Songtsam has announced the official opening of Songtsam Glamping Palpa, its first glamping property in Tibet. Located in Baiba Village (approximately 13,989 feet above sea level) on the Niyang River, the glamping property provides guests with a luxury outdoor camping experience, where they are surrounded by snow-capped mountains, forests and pastures.
Baiba Village has only 37 households in the entire village. Now, the conical tents of Songtsam Glamping Palpa blend into the surrounding village like a “38th household.” In all, Songtsam Glamping Palpa has 30 accommodation tents, four dining tents and one public leisure tent.
Each tent is equipped with an outdoor table and two outdoor chairs on the balcony outside the tent, a private bathroom, 24 hours of continuous hot water, a copper wash basin, and a toilet with heating and other functions. Tents are also equipped with a camping night light on the bedside table, a B&O portable Bluetooth speaker, multiple charging sockets, textured brass switches, matcha-colored soft leather sofas, Lhasa handmade wool carpets, and bedding.
The four dining tents in Songtsam Glamping Palpa can accommodate up to 72 people at the same time. Dishes served by the restaurant use Tibetan ingredients and include fresh yak meat, served with wild bamboo shoots and spices and local wild agera leaves; a steaming yak meat hot pot; and the yak meat sashimi. The camp also provides free afternoon tea, and welcomes guests to sit under a hawthorn tree, while enjoying snacks and refreshments.
Adventure and Outdoor Activities
Most of the villagers living in Baiba Village are Gongbu Tibetans. Guests are able to learn how to shoot a Gongbu sound arrow, and experience the daily life of "Gongbu people," which has lasted for thousands of years.
In Tibet, horses are the locals' inseparable companions. Under the guidance of professional coaches, guests can learn how to saddle and mount a horse, step by step. After proficiency in these steps, guests can also try the "Forest Ride" and explore the secrets depths of the Tibetan forest. About a 10-minute walk from Songtsam Glamping Palpa, guests will reach a flat river valley pasture where cattle graze leisurely. At dusk, guests may even encounter herdsmen milking cows.
In the coming months, more outdoor activities will be available at Songtsam Glamping Palpa, including the construction of a via ferrata (protected climbing route), which will be the first via ferrata experience in Tibet. Other outdoor adventures soon to be added will include rock climbing, ziplines, rafting, mountain biking and off-road motorcycles.
Songtsam’s Economic Contribution to Baiba Village
The Palpa Glamping site adheres to Songtsam’s principles of sustainability and eco-friendly tourism. Songtsam currently employs 16 of the 178 local villagers. Songtsam’s local employees often greet guests wearing the unique national costume "Guoxiu" of the Gongbu area and perform traditional Gongbu dances. As Songtsam’s Palpa Glamping expands its outdoor projects and activities, more villagers will be hired to join the Songtsam family.
Good to know: Songtsam has also pledged to distribute 200 yuan (approximately $28) from the income of each tent per night to Baiba village for the further development and construction of the village.
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