Top 10 must-see attractions in Tibet

Posted 2016/7/15

    Tibet, the Roof of the World, is the highest region on Earth, with an average elevation of 4,900 meters. Located in a plateau north of the Himalayas, it is a mysterious, exotic place for many outsiders. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the massive, tranquil land with its majestic scenery and mysterious religious culture has exerted an awesome draw on travelers.

     #10 Yambajan (羊八井)


      Tibet, the Roof of the World, is the highest region on Earth, with an average elevation of 4,900 meters. Located in a plateau north of the Himalayas, it is a mysterious, exotic place for many outsiders. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the massive, tranquil land with its majestic scenery and mysterious religious culture has exerted an awesome draw on travelers.

      Yambajan is famous for its wide range of hot springs, from ones with the highest temperatures in the country to boiling geysers. It sits in a basin at the foot of Nyainqentanglha Mountains about 90 kilometers northwest of Lhasa. In the early morning, the town is covered in a white and luminous vapor. The hot springs in Yambajan contain various minerals and are believed to be therapeutic.


      Admission: 30 yuan (98 yuan for hot-spring bathing)

      Travel tips: Bringing one's own bathing suit is recommended.

      #9 Barkhor (八廓)

 

     Barkhor is a small neighborhood of ancient streets and a public square surrounding Jokhang Temple in the old area of Lhasa. The oldest street appeared about 1,300 years ago after Jokhang Temple was built in 647, attracting thousands of Buddhist pilgrims. The streets are full of religious atmosphere and show the original Lhasa. Shops offer prayer wheels, chubas (traditional Tibetan clothing), Tibetan knives and religious articles for sale.

     Travel tips: Walking in a clockwise direction along the street is recommended. Because of many lanes there, it is better not stay too late in the street

     #8 Tashilhunpo Monastery (扎什伦布寺)
      Tashilhunpo Monastery, founded in 1447 by the First Dalai Lama, is one of the Big Six Monasteries of the Gelug sect of Buddhism in Tibet. Also called the Heap of Glory, the monastery covers nearly 300,000 square meters in Shigatse, Tibet's second-largest city, after expansions by the Fourth Panchen Lama and his successors. The monastery is comprised of grand palaces that house gigantic statues and wall paintings showcasing of Buddhist art.

     Admission: 55 yuan

     Opening hours: 9:00 to 17:00(closed for lunch from 12:00 to 14:00)

     Travel tips: During some important Tibetan festivals, visitors could enter the monastery for free. The recommended time for a visit is three hours.
 
      #7 Midui Glacier (米堆冰川)
      Midui Glacier, located in Yupu Township, is the lowest altitude above sea level in the world. It was ranked by China National Geography Magazine as one of the top six most beautiful glaciers in China and opened to tourists in 2007.


       The glacier is passes through four distinct regions: snow-capped mountains, forests, lakes and villages and temples coexist in harmony. It looks as if Nature's hand itself had taken up a brush to paint a splashed-ink landscape.

     Admission: 50 yuan

     Travel tips: It is about an hour's walk from the entrance to the glacier.

        #6 Former site of Guge (古格王国)

         Now in present-day Zanda County in western Tibet, Guge was an ancient kingdom founded by a branch of descendents of the last king of a unified Tibet in the 10th century. It flourished for more than 700 years before encountering civil strife and foreign attacks and falling into disrepair. Now, visitors can see its ruins of temples and palaces, whose inscriptions, statues and murals still remain intact. The city wall with fortresses at each corner is also still standing. 


          Admission: 105 yuan

         #5 Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon (雅鲁藏布大峡谷)

           The Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon is one of the deepest and longest canyons in the world. The Yarlung Zangpo River starts at Mount Kailash before reaching the juncture of Mainling and Medog counties, where it swerves around towering Namjagbarwa, the highest peak in the eastern section of the Himalayas, carving a U-shaped gorge. The canyon is home to many animals and plants barely explored and affected by human influence, while its climate ranges from subtropical to
Arctic.

            Admission: 150 yuan (April 21-Oct.19); 75 yuan (Oct 20- April 20)

             #4 Namtso Lake (纳木措)

             Namtso, or Lake Nam, is one of the three holy lakes in Tibet Autonomous Region and should not be missed by any traveler to Tibet. In Tibetan, Namtso means "Heavenly Lake." It is famous for its high altitude and imposing scenery. The second largest salt lake in China, Namtso covers 1,920 square kilometers and is also the second-highest salt lake in altitude in the world at an elevation of 4,718 meters above sea level.

             Admission: 120 yuan (50 yuan in the winter) 

             Travel tips: An organized tour of the lake is recommended

             #3 Jokhang Temple (大昭寺)

           Jokhang Temple, located on Barkhor Square in Lhasa, is Tibet's first Buddhist temple and is part of the Potala Palace. The temple used to be called Tsulag Khang ("House of Wisdom"), but it is now known as Jokhang ("House of the Buddha"). It is the ultimate pilgrimage destination for Tibetan pilgrims. Built in Tang Dynasty-style architecture, Jokhang Temple is a four-story timber complex. A statue of Sakyamuni at age 10 is one of only three statues designed by Sakyamuni himself.

              Admission: 75 yuan 

              Opening hours: 9:00 - 18:00

              Travel tips: The temple is in the downtown centre of Lhasa and recommended time for a visit is two hours.

              #2 Mount Everest (珠穆朗玛峰)

             The Tibetan name of Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world, is Qomolangma, which means "Holy mother" and represents the mother goddess of the Earth. Besides experienced mountaineers, Mount Everest draws scientists and ordinary tourists. 

              As the supreme point of the world, the mountain top is covered with snow all the year round, and when the glaring sun comes out, the peak becomes very pure and beautiful. Apart from that, many precious plants and animal live in the national natural reserves built in the area of Mt. Qomolangma.

              Admission: 180 yuan

              Travel tips: Climbing Mt. Everest is very dangerous, only the periods between early March and late May, along with early September and late October are fit for climbing. A mountain climber who can endure the adverse weather should venture on to the peak.

                #1 Potala Palace (布达拉宫)

               The Potala Palace is considered to be a model of Tibetan architecture. Located on the Red Hill in Lhasa, it covers more than 360,000 square meters and has 13 storeys. In 641, Songtsan Gambo, ruler of the Tubo Kingdom, had the Potala Palace built for Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty, his future bride. This structure was later burned to the ground during a war and rebuilt in the 17th century by the Fifth Dalai Lama. Over the past three centuries, the palace gradually became a place where the Dalai Lama lives and works and a place for keeping the remains of Dalai Lamas.

                Admission: 100 yuan (Nov. 1-Apr. 30); 200 yuan (May 1-Oct.31)

                Opening hours: 9:00 - 16:00 except holidays and major events

               Travel tips: Only 2300 tickets are issued each day, among which 1600 are for the travel agents and 700 for individual tourists.

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