Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
'100,000 images') chörten is a must-see and the fort is a fun scramble. A 90-minute drive
away is Shigatse, with its impressive
Tashilhunpo Monastery
.
Shalu Monastery
is a
worthwhile short detour en route, especially if you have an interest in Tibetan art.
A popular side trip en route to Kathmandu is to brooding
Sakya
, a small monastery
town located just 25km off the Friendship Hwy. Overnight here and you'll have time to in-
vestigate the northern ruins.
The most popular excursion from the highway is to
Rongphu Monastery
and
Everest
Base Camp
, just a few hours from the main highway. An overnight stay at 5000m guaran-
tees both clear views and a pounding headache - it's not a good idea to stay here if you've
come straight from Nepal because the altitude gain is simply too rapid to be considered
safe.
After Everest most people take the opportunity to stay the night in old
Tingri
, with its
wonderful views of Mt Cho Oyu, before the scenic roller-coaster ride to
Nyalam
and
nearby Milarepa's Cave. One interesting detour is to head north to overnight at
Peiku-tso
,
a stunning turquoise lake nestled at the base of hulking Shishapangma. The highway drops
like a stone off the dusty plateau, past misty waterfalls and lush green gorges to
Zhangmu
and the gates of the Indian subcontinent at the Nepali border.
