Travel Nepa

TIBET
Tibet, the very name evokes feelings of awe and mystery. Aland of ancient Buddhist culture, awesome landscapes, artistic monasteries, exotic cities, hidden valleys and centuries-old caravan trails, Tibet offers a totally different experience. Known as the roof of the world, it is the destination for the ultimate thrill-seeker. And Kathmandu is the natural gateway to this amazing land. Once the center of the ancient trade route connecting India and Tibet, Kathmandu is perfectly positioned for its modern role as the hub of adventure tourism in the Himalaya.
Fine transport connections exist between Kathmandu and Lhasa, the capital of the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China .You can go overland on a scenic highway that retraces the old caravan trail or take a spectacular flight over the Himalaya .the one-hour flight to Lhasa is an adventure in itself. Taking off from Kathmandu, the plane flies alongside the eastern Himalaya as far as Mt. Everest and then turns north with gigantic snow peaks filling up the left-hand side windows. Soon, the mountains drop away and you are gliding across the barren Tibetan plateau to touch down at Gonggar Airport, 85 km from Lhasa.
LHASA
Regardless of how much pre-departure reading you may have done, Lhasa will overwhelm you with its extraordinary sights. And it’s not only the altitude (3650 m) that will take your breath away. The magnificent Potala Palace, former seat of the Dalai Lamas, presides over the city. Built in 1645 at the top of a hill, the palace contains a thousand rooms, 10000 shrines and 200000 religious statues.
The old city revolves around the Jhokhang Temple and the quaint Bhakor 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 artworks 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. Sleek taxi zip about (an average trip costs 10yuan) and you can hop on a minibus (2 Yuan) to get various points around town.US $1=8 Yuan
Norbulingka, which means “the jeweled garden”, consists of 360000 sq m of wooden greenery and three palaces once used by the Dalai Lama as a summer retreat. The Drepung Monastery lies about 10 km from the city .Built in 1416 by a discipleof Tsong Khapa , it is the largest in Tibet .Its numerous Buddhist statues, ancient scriptures, scroll paintings and other cultural relics will keep you fascinated. The sera Monastery , about 5 km north of Lhasa, is another important center of Buddhist learning .Built in 1419, its most remarkable image is a nine- meter image of Maitreya.
Shigatse
An excellent excursion from Lhasa is a circuit that takes in the towns of shigates, Gynaste and Tsetang. Fine highways and stunning scenery on the way make this a superb trip. It also offers a comprehensive experience of Tibet in a neat itinerary.
Shigagtse (altitude 3900 m) lies some 274 km to the west of Lhasa and is Tibet’s second 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 of this journey.
The Tashilhunpo Monastery, built in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama, is Shigatse’s most important contains a huge 26- meter high statue of Maitreya, the future Buddha. Other buildings contain images of Shakyamuni (the present Buddha), white and green Taras and embalmed bodies of past Panchen Lamas.
Shigatse to Gyantse (altitude 3800 m) is 94 km of gravel but good road. Gyantse’s symbol is the Kumbum Stupa which is 32 m high and contains 77 rooms and 100000 images of the Buddha. A prince of Gyantse had it built in 1427 by craftsmen from the Kathmandu valley .It is the finest example of 15th century Newar art extant in the world. Pelkor Chode Monastery and Gyantse Fort (built atop a massive rock) are other major sights here.
The road from Gyantse to Lhasa (260 km) takes you over three mountain passes: Simala (4380 m high),Karola (5045 m) and Gampala (4794 m) .The road skirts the Yamdrok Tso Lake before twisting up the Ghampala pass from the top of which there’s a fantastic view of the lake on one side and the Yarlung Tsangpo river on the other. The scenery and the adventure of travelling on the old mule caravan route make this excursion an unforgettable trip.
Tsetang
Tsetang (195 km from 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 Lagnag Palace (built for the first Yarlung king), and the Tandruk Monastery (one of the three royal Buddhist temples) are some of the major sights.
Getting There
Travel agencies in Kathmandu (see list elsewhere in the magazine) are specialists in arranging tours to Tibet. They will organize all your visa, transportation, and sightseeing and accommodation arrangement
General Information
Altitude sickness is the effect of the thin air at great heights .Travelers to Tibet may suffer some discomfort like breathlessness and headaches before becoming acclimatized .Many hotels keeps bottled oxygen for emergencies. Accommodation, there are tourist standard hotels with modern facilities as well as no-frills basic accommodation. Season, the popular time of the year to visit Tibet is May through October. Light-weight clothes are recommended during this season. Warm clothing is required from November to April.