan villages are located there. The town is just across from the Tibetan village, with easy access via the bridge connecting the village and town. It is a small but very nice town, and when looking for a meal, you can find Chinese, Muslim, and Tibetan food. As you are travelling through Tibet, take this opportunity to try the local Tibetan food. If you choose to go this route, alongside the river you can find the De Le Tibetan Restaurant. It’s easy to recognize the restaurant with the prayer flags strung between the restaurant and river.

    When entering De Le’s you will be warmly welcomed by the restaurant’s owners. The restaurant has two stories and is decorated with wooden furnishings. It is simple, but well organized, and internet is available and very fast in the restaurant. They also have a few tables outside if you want to enjoy your meal beside the river with a view of the mountains.

    The De Le Tibetan Restaurant is run by three Tibetan siblings, Wangxi Mutso, Luoyi Jia, and Tsering Lhamo. Coming from a local Tibetan village, they opened the restaurant in May of 2014. All of them went to vocational schools and majored in hotel management and accounting, but they decided to start a restaurant with their education and skills instead.

    Inside of De Le Tibetan Restaurant
    The De Le Tibetan Restaurant is a colorful place to enjoy a meal.

    They started the business because more and more tourists are coming to their hometown to visit Zhuo Ke Ji Tusi Official Manor and the Xisuo Tibetan village, but there was not a single Tibetan restaurant in the town. So they took the opportunity, and decided to let visitors taste local Tibetan food. The local pork, corn bread, local vegetables, yak meat, momos (dumplings), and noodles with local sour vegetables are their most popular dishes. For drinks, their butter tea with walnut is popular.

    While the owners don’t speak English, they are happy to provide travellers with the best local food. If you find yourself travelling through Zhuo Ke Ji town, stop by the De Le Tibetan Restaurant for a meal, and a quaint slice of Tibetan hospitality.

    You also can enjoy your meal outside of the restaurant
    Guests can also enjoy their meal outside of the restaurant beneath the prayer flags leading to the entrance.

    Contact Info:

    Address: Zhuo Ke Ji Town, Commercial Town, Dele Tibetan Restaurant. (Walk along the river and look for the prayer flags leading to the door.)

    Phone: 18990444272

    地址： 马尔康县卓克基镇商业街德勒藏餐。

    电话： 18990444272

     

  • Huahu Daqian Shijie

    Huahu Daqian Shijie

    Ruoergai grassland is the second largest grassland in the Tibetan regions and it is also one of the most beautiful marshland in China. This grassland is home to yaks, sheep, and horses, while the marsh is officially recognized as the homeland of the black necked crane. Ruoergai is one of the best places to learn about and experience Tibetan nomadic life. The boundless grassland, blue sky, and gorgeous black and white tents will make you want to look over and over again. You may even want to try to ride a yak or a horse when you see the local shepherds riding their horses on the beautiful grassland. Or maybe you will want to help local nomads milk and make their butter and cheese? Whatever the grasslands stir inside of you, we really don’t want you to miss a visit to this very fascinating place if you have any chance to travel here. While you travel the Ruoergai Grasslands, we would recommend a visit to “Huahu Daqain Shijie”. Huahu Daqian Shijie will bring you authentic local Tibetan nomadic life.

    Huahu Daqian Shijie is located next to the famous tourist place HuaHu (“Flower Lake”). Only a five-minute walk across the street, it was founded by Langmu Monastery in April of 2015. Many people visit this area because of its proximity to Flower Lake, so in order to educate visitors on local nomadic culture, and to provide jobs to the young people who didn’t get a lot of education, Langmu monastery built the complex system that makes up Huahu Daqain Shijie.

    While owned by Langmu Monastery, the day to day management of the site is run by locals. Dolma Tsetan is one of the main managers at the hotel, and he is a kind and caring man whose education is mostly self-taught. In the past few years in particular he has spent a lot of time joining managerial and skills training seminars to enrich his knowledge of business.

    Dolma Tsetan has proved himself to be a very capable man, and he works with more than 40 employees. The majority of his employees are local nomads and farmers who have not received a lot of education, but he has trained them to work as servers and other staff to welcome their guests warmly.

    Inside of Huaha Daqian Shijie
    Huahu Daqian Shijie is a fascinating place to experience nomadic life.

    The lodging here is very different from what you have probably had before. All of their lodgings are white ger/yurt (tents) holding a total of about 300 beds. You can choose your tent based on your budget and the number of features you would like it to include. There are VIP types of ger which are quite luxurious (particularly considering you’re in a tent), gers with double beds and private shower rooms, or ger with double rooms but which share a public bathroom. The beds are comfortable and clean, and built to stand up to the weather on the Tibetan plateau.

    In the center of the site you will find a small lake and island. Guests are welcome to take a stroll around the lake, enjoy the sunshine under the shade of the circular gazebo roof, or enjoy a spot of yak milk tea by the lake. Every evening, people gather together to dance in the traditional Tibetan style. Another place to check out while here is to take a quick peak into the tent which is set up like an education center about the artifacts of Tibetan nomad life.

    With food, you have option of having Chinese food along the street, or Tibetan food at the restaurant hotel. We would recommend you to have Tibetan food (would your Tibetan experience be complete without it?). The hotel restaurant is probably one of the most unique restaurants you have even eaten in before. When coming off of the road, the restaurant is on the left side of the front gate and is pretty recognizable as it is situated in a big black yak wool tent.

    Heading inside the tent (once your eyes have adjusted a little), you will find a Tibetan style fireplace which will be using the authentic firewood – yak dung. Choose one of the low tables and sit cross legged on the beautiful sheep skin mats. While it might be hard for you to sit on the ground in this manner for the entire meal, enjoy the experience of how the nomads truly share life. Yak meat and yak meat sausage, fresh yogurt, lamb, momos (dumplings), and milk tea are the most popular food on the menu here.

    Inside of the black tent restaurant
    Huahu Daqian Shijie black tent restaurant is a nice place to enjoy local nomadic food.

    The staff at Huahu Daqian Shijie warmly welcomes people from all over the world to experience the authentic Tibetan nomad’s lifestyle. If you choose to stay here or even just drop by for a meal, we think you will have a rewarding and pleasant stay.

     

    Contact Info:

    Address: Across from Flower Lake just outside of Ruoergai (5 minutes walk)

    Phone: 13568788822

    地址： 花湖斜对面（走路5分钟）

    电话：13568788822