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 Tibet
Tibet
is a most unusual and beautiful place. The majority of it’s
land rests above 4000 meters (13,000 feet) and is surrounded
by mountain ranges on three sides. The awe-inspiring Himalayas
are the highest in the world, as is the never ending Tibetan
plateau. It is a place for the rugged adventurer as well as
the spiritual wanderer.
Tibet
is a land held back in time, housing many secrets. Nomads
remain much the same as they did one hundred years ago. Roaming
the plateau from winter and summer camps the nomads still
mainly subsist from their yak herds. Then, there are the monasteries
which are striving to find a place in a country that's suddenly
facing the 21st century.
The
Tibetan people and their religion have been inseparable. Even
in their earliest myths one finds references to Tibetan religious
beliefs. Originally, the Bon religion dominated Tibet. After
the introduction of Buddhist statues and later, sanskrit documents
from India, Buddhism crept increasingly into Tibetan culture.
Tibetan Buddhism is the culmination of some early Bon beliefs,
Indian buddhist texts and several great lamas. Buddhism and
politics had been interwoven since King Songsten Gampo married
a Chinese and a Nepali princess, who were both intergral in
the emergence of Buddhism. It was the Fifth Dalai Lama who
actually built the Potala Palace as the government seat and
religious center. A theocracy had prevailed until 1951.
After
centuries of virtual isolation Tibet is cautiously opening
up to the western world. Officially, China has only opened
the doors for travelers these past few years. A visit to Tibet
is an incredible experience, although it is not for the faint-hearted.
The traveling is difficult and unpredictable. The infrastructure
is poor to non-existent, therefore turning a regular tour
into a complete adventure. Traveling in Tibet is not your
average trip but an experience of a lifetime, which we invite
you to take with us.
The
Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, in the southwest of China, has long
enjoyed reputation of being "the Roof of the World",
where Tibet Autonomous Region with an average altitude of
over 4,000 meters and an area of 1.2 million square kilometers
occupies a major portion. The majestic Tibetan highland stands
on of the world and its unique cultural tradition has an international
fame. This is a land of vast contrast with snow-capped mountains
offering beauty unsurpassed and deep tropical rainforests
in another, and with open pastureland against imposing mountains
and cornier forests. The great Himalayas lies in its south
with the towering Mt. Qomolangma standing above all world's
peaks.
In
addition to these spectacular offerings of nature, the time-worn
Tibetan cultural tradition is most enchanting. A glorious
tradition mingled with wisdom of the Han and other ethnic
peoples is represented by such achievements as the ancient
Shengshong Culture ruins, Yumbu Lhakang Palace, the ruins
of ancient Guge Kingdom, the Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple.
The population of the region consists mostly of the Tibetans,
Monbans and Lhobans, all industrious and honest people full
of wisdom and valor. Over the centuries, they have cultivated
very unique ethnic traditions, folklores and ways of life,
contributing to the Chinese civilization and human progress.
This is a land of enduring enchantment and tantalizing mystery.
Tibet
enjoys such unparalleled travel resources as Mt. Qomolangma,
the highest peak in the world on Sino-Nepalese border, the
winding Yarlung Tsangbo River, ancient ruins, palaces and
monasteries, folkloric activities and religious ceremonies.
Tourism resources in the region have been continuously developed.
Lhasa is now the tourist center with routes extending to Shigatse,
Shannan, Nyingchi, Ngari and Nakchu, covering a total of over
60 scenic spots and places of interest.
Itineraries
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