Xizang

Xizang, usually called Tibet in English, lies at an average elevation of more than 4,000 meters (13,100 feet) and is rightly known as the Roof of the World. A trip to Xizang leads to monasteries, pilgrimage routes, and glacier-capped mountains, but foreign visitors can only go with a special permit and as part of an organized tour.

Lhasa and Its Sacred Sites

Lhasa, at roughly 3,650 meters (11,975 feet), was the seat of the Dalai Lamas. The Potala Palace, with its white and red walls, looms above the city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with more than a thousand rooms, tomb stupas, and chapels. In the Old Town, pilgrims walk clockwise around the Jokhang Temple on the Barkhor, and many prostrate themselves full length on the ground. The Jokhang houses the revered statue of Jowo Shakyamuni. On the edge of the city lie the great monasteries of Sera and Drepung; at Sera, monks debate loudly in the monastery courtyard in the afternoon, clapping their hands for emphasis. Norbulingka was the summer palace of the Dalai Lamas.

Sights in Xizang Beyond Lhasa

The turquoise Yamdrok Lake lies along the road toward Gyantse, where the Kumbum Stupa stands with dozens of painted chapels. Shigatse is home to Tashilhunpo Monastery, traditionally the residence of the Panchen Lamas. In the south, a dirt road leads to Mount Everest Base Camp, with views of Qomolangma's north face. Far to the west, pilgrims of several religions walk around sacred Mount Kailash and bathe in Lake Manasarovar. Samye Monastery in the Yarlung Valley is considered the oldest monastery in Tibet.

Food, Travel Tips, and Best Time to Visit

Tibetan cuisine is simple and hearty: tsampa made from roasted barley flour, butter tea, momos filled with yak meat, thukpa noodle soup, and yogurt made from yak milk, along with chang barley beer. You can reach Lhasa by air from Chengdu, Chongqing, or Beijing, or by the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, which crosses passes higher than 5,000 meters (16,400 feet). Foreign visitors are required to have a Tibet Travel Permit and a registered tour operator, and the regulations can change on short notice. Because of the altitude, you should plan a few days to acclimatize. The best times to visit are spring and fall; summer brings more rain, and winters are dry and very cold.