Lhasa
 The capital of Tibet, at an altitude of
3650m, is situated on the north of bank
of Kyichu River, a tributary of the
Yarlung Tsangpo river. Lhasa in Tibetan
means " Place of the Gods" and Potala
Palace, the Residence of Dalai Lama (
The God King), is the earthly
representation of the celestial Palace
of Avaloketeswora, The Buddha of
infinite compassion whose ncarnation in
the human form
is believed to be the Dalai Lama. It is
a city truly blessed by the gods where
life is unburied.
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Tsedang
No tour of Tibet is complete without a
visit to Tsedang, situated 170km
Southeast of Lhasa in the Yarlung Valley
along the banks of the Tsangpo River (Brahmaputra)
The cradle of Tibetan civilization. This
region abounds with important historical
landmarks such as Samye, Yumbulkhangm
Chonggye, Mindroling and others.
YAMBULAKHANG PALACE: Situated about 12
km south of Tsedang, Si the first palace
built by the Tibet and for their first
recorded king Nyatri Tsedpo, who is
believed to have descended from heaven.
It is a 05 storied fortress-like
dwelling built on the spur of a bill
that commands an impressive view of the
entire fertile valley. It was destroyed
during the cultural revolution and the
present structure is an exact replica of
the original rebuilt 1982.
SAMYE MONASTERY : Lies about 40km to the
west of Tsedang across the Tsangpo
River. It is the first monastery built
by King Trisong Detsen in the latter
part of the 08 the century. Samye
Monastery combines 03 distinctive
architectural styles that of India,
China and Tibet, symbolizing the source,
stability and spread of the Buddhist
faith. With the building of this
monastery, the community of monks began.
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Gyantse
 Is a pastoral town between Lhasa and
Shigatse. It is 264km South west of
Lhasa. It still retains the charm of a
traditional Tibetan town untouched by
modern expansion. It made world
headlines in 1904 when colonel Young
Husband, who led a British expedition to
Tibet, defeated the Tibetan army there.
As a crossroads on the principle trade
route to India, it used to be renowned
for the excellence of the carpets. The
compound, encircled by an impressive
wall, once contained 19 monasteries,
presided over by the still intact
fortress Perched a top a nearby
mountain.
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Shigatse
The town of Shigatse (Xigaze) is called
"Center of Rear Tibet", sits at the
confluence of Nyangchu and Yarlung
Tsangbo Rivers about 250 kilometers to
the west of Lhasa. This second largest
city in Tibet at an elevation of 3,800
meters has a history of more than five
centuries. The region around is
historically known as the Rear Tibet and
Shigatse has been its political,
business, cultural and religious center.
The residence for all the Panchen Lamas
has been traditionally in the town.
The city located between altitude 29°2'
north and longitude 88°8' east, with a
population of 70,000. The annual
rainfall is 300 to 450 mm, the average
annual temperature is 6°C and the
frost-free period is 160 days.
Shigatse region enjoys a moderate
climate with plenty of sunshine. The
fertile river valley is one of the
granaries of Tibet. The town proper has
undergone a construction boom with roads
leading to Ngari in the west, the
Qomolangma Nature Reserve and border
with Nepal in the south, Nakchu to the
north and Lhasa and Shannan to the east.
The ancient town of Shigatse has become
well-known for its past and rich
cultural tradition with Palcho, Sakya,
Pingcuolin and Juenang monasteries and
Pala Estate as well as the Qomolangma
Nature Reserve covering an area of over
30,000 square kilometers in the nearby
region. The annual ceremony of display
of Buddha tapestry, the Sorcerer's Dance
Festival, the Ximuqingpo Festival at the
Shalu Monastery and the active local
Tibetan theater are popular attractions
to visitors.
With its rich cultural tradition,
majestic monasteries, breath-taking
scenery and convenient location,
Shigatse has become on of the most
popular tourist destination in Tibet.
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Tingiri / Zangbu
KODARI (pop. 3,100) lies on the
Nepal-China border 114 km north-east of
Kathmandu at the end of the Arniko
Highway. The village, situated beside
the thundering Bhote Koshi river, was a
stopover on the ancient trans-Himalayan
caravan trail. The Arniko Highway offers
an enjoyable drive, taking you through
magnificent river gorges and mountain
scenery. The Tatopani hot water springs
are situated 3 km before Kodari. Most of
the inhabitants in the area are Tamangs |
