As the Tibetan mastiffs growled their terrifying growl, I clung to my horse. My fingers wound deep into her mane as our hearts pounded together. I closed my eyes fearing the dogs, trained to attack, would leap on us. My horse stood tall and brave, my protector.
This was an adventure full of fear and wonder; a horse trek in Sichuan, far from the beaten path of Beijing, Xi’an and even the provinces own cuddly pandas. Seeking to explore a different part of China, we arranged a trek with a Tibetan guide, riding across the open grasslands and staying in a yurt with a nomadic family.
The dogs are part of the community. They are essential for guarding the Tibetan Nomads’ yaks and belongings from thieves. Our guide wasn’t fazed. He pelted the dogs with stones until they ran off. I hid in the yak hair yurt, our home for the night.
The yurt is the centre of family life. Our nomadic hosts cooked, socialised and slept around a small stove in the middle of the yurt. The roof’s opening let the smoke gently drift away into the sky.
We were so far away from any town that the dark night was lit with infinite stars. As our horses ran free in the starlight (“They always come back,” our guide told us), we learned just how important the yaks are. They provided the yoghurt we ate and the wool panels for the yurt we slept in. They even provided entertainment when one tried to sneak into the yurt at night. We blamed our travel mate whose snores sounded uncannily similar to a yak’s grunts.
The morning light was beautiful. Soft and yellow like yak butter; it lit the camp and woke us from our cosy, stove side dreams. After helping the family with their morning jobs, it was time to trek back to Langmusi.
I have a deep respect for the nomadic people who continue this way of life. Working from dawn until dusk, raising their yak and making their yoghurt, they carry on the work of their ancestors. Now they would carry on with their lives as I’d go on with mine, but I would not forget them or the grasslands.
I waved goodbye from my horse saddle and the dogs growled.
Tips For Your Trip
Dress comfortably and in layers. The temperature can change quickly in the grasslands and you’ll be sleeping in your clothes.
Don’t forget sunscreen and a hat or your scalp will be peeling for days!
Skip the contacts and go for glasses if you can. Nobody likes yak hair in his or her eyes!
We arranged our trip in Langmusi, a village on the border of Gansu and Sichuan.
