Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tsang lies to the west of Ü and has shared political dominance and cultural influence over
the Tibetan plateau with its neighbour. With the decline of the Lhasa kings in the 10th cen-
tury, the epicentre of Tibetan power moved to Sakya, under Mongol patronage from the
mid-13th to the mid-14th centuries.
After the fall of the Sakya government, the power shifted back to Ü and then again back
to Tsang. But until the rise of the Gelugpa order and the Dalai Lamas in the 17th century,
neither Tsang nor Ü effectively governed all of central Tibet, and the two provinces were
rivals for power. Some commentators see the rivalry between the Panchen Lama and Dalai
Lama as a latter-day extension of this provincial wrestling for political dominance.
Permits
As with the rest of Tibet, you need permits to visit anywhere in Tsang and for this you will
need to travel with an organised 4WD tour. Your guide will most likely need to register for
you and get an alien's travel permit while in Shigatse.
Special trekking permits are needed if you plan to trek in the Everest region beyond
Base Camp. Trekking permits for Camp III (also known as Advanced Base Camp or ABC)
are issued by the China Tibet Mountain Association. Trekkers will need help from an
agency to get the permits.
Itineraries
For most travellers, visiting Tsang means a straight shot from Lhasa to the Nepali border,
with stops at Gyantse, Shigatse, Sakya Monastery and Mt Everest. The 865km journey
takes about eight days if done at a reasonable pace.
From Lhasa, head out on the southern Friendship Hwy, which takes you over the
Kamba-la pass to the shores of Yamdrok-tso, then on to Nangartse and Gyantse. You'll
need a full day in Gyantse before you can move on to Shigatse. West of Shigatse the next
obvious stop is Lhatse, but there are two worthy side trips on the way - Sakya Monastery
and Phuntsoling Monastery. From Lhatse it's on to Baber and Shegar, a key stopover be-
fore heading to Everest Base Camp (EBC). Back on the main highway are possible
overnight stops at old Tingri and Nyalam before you finally reach the border town of
Zhāngmù.
If you are in a hurry, it's quicker to take the northern Friendship Hwy when travelling
between Lhasa and Shigatse but going this way means you'll miss Gyantse, one of the
