Stretching nearly 4,000 kilometres through the expansive, formidable and breathtakingly beautiful geography of Yunnan and Tibet, the Tea Horse Road was—until its untimely demise caused by World War II— one of the most important trade routes that connected South China to India.
Anirban Mahapatra
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The Tea Horse Road courses along the banks of the Yangtse as it cuts up the rugged Hengduan Mountains near the eastern border of Tibet
Stretching nearly 4,000 kilometres through the expansive, formidable and breathtakingly beautiful geography of Yunnan and Tibet, the Tea Horse Road was—until its untimely demise caused by World War II— one of the most important trade routes that connected South China to India. Travelling on an expedition for the Maulana Azad Institute of Asian Studies, Kolkata, Anirban Mahapatra took advantage of a rare opportunity to venture along this old road earlier this year, capturing the sublime natural beauty of the region and the layered nuances of its unique way of life on camera.
CMYK
The Information
Getting There
We flew to Kunming from Kolkata on board China Eastern (from approx. Rs 12,000 return; flychinaeastern.com). From Kunming, it’s best to arrange for a 4WD vehicle and travel along the Tea Horse Road, going through the towns of Puer, Lincang, Dali and Lijiang, before crossing the Hengduan Mountains to reach the county of Zhongdian. Since the Tibetan border north of Zhongdian is closed to visitors, the only way to reach Lhasa from here is to fly on board China Eastern (MU 5,939/approx. Rs 9,000).
After spending a couple of days in Lhasa, we travelled eastward to reach Kathmandu by road, this time following the Friendship Highway via the cities of Tsedang, Gyantse and Shigatse. The overland journey—including a day trip to Everest Base Camp from the village of Tingri—takes about a week if done at leisure.
As an alternative to our itinerary, you could get into Tibet by road from Nepal as part of a round trip—travelling the Friendship Highway in the opposite direction and then flying back to Kathmandu from Lhasa. The advantage here is that you can gradually acclimatise as you climb up to the plateau, thereby minimising the possibility of altitude sickness.
Need to know
Travelling in Yunnan and Tibet is a pricey affair. Moreover, tourism rules—especially in Tibet—are pretty stringent, and seem to change quite frequently. It is currently mandatory for anyone intending to travel to Tibet to liaise with a Chinese travel agency registered with the Tibet Tourism Bureau (xzta.gov.cn). A list of licensed agencies is available on the bureau’s website. The tour operator is responsible for organising all necessary permits for its guests, as well as providing three-star accommodation, food, transport (in minivans or SUVs) and the services of a driver and an English-speaking guide—all for a ballpark figure of about Rs 10,000 per person per day.
To qualify for a Tibet permit, travellers must now travel in groups of five or more, and be of the same nationality. Any deviation from a predetermined itinerary—which is to be presented to the bureau at the time of obtaining the permit—is strongly discouraged. To add to the existing red tape, the Chinese government is known to down shutters on Tibet and restrict entry at very short notice. Needless to say, considerable planning is required before a trip.
Where to stay
Visitors have little choice when it comes to accommodation options in Yunnan and Tibet: your tour operator takes all calls in this regard. But it is very likely that you will be put up in a comfortable hotel with three-star facilities. Your meals will also be pre-booked and will feature everything from Tibetan, Chinese and Continental to Nepali and Indian cuisine. Once again, you are unlikely to have anything to complain about.
When to go
The summer months of May and June, followed by the early autumn month of September, are the best seasons for travelling in the region. The weather is pleasant, with night temperatures in Tibet rarely dipping below 6°C, and there are few chances of rain.
What to carry
Take your sunglasses, a tube of high-SPF sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat to avoid getting charred by UV. A muffler or scarf is useful for shielding your nostrils from the ceaseless blasts of wind. Bottled water is available everywhere—drink at least three litres of water every day to avoid dehydration. Stay away from coffee or alcohol, go easy on the cigarettes and occasionally spike your water with a pack of ORS (e.g. Electral) if required. Remember that your body is breathing rationed oxygen at heights of above 12,000ft, so don’t exert yourself unnecessarily. Nosebleeds are not uncommon in Tibetan altitudes—a daily dose of Vitamin C will help. Most tour operators keep a cylinder of oxygen in their vehicles to combat emergency cases of hypoxia at high altitudes.
Maps
Excellent travel maps of Yunnan and Tibet, produced by the China National Tourist Office (CNTO), can be obtained from tourist offices in Kunming or Lhasa. In all probability, your travel agency will hand you one free of charge.