East of Lhasa you will discover a world far from the stereotyped image of Tibet as a barren, mountain landscape. The mountains are most certainly still here, but in a region of breath-taking beauty they are complimented by deep, forested valleys, crystal-clear lakes, vast rivers and incredible grasslands. Here the great rivers – Brahmaputra, Salween, Mekong, Yangzi, Irrawaddy – descend from the Tibetan Plateau, carving deep gorges through the mountains.

Here too are some of the most sacred sites of Tibetan Buddhism and of Bon. These are the regions of Kongpo and Kham; geographically, politically and historically separate from central Tibet. Isolated valleys and tribal villages are host to some very important gompas and other sacred sites and offer an unforgettable and unique glimpse of a rapidly changing world – a region that is neglected by guidebooks and so less visited by western travellers.

After having been closed to tourism for many years interest in this region is reviving- all tours in this area are private trips customised for you. Here we are offering some suggestions to get you started. All are available as stand-alone trips or may be combined with other travels in central Tibet or to Everest for a longer journey.
Make a loop from Lhasa; fly in or out of Nyingchi airport (daily to/from Chengdu, Xi’an, Chongqing, Guangzhou) or make a longer journey overland from Chengdu or Shangri-La (Zhongdian) in Yunnan to Lhasa.