We are backpackers and we like visit Amdo and Kham of Tibet

I'm afraid not. Foreigners going to any part of that region should join a tour through a Chinese travel agency and apply for the TBT Travel Permit first.
I'm not clear about the itinerary. You can ask help for the Forum/Community of this website. There would be some people who can provide some help.

Amdo and Kham is not a part of TAR, Tibetan Autonomous Region.

Amdo and Kham regions are to be found outside of TAR in the provinces of Qinghai, western and northern Sichuan, southwest Gansu and northwest Yunnan.

Amdo and Kham regions are some of the best places to observe traditional Tibetan culture because it is not packed with tourists, and here you also see snow-capped peaks, great trekking routes, lots of nomadic culture, over a thousand monasteries, stunning grasslands.

I often travel to Tibet because of work. I love Tibetan culture and the local people. Unfortunately, TAR is becoming very much tourist-crowded-likely, whereas in Amdo and Kham, you will practically be alone among the local Tibetans there.

I hope this could help you.

My next destination is Labrang.

Not sure if this is still relevant for you, but we just returned from a month long visit to Amdo and Kham region. You do not need permits to travel, but given the political sensitivity of the area, it happens that the police decides to close certain areas for non-Chinese or restricts the hostels/ hotels you are allowed to stay in as a nonChinese. You do not necessarilly need a guide (not obligatory, as in TAR), but an English speaking guide might be able to open doors for you, allowing you to visit places and meet people you would not visi / meet otherwise. On the other hand: a good guide is rather expensive and if you are travelling an a budget: there is certainly no need for it. People in the area are in general very kind, open and curious and you will be in contact with them if you are open to it. In case you are interested in a guide, let me know, I could give you reference of the -very nice- guide we had.

Hi Filipa,

Could you give us the contact of the guide you mention on the post, please?

Cheers

Hi, I had a trip there several months ago and I joined a tour of TravelChinaGuide. This travel agency provides nice tour guides what made me very satisfied. If interested, their contact information is traveltravelchinaguide.com.

Hi, I am planning a trip with one of my friends to the amdo and Kham region, is there any chance you could just outline your travel itinerary. I speak chinese pretty well. We would really like to take buses from around the plateau - hike/take the bus through beautiful landscape, see monarstaries and old villages on the way and sleep local places, just experience the local culture without other tourists. It is just so hard to find any information online, about which small villages on the plateau that are accessible by bus and where it is possible to stay the night.