Lhasa,
the heart and soul of Tibet and an object of devout pilgrimage, is still
a city of wonders. The Potala, a vast white and ochre fortress, dominates
the Lhasa skyline. Once the seat of Tibetan government and the location
of the tombs of previous Dalai Lamas, the Potala serves as a symbolic focus
for Tibetan aspirations. Today though, it is the Jokhang temple, 2km to
the east, which is the spiritual heart of the city. The medieval push and
shove of crowds, the street performers, the stalls hawking everything from
prayer flags to jewel-encrusted yak skulls, and the devout tapping their
foreheads to the ground at every step is an exotic brew that few newcomers
can resist. Among Tibet's other attractions are Shigatse, around 250km
south-west of Lhasa and the seat of the Panchen Lama (the reincarnation
of whom the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government are currently disputing),
and Mt Kailash, a beautiful range of peaks.
Off
the Beaten Track
The
Everest Region
The
Tibetan approach to Mt Everest or Qoomolangma (8848m) provides far better
vistas of the world's highest peak
than
those on the Nepal side. Some 27,000 sq km around Everest's Tibetan face
have been designated as the
Qoomolangma
Nature Preserve, aiming to protect the environment and the cultural traditions
of the local people.
For
foreign travellers, the Everest Base Camp has become the most popular trekking
destination in Tibet, but this does
not
mean that the region is exactly swarming with hikers. The two access points
are Shegar and Tingri, along the
Friendship
Highway to Nepal, but be warned that neither trek is an easy three or four-day
stroll.
But
Take your time getting acclimatised and be prepared for a strenuous
climb.
Trekking
to Mt. Kailas
Quibblers
may say that Kailas, a dramatic 22,000-foot peak, lies on the Tibetan Plateau
and is therefore
not
technically part of the Himalayas. And that this trek includes a two-day
jeep leg. Let 'em quibble.
The
trek to Kailas at least starts in the Himalayas, in western Nepal. The
trek from Simicot along the Karnali
river
valley to the Tibetan border takes about a week. From there, you'll need
a vehicle to take you across the
plateu
to Kailas itself, where you'll join thousands of pilgrims making the ritual
five-day
32-mile
circumnavigation of the mountain. In keeping with Buddhist custom,
you'll take the clockwise route.
(It's
not necessary to do the route on your hands and knees, prostrating
yourself every few seconds, as some pilgrims do.)
The
return trip retraces your steps to Simikot. It's certainly the most
spiritual of all the treks listed here
Gyantse
Gyantse,
some 200km south-west of Lhasa, is one of the least Chinese-influenced
towns in Tibet and is worth a visit for this reason alone. The Palkhor
Monastery here was built in 1427 and is notable for its superb Kumbum (10,000
images) stupa. The Dzong (old fort) which towers above the village offers
a fine view over the valley. Gyantse is a four hour bus ride from Shigatse.
Sakya
Sakya
is 152km west of Shigatse and about 25km south of the main road. The huge
brooding monastery here was Tibet's most powerful 700 years ago. The monastery
probably contains the finest collection of Tibetan religious relics remaining
in Tibet, although the monks may restrict you to viewing only a couple
of halls. There's an unreliable bus from Shigatse, but most people arrange
to see Sakya on their way to the Nepali border or the Everest Base Camp.
Getting
There & Getting Around
Flights
to Gonggar airport, 90km from Lhasa, depart Beijing via Chengdu (Sichuan);
Chongqing (Sichuan); and Kathmandu. There are five major road routes to
Lhasa but foreigners are only supposed to use the Nepal (Friendship Highway)
and Qinghai (via Golmud) routes. Most travellers band together to rent
a 4WD for the spectacular journey to Nepal.
Getting
around Tibet can be difficult: the buses are often at their last gasp and
travelling by 4WD can be expensive.
Trucks
tend to charge the same inflated prices as buses, but the Chinese government
discourages foreigners from hitching rides. 'Road safety' is little more
than a slogan. Tibetans tend to rely on prayer to facilitate a safe arrival
- you might consider doing the same once you see the conditions. Bicycling
is possible, but is not without its hazards: cyclists in Tibet have died
from road accidents, hypothermia and pulmonary oedema.
