Tibet

Tibet (Xizang), the Roof of the World, remained unknown to the world until the beginning of the 20th century. The massive, snowy land has exerted an awesome draw on travelers and adventurers ever since. Its majestic scenery, mysterious and exotic religious culture, and wonderful people, reward every tourist with an indelible life long memory!

Tibet is a land of striking natural beauty, its villages set against a perpetual backdrop of white Himalayan Mountains and vividly surreal blue skies. With an average height of 4,000 meters above sea level, well-know as the Roof of the World and The Third Pole of the Globe, Tibet is encompassed by some of the world's highest mountains. Southwestern Tibet has been a popular destination for mountaineers. Mt. Everest towers over the region. Besides, more than 40 snow capped peaks are open to mountain climbing enthusiasts. Verdant virgin forests clean running rivers and tranquil beautiful lakes, the devotional pilgrim progress toward their places of worship by prostrating themselves under the sky and along the roads, making people humble and modest. Tibet, the lost paradise under the sky, is undoubtedly a place where the spirit lives!

Tibet is interwoven in spiritual mystique combined with its own distinct culture and heritage. Tibetan Buddhism inhabits most Tibetans' hearts. Perhaps most fascinating to visitors to Tibet is seeing how Buddhism permeates nearly every aspect of Tibetans' day-to-day lives. A great deal of splendid monasteries, vivid murals and sculptures, and solemn stupas were built to worship the unparalleled Buddha. Besides the monasteries, sacred mountains and holy lakes are also great places to show the Tibetan peoples' devotion to Buddha. From the architectural tour de force of the Potala Palace to monks engaging in lively debates in monastery courtyards, daily Tibetan life is also a visual and sensual experience unlike almost any other.

It is precisely this physically challenging environment, deep sense of religion, fierce Tibetan sense of independence, and long heritage stretching back centuries, that give Tibet its enduring allure that is nearly mythical in proportion.

Lhasa is rightly one of the most featured and dreamt-about cities in the world. This is not only because of its remoteness, its high altitude at 3,650 meters (11,975 feet) means limited accessibility, but also because of its impressive heritage of over a thousand years of cultural and spiritual history that has helped to create the romantic and mysterious Tibetan religion. Differing from the inland cities and other places in Tibet, Lhasa is unique with an allure all of its own. In the Tibetan language, Lhasa means the Holy Land or the Buddha Land. It is the center of Tibet's politics, economy and culture. The splendor and grandeur of the Potala Palace in Lhasa remains a world-famous symbol of the enigmatic power of politics and religion in this region.

Potala Palace is a huge treasure house for materials and articles of Tibetan history, religion, culture and arts. The Palace is widely known for the precious sculptures, murals, scripture, Buddha figures, murals, antiques, and religious jewelry treasured up, they are of great cultural and artistic value. The Potala has been a sacred place for hundreds of years. Thousands of pilgrims from Tibet, other parts of China and abroad come every year to pay homage. Their devotion is shown by the difficult journeys they have to make to reach their "Holy City".

Journeys in Tibet:
Tibet Discovery