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 Everest at dawn This is the land of majestic mountains, exotic culture and
gentle people. Tibet, 'the roof of the world', lay largely
undiscovered by the rest of the world until the beginning of the
20th century, but has since fascinated travellers seeking the
unspoilt and more remote corners of the globe.
China invaded and annexed Tibet in 1950, since when the country
has officially been known as the Tibet Autonomous Region. Unless
travelling on an organised tour, anyone wishing to visit Tibet must
obtain a permit in advance from the Tibet Tourist Authority. This
vast territory in the southwest of China consists of a massive
plateau surrounded by towering mountain ranges. The Himalayas ring
it in the south, the Karakoram Range is to the west, the Kunlun to
the north, and smaller ranges fringe the east forming a barrier
between Tibet and China's internal provinces. Most of Tibet is
several thousand feet above sea level, meaning that the air is
thin. The region is a Mecca for mountaineers, containing some of
the world's highest mountain peaks, capped by Mount Everest at
29,029ft (8,848m), sited in the middle section of the Himalayas in
Tibet's Tingri Country.
Tibet is scenically rich with snow-covered peaks, glaciated high
passes, aquamarine lakes, primeval forests and almost continual
bright-blue skies. Despite its altitude and thick snow covering the
mountains, Tibet actually has snowfalls only a few times a year
with plenty of sunshine the rest of the time. Tibet's major cities
and towns are congregated mainly in the southern part of the
region. Here, in the agricultural sector, are the capital Lhasa and
the other major city of Shigatse, which offer the region's most
important tourist attractions.
Resorts See our separate guides to the following resorts in Tibet: Lhasa and Shigatse Attractions
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Jokhang Temple
The Jokhang Temple lies in the heart of old Lhasa. It was
built nearly 1,300 years ago but remains the spiritual centre
of Tibet, drawing pilgrims from all over the region who come to
demonstrate piety to Buddha. The original structure was enlarged
under the reign of the Fifth Dalai Lama and it now stands as the
product of Han, Tibetan and Nepalese architectural design. The
temple contains numerous valuable cultural relics and sacred
sculptures, and features some magnificent murals in the main hall.
An annual prayer festival is held in the temple, which is also the
venue for the initiation of the Dalai Lamas.
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Address: Lhasa;
Opening time: Daily 9am to 6pm;
Admission: ¥70
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Mount Everest
The Shigatse prefecture is the gateway for climbers to the North
Col climbing route of the world's highest mountain, Mount Everest,
towering 29,028ft (8,848m) on the border between Tibet and Nepal.
The Tibetan name for the peak is Mount Quomolangma, which means
'The third goddess'. Access to the Everest Base Camp is via the
town of Tinggri. About 20 miles (30km) from the town tracks take
climbers on a 48-mile (78km) trek to the camp. About six miles
(10km) from the base camp is the highest monastery on earth,
Rongbuk Monastery at an altitude of 16,728ft (5,099m). The
monastery is being restored and offers hostel accommodation. Just
south of the monastery is the world-renowned Rongbuk Glacier.
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Palkhor Monastery
This unique monastery is sited about 143 miles (230km) south of
Lhasa and 62 miles (100km) east of Shigatse, at the foot of Dzong
Hill. It has an unusual structural style and houses a collection of
pure silk costumes worn in Tibetan opera, all richly embroidered,
that date from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The monastery is also
unique in that it is the only one known to accommodate monks from
three different orders: the Gelugpa, Sakyapa and Kahdampa monks all
get along famously.
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Opening time: Daily 9am to 4pm;
Admission: ¥40
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Potala Palace
The vast Potala Palace stands on a clifftop above Lhasa,
considered the greatest achievement of Tibetan architecture. The
palace was originally built in the 7th century by the then emperor
for his bride. It was later partially destroyed by lightning, but
restored and extended in 1645 by the Fifth Dalai Lama when he
became political and religious leader of Tibet. The Fifth Dalai
Lama took up residence in the palace in 1653, and it remained the
Dalai Lamas' official residence until the exile of the 14th Dalai
Lama in 1959. The palace is renowned for its interior splendour. It
consists of two main sections: The White Palace is the secular
section containing offices, dormitories, a Buddhist seminary and
printing house. The Red Palace is the ornate sacred sanctuary
containing chapels where mummified remains of three Dalai Lamas
lay, and the Great West Hall, with its fine rich murals.
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Address: Lhasa;
Opening time: Daily 9am to 12pm and 3pm to 5pm;
Admission: ¥100
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Tashilhunpo Monastery
Tashilhunpo is one of Tibet's most revered and influential
monasteries, lying about a mile (2km) to the west of Shigatse at
the base of Drolmari Mountain. It dates from 1477, having been
founded by the first Dalai Lama, and became the seat of the Panchen
Lama in 1713. The monastery today houses about 800 monks in its
3,229 square foot (300 sq m) buildings. The oldest section of the
monastery is the main chanting hall that houses the throne of the
Panchen Lama. The tallest section is the Maitreya Chapel, which
contains the world's largest brass statue of Maitreya. The seated
figure is 86ft (26m) high and contains extraordinary amounts of
gold, brass and about 1,400 precious gems.
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Address: Shigatse;
Opening time: Daily 9am to 5pm (closed between 12pm and 2pm);
Admission: ¥55
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