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Tibet, China
THE ROOF OF THE WORLD

Tibet, China the very name evokes feelings of awe and mystery. A mystic, mysterious land of ancient Buddhist culture, awesome landscapes, artistic monasteries and centuries-old caravan trails, Tibet is a destination out of the ordinary. Also known as the Roof of the World, the high-altitude Tibet Autonomous Region of China lies on a plateau at an average elevation of 4,000 m. It is bounded by the Kunlun mountains to the north and the Himalaya to the south. Tibet covers an area of 1.2 million sq km, and has a population of 2.3 million.

LHASA

Tibet’s capital Lhasa (elevation 3,700 m) is a cultural city with a history going back 1,300 years. The magnificent Potala Palace, former seat of the Dalai Lamas, presides over the city. Built in 1645 on the top of a hill, the palace contains 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and 200,000 religious statues. The old city revolves around the Jokhang Temple and the quaint Barkhor market that surrounds it. The Jhokhang, built in the seventh century, is the holiest Buddhist shrine in Tibet. Its mural paintings, finely worked golden roofs and other works of art are something to see. At a little distance from the old city core, Lhasa is also a modern capital of concrete high-rises, fancy department stores and wide boulevards.

Norbulingka consists of wooded greenery and three palaces once used by the Dalai Lamas as a summer retreat.

The Drepung Monastery lies about 10 km from the city. Built in 1416, it is the largest in Tibet. The Sera Monastery, about 5 km to the north of Lhasa, is another important center of Buddhist learning. It lies amidst serene surroundings.

AROUND TIBET, CHINA

Shigatse (3,900 m) lies 274 km to the west of Lhasa. It is Tibet's second-largest city and has a 500-year-old history. The highway runs alongside the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) River passing through narrow gorges and broad river valleys. Farmers plowing their fields with yaks, sheep grazing on the vast plains, awesome sand dunes and rocky hills in the distance are the scenic rewards on the trip.

The Tashilhunpo Monastery, built in 1447, houses a 26-meter high statue of Maitreya (the Buddha to come). Other buildings contain images of Sakyamuni (the Buddha of our times) and embalmed bodies of lamas.

Gyantse (3,800 m) is located 260 km to the southwest of Lhasa. This trading town was a major stop on the legendary India-Tibet caravan route. Gyantse's centerpiece is the Kumbum Stupa which is 32 m high and contains 77 rooms and 100,000 images of the Buddha. Pelkor Chode Monastery and Gyantse Fort (built atop a massive rock) are the other major sights here.

The road from Gyantse to Lhasa takes you over three mountain passes: Simala (4,380 m high), Karola (5,045 m) and Ghampala (4,794 m). The highway skirts the Yamdrok Tso Lake before twisting up the Ghampala Pass from the top of which a fantastic view of the lake on one side and the Yarlung Tsangpo river on the other can be had.

Tsetang (195 km to the southeast of Lhasa) is known as the cradle of Tibetan civilization. The ancient town offers a number of side trips that illustrate Tibet's early history. The Valley of the Kings (ancient capital of the Yarlung kings who established the Tibetan nation), the Yumbu Lagang Palace (built for the first Yarlung king), and the Tandruk Monastery (one of the three royal Buddhist temples) are some of the major sights.

Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar in western Tibet are intensely sacred pilgrimage sites for the Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Bon faithful, besides presenting an entrancing natural sight. Kailash is 1,257 km over a mountain highway from Lhasa.

VISA

Travel agencies in Kathmandu will organize your visa, transport, sight-seeing and hotel arrangements. A visa application for Tibet has to be made through a registered travel agency in Kathmandu, and visas are given only to organized groups. A visa for China does not entitle you to travel in Tibet.

GETTING THERE AND AROUND

Air China operates direct flights between Kathmandu and Lhasa (one hour). The trans-Himalayan overland journey retraces the old mule caravan route (955 km, three days). Lhasa is also connected to Beijing, Xian, Chengdu and Chongqing by air.
Transport is provided by buses and four-wheel drive vehicles. There are taxis, minibuses and rickshaws for getting around Lhasa.

GENERAL INFO

Tibet, China is a high desert plateau consisting of sparse grasslands and gravelly plains.

Altitude sickness is the effect of the thin air at great heights. Travellers to Tibet may suffer some discomfort like breathlessness and headaches before becoming acclimatized. Many hotels keep bottled oxygen.

Season: March through October is the best time to visit. Layered clothing is recommended as day and night-time temperatures vary greatly. Down jackets are required from October to March (there is snow). The rainy season is June-September. The average temperature in Lhasa ranges from -1.60C (January) to 160C (July).

Adventure: Trekking, mountaineering and mountain biking.
Accommodation: There are modern hotels and restaurants in Lhasa, Shigatse, Gyantse and Tsetang. Basic facilities at other places.

For more information: contact China Tibet Tourism Bureau, Lhasa, Tibet, China
E-mail: ttour@public.ls.xz.cn
Website: www.tibettour.org