Lhasa, translated to “Land of the Gods” is the capital of Tibet. Nestled on the northern slopes of the Himalaya Mountains, it is the true heart of Tibet. It is an extraordinary city which should be high on your list of travel destinations. More than 1,300 years old, Lhasa is situated right next to the river with the same name, affording it stunning views. Visiting this city is nothing less but a spiritual experience, not just because of the natural beauty of the region, but also because of the Tibetan influence.
For a more orthodox Tibetan feel, the eastern end of Lhasa is ideal. Visit the Jokhang and the Barkhor to see traditional dress, locals engaged on a kora, and spinning prayer wheels. The western end of the city has more Chinese influence and is quite modern. The diversity between the eastern and western sections of the city can be surprising to foreign visitors. The Jokhang Temple is a must-see for any visit. Built in the 7th century AD, it was constructed to house statues of Buddha. Over the centuries, the temple has been enlarged and houses many historical statues of past kings and their brides.
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To me Tibet was that elusive destination I always wanted to go but never knew how to get there, or if it was at all possible. Rumors and truths spurt from various sources about the difficulties of getting there, the hardships of the Tibetan people, and the care one must take when travelling there as a tourist. I was put off but never deterred from plans to travel this forbidden land, and I will never regret the path I chose to travel this stunning, foreboding and surreal country.
Is it difficult to get there? No actually it is not. Most people think the best way to go about it, is to fly into Lhasa, and go from there. I found a better way was to go overland from Nepal, Kathmandu over the friendship bridge and through places such as Nyalam, Tingri, Skekar, Lhatse or Quxar, Shigatse, Gyantse, Nagartse to Lhasa, over a very small but breathtaking region of the Chinese labeled “Autonomous Region” of Tibet. Of course things change all the time, so make sure you fully update yourself on travel to Tibet, permits, travel ability and general stability of the country politically is never something one should presume. A good travel company should be up to date with the goings on, and also offer some alternative if things change on your planned journey.
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As the Qinghai-Tibet train was just open in July 2006, millions of Chinese tourists flocked into Tibet in this economical way. It is quite difficult to book the train tickets sometimes, especially in July and August. Comparatively, taking train out from Lhasa is easier to operate for tour operators. In fact, flying in and riding out by train is a better choice for most tourists. In this way, people can get used to the altitude in Lhasa at the height of 3650 meters above sea level. Then taking the train to the highest point of 5072 meters above sea level. Otherwise, once tourists have some unease on the way to Lhasa by train, it may affect the tour program.
Like traveling in other parts of China, if you don’t speak any Chinese or have little knowledge of this country, please bring a phrase book with you. Though the attendants had some crash courses of English, it is surely not enough to cover different situations on board.
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