Tibet, the very name evokes feelings of awe and mystery. A land of ancient culture, awesome landscapes, artistic monasteries and centuries-old caravan trails, Tibet is a destination out of the ordinary.

Famed as the Roof of the World, the Tibet autonomous Region of China lies on a plateau at an average elevation of 4000m. It is bounded by the Kunlun Mountains to the north and the Himalayas to the south. Tibet covers an area of 1.2 million sq. km. and has a population of 2.3 million.
 

LHASA

Tibet’s capital Lhasa (el. 3700m.) is a cultural city with history going back 1,300 years. The magnificent POTALS PALACE, former seat of the Dalai Lamas, presides over the city. Built in 1645 at the top of a hill, the palace contains 1000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and 200,000 religious statues. The old city revolves around the JONKHANG temple and the quaint BARKOR market that surrounds it. The Jonkhang, built in the seventh century is the holiest Buddhist shrine in Tibet. Its mural paintings finely worked golden rooms and other artworks are something to see. At a little distance from the old city core, Lhasa is also a modern capital of concrete high-rises, fancy department stores and wide boulevards. NORBULINGA consists of wooded greenery and three places once used by the Dalai Lamas as a summer retreat. The DREPUNG Monastery lies about 10 km from the city. Built in 1416, it is the largest in Tibet. The Sera Monastery, about 5 km to the north of Lhasa is another important center of Buddhist learning.