Tibet

Home to the largest remaining chorten in Tibet – the Gyantse Kumbum – Gyantse charms with its old world Tibetan airs and graces. This charming little town is dominated by the Pelkor Chode Monastery that stands by the Nyangchu river valley.

The center of the Tibetan Buddhist world for over a millennium, Lhasa (‘Place of the Gods’) remains largely a city of our mystical imagination. The Potala Palace soaring above the city and the whitewashed old Tibetan quarter still preserves a bit of traditional Tibet.

The world over, scaling the planet’s highest peak is an adventurer’s dream! The great mountain straddles the Himalayan lands of Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

Shigatse, the second largest town in Tibet, is next in importance only to Lhasa. Today Shigatse is home to the Panchen Lama, whose traditional seat is in yet another monastery in town – the Tashilhunpo.

This little town’s claim to fame is its convenient position along the Friendship Highway between China and Nepal. Also called Xegar or New Tingri, it offers an excellent enroute stoppage to the Everest Base Camp and back.

Tsetang is a modern Chinese city with a charming little Tibetan part of town tucked into a traditional corner. It is an important district capital and army base, set by the banks of the Yarlung Tsangpo River.