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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.
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.
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.
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.
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 |
