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CBP Journey 2003 - Yading - Sichuan Province - Treks in China - Home

Circumambulate Mt. Chenresig
 

A sacred place and a wonderful trek. To me, the kora of Mt. Chenresig was the most exciting trek that I did in my life.

Local Tibetans circumambulate Mt. Chenresig at least once a year. I met a Tibetan family, with grandparents, parents and two children. One child was around 5 and another was a baby carried by the mother. They walked slowly along the pilgrimage route. I tried to talk with them but none of them speaks Chinese. They just smiled at me. I was deeply affected by their pristine, touching smiles which I find less and less in big cities. I suddenly understood why I keep traveling to the remote, undeveloped areas. It is to look for these sincere smiles as well as unspoiled spirits blessed by sacred mountains.


Stage 1


Stage 2


Stage 3


Stage 4



Stage 5


Stage 6


Stage 7


Stage 8

 

 

 

Walking time: two days. Horse trek: one day from Luorong Pasture.

Access: Daocheng, Yading Nature Reserve: Getting there and away.

Food/Water/Overnight stay: Chonggu Lodge and Luorong Tent-lodge.
No food supply can be found after Luorong Tent-lodge. From stage 2 to 4, there are several sources of water. Be careful that there is no water supply from stage 6 to 7. After Luorong Tent-lodge, huts can be a solution if you don't have a tent.

Route mark: Tibetan praying flags. Otherwise no route mark is made for travelers. If you rent a horse to ride or carry luggage, the wrangler becomes your best guide. Generally it is easy to find the trail and follow the right direction. Always keep Chenresig at your right side.

Description: See Map for this hike. and a nice google 3D map.

Stages:
Walking
time
* Height
difference
Remarks
1. Entrance - Chonggu Lodge
1 hour
100 meters
Easy ascent. Follow the wide, paved trail.
2. Chonggu Lodge - Luorong Pasture
1.5 - 2 hours
150 meters
Easy ascent. Follow the wide, paved trail.
3. Luorong Pasture - Milk Lake
3 hours
600 meters
Tough, long ascent. Cross the bridge in Luorong Pasture, hike toward Jampelyang, walk along the west shore of the stream. The trail is easy to find as Milk lake is visited by most travelers.
4. Milk Lake - First Col
30-45 minutes
250 meters
Tough ascent. Follow the trail along the north shore of Milk Lake. The trail leads to the first col.
5. First Col - First Hut
1 hour
400 meters
Descent. Reaching the first col, turn to the north, walk along the steep slope beneath Chenresig, pass an emerald lake and reach the first hut in one hour.
6. First Hut - Several Huts**
1 hour
100 meters
Easy to follow the level trail, keep the north direction. There is an entrance to descend west to the Kasi Hell Gully.
7. Several Huts - Second Col
1.5 - 2 hours
600 meters
Tough ascent. Tibetan praying flags hanging on the second col can be seen far away from the col.
8. Second Col - Pearl Lake
1.5 - 2 hours
900 meters
Long descent. A long downhill walking to Pearl Lake accompanied by the view of Chenresig's magnificent north face.
9. Pearl Lake - Chonggu Lodge
30 minutes
100 meters
Descent. Wide, paved trail.

* It is my rough estimation. The elevations mentioned in the map Yading Nature Reserve are not reliable.
** Tibetan pilgrims overnight in these huts. There is a small fall along the trail before reaching these huts. It is the last source of water before Pearl Lake.

Other Hiking Trails:

See map Around Yading.

1) Riwa (Shangri-La) - Yading: People used to hike from Riwa to Yading (7 hours) when the vehicular road was not built.

2) Lugu Lake - Yading: 7- 9 days.

3) Langdu (Yunnan, Zhongdian) - Geka - Yading.

4) Muli - Yading. The route of Joseph Rock.

5) The Big Kora: See the article in Khamaid.

 

Written by CBP in 2004.

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