United States
Tibet Travel and Destination Guide
PLACES TO SEE
Mt Everest
The Tibetan approach to Mt Everest provides far better vistas of the world's highest peak than those on the Nepal side. Some 27,000 sq km (10,422 sq mi) around Everest's Tibetan face have been designated as the Qomolangma Nature Preserve.
Lhasa
Lhasa is a city of wonders. The Potala, a vast white and ochre fortress, dominates Lhasa's skyline. Once the seat of Tibetan government and the location of the tombs of previous Dalai Lamas, the Potala serves as a symbolic focus for Tibetan aspirations of self-government.
Tashilhunpo Monastery
Tashilhunpo is one of the few monasteries in Tibet that weathered the stormy seas of the Cultural Revolution relatively unscathed. It is a real pleasure to explore the busy cobbled lanes twisting around the ancient buildings - the monastery is essentially a walled town in its own right.
Drak Yerpa
For those with a particular interest in Tibetan Buddhism, Drak Yerpa hermitage is one of the holiest cave retreats in Ü region. Many ascetics have sojourned here and contributed to the area's great sanctity. The site is deeply peaceful and has stunning views. The caves are accessed via the village of Yerpa, 30km (18mi) northeast of Lhasa on a good road.
Jokhang Temple
Also known in Tibetan as the Tsuglhakhang, the Jokhang is the most revered religious structure in Tibet. Although little remains of its 7th-century origins - most of its sculptures postdate the Cultural Revolution - it is thick with the smell of yak butter and the murmur of mantras, and bustles with awed pilgrims. An unrivalled Tibetan experience.
©2007 Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.
