Fungal Foray Tibet
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Fungal & Floral Foray in Tibet
July 14-27, 2010
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2010 Tour Announcement
This eco tour to Tibet is certain to be a once in a lifetime natural and cultural experience in some of the most stunning landscapes on the planet. I am offering a two week long guided journey in July 2010. We will be exploring Kongpo (Nyingchi), southeastern Tibet. Its Tibet's incredibly biodiverse area, a paradise for any nature lover, but especially rich in fungal and floral resources. We will take time for anything wild and of interest such as wild life, wild flowers or wild hot springs.
Our goals on this trip are simple: We will journey through incredible landscapes and exotic culture. Tibetans will accompany us on our mushroom and plant forays as we look for a variety of life forms, including plants and mushrooms, the latter we will enjoy in delicious culinary sensations both Tibetan and Chinese. We will traverse many altitudinal zones, from warm-temperate to alpine areas up to 17,000 ft (4800m), thereby experiencing a wide range of ecosystems, all with their unique flora, fauna and funga.
Late July is prime season for ectomycorrhizal mushrooms in the old-growth conifer and oak forests. We will spend plenty of time out in the woods to encounter many wildflowers and find true matsutake, Tibetan Caesar (Amanita hemibapha), all kind of boletes including King boletes, chanterelles, lion's mane and more exotic species. Of special interest is also the matsutake trade, which dominates the local economy. In alpine grasslands mushrooms such as Ser Sha (Floccularia / Armillaria luteovirens) a very tasty and several Agaricus species are fruiting. We will visit mushroom markets and surely encounter Yartsa gunbu, the Caterpillar fungus (Cordyceps sinensis) in the markets.
Among hundreds of wildflowers we will find wild species of lilies, delphiniums, cremanthodiums, edelweiss and fields of Pedicularis. A few Rhododendron might still be in flower. June thru September is monsoon season. Please note that the monsoon in this area is nothing like that in the south slope of Himalayas; there will be rain, but not enough to deter us and rainy days are often balanced with sunny skies.
 Matsutake (Tricholoma matsutake) in evergreen oak leaves,
The tour will also include much cultural immersion. We will visit plenty of incredible Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, sacred lakes, mountains and forests. We will experience the mysterious and colorful spirituality that lies at the heart of Tibet and its people. We will travel to alpine grassland areas surrounded by glaciated peaks visiting nomads and yaks, and taste some fresh "yakgurt". Beautiful hot springs along the route shall not be missed! We will do plenty of day hikes to explore the out doors, some of them on pathless steep slopes, thus you should be in good shape. You do not need to be an athlete, but shortness of breath is magnified in a high altitude environment.
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 Shukpa Gonpa near Nyingchi, June 2005
 Brothers looking out a farmhouse window in Kongpo, June 2005
 Kongpo's Basum Tso, June 2006
 A Giant cypress (Cupressus gigantea) in Kongpo. Photo: Tony Migas, June 2006
 A bridge leading from the prayer hall to the monks quarters in Dodung Gonpa, Pome / Bomi, Nyingchi TAR, June 2005
 Family collecting Cordyceps, Bar La, June 2006
 The highway along the Yigong Tsangpo Gorge, June 2005
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 Itinerary for MushRoaming in Tibet in July 2010 14-Jul Wed Chengdu (Day 1)
Meet in the afternoon in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. Hotel
15-Jul Thu Chengdu to Nyingchi (Bayi)
Fly to Nyingchi in the morning. Hotel transfer in Nyingchi town. Nyingchi or Bayi, the prefectural capital of Nyingchi Prefecture (Linzhi) is surrounded by forests and located in only 3000 m / 9800 ft, which helps for adjustment to the altitude (Lhasa is located 600 m / 2'000 ft higher up). In the afternoon visit to the nearby Giant cypress grove, with the world biggest cypress trees, and to Shukpa Gompa, a monastery built next to an ancient Giant cypress. Shambala Hotel
16-Jul Fri Nyingchi
Mushroom market visit in the morning. Excursion to Buchu Tergyi Lhakang and Lamaling Monasteries. Forest walk. Shambala Hotel
Link to an awesome aerial view of the region, showing the confluence of the Tsangpo and the Nyang Chu Rivers, Serkyim La Pass is in the mountains to the lower far right corner.
17-Jul Sat Nyingchi to Bomi
Drive over the impressive Serkyim La / Seqi Pass (4540 m, 15,000 ft), from where with some luck we can see Namchen Barwa (7782 m, 25440 ft). Nature walk in the alpine environment. Lunch in Lunang and drive on to Bomi through gorgeous Kongpo, Tibet's most biodiverse region. Lush subtropical to warm temperate valleys surrounded by peaks, whose glacial lobes are surrounded by conifer forests.
18-Jul Sun Bomi
Visit to Pome Drodon Gompa, a monastery of the Nyingma tradition. Excursions to the forests around Bomi, where the locals gather Matsutake. Search for Matsutake.
19-Jul Mon Bomi to Lunang
Drive to Yigong Tso, a beautiful, remote lake. Forest walks. Overnight in Lunang, a small town surrounded by beautiful pastures and pristine forests. Simple guest house.
20-Jul Tue Lunang - Nyingchi
Drive from Lunang over Serkyim La Pass (4540m, 15,000 ft) to Bayi with stops for excursions. Mushroom dinner at the Prefectural Emporium, which sells besides typical souvenirs, over a dozen edible mushrooms. Shambala Hotel
21-Jul Wed Bayi to Basum Lake
Drive from Bayi along the wide Nyang Chu River to Basum Tso (= Traksum Tso = Basong Co) with its famous Island Nunnery. Botanical and fungal walks in primary forests in the afternoon. Lake Inn Hotel.
22-Jul Thu Basum Lake
In the morning visit at the unique Island Nunnery. Afternoon botanical and fungal walks in primary forests, Lake Inn Hotel
23-Jul Fri Basum Lake - Lhasa
Drive along the Nyang Chu River up to Kongpo Bar La / Mi La Pass. The signage at the pass reads 5017m (=16500ft), but that might be the altitude at a hill top above the pass. We will spend time in this breathtakingly beautiful high altitude nomad area that is also caterpillar fungus habitat. Drive to Lhasa. Kyichu Hotel
24-Jul Sat Lhasa
Explore the Barkhor market in Lhasa's old town, visit of Jokang, Lhasa's 7th Century temple. Kyichu Hotel
25-Jul Sun Lhasa
Visit of the majestic Potala Palace and Sera or Drepung Monasteries, formerly home to thousands of monks. Kyichu Hotel
26-Jul Mon Lhasa- Gongkar Airport - Chengdu
Transfer to Gongkar Airport, flight to Chengdu. Transfer to hotel, Mushroom or materia medica market. Farewell dinner. City Garden Hotel
27-Jul Tue Chengdu - home (Day 14)
Group dissolves in the morning. Hotel airport transfer.
(North Americans could arrive home on July 27 (regaining the day lost previously flying east, Europeans would arrive July 28).
[We are planning on flying straight into Nyingchi/Bayi from Chengdu and visit Lhasa at the end of the tour. However circumstance might require that we start out in Lhasa.]
Taking the train
If you would like to use the new railroad, it is recommended to leave Lhasa by train at the end of the tour. Coming up from China can cause a lot of discomfort due to the quick gain of altitude and all the hours spend above 4700m (15,000ft) without sufficient time for acclimatization. If we are informed well ahead of time we can arrange for tickets.
 Traditional nomad yak wool tent, Kongpo Gyamba, June 2006.
 Google Earth Image with 2010 tour route.
2010 Route: We will fly from Chengdu into Nyingchi (a.k.a. Nyingtri or in Chinese as Bayi ), the capital of Nyingchi Prefecture (= Kongpo). We will follow the southern branch of the Tibet-Sichuan Highway, crossing the Serkyim La to Bomi (a.k.a. Pome), with its rich matsutake resources. We will visit Yigong Tso, a beautiful lake completely off the beaten track and return via Lunang to Nyingchi (Bayi). From Nyingchi we follow the Nyang Chu River Valley west, and head Northeast to Basum Lake (Basong Co). We will be staying there for two nights, visit the island nunnery and hike in the old growth forest. Then we will head west, crossing the Kongpo Bar La (Mi La) pass and its nomad area, heading for Lhasa in Central Tibet. In Lhasa we will be staying in a Tibetan Hotel in the old town and explore all its most famous sights such as the Potala Palace, the Jokang Temple and Drepung Monastery. Finally we will fly out of Gongkar in the Tsangpo Valley, which is about 75 min to the south of Lhasa.
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| Summer Fungal & Floral Foray in Tibet July 14-27, 2010
Land Costs: $3,450 (2,550)
includes all accommodation, meals, and overland transport
[price for 8 or more participants, 4-7 participants $3950 / 2,950)]
Single room supplement: $450 (350)
Additional costs:
International Airfare to China (Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong or Chengdu):
$900-1,400
Tickets need to be purchased individually by participant. Be aware that July is not only fungal peak season, but also tourist high season. Please do check back before actually purchasing your tickets.
Domestic Airfares in China (i.e. Beijing / Chengdu / Shanghai to Lhasa / Nyingchi rt):
$600-800
(Lhasa & Nyingchi tickets must be purchased by Tibetan travel agency. We can help purchasing tickets for air travel within China. Hong Kong - Chengdu is regarded as an international flight.)
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 Lilium duchatrei in Gyalthang (Zhongdian)
Dechen TAP, NW Yunnan), July 23, 2007.
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 Meconopsis integrifolia growing at Kongpo Bar La Pass, June 2006
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 Amanita vaginata group found above
Nyingchi, June 2006
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 Bayi's Prefectural Emporium with lots of dried mushrooms, herbs and many other local products and souvenirs.
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 Westside of the Potala palace, for several centuries the world's biggest building.
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Last Change: Nov. 10, 2009
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 Nomad kids in their tent, Kongpo Bar La, June 2006
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