Mystic Tibet Tours
Mystic Tibet Tours
5
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:15 AM - 3:30 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Full view
About
Mystic Tibet Tours is a Tibetan owned company. We are a grassroots Tibetan travel company established by Gonkho, All of our staff are local Tibetans who are experts in Tibetan culture, language and religion. We are a Tibetan entrepreneur with extensive experience managing travel agencies and organizing tours in Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan part of Tibet Regions. We have a perfect safety record, offers good prices and can work with you to design the perfect itinerary to allow you to see and experience the best that Tibet has to offer. Our team members from all of the Tibetan regions (Amdo, Kham, and Lhasa) with more than 15 years of guiding experience and organizing tours. Our company is based in the Amdo region of Tibet, with offices in Xining, Chengdu, and Lhasa. Our goal is to give you an amazing experience while visit Tibet Plateau.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
33 reviews
Excellent
33
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JoPo65
Adelaide, Australia45 contributions
Oct 2023 • Solo
I had a great experience doing the Gongga Shan trek in October 2023
I met Gonkho in Kangding and we spent one full day there (and a 2 night stay) doing an acclimatization hike before heading out to the trail head to commence the Gongga Shan trek. We met the horseman at the trail head (who carried our big back packs and supplies) and off we went.
On the trek we stayed in mountain huts, a Tibetan guesthouse and an eco-lodge.
The entire experience was incredible. The views were amazing. We had some great weather. There was some light snow at times but it was mostly clear during the days so we had uninterrupted views of the mountains.
The trek around Gongga Shan is beautiful and a fantastic adventure.
Gonkho was my guide for this trek and without doubt he is the best guide I have ever had. He has an extensive knowledge of Tibetan culture which he relayed to me very enthusiastically. On the trek I felt very safe as Gonkho has considerable experience trekking in this area. You spend a lot of time together with a guide on these types of treks and Gonkho was terrific company. He is interesting, easy to talk to , kind, funny and extremely helpful.
Next time I am in the Tibetan areas of Sichuan, Yunnan or Qinghai I will definitely be in touch with Gonkho to organize my trek.
My utmost recommendation.
I met Gonkho in Kangding and we spent one full day there (and a 2 night stay) doing an acclimatization hike before heading out to the trail head to commence the Gongga Shan trek. We met the horseman at the trail head (who carried our big back packs and supplies) and off we went.
On the trek we stayed in mountain huts, a Tibetan guesthouse and an eco-lodge.
The entire experience was incredible. The views were amazing. We had some great weather. There was some light snow at times but it was mostly clear during the days so we had uninterrupted views of the mountains.
The trek around Gongga Shan is beautiful and a fantastic adventure.
Gonkho was my guide for this trek and without doubt he is the best guide I have ever had. He has an extensive knowledge of Tibetan culture which he relayed to me very enthusiastically. On the trek I felt very safe as Gonkho has considerable experience trekking in this area. You spend a lot of time together with a guide on these types of treks and Gonkho was terrific company. He is interesting, easy to talk to , kind, funny and extremely helpful.
Next time I am in the Tibetan areas of Sichuan, Yunnan or Qinghai I will definitely be in touch with Gonkho to organize my trek.
My utmost recommendation.
Written November 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Abdel_J
1 contribution
Sep 2020 • Friends
4 days to discover a wonderful area and to have a first taste of Tibetan culture.
And nothing better for that than travelling with a local guide.
Gonkho was the best, always smiling, perfect knowledge of Tibet history, full of anecdotes, and making your journey special (horse ridding, local food, perfect timing,...)
And nothing better for that than travelling with a local guide.
Gonkho was the best, always smiling, perfect knowledge of Tibet history, full of anecdotes, and making your journey special (horse ridding, local food, perfect timing,...)
Written October 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anna
2 contributions
May 2021 • Couples
Perfect organization of our individual trip, also including the bike tour at Qinghai lake. Our driver was local and English speaking and introduced us to the local culture. We really enjoyed this individual experience and can warmly recommend Gonkho and his team!!!
Written May 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nacho V
Shanghai, China23 contributions
Aug 2020
I was not expectations with Xining or Qinghai, after touring with Gonkho I can say this is one of the discoveries of the year! Gonkho is a super-class local tour guide. His knowledge about Tibetan's customs and traditions is fascinating and he is a good storyteller, so you never get bored. He also can sing!
I ask him for a tailored trip and was not easy to set it up, but he was able. I spend 2 days with him visiting Qinghai Lake, Chaka Lake, Kanbula National park and Guide Geopark. I visited those places but to be fair I have to say I really experienced them: Gonkho was able to show this places in a very relaxed way, with many explanations in a close kind way. Some places in Qinghai require a closed tour to visit them and it is nice, but the real experience begins when you can explore and visit by yourself. I enjoyed a lot the personal meeting with Tibetan people with their yaks, goat and horses, also their smiles and kindness. I cannot figure it out how you can experience those things in a regular tour. Moreover, Gonkho was very flexible and displicent to help me to have best experience ever. Kanbula Park visit, Qinghai Lake and even Yak delicious food degustation were not plannified in advance, just happened in the context of a nice atmosphere of friendship that you can feel when your are with Gonkho. I even meet Tibetan monk in person!
I have not words to say thanks you to Gonkho and I just can encourage you to have a good experience and enjoy this region with Gonkho before everybody discover it. He is working in all Tibetan Plateu and is 100% your choice if you don't want a conventional but, for sure, an unforgettable trip.
I ask him for a tailored trip and was not easy to set it up, but he was able. I spend 2 days with him visiting Qinghai Lake, Chaka Lake, Kanbula National park and Guide Geopark. I visited those places but to be fair I have to say I really experienced them: Gonkho was able to show this places in a very relaxed way, with many explanations in a close kind way. Some places in Qinghai require a closed tour to visit them and it is nice, but the real experience begins when you can explore and visit by yourself. I enjoyed a lot the personal meeting with Tibetan people with their yaks, goat and horses, also their smiles and kindness. I cannot figure it out how you can experience those things in a regular tour. Moreover, Gonkho was very flexible and displicent to help me to have best experience ever. Kanbula Park visit, Qinghai Lake and even Yak delicious food degustation were not plannified in advance, just happened in the context of a nice atmosphere of friendship that you can feel when your are with Gonkho. I even meet Tibetan monk in person!
I have not words to say thanks you to Gonkho and I just can encourage you to have a good experience and enjoy this region with Gonkho before everybody discover it. He is working in all Tibetan Plateu and is 100% your choice if you don't want a conventional but, for sure, an unforgettable trip.
Written August 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Isaac F
5 contributions
May 2019 • Friends
We traveled throughout the Amdo region of Tibet visiting Rong Woo Monastery and Labrang Monastery as highlights of our tour. Throughout the tour, our local guide Gonkho introduced us to the art and religious iconogrpahy of Tibetan Buddhisim, the regional landscape, and local cuisine. He taught us basic Tibetan, and helped clarify what we observed over the trip. If you want to learn more about Tibetan culture, and make positive interactions in the Tibetan community, Mystic Tibet Tours is the way to go. I highly recommend Gonkho for intellectual and adventurous tourists alike. Gonkho speaks English and Chinese fluently as well, so communication is not a problem.
Written June 4, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sugar B
Bethesda, MD14 contributions
Apr 2019 • Couples
My sister’s and my most memorable tour, and an experience of a life time was our 16 day adventure through the Kham Tibet region with Mystic Tibet Tours.
From Shangri-la to Chengdu, whether driving, hiking or touring, we had many laughs and lots of fun. Plus, our Tibetan guide and driver Gonkho, taught us so much about Tibetan and Buddhist cultures. We covered over 2300 kilometers and loved every minute of the trip! I can’t agree more with what others have said in their reviews: Traveling with Gonkho is like traveling with a friend.
Leading up to our trip, Gonkho worked closely with us to personalize our tour. Once underway, he provided the flexibility to add or modify our itinerary, within reason, as our journey progressed.
We had some great hikes, visited monasteries, nunneries, temples old and new, old villages and had a very interesting homestay.
When Gonkho arrived at our hotel in Shangri-la he greeted us with a big smile and hug! Exchanging pleasantries with our host, he learned the host had family in Gatan-Ding Village which was slightly off our itinerary. In coordination with our Shangri-La host, Gonkho readily agreed to take a side trip to Gatan-Ding Village to deliver presents from the family in Shangri-la. Upon arrival, Gonkho engaged with the family like old friends. What was intended to be just a short stop to deliver presents, turned into a
wonderful afternoon with the Tibetan family. It would have been a missed opportunity if not for Gonkho’s flexibility to make the detour from our itinerary.
Gonkho is extremely professional and personable. With his warm, friendly demeanor he easily engaged with people along our 2300 km journey in the Himalayas. Gonkho’s fluency in Tibetan, Chinese and English languages and his gregarious personality opened many doors to simple but fun and educational opportunities through out our trip.
One such occasion, while my sister and I were taking pictures at a nunnery, Gonkho struck up conversations with several nuns who were busily splintering wood, making wicks for candle for the temple. The next minute we were invited for homemade soup and a glimpse of life in a nunnery. On another occasion, we walked into a small Tibetan restaurant where two men were taking and enjoying a noodle soup. A monk arrived and then another couple. In short order, Gonkho had everyone engaged in conversation to include the owner of the establishment. It was if they were all old friends. We learned the first two men were Nomads, and were interested to know about my sister and I and why we were visiting Tibet. Soon we were all laughing, enjoying the food, and the company and taking pictures of the group. A spontaneous dinner party with a group of strangers! My sister and I were the only English speakers, but thanks to Gonkho, and his great translating skills, we too were able to be part of the conversation. A few days later, while visiting a nunnery, Gonkho observed the food prep area and proceeded to lead us into the kitchen where nuns were preparing lunch for a 1000 more! The young nuns got a kick out of our interests and we got to see the behind the scene operations! Another memorable experience was when Gonkho suggested we take a public bus instead of walk back to our hotel. What a hoot! Gonkho had everyone on the small bus interacting, laughing and posing with us for pictures as he was helping elderly people on and off the bus.
Gonkho’s fun loving demeanor and spontaneity opened many doors allowing us to sample daily life in Tibetan villages, monasteries and private homes.
We all loved to take pictures. Gonkho knew the best vantage points for scenery and never hesitated to stop to allow us to snap a shot.
Gonkho knew the region like the back of his hand. He sometimes veered off the main road to lesser known roads, allowing us the opportunity get closer to the scenic beauty of the Kham region. We felt extremely comfortable in his SUV and with his skillful yet cautious driving through mountain passes, canyons and unpaved country roads.
Another big plus for us was that Gonkho loved to hike! He guided us through several stunning all day hikes which we never could have navigated on our own.
After our trip ended, we had the opportunity to meet Gonkho’s family, spending an evening together sampling Tibetan food and beer while listening to Tibetan music.
It was a wonderful and memorable evening.
We had 16 days filled with many laughs, memories and experiences of a lifetime. There are many travel agencies to choose from for tours of Tibet. Only a few are Tibetan owned. We were fortunate in our selection of Tibetan owned Mystic Tibet Tours and so lucky to have Gonkho as our tour guide, driver and fellow hiker. My sister and I can’t agree more, If you want to experience the real Tibet, we highly recommend Mystic Tibet Tours.
From Shangri-la to Chengdu, whether driving, hiking or touring, we had many laughs and lots of fun. Plus, our Tibetan guide and driver Gonkho, taught us so much about Tibetan and Buddhist cultures. We covered over 2300 kilometers and loved every minute of the trip! I can’t agree more with what others have said in their reviews: Traveling with Gonkho is like traveling with a friend.
Leading up to our trip, Gonkho worked closely with us to personalize our tour. Once underway, he provided the flexibility to add or modify our itinerary, within reason, as our journey progressed.
We had some great hikes, visited monasteries, nunneries, temples old and new, old villages and had a very interesting homestay.
When Gonkho arrived at our hotel in Shangri-la he greeted us with a big smile and hug! Exchanging pleasantries with our host, he learned the host had family in Gatan-Ding Village which was slightly off our itinerary. In coordination with our Shangri-La host, Gonkho readily agreed to take a side trip to Gatan-Ding Village to deliver presents from the family in Shangri-la. Upon arrival, Gonkho engaged with the family like old friends. What was intended to be just a short stop to deliver presents, turned into a
wonderful afternoon with the Tibetan family. It would have been a missed opportunity if not for Gonkho’s flexibility to make the detour from our itinerary.
Gonkho is extremely professional and personable. With his warm, friendly demeanor he easily engaged with people along our 2300 km journey in the Himalayas. Gonkho’s fluency in Tibetan, Chinese and English languages and his gregarious personality opened many doors to simple but fun and educational opportunities through out our trip.
One such occasion, while my sister and I were taking pictures at a nunnery, Gonkho struck up conversations with several nuns who were busily splintering wood, making wicks for candle for the temple. The next minute we were invited for homemade soup and a glimpse of life in a nunnery. On another occasion, we walked into a small Tibetan restaurant where two men were taking and enjoying a noodle soup. A monk arrived and then another couple. In short order, Gonkho had everyone engaged in conversation to include the owner of the establishment. It was if they were all old friends. We learned the first two men were Nomads, and were interested to know about my sister and I and why we were visiting Tibet. Soon we were all laughing, enjoying the food, and the company and taking pictures of the group. A spontaneous dinner party with a group of strangers! My sister and I were the only English speakers, but thanks to Gonkho, and his great translating skills, we too were able to be part of the conversation. A few days later, while visiting a nunnery, Gonkho observed the food prep area and proceeded to lead us into the kitchen where nuns were preparing lunch for a 1000 more! The young nuns got a kick out of our interests and we got to see the behind the scene operations! Another memorable experience was when Gonkho suggested we take a public bus instead of walk back to our hotel. What a hoot! Gonkho had everyone on the small bus interacting, laughing and posing with us for pictures as he was helping elderly people on and off the bus.
Gonkho’s fun loving demeanor and spontaneity opened many doors allowing us to sample daily life in Tibetan villages, monasteries and private homes.
We all loved to take pictures. Gonkho knew the best vantage points for scenery and never hesitated to stop to allow us to snap a shot.
Gonkho knew the region like the back of his hand. He sometimes veered off the main road to lesser known roads, allowing us the opportunity get closer to the scenic beauty of the Kham region. We felt extremely comfortable in his SUV and with his skillful yet cautious driving through mountain passes, canyons and unpaved country roads.
Another big plus for us was that Gonkho loved to hike! He guided us through several stunning all day hikes which we never could have navigated on our own.
After our trip ended, we had the opportunity to meet Gonkho’s family, spending an evening together sampling Tibetan food and beer while listening to Tibetan music.
It was a wonderful and memorable evening.
We had 16 days filled with many laughs, memories and experiences of a lifetime. There are many travel agencies to choose from for tours of Tibet. Only a few are Tibetan owned. We were fortunate in our selection of Tibetan owned Mystic Tibet Tours and so lucky to have Gonkho as our tour guide, driver and fellow hiker. My sister and I can’t agree more, If you want to experience the real Tibet, we highly recommend Mystic Tibet Tours.
Written June 26, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SRQ4576
Sarasota, FL267 contributions
Sep 2018 • Couples
We are travel agents in the USA and have traveled extensively throughout SE Asia. We had the good fortune to have met Gonkho. We spent two weeks traveling throughout Amdo and finished our tour in Chengdu with him. It was the best trip we ever took in all the years we have traveled. His knowledge of the area is simply amazing. There is nothing he won't do to make his clients happy. Now the best news! We just booked our second trip with Gonkho in 2019. We will start in Yunnan region of China, travel through the Kham region of Tibet and end up in Chengdu. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!
Written December 10, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Timtan123
Sydney62 contributions
Sep 2018 • Friends
We had half a day passing through Xining and wanted a Tibetan guide/driver to take us around. Gonkho was a true professional from the start, we enjoyed our interaction with him and learnt a lot about their culture, people and life journey. Thank you Gonkho, and may our paths cross again in the future.
Written September 28, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JE B
1 contribution
Aug 2020 • Friends
We spent 4 wonderful days in Labrang and in Langmusi with Gonkho. Amazing landscapes, very nice people and good food !
Written September 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sambw93
Washington DC, DC30 contributions
Mar 2019 • Couples
Having travelled widely throughout the world, I state without hesitation that our trip to Eastern Tibet with Gonkho was the most exotic, ethereal adventure we've ever had. In addition to working with us to design the trip, he incorporated surprises, facilitated encounters with nomads of ancient aspect, with pilgrims crossing the landscape through prostration, and with Tibetan Buddhist monks. Our guide Gonkho, took us to visit the highest quality Buddhist thangkas, rivaling those in museum collections outside of Tibet, and helped us explore numerous golden temples embedded like jewels in the wilderness. He even indoctrinated us into the surprising pleasures of Tibetan cuisine. While driving through the vast landscape, he showed us unique points of interest, hidden rock paintings, the nomadic lifestyle, ensuring that every moment was a pleasure. Being avid hikers, Gonkho proved quite effective in the mountains surrounding Labrang, escorting us on a few Kora (holy circumambulations) into the serenity of the mountains. A stunning moment was when he escorted us, to our utter surprise, into the monastery's dark, ornate prayer hall where hundreds of monks were engaged in chant and prayer while nomadic pilgrims bowed in awe and prostration near the entryway. If you have any desire to step outside of the "known world" and enter one where ancient religious traditions and a pure, delightful people (the nomads) living an ancient way of life can be experienced first hand, Gonkho and his grassroots company, Mystic Tibet tours is THE way to go.
Written March 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We can arrange your trip to Gebchakgonpa nunnery in the far Nangchen, please send me details of your trip and dates to my email.
Written July 26, 2019
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