Tibet |
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 Tibet holiday resorts: Lhasa and Shigatse
Attractions
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.
Address: Lhasa; Opening time: Daily 9am to 6pm; Admission: ¥70
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.
Address: Lhasa; Opening time: Daily 9am to 12pm and 3pm to 5pm; Admission: ¥100
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.
Address: Shigatse; Opening time: Daily 9am to 5pm (closed between 12pm and 2pm); Admission: ¥55
Excursions