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K2, the second highest peak on the planet (28,268’) is a lonely place right now. It straddles the border between Pakistan and the Xinjian Uygur Autonomous Region in China, both fraught with riots, ethnic upheavals and terrorist attacks. Nonetheless it’s as beautiful from China as it was from Pakistan where I first saw it in ’98. I and my team of three Kyrgyz, one Uygur and three camels experienced bluebird conditions in base camp and not another soul the entire time. Our little family–Shiite, Sunni and kara bura (black camels)–celebrated the end of Ramadan, the Lunar New Year and the 60th Anniversary of Communism in China. Mostly we shared a common goal: to reach K2. A good time was had by all.Visit author’s website: Ruth Anne Kocour.

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Ever since Tibet first opened to Western tourists in the early 1980s, Kham, the eastern part of Tibet, remained closed. Few hard core travelers tried to bribe their way across in the early years, traveling atop trucks, often needing to keep hidden out of view for most of the journey that could last as long as three to four weeks, freezing, hungry, set to dodge numerous check posts, only to make it through. Getting caught meant getting a heavy fine and instant deportation. Sightseeing was nearly impossible unless the truck driver was willing to stop in the middle of nowhere, or at best perhaps at a small village. Through towns one could pass only by night or early dawn, and only with the utmost cooperation of the truck driver. But even from the back of the truck the scenery was magnificant, and the journey unlike any other.

In recent years as more Chinese tourists ventured to Tibet and started to navigate the Eastern Tibet roads to Sichuan and Yunnan, handful of Westerners have gotten permits as well. Because of protests and calls for Tibetan independence in 2007, Litang and most of Western Sichuan has remained closed since.

Whether travelling the route from Sichuan, from Chengdu via Lithang on to Lhasa, or from Zhongdian in northern Yunnan via Deqin and Markham, the Kham route to Lhasa is simply stunning and an experience not to miss.

Encountering the strong and proud Kampa Tibetans, passing over incredible passes such as Dongda La, Serkhym La or Mila, passing by striking lakes of Ranwu Tso, Rawak Tso, or Draksum Tso, and marveling at glaciers and towering peaks the likes of Namche Barwa is guaranteed to leave one often speechless.

Though the route can be done in either direction, Lhasa to Chengdu, Tibet to Sichuan or Sichuan to Tibet, Chengdu to Lhasa, you’ll need considerably more time for this routing. Aside that, this route through Western Sichuan is also more unpredictable, even if you should be able to get a Tibet Travel Permit. This has been even more so a case since the Lhasa and Litang riots of March 2008 and as a result since much of Western Sichuan has been off limits to Westerners, though in recent weeks few Western tourists are getting through.

The third routing, Lhasa to Zhongdian or Tibet to Yunnan, is just as rewarding, can be done in as few as seven days, though more days will allow for more stops and more enjoyable eastern Tibet traverse. For better acclimatization it is advised to travel the route starting from the lower elevations of Yunnan, thus travel Zhongdian to Lhasa.

Khams or Eastern Tibet
Cavaliers of Kham: The Secret War in Central Asia

Wondering the narrow alleyways of Erhai lakeside villages near Dali in Yunnan Province of southwestern China one can get lucky and stumble upon a genuine Bai village temple fest. Tourists who prefer to keep to Dali guidebooks most recommended sites seldom visit the smallest of these villages. Yet it is here at a typical village temple that a village folk gathering can be found worshiping. There are no guests, no outside visitors and the immensely enjoyable spectacle usually lasts all day. The participants, including the orchestra members are the villagers themselves. All of them take part; they are who live in the small village, sharing in the worship and the eventual feast. Both men and women participate, the women first in their own temple, and then together with men they light the auspicious incense in the main temple. After worship the participants gather to enjoy some of the foods the women cooked and offered as temple offerings to the gods pig head, rooster, bowl of spicy fish, plates of colored noodles, cups of rice, fruits, chilly and vegetables, all staple parts of their diet. This gathering and communal temple worship and meal was preceded by five days of abstinence from eating meat. The music and chants are mesmerizing, downright hypnotic. All villagers sport smiles and deep-rooted joy in participating. Their simple, authentic local celebration exudes in genuine display of friendship toward one another. The following video is Part 2 of 6.

Rooftops of Zhaoxing village, Guizhou

Wooden Drum Tower, Zaoxing

Guizhou is one of lesser-visited provinces of China. This is largely due to its remote mountainous character and bad roads, especially in its southeastern corner, where a number of fascinating ethnic minorities such as Bouyei, Sui, Hui, Zhuang, Miao and Dong are found. Although much of these ethnic groups live in poverty, Dong relatively prosper and construct intriguing compact villages of truly remarkable architecture. Of all the Dong villages, Zhaoxing has been hailed as the most beautiful village and is certainly quite picturesque.

Resting under a drum tower, Zaoxing

Set in a basin when approached from either direction and viewed from the surrounding hillsides, Zhaoxing skyline strikes as coherent blend of rooftops above which protrude unique pagoda-style towers, five of them in all. Interspersed throughout the village the drum towers were built by each clan as if one per neighborhood. The pagoda tiers, intricately carved, mounted atop massive timber columns, are decorated with village life images and harbor a drum which is beaten to summon villagers to a meeting, warn of fire and in the old days sounded alarm when the village might had faced an approaching attack. Although the benches below the drum tower serve as a gathering area to hold village meetings, villagers use its soothing shade to rest, play cards, games and chat; the drum towers indeed thus constitute an urban design element that can be incorporated by any contemporary culture.

Drum tower and an ecological village pond, Zhaoxing

A small river passes through Zhaoxing and its banks span several covered bridges, called Wind and Rain Bridges. The name is eloquent as its purpose is not to channel pedestrian traffic on either side of the river alone but to protect the villagers from inclement weather while resting on its benches that line both sides of the structure. Similarly as the drum towers, the covered bridges are a gathering place to socialize as well as nap, and much of the time they are busy namely with the village elders.

The dominant architectural element of the village are the houses. As the drum towers and the covered bridges the Zhaxing house architecture uses no nails and the structures are built entirely of notched timber post and beam construction. The skeleton of the structure is completed first and the rest of the house follows. It’s astounding to see that a massive three-storey structure can sit on simple flat stone footings often as if haphazardly set inside a steep hillside. The Dong vernacular style of architecture undeniably belongs to one of most fascinating tribal architectural styles found anywhere. 

Skeleton structure of a Dong house architectural style

Dong notched post and beam timber construction

Construction detail, Dong architecture

Large house sited on a steep hilside, Zhaoxing village area

Footing of a Zhaoxing house, Guizhou Province, China