Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Welcome to Tibet
Tibet offers fabulous monasteries, breathtaking high-altitude
treks, stunning views of the world's highest mountains and one
of the most likeable peoples you will ever meet.
A Higher Plain
For many people, the highlights of Tibet will be of a spiritual nature - magnificent monas-
teries, prayer halls of chanting monks and remote cliffside retreats. Tibet's pilgrims are an
essential part of this appeal, from the local grannies mumbling mantras in temples heavy
with the aroma of juniper incense and yak butter, to the hard-core pilgrims walking or pros-
trating themselves around Mt Kailash. Tibet has a level of devotion and faith that seems to
belong to an earlier age.
The Roof of the World
For travellers nonplussed by Tibet's religious significance, the big draw is likely to be the
elemental beauty of the highest plateau on earth. Geography here is on a humbling scale and
every view is lit with spectacular mountain light. Your trip will take you past glittering tur-
quoise lakes, across huge plains dotted with yaks and nomads' tents and over high passes
draped with colourful prayer flags. Hike past the ruins of remote hermitages, stare up open-
mouthed at the north face of Everest or make an epic overland trip along some of the
world's wildest roads. The scope for adventure is limited only by your ability to get permits.
Politics & Permits
There's no getting away from politics in modern Tibet. Whether you see Tibet as an op-
pressed, occupied nation or simply an underdeveloped province of China, the normal rules
for travel in China simply don't apply.
Travel restrictions mean that independent travel is currently not possible, as foreign trav-
ellers need to prearrange a tour with a guide and transportation for their time in Tibet. On
the plus side, new airports, boutique hotels and paved roads offer a level of travel comfort
