SnowLion Tours

Amnye Machen
Mt. Amnye Machen
Mt. Amnye Machen is one of the holiest mountains in Tibet, second only to Mt. Kailash in Ngari. Nomads live on the grasslands surrounding Amnye Machen, and monks often come to the nearby river for blessings. Pilgrims frequently circumambulate the mountain, and locals tell stories about every site along the hiking path.

Mt. Amnye Machen Kora

Circumambulate Amdo’s Holiest Mountain

Amnye Machen has long been considered a sacred mountain and a place of pilgrimage. In the past, up to 10,000 Tibetans would make the 120-mile circumambulation of the mountain each year. The first European explorers described it as one of the great geographical discoveries of the twentieth century. On your journey to the holy mountain, drive by red clay mountains, sand dunes, and the Yellow River. Visit Ragya Monastery and a nomad tent near Machen before meeting up with the horses, yaks, and yak handlers that will accompany you. Together, begin hiking around Amnye Machen, stopping to receive blessings from Naga at a sacred river, visit meditation caves and the cliffs of Goku Chenmo, and camp in juniper forests. Enjoy a cup of tea at a hidden monastery, look out over glaciers from the Drakdar Pass, and celebrate the completion of your journey with a feast in the Tibetan town of Trika.


Highlights

  • Charming monasteries
  • Nomad tents and grasslands
  • Trekking Mt. Amnye Machen
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Details

  • 14-day trip begins and ends in Xining, China
  • 5 nights in hotels, 8 nights camping
  • Altitude from 3200-4700m
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Tour Costs

Departures

  • May-October