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Snow-dusted Rawu valley beneath glaciated peaks, with Songtsam Lodge Laigu on the hillside
9 DAYS · NYINGCHI · DALIN · LULANG · RAWU · BOME

Tibet: Glaciers and Songtsam lodges

The Laigu glacier trek and a night above 4,200 meters at Songtsam Lodge Laigu.

9 days
Nyingchi round trip
8 nights
Five Songtsam and partner lodges
Peach bloom
15 Mar to 10 Apr is best, but closed in March
Minimum 2 
Privately guided throughout
Introduction

A quieter, wilder side of Tibet, told through glaciers, forests and lakes.

This is a journey deeper into the mystery and beauty of the Tibetan region, from spectacular snow-capped mountains and deep canyons to ancient temples and serene lakes. It moves off the main Lhasa circuit into the less-visited east, where Namcha Barwa peak, the Laigu glacier and the Lulang Sea of Flowers wait to be discovered.

Throughout eastern Tibet you stay at the region's most specialised hotels, the Songtsam lodges, a uniquely spiritual group of resorts set in secluded, natural and superb locations. In Rawu, that means a cliff at 4,200 meters above sea level looking out over the Laigu glacier, and in Bome, an open forested slope by the Palong Tsangpo river, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and fresh breezes.

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Route map showing Nyingchi, Basong Tso, Lulang, Bome and Rawu in eastern Tibet
Highlights

Why advisors choose this journey.

  1. Off the tourist trail

    Magnificent scenery through the less-visited landscapes of Eastern Tibet.

  2. Tibet's largest glacier

    Trek the ancient blue Laigu glacier near Rawu Lake.

  3. The iconic Lulang Stone Pot

    Feast on Lulang Stone Pot Chicken with local Tricholoma matsutake mushroom.

  4. Brand new deluxe lodges

    Stay in carefully curated, brand new deluxe accommodations throughout.

Day by day

Full Itinerary.

  1. Nyingchi / DalinD1
  2. LulangD2–3
  3. RawuD3–5
  4. BomeD5–7
  5. NyingchiD7–9

Airport to hotel

Arriving in Nyingchi Mainling Airport, we will transfer to your boutique village hotel at Yarlung Tsangpo valley with magnificent view of Namcha Barwa peak. Take an easy rest for the day as your body acclimatises to the high altitude.

Yarlung Tsangpo valley with a view towards Namcha Barwa peak
Overnight
Dalin
Meals
None

Hiking at Buddha Palm Dunes

After breakfast, we drive 45 minutes / 34 km (21 miles) to the scenic Buddha Palm Dunes for a short hike.

Village and forested valley beneath snow-capped peaks near Lulang

Dalin to Lulang

Thereafter, continue drive 3 hours / 135 km (84 miles) to Lulang via Sejila Mountain Pass (4,728m), where you can see the easternmost Himalayan peaks such as Namcha Barwa and Jala Bailei. Pass through the Lulang Sea of Flowers (late April to May), dubbed the Switzerland of Tibet with its snow-capped mountains, cattle-dotted meadows and lush 80% forest coverage.

Tonight's dinner you can taste a local food, Lulang Stone Pot Chicken with Tricholoma matsutake, an iconic Tibetan dish due to the rich spread of matsutake mushroom in the Lulang forest area.

Overnight
Lulang
Meals
Breakfast

Lulang to Rawu

If you feel like it, rise early for a morning acclimatisation hike to Zhaxigang Village (1 to 2 hours) at the foot of Jialabailei Summit. Thereafter, transfer 6 hours / 287 km to your hotel near the Laigu area.

Blessed with stunning views from 4,200 meters above sea level, your lodge is equipped with state-of-the-art oxygen concentrator technology to achieve a 24-hour closed oxygen supply.

Snow-capped peak reflected in the still waters near Rawu
Overnight
Rawu
Meals
Breakfast

Day tour at Rawu

Head to Duosong Tso, a secret holy lake off the tourist trail blessed with pristine forest, blue lake and snow-capped peaks. Continue with the Laigu glacier trek, Tibet's largest ancient blue glacier fed by Rawu Lake and Parlung Tsangpo river. One of the glacier tongues stretches 12km and over 70 families with a half-nomad, half-agricultural lifestyle reside along Rawu Lake. Conclude with sunset at Xiudeng Temple, a Gelug Sect temple built 500 years ago, where pilgrims from nearby villages take kora around the temple ruins daily.

Blue ice formations at the Laigu glacier near Rawu
Overnight
Rawu
Meals
Breakfast

Rawu to Bome

Drive 3.5 hours / 192 km (119 miles) along a snaking river and dense forest, with a photo stop at Tongmai Bridge, to the Bome area.

Village life beside Guxiang Lake near Bome

Guxiang Lake

This afternoon, experience village life by Guxiang Lake. The Bome area is known as the Tibetan barn for its high-altitude tea, wheat, barley, canola flower, morel and pine mushrooms.

Overnight
Bome
Meals
Breakfast

Day tour at Bome

Enjoy a day trip to Zhuxi Glacier and the 400 year old Pulong Temple. If you happen to visit in peach blossom season, the road to the glacier is blessed with over 200,000 peach trees and we can stop at Bome Peach Blossom Village (15 Mar to 10 Apr).

Enjoy an afternoon Palong Zangbo river hike to the rare spruce forest (1.5 hours). The relatively warm, subtropical alpine climate allows the firs and spruces to grow up to 80 meters and over 180 years old.

Monk overlooking snow-capped peaks near Bome
Overnight
Bome
Meals
Breakfast

Bome to Nyingchi

Drive 4 hours / 230 km (142 miles) to your hotel in the Nyingchi area, beautifully embraced alongside the scenic Himalayan mountains.

Take a rest for the day to enjoy the fantastic surroundings and hotel facilities.

Nyingchi valley at sunset with the Yarlung Tsangpo river
Overnight
Nyingchi
Meals
Breakfast

One day tour at Basong Tso

Enjoy an excursion to Basong Tso, which translates to "green water" in Tibetan. Take a boat ride with a visit to Tsodzong Monastery. Set on a tiny islet resembling Slovenia's Lake Bled, it belongs to the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Tsodzong Monastery on its islet at Basong Tso
Overnight
Nyingchi
Meals
Breakfast

Hotel to airport

After breakfast, we transfer to the airport for your onwards flight.

Meals
Breakfast
Hotel information

Where you will stay.

In Dalin

One recommended stay

Songtsam Namchabarwa Lodge

Dalin · Suite, 80 sq m / 861 sq ft

A remote Yarlung Tsangpo village lodge facing Namcha Barwa peak

We open the trip here because it is the single best-placed lodge for that first, unforgettable view of Namcha Barwa, and it eases guests gently into altitude after landing in Nyingchi. The stonework and timber architecture sits quietly in its village setting rather than dominating it, and the pace on arrival day is deliberately slow. We recommend the Suite for the extra room to rest and the wide valley outlook.

Good to know
  • Positioned in Dalin Village for the most iconic views of the Namcha Barwa peak.
  • A community-centric lodge that directly supports the development of the local village.
  • Minimalist stone and timber design keeps the mountain scenery the focus.
Visit hotel website →
Songtsam Namchabarwa Lodge buildings beside a still pool
Suite bathtub and mountain view at Songtsam Namchabarwa Lodge
Dining room with mountain view at Songtsam Namchabarwa Lodge

In Lulang

One recommended stay

Artel Poly Linzhi

Lulang · Superior Garden View Room, 50 sq m / 538 sq ft

A lakeside, award-winning boutique hotel in the forested Lulang region

This is the best available choice in Lulang, and it earns that position rather than being a default: the hotel won the Landezine International Landscape Award for its garden and terrace design, and the surrounding forest cover makes it feel far removed from any town. We recommend the Superior Garden View Room, which opens onto the landscaped grounds rather than the car park side of the property.

Good to know
  • Recipient of an international landscape award for its masterful garden design.
  • Set in Lulang, it feels like a high-altitude Swiss village surrounded by spruce forest.
  • Request a room in the north area for the best views of the landscaped grounds.
Guest room with mountain view at Artel Poly Linzhi
Evening dining room overlooking the mountains at Artel Poly Linzhi
Timber-decked terrace at Artel Poly Linzhi

In Rawu

One recommended stay

Songtsam Lodge Laigu

Rawu · Deluxe Room, 27 sq m / 290 sq ft

The highest Songtsam property, facing the Laigu glaciers at 4,200m

We choose this lodge for the view alone: it faces the Laigu glaciers and Rawu Lake directly, and it is the highest property in the Songtsam collection. What makes an overnight here genuinely comfortable rather than just scenic is the state-of-the-art oxygen concentrator technology, giving every room a 24-hour closed oxygen supply. We recommend the Deluxe Room facing the glacier for sunrise and sunset over the ice.

Good to know
  • Songtsam's highest property, built with modular eco-friendly construction at 4,200m.
  • High-tech floor heating and 24-hour oxygen supply for comfort at altitude.
  • Guests enjoy exclusive sunrise access to the blue ice of the nearby Laigu Glacier.
Visit hotel website →
Songtsam Lodge Laigu set against snow-covered mountains
Room with a glacier view at Songtsam Lodge Laigu
Lodge exterior in falling snow at Songtsam Lodge Laigu

In Bome

One recommended stay

Songtsam Linka Bome

Bome · Superior Room, 41 sq m / 441 sq ft

Blending into the forest and snow mountains beside Guxiang Lake

This lodge sits so naturally into its surroundings by Guxiang Lake, framed by snow mountains and forest, that it feels like an extension of the village rather than a hotel dropped into it. Every room carries traditional Tibetan aesthetics through elegant wooden furnishings and handcrafted copperware, and the pool terrace looks straight out to the peaks. We recommend the Superior Room for the balance of space and mountain outlook.

Good to know
  • Set within an ancient spruce forest near over 200,000 wild peach trees.
  • The outdoor infinity pool mirrors a perfect reflection of the surrounding snow peaks.
  • Custom copperware and furniture handcrafted by local Bome artisans in every room.
Visit hotel website →
Songtsam Linka Bome lodges beside Guxiang Lake
Room interior with wood beams at Songtsam Linka Bome
Poolside terrace with mountain view at Songtsam Linka Bome

In Nyingchi

One recommended stay

Hilton Linzhi Resort

Nyingchi · Hilton Room, 46 sq m / 495 sq ft

A tranquil hideaway on the Yarlung Tsangpo, minutes from the airport

We use this resort to close the trip because it delivers international-standard comfort after days at altitude, without losing the sense of place: it is hugged by the Yarlung Tsangpo river, Himalayan mountains and 1,000 acres of land, yet only 10 minutes from Nyingchi Mainling Airport. We recommend the Hilton Room for the reliable finish it gives the journey before your onward flight.

Good to know
  • Built in the style of a Gongbo Tibetan manor on a 1,000-acre riverside estate.
  • Features the only 18-hole mountain golf course in the entire Tibet region.
  • Ten minutes from the airport, the ideal soft landing for acclimatization.
Visit hotel website →
Hilton Linzhi Resort buildings dusted with early snow
Aerial view of Hilton Linzhi Resort with river and mountains
Guest room with mountain view at Hilton Linzhi Resort
Official quotation

Rates & what is included.

The indicative cost covers the full journey for the party size shown. The single supplement applies only when one guest occupies a room alone. All rates in CNY.

  • Songtsam Namchabarwa Lodge · Dalin · Suite, 80 sq m / 861 sq ft
  • Artel Poly Linzhi · Lulang · Superior Garden View Room, 50 sq m / 538 sq ft
  • Songtsam Lodge Laigu · Rawu · Deluxe Room, 27 sq m / 290 sq ft
  • Songtsam Linka Bome · Bome · Superior Room, 41 sq m / 441 sq ft
  • Hilton Linzhi Resort · Nyingchi · Hilton Room, 46 sq m / 495 sq ft
Indicative cost per person
CNY 35,900
Single supplement
CNY 7,900

Based on 2 guests sharing twin rooms. Minimum 2 guests to operate. Single supplement added only for single-room occupancy. All rates in CNY.

What's included

  • Accommodation on twin sharing basis in hotel as stated on bed & breakfast basis
  • All transportation & transfer on an air-conditioned minivan
  • English or Mandarin-speaking local guide
  • All entrance fees in sights stated
  • Meals as stated
  • Tibetan entrance and travel document fee for foreigners

What's not included

  • International and Domestic Airfare
  • Beverages in restaurants where meals are included
  • Gratuities
  • Personal expenses, e.g. telephone bill & laundry
  • Visa
  • Travel insurance

Prices are for reference only and may be adjusted due to seasonal variations.

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