Tibet,
a small Himalayan country with unique kind
of history and culture islocated at the southwest
frontier of China with a vase land of more
than 1.2 million square kilometers. Tibet
borders with India, Nepal Bhutan, Burma and
neighbors with Qinghai, Xinjiang, Sichuan,
Yunnan. Tibety has a total population of more
than 2.56 million, among which Tibetan takes
up 94.7%. Other main nationalities include
Hon, Mena, Luoba, hui, Naxi, etc.
Geographically, Tibet can be divided mainly
into three parts, first the eastern part,
second the northern part and third the southern
part. The eastern part is forest region, one-fourth
of this part is occupied by forests. The northern
part is full of open grassland, where nomads
and yak and sheep dwell here. The southern
and central part is agricultural region, occupying
about one-fourth of Tibet's land area. All
major Tibetan cities and towns such as Lhasa,
Shigatse, Gyantse and Tsetang located in this
area. This part is considered the cultural
center of Tibet.
Tibet is the biggest, highest and the youngest
plateau in the world. It claims to be the
"Roof of the world"
and "The Third Pole".
Mt. Kunlun, Mt. Himalaya, Mt. Gangdis and
Mt. Henduan are all scraping the sky. Tibet
is full of rivers and lakes, which really
enhance its natural beauty.
Main festivals of Tibet are Tibetan
New Year (February or March). It
is the greatest festival of Tibet. In ancient
times when the peach tree was in blossom,
it was considered as the starting of a new
year. Saga Dawa Festival
(May or June), Gyantse Horse Race
& Archery (May or June) Changtang
Chachen Horse Race Festival (August),
Shoton Festival ( August),
Bathing Week ( September),
Kungbu Traditional Festival (November
of December) are the main attraction for tourists.
This spectacular land is charming for its
beautiful natural landscape, glorious history
and culture, unique folk custom with all of
which Tibet has attracted more and more tourists
from home and abroad. Tibet owns a group of
giant mountains, Mt. Everest, and 4 mountains
higher than 8,000 meters and 38 higher than
7,000 meters, becomes the dreamland mountaineers
and adventures. Tibet has already become the
hottest world level tourist destination in
the world.
Tibet is cold country with heavy
snowfalls in winters. Please plan for your
clothings accordingly.
General Information
about Tibet
Location : Famed as the
Roof of the World, the Tibet Autonomous Region
of China is bounded by the Kunlun mountains
to the north and the Himalaya to the south.
Capital City : Lhasa
Area : 1,221,700 Sq. km
Timing in Tibet : From GMT
Tibet time is 8 hours ahead in winter and
9 hours in summer, same as Beijing standard
time and 2 hours 15 minute (winter)/ 3 hour
15 minute (summer) ahead of Nepal standard
time i.e. +5.45 hours.
Currency: The currency is
the Chinese Yuan (ISO code CNY), divided into
10 Jiao or 100 Fen. However, money within
China is called RMB (Ren Min Bi, people's
money). Notes are available in denominations
of 100, 50, 10, 5, 2 and 1 Yuan, 5, 2 and
1 Jiao, and 5, 2, and 1 fen. Coins are 1 yuan,
5, 2 and 1 jiao, and 5, 2 and 1 fen. Note:
As with most currencies, there are counterfeits.
Banknotes printed from 1990 have a metal thread
woven into their fabric.
Entry points for travelling Tibet
:
By Air : Kathmandu and Chengdu Gongkar Airport,
Tibet.
By Bus : (1) Zhangmu (2) Simikot (Nepal) -Khojarnath-Purang
(3) Golmud - Lhasa (4) Kashgar- Yecheng -
West Tibet (5) India- Lipu Lek Pass - Purang
- Kailash. There are some other entry
points too but entering from any checkpoint,
the tourists need special align permit for
Tibet.
Tourist Destinations of Tibet
Lhasa
lies in the Tibet autonomous region. Autonomous
region is situated in the south central part
of the region. On the north bank of the Kyichu
river, in a mountain-fringed valley. At an
elevation of 3,658 m, the city also known
as Sunlight City, is the highest city in the
world. The city has many Buddhist monuments
and was the seat of the Dalai Lama, so that
flocks of pilgrims have been making their
pilgrimage to the city for centuries. Lhasa
is the heart and soul of Tibet, abode of the
Dalai Lamas and an object of devout pilgrimage.
It is really a city of wonders.
Lhasa is also very important for agricultural,
animal husbandry and for its agricultural
machine,power,leather,food and motor-car reparation
and concrete. Lhasa is also famous for handicrafts.
Lhasa is the cultural historical cit in china.
Lhasa is full of ancient temples. There is
the biggest lake in the world, that is Namucuo
Lake. The traditional specialties are carpet,
Jewellery, highland barley wine, snow-lotus
and Zang flowers The main tourist
attractions of Lhasa are :
Potala Palace : The word
"Potala" comes from Sanskrit. In
7th century, after the Tibetan King Songtsen
Gampo's marriage with Princes Wencheng of
the Tang Court, the Palace was built for meditation.
In the mid -17th century, it was rebuilt by
the 5th Dalai Lama to its present size, and
ever since it became the Winter Palace of
the Dalai Lamas. The construction took fifty
years from its beginning to completion. The
Potala is divided into two sections, namely,
the Red Palace and White Palace. The total
height of the Potala is 117m which is built
in thirteen storeys, the length of the Potala
from east to west has 400m and the breadth
from south to north has 350m. The whole building
is a structure of stone and timber. The top
most flat glistens with golden roofs. It is
a majestic architectural work and the cream
of Tibetan culture and complex of Tibetan
and Han culture.
Jokhang Temple : The Jokhang
Temple , situated in the center of old Lhasa,
was originally built in 647 AD. It was built
by craftsmen from Tibet, China and Nepal thus
features different architectural styles. The
Jokhang is the spiritual center of Tibet and
the holiest destination for all Tibetan Buddhist
pilgrims. In the central hall is the Jokhang's
oldest and most precious object - a sitting
statue of Sakyamuni.
Lhasa Festival :
Tibetan New Year, Saka Dawa Festival,
Gyantse Horse Race & Bathing Week are
the main festivals celebrated in Lhasa.
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Chamdo,
means the "join of water"
in Tibet. It is located in eastern Tibet,
tucked away in the Henduan Mountains and dissected
by the Jinshajiang, Lancanjiang and Nujiang
rivers, covers an area of 108,600 square km.
Chamdo has already become "ShangriLa"
in the heart of the people. In Chamdo people
can see the long history in the Damala Dimosaur-discovery
field and Kane site, can feel the influence
of diverse cultures of different traditions
in such temples as Gama ancient temple and
Yanjin Church. Chamdo is a place with a lot
of mountains, the people of Chamdo instinctively
worship the nature, wish to live a life of
Utopia, however it was only a dream in the
past. The main tourist arractions
of Chamdo are :
Chamdo Town, famous for
Chambaling monastery founded in 1444 by one
of Tsong Khapa's disciples. Chambaling has
hundreds of statues of Buddha's and great
adapters, thousand square meters of murals,
and magnificent Thangkas, which represent
the highest artistic level in Kham.
Zezhol Monastery : The monastery
is different with other monasteries since
it is an important religious center of Tibet.
History of the monastery can be tracked back
to as far as 3,000 years ago. In Tibet the
name of the monastery means Six Peaks due
to its topography around. Zezhol is one of
the few largest Bon Monasteries existing in
Tibet, which still keeps many followers and
most complete Bon religious rituals.
Nagqu,
lies in the northern part of the Tibet Autonomous
Region at longitude 84o55 'E and latitude
29o55 '-36o30 'N. It is embraced by the Tanggula,
Nyainqentanglha and kangdese Mountains, and
the snow-capped Dargo Mountain in the west
and the Burgyi Mountain in the east, guarding
the treasure land like two ferocious lions.
The vast region of the central west is basically
flat but dotted with hills and numerous lakes,
and is crisscrossed by rivers. There are high
mountains surrounding the river valleys in
the east, which is the farming region of northern
Tibet. The main tourist attractions
of Nagqu are :
Lake Nam Co : Nam co is
the highest lake in the world and is 4,718
meters above sea level, holy lake in Tibet
and receives high respects among the local
people. Dzashi monastery on Dzashi Penisula
in Nam Lake is a sacred place to Buddhists.
thousand of pilgrims travel a long way to
worship here on the Tibetan New Year.
Chongqenkadu Pasture : The
vast Chongqenkuadu Pasture to the north of
Naqu Town is the site of the annual Nagchu
Horse Racing Meet held in the 7th or 8th month
of the Tibetan calendar.
Qiangtang Grassland : Qiangtang,
the meaning of "northern highland",
refers to the north Tibetan plateau, its land
area covers 2/3 of the whole Tibet. Its situated
4000 meters above sea level. It is main base
for the animal husbandry, having a large number
of posture land and grass of high quality.
the famous "plateau boat" Yak and
Tibetan antelope just live in this area.
Zhoima Canyon Spot : 92
kms to the south of Nagchu Town, the Zhoima
Canyon Scenic spot has an average elevation
of 4,700 meters. It has good transport facilities
and a nice natural environment with beautiful
mountains and lakes. In June & July, the
climate of this place is very comfortable.
The place is full of flowers and grass which
looks very attractive.
Shannan,
topographycally is typical of the southern
Tibetan valley area, with a terrain gradually
declining from west to east and at an average
elevation of about 3,700 meters. Shannan enjoys
a temperate and dry climate, with average
annual rainfall of less than 450 meters. The
rainy season is concentrated between June
and September. Shannan has many kinds of flora
and fauna. Its famous medicinal herbs include
sinensis, fritillaries thun-bergli, root of
red salvia. Shannan has many mineral resources
include chromium, gold, copper, iron Zinc,
magnese,jade and marble. The reserve of the
chromium have been verified at 5 million tones,
accounting for 45% of the country's total.
Average grade therefore it boasts the biggest
chromium resources base in China. It has many
rivers and lake sans so it is rich in water
resources. Shannan attracts numerous Chinese
and foreign tourists with its ancient cultural
heritage, rich and strong national flavour,
enchanting natural scenery, unique historical
sites and other tourism resources.
Samyae Monastery : Samye
was Tibet's very first monastery and has a
history that spans over 1,200 years. It is
designed to represent the Buddhist universe
and many of the buildings in the courtyard
are cosmological symbols.
Trandruk Monastery : is
one of the earliest Buddhist monasteries in
Tibet, a significant stop for Tibetan pilgrims.
Trandruk Monastery is also famous for its
" Pearl Tangka" which is the image
of Compassion Buddha made up of almost 30,000
pearls, and many other jewelries.
Dratang Monastery : was
established in 1081, the founder of monastery
Drapa Eshepa who is one of the 13 sages in
Dranuang Country. The murals of this monastery
are the most precious.
Changzhug Monastery :
built in the 17th century, this monastery
standing by the highway on the east bank
of the Yalong River. The monastery houses
a precious Thangka picture of a Buddha inlaid
with pearls and gems.
Minzohling monastery :
was built in the 10th century and had its
current name when it was rebuilt in 1677.
The monastery has paid attention to the
research of Buddhist classics, astronomical
calendar, calligraphy rhetoric and Tibetan
medicines and is famous for its achievements
in these fields.
Yamzho Yumco : Yamjho
means upper pasture and Yum means green
jade in Tibetan. In a bird's eye view, the
lake is like a big piece of sapphire inlaid
in the mountains and is very beautiful.
The lake is situated 4,400 meters above
sea level. It covers an area of 800 sq km
and is 30-40 meters deep.
Chim-puk Hermitage : is
a warren of caves that was once a retreat
for Guru Rinpoche and other high ranking
lamas. After crossing through desert-like
territory for a couple of hours, the path
ascends into the surprisingly lush area
in which the caves are found.
Yombulagang Palace : The
first palace in the Tibetan history, it
is also one of the oldest buildings in tibet.
It was said that the palace was built in
the second century B.C. by the first king
Nyatri Tsanpo. It houses the statues of
the three-world Buddhas and Tsanpos of various
historical stages Nyatri Tsanpo, Lhatu and
Trisong Detsen.
Tibetan Kings Tomb : From
all of the tombs, the most remarkable one
is King Songtsan Gampo's. Thirty third king
Gampo, moved his capital Lhasa to Lhasa,
then unified the whole Tibet. In order to
cherish the memory of their hometown and
the relatives, also ancestors kings from
the 33 onwards were buried back to Chonggye.
Nyangchi,
means "throne
of the sun" in Tibetan is located
in southeast Tibet, where the Himalaya Mountains
and Nyainqentanglha Mountains extend from
west to east, like parallelhuge dragons, to
join the Himalaya Mountains in the east. With
green mountain slopes, snow-capped peaks and
crystal-clear rivers, Nyingchi looks just
like heaven on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.
The main tourist attractions of Nyangchi
are :
Basumco Lake or Lake Basumco : Basumco
means "Water of Aquamarine". Besides
offering awesome views, many glaciers on the
upper reaches of the lake provide it with
a constant supply water of fresh water and
covers an area of 25.9 sq km, and from the
surface the deepest part is about 60 meters
deep. The blue, limpid lake water and the
verdant mountain around the lake combine into
a charming scene. This lake, together with
the delicate temple on the island, is regarded
sacred by the Red Sect of Tibetan Buddhism,
attracts many pilgrims every year.
Gyaxing Valley Waterfall of Curtains
: Gyaxing Valley 20 kms away from
the Paggar Monastery. The waterfall is 25
meters high and drops from the top of the
cave in three curtains. The cave is quiet
and zigzags. in addition, there are three
hot springs in the valley and their water
is effective in curing many kinds of diseases.
Besides of above there is a lot to see including
Namjabarwa Peak, Lake Ra'og Coi, Zayu
Landscape and Pungri Holy Mountain
etc in particular.
Shigatse,
located
mostly between the middle of the Himalayas
and the middle of Kangdese-Nyainqentanglha
ranges. this land has a varied topography
with an elevation of more than 4,000 meters.
Shigatse connects with three countries of
Nepal, Bhutan and Sikkim and occupies an area
of 1,76,000 sq kms. The main tourist
attractions are :
Tashilhungpo Monastery :
located in southern slope of the Nyima Mountain
to the west of the Xiage City. Monastery was
built in 1447 under the supervision of the
first Dalai Lama Zhuba.
Shalu Monastery : built in
1087 this monastery demonstrates a combination
of the Tibet and Han architectural styles.
The murals in the monastery are rich in contents
and excellent in workmanship and are one of
rare fine arts in Tibet.
Xalhu Monastery : is famous
for its four treasures, the first is the printing
plate of Buddhist scriptures, which is made
of 108 blocks of wood by Abbot Purdain. The
second treasures is the holy jar made of bronje.
It is claimed that inside the jar is the clearest
water in the world, which is replaced every
12 years. The mouth of the jar is covered
with red cloth. The third is the stone tablet
with six characters. The fourth is the huge
basin-shaped stone in which the living Buddha
Jigzun Xerab Qoinnyai, who built the monastery
of Sagya.
Sakya Monastery : The northern
monastery was built in 1097 and was damaged.
Now while Southern Monastery was rebuilt in
1268. It preserve great numbers of books such
as the "Bakgyur","Bstanggyur",
and other Tibetan classics on astronomy, history,
medicines and literature.
Rongpu Monastery : The monastery
is 90 kms away from the Tingri country seat
and is 5,800 meters above sea level, the highest
of its kind in the world. It is 60 kms from
New Tingri to the Rongpu Monastery.
Makaru Mountain, Luoze Mountain, Mt. Qumolangma,
Lake Paiku Co and Yamdroktso are other popular
attractions in this area.
