Tibet

Article Way through Tibet

Way on the roof of the world

Petr Liška
Wrote 2483 articles and follows him / her 249 travelers
Way through Tibet
Inserted: 25.01.2015
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Typical hiking trails through Tibet lead mainly in its southeastern part with the capital Lhasa, where stands the imposing Potala Palace and other memorable cities Shigatse and Gyantse. Along the way you will also see the beautiful lake Namtso or the world's highest mountain Mount Everest. You will be driving over more than five thousand meters high mountain passes, so non-acclimatized tourists can have problems with altitude sickness here.  

Journey to Tibet

The most common option of getting to Tibet is by air directly to the capital Lhasa. Much more interesting is the option to arrive here by train from Golmud, which overcomes several passes, the highest of which Tanggula (5 072 m asl) is also the highest place in the world, where the train comes. The third usual option is the road travel from Nepal along Friendship highway. Journeys on land are sometimes combined with flying back or vice versa. This itinerary describes the most interesting option, during which you will not return the same way and you do not have to fly at the same time – i.e. there by train and then by road to Nepal. It can therefore be used within longer journeys around Asia between China, Nepal and India.
 

2.
Train Golmud - Lhasa

The highest located railway in the world

Rating:
| Altitude: 5 072 m / 16 640 ft

Tibetan railway leading to more than 1,100 kilometers from Golmud to Lhasa overcomes several railway records. The track leads through several extremely high passes, one of which Tanggula (5 072 m asl) is the highest point with a railway in the world. More than 80 % of the route is located at a height of over four thousand meters above the ground. On the way you can see abandoned Tibetan landscape with occasional houses, herds of yaks, beautiful lakes and mountains covered with glaciers. continue reading

Tour around Lhasa and the surrounding area

The next two days awaits you Lhasa and its interesting surroundings, including Potala, monasteries Jokhang and Sera. Stay in Lhasa serves also as a basic acclimation to the local heights, especially if you arrived by plane.
 

4.
Lhasa and surroundings

The capital of Tibet

Rating:
| Altitude: 3 700 m / 12 139 ft

The capital of Tibet, Lhasa (3 660 m asl) is for most travelers also the gateway to this interesting province – however, if you have not arrived by train from Golmud or along Friendship highway from Nepal. It lies in the valley of river Lhasa surrounded on both sides by the ridges of high mountains. Its biggest symbol is Potala Palace on the Red hill Marpo Ri. The second significant place is Jokhang – old town situated less than two kilometers away with Barkhor path around the holiest temple of Tibet. Other interesting sights such as Norbulingka, the summer residence of Dalai Lama and Sera Monastery are more distant from the town center. Lhasa is unfortunately gradually becoming modern Chinese town, so there are increasingly more and more sterile housing estates. continue reading

Namtso and Suge la

The next two days within your Tibet tour awaits you beautiful lake Namtso and then an alternative way over the pass Suge la to another Tibetan architectural pearls – towns Gyantse and Shigatse. Of course, if you would not be bound to a limited time permit, it would be ideal to extend the stay in this area of six thousand meters high mountains in Nyenchen Tanglha mountain range.
 

6.
Trip to lake Namtso

To the sacred lake

Rating:
| Altitude: 5 190 m / 17 028 ft

Very nice two days trip from Lhasa leads to, for Tibetan sacred, lake Namtso surrounded by six thousand meters high mountains. If you don´t need to return to Lhasa and want to continue exploring Tibet by less frequently walked routes, you can alternatively go through very high pass Suge la (5 450 m asl), which is also a shortcut to Shigatse or Gyantse.   continue reading

7.
Trip to Suge la pass

The outlook of Qiongmo Kangri

Rating:
| Altitude: 5 530 m / 18 143 ft

Trip to pass Suge la with a beautiful view on the glacial peak of seven thousand high Qiongmo Kangri beautifully follows a trip to lake Namtso, but even so it's not quite a typical stop on a tour around Tibet. Most tourists prefer lower path around the lake Yamdrok. But it is definitely worth to try this alternative and explore the deserted landscape around one of the highest motorized passes in the world.   continue reading

Major towns in the valley of Nyang Chu

This day awaits you Gyantse and Shigatse. If you persuade the guide, you can try to visit some of the wide range of ruins in the valley of Nyang Chu. In the evening you can move over five thousand meters high Gyatso la pass to Tingri Dzon really within reach of Everest.
 

9.
Trip to Gyantse and Shigatse

Pearls of southern Tibet

Rating:
| Altitude: 4 150 m / 13 615 ft

In the wide and very fertile valley of Nyang Chu is located the second and third historically most important Tibetan towns Shigatse and Gyantse with beautiful monasteries Palcho and Tashilhunpo. If you do not have enough time, you can manage to see the two towns in just one day. But if you want to get to various outlooks around, count at least with two days. continue reading

Amazing Himalayan day

For lovers of mountains is this day the best during the journey around Tibet. You can expect crossing of the pass Pang la, from where is stunning view of the huge part of Himalayan ridge and trip to BC Everest. In this area you can considerably extend the trip by treks to ABC Everest or to Cho Oyu. Otherwise, you must count with the way back to Lhasa in the late afternoon or descent to the Nepalese border.
 

11.
Trip to Tibet BC Everest

World's highest mountain from the Tibeta

Rating:
| Altitude: 5 206 m / 17 080 ft

The trip to the Everest base camp is practically mandatory for all mountain lovers already traveling in Tibet. Long one day trip will bring you first to the pass Pang la (5 206 m asl), from where is really amazing view of several eight-thousand high mountains. After that awaits you the ride along the green oases, the highest placed monastery in the world Rongbuk up to the very Everest BC (5 150 m asl). On the way back to the main road in Tingri try to drive through the deserted pass Lamna la (5 097 m asl).   continue reading

12.
Drive across Tong la to Nepal

Across two different worlds

Rating:
| Altitude: 5 130 m / 16 831 ft

170 km from Tingri to Kodari at Tibetan-Nepalese border, along Friendship Highway, also known as the Roof of the World Highway, leads through like two worlds. At first you ascent over five thousand meters above sea level over arid plains with views of the Himalayas to the pass Tong la and then ascent into the green world almost four kilometers below. continue reading

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