Your Basic Tibet Travel Guide

For travelers looking for remarkable travel destinations in Asia, Tibet is at the top of the list. Be it the spiritual

monasteries, exhilarating mountain treks, stunning high-altitude sights, or extremely warm and hospitable

local population, Tibet holidays offer a life-long stock of pleasant memories to the travelers.

So if you are looking for a quick Tibet travel guide, we have consolidated information on some of the basic

things that will prove useful on your next Tibet trip. Read on.

Where Is It Located?

Tibet is officially known by China as the Tibetan Autonomous Region or Xizang ("she-zhang") which means

„Treasure House of the West‟. Located at the far west of China, the northern tip of India aligns with Tibet's

western border and Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar touch its southern border. The Tibetan plateau lies at around

4,000m (12,000 feet) above the sea level, and is surrounded by some of the highest mountains in the world-

the Kunlun in the north, the Himalayas to the south, and the Karakoram in the west.

What to See:

Tibet has a rich culture, however, most of its cultural heritage has been lost. Even so, there are plenty of

heritage sites and natural scenery that make for a cherishable Tibet trip.

1. Towns and Cities: Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, lies at around 11,000 feet above the sea level and is the home

to Portala Palace which is the historical center to Tibetan Buddhism. Other towns worth visiting are Gyanste

and Shigatse.

2. Lakes and Rivers: Lake Mansarovar is a world famous holy lake which also happens to be one of the highest

freshawater lakes lying at over 15,000 feet above the sea level. Other famous lakes that you should consider

visiting are the Yarlong Tsangpo River, the highest in the world (13,100 feet), and Nam-tso Lake, the largest

lake in Tibet.

3. Mount Everest: This highest mountain in the world (over 29,000 feet) needs no introduction. While many

travelers visit Tibet exclusively for an Everest excursion or Himalaya trekking, if you are not an avid

climber, a better option for you will be to visit instead the Rongphu monastery, the highest monastery in the

world, located at the Everest base. The views from here are just breath-taking.

4. Himalayan trekking: One of the best ways of exploring and discovering natural, cultural and historical

treasures of Tibet is through Himalaya trekking in Tibet. From one day long short treks to longer treks

lasting up to 20 days, you can cover Kanbula National Park, walk all the way around holy snow mountains

and lakes, do horse and yak trekking, walk up to the Everest Base Camp, and look for wild animals, birds, and

flowers.

How to Travel:

A slightly complicated aspect of a Tibetan holiday is the way of getting there. Individual traveling is not

allowed officially, and so you‟ll need both a visa for China as well as a permit from the Tibetan Tourism

Bureau. But Tibet Travel Permits can be easily organized with the help of travel agencies and so the travel

aspect of your Tibet trip should not be a concern.

So what are you waiting for, plan your Tibetan holiday and an invigorating Himalayan trekking now, and

revel in the spiritual and scenic glory of the “Roof of the World”, Tibet!