Tibetan pilgrims near Lhamo Latsho

Our trek follows the traditional pilgrimage route to sacred Lhamo Latsho, known as Oracle Lake. In Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the Regent of the Gelukpa sect comes to this lake to seek clues to find the next incarnation of the Dalai Lama.

Photo by Susan Thiele

display information about this photo

Tibet's Oracle Lake: Trek to Lhamo Lhatso

A Pilgrimage in the Footsteps of the Dalai Lama
with Gary McCue

This itinerary is no longer available

We may run this trip again in the future, please contact us if you are interested.

This itinerary is no longer available. We have no immediate plans to run it again soon, but please contact us if you would be interested in it.

According to Tibetan legend, each Dalai Lama must visit Lhamo Lhatso, the “Oracle Lake” of Central Tibet, at least once in his lifetime to gaze upon these visionary waters for insight into his future. It is also where the Regent of Tibet’s Gelukpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism and an entourage of high lamas would journey to seek clues that would help them find the boy who would be the new incarnation of the Dalai Lama. Our new exploratory trek with Tibet expert Gary McCue follows the Dalai Lama’s traditional route to Lhamo Lhatso, from Rutok Monastery east of Lhasa through extensive grasslands dotted with the yak hair tents of nomadic herders, and over a 17,550-foot pass to Chokhorgyel Monastery from where we can gaze down at the lake to divine our own future. We then follow local devotees on the Gyakor, the rarely visited outer pilgrimage circuit in the valleys around Lhamo Lhatso, and end at the shores of the lake itself.

Highlights

  • Follow in the footsteps of the Dalai Lama on a remote pilgrimage route to Lhamo Lhatso, Tibet’s “Oracle Lake”
  • Explore once-splendid gompas whose remains testify to a glorious past
  • Trek the Gyakor, a little used pilgrimage path in the forested valleys around the lake, and make a kora around Lhamo Lhatso itself

Details

  • 29-day trip begins and ends in Kathmandu
  • 19 nights camping, 9 nights in hotels
  • All meals included except 3 lunches, 2 dinners
  • Strenuous hiking on moderate to steep trails, 5-8 hours a day, altitudes between 13,000-17,600 feet

This itinerary is no longer available

We may run this trip again in the future, please contact us if you are interested.

Suggested Reading

Reading list, click here.

Itinerary at a Glance

Days 1-6
Kathmandu /Lhasa

From Kathmandu, Nepal, we fly to Lhasa, and spend a few days touring the splendid sights of this ancient city. An acclimatization hike on the kora (sacred circuit) at Ganden Monastery sets the stage for the trek to come.

Days 7-17
On trek to Chokhorgyel Monastery

Rutok Gompa, a small monastery where the Dalai Lamas would spend a night before setting off toward Lhamo Lhatso, lies east of Lhasa. We visit the temple, then begin our trek, heading into a lush yak herding valley with a meandering creek, through vast grasslands populated by nomadic herders, and up to a ridge offering grand vistas of distant snowy peaks. Following remote pilgrimage trails, we pause by several once-flourishing ancient gompas and hermitages whose remains still elicit hints of the grandeur they once commanded. Climbing ever higher, we cross ridges and moraines and enter an alpine zone with grazing meadows and glacial lakes. Crossing the Gyelung La (17,550'), we descend into a spectacular rocky basin as we near Chokhorgyel Monastery, a once-grand complex that was home to 500 monks; today a handful reside here. From a viewpoint at 17,600 feet, we have outstanding views of Lhamo Lhatso below, and we join other pilgrims as they gaze over these waters and recite mantras.

Days 18-21
The Gyakor / Lhamo Lhatso

Heading up the main valley toward the spectacular craggy peaks that loom over yak grazing meadows, we cross Gangdri La (16,500') and reach the shores of Lhamo Lhatso (16,200'). Pilgrims toss offerings of silk kataks, with a small amount of money rolled inside, into the lake. And for those who see a vision on the lake’s waters, it is not meant to be told to others.

Days 22-26
To Tsethang / Daklha Gampo

From Lhamo Lhatso we trek back into the remote alpine valley to the north, then descend along beautiful yak pastures to the road. We meet our vehicles and drive to Tsethang (11,500'). Along the way we explore Daklha Gampo, the former residence of Gampopa, one of Tibet’s more acclaimed Tibetan Buddhist scholars and revered as one of the main disciples of Tibet’s beloved Milarepa. Like most of the monasteries throughout Tibet, Daklha Gampo was destroyed in the Cultural Revolution; only a few of the original buildings have been restored.

Days 27-29
Kathmandu

We fly back to Kathmandu and have a free day to explore on our own before departing on Day 29.

This is the Itinerary-at-a-Glance. For the complete trip description, Download Full Trip Brochure