Highland Trekking Initiatives Lhasa

*Pictures at the bottom.

The post has been a long time coming and I am so thrilled to finally have time to write about Highland Trekking Initiatives. If you want to go trekking in Lhasa, this is the company to go with. I think that everyone should know about Highland Trekking Initiatives and its founder, Angie, is one of the most amazing women I have ever met. HTI is a trekking company that leads tours around Lhasa. I really think that this is an incredible company and deserves to be out in the world. I know that now is not the best of times to try to get into Lhasa but if you have the opportunity, take it. Angie can help you with your travel permit.

For those who haven't been following my blog, I lived in Lhasa for three and a half months in the fall of 2011. During this time I often went to La Bon Vie (yes, it's spelled wrong, it should be La Bonne Vie) for coffee and delicious pancakes and waffles. Almost every single time I went I saw this woman sitting in a corner surrounded by papers and typing furiously at her laptop. I never once got up the courage to approach her but I always noticed her presence. About a month and a half in this woman walked up to the Boy and I and asked what our stories were. We had been there so long that she knew we weren't tourists and wanted to get to know us. This is Angie. She is fearless, outgoing, and direct.

Angie has lived in Lhasa for fourteen years. She is a nature conservationist who runs HTI. She collaborates with nomadic communities all around the plateau in order to bring trekkers to little known areas. All of the profits she makes gets funneled back to the nomads and goes to the preservation of their grazing lands. All of her routes are those known only to nomads so that no other trekking groups hike her areas. It is really fantastic knowing that you won't run into a herd of people as you are trying to enjoy the scenery.

During the fall I was unable to go on one of her treks so I returned to Lhasa in January with the sole goal of going on a tour with her. The really great thing about her company is that she runs treks that range from six hours to seven days and up. If you have a free afternoon while in Lhasa, hit up Angie and she'll take you out for the day. Since I went during the winter season, I was only able to do a day hike but it was one of the top three highlights of my entire time in Lhasa. We even got to hop across some frozen rivers and it was really amazing being able to hear the babbling water underneath the thick layers of ice. I hope to be able to go back in the future and do a full week long hike with her.

Also, if you are worried that you have to be in spectacular shape, let me set your mind at ease. The day trek that I did was a very, veeeerrrrryyyy gradual climb and Angie sets an excellent pace. Just stay behind her and you'll be golden. Angie always brings along one of her other guides and we were lucky with the lovely Lhamo, who had an uncanny ability to be able to tell where solid ground was. 

If you do a trek with Angie, which I HIGHLY recommend, here are some helpful links:

Her website: http://www.nomadictreks.com/

Her Facebook page: HTI Facebook Page

If you google HTI, this old website will likely come up:

http://www.highlandecotreks.com/    - Ignore it, that is her old website.

*As of January 8th, 2013, her site seems to be down. In order to get in touch with Angie here is a link to another agency, Shigatse Travels, who will be able to assist you with your permit as well as with Angie.

Before I get to the pictures, here are some tips:

1. Altitude sickness is not a joke. Do not be THAT guy or girl that thinks you are such a hot shot athlete that you can just charge up a mountain in the Himalayas. You will get sick. Take it slow, enjoy your time and don't worry so much about speed.

2. Do not litter. This is an eco-tour and even if it wasn't, always leave a place better than you found it.

3. Sunscreen is pretty important! You are much closer to the sun and you will feel it.

4. Hydration is key. Making sure to drink lots of water diminishes the risk of altitude sickness. Always carry a bottle with you.

5. Dress appropriately. It can get chilly at night even during the summer, so pack a sweatshirt. Make sure to have hiking boots or sneakers that are comfortable and sturdy enough to last.

Finally the pictures. Notice that some are of the same places just during the winter as opposed to the summer:

Getting started!

Lhasa countryside

Himalayas!

I think this yak was a little spooked.

I think this man was quite confused that we were driving around his area.

Snowy wilderness

Sun burst!

There were a ton of sheep

We had to traverse a couple of frozen rivers.

This is a nomad camp that is abandoned in the winter.

Our fearless leader Angie!

Angie of Highland Trekking Initiatives

Lhamo showing the Boy where to cross the river.

Cool mountain plant.

Angie was giving us eco lessons during the hike! This lichen shows that the air here is still healthy and smog free.

This was a slightly larger frozen river so Lhamo pushed ahead and showed us what was what.

How far we have come!

This is actually the campsite for those doing overnight or the first campsite for those doing longer treks.

Who doesn't love prayer flags?

Yak did not want to move so this Tibetan woman just shoved it aside.

*Photo credit: Highland Trekking Initiatives

*Photo credit: Highland Trekking Initiatives: Blue Sheep

*Photo credit: Highland Trekking Initiatives

*Photo credit: Highland Trekking Initiatives

*Photo credit: Highland Trekking Initiatives

*Photo credit: Highland Trekking Initiatives

*Photo credit: Highland Trekking Initiatives: Pack donkeys

*Photo credit: Highland Trekking Initiatives: Pack yaks

*Photo credit: Highland Trekking Initiatives: Potala Palace view

*Photo credit: Highland Trekking Initiatives

*Photo credit: Highland Trekking Initiatives: Recognize the same rock formation from above?

*Photo credit: Highland Trekking Initiatives

*Photo credit: Highland Trekking Initiatives

I hope that if you do end up going to Lhasa that you take advantage of the amazing opportunity that Angie provides.

A Breath of Air

I have not written in ages and for those who read regularly, I apologize. The last few months have been some of the most stressful that I have ever had and I don't look forward to ever repeating what I have gone through. 

This is my breath of air before I dive right back into work and since my lack of posts has been weighing on me, I am trying to check another task off my unending list.

The last I wrote was on spending Christmas in Xining. From there I returned to Lhasa for two weeks, mainly to do a trek that I had been trying to schedule for months. Be prepared for a detailed post all about the wonderful Angie and her Highland Trekking Initiatives. Leaving Lhasa to return to Xining was an...interesting experience.

Sometimes I like to get to places differently than most people...

I will also save that story for another day since it is quite long and harrowing. After Xining I returned to Hong Kong and suffered from pretty severe food poisoning which lasted for the two weeks I was there. After Hong Kong, I went to Chennai, India. I lived there for three years during my freshman to junior years of high school and I still have some family friends who live there. It's a hard lesson that you can never go home but I still enjoyed trying. After Chennai I went to Dharamsala for two weeks while the Boy attempted to track down an oracle so he could get an interview. I must say, Dharamsala is way more fun when mold isn't growing on everything and rain doesn't pour down every ten minutes.

The giant Apple store beneath one of the IFC towers.

There are few things more delicious in life than cold coffee with ice cream!

Protest sign in Dharamsala

After that I went to Delhi for three days before flying back stateside. I spent the next two months moving between northern Virginia, North Carolina, NYC, Miami, Savannah, Tallahassee, Pittsburgh, and Ohio. Great seeing all the friends and family again although I think I will try to spread out reunion trips a little better next time. The following pictures are a bit out of order...

Statue at Florida State University.

Pittsburgh!

Taffy in Savannah, Georgia.

Blowing an egg to empty it for decoration! First time...

Great dragon egg my dad made.

Dried up jelly fish in Miami.

In May I returned to HK (that was an awful, awful experience. The flight, I mean) and then went to the Philippines to vacation with my family. More drama ensued when our flight to Coron was canceled and we scrambled to figure out what to do. Again, a story for another day.

A taste of what a surreal experience my delay in Chicago was...

Beautiful Boracay!

We opted for Boracay after which we returned to HK for a wedding. It was my first bridesmaid experience and was so ridiculously fun, if exhausting.

One of the tortures we inflicted on the poor groomsmen. They had to pick up a set of mahjong tiles with their toes out of ice cold water!

The day after the wedding, I headed back to the states, rested for a day, and then headed to Barcelona with the Boy and his family. The next two weeks were spent on a cruise, that the Boy's family generously treated us to, which went to Cannes (we took a day trip to Monaco), Florence/Pisa, Rome, Naples (went to Pompeii, so amazing!), Ravenna (they reunited with their Italian relatives), Venice, and then Split, Croatia. It was fantastic to return to Europe and a great way to get a taste for a variety of countries.

The serenade of the seas!

Yup, Bond's casino!

Typical Pisa picture.

Awesome masks in Venice.

Dante's tomb in Ravenna!

Random Bentley car exhibition in Florence.

Split, Croatia which is a fabulous, fabulous place!

View of Barcelona atop Gaudi's park.

Second time in Rome and I never knew there was a pyramid...

St. Peter's Basilica from the dome.

Preserved Pompeii!

After the cruise I returned to the U.S. for one week before heading to Istanbul. I will definitely dedicate at least one post to Istanbul. If you haven't been, GO!!! It is such an amazing city, I can't wait to go back. In four days it has become one of my favorite cities in the world. Great food, great people, great mosques, great bath houses, and especially great baklava, what's not to love?

Inside the magnificent Blue Mosque!

FINALLY after all of that, I traveled to Alanya in the south of Turkey where I will now live for a year. My new apartment is phenomenal and it was such a great relief to know that I will not be flying anywhere for awhile. At least until September when I head to Japan for a few days...

I have done nothing in the last week since getting here (barring the one day that my wonderful landlord acted as tour guide and gave me a whirlwind tour) but veg out on facebook and UVA drama. I am finally getting a few days of just breathing and getting into a normal rhythm. Part of that is getting back to these blog posts.

I hope you have managed to keep track of my ridiculous life! Look forward to some pretty packed posts. Sorry again for those who have been waiting, I will do my best to never let such a long period go by again!