Royal Mountain Travel Magazine Royal Mountain Travel Magazine Issue 1 | Page 36

© RMT

Tibet Overland Tour
with Everest Base Camp

Travelling in Tibet is one of the most sought
after travel destination of the world. Either for
pilgrimage, spiritual or for the sake of great
scenery, Tibet has always allured tourists from
around the globe. The Tibet Autonomous
Region lies in the southwest of China and in
the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The region covers
an area of around 1.22 million km2, which
accounts for 12.8% of the total area of China.
The best way to understand and visit Tibet is by
taking a tour from Lhasa, ending in Kathmandu.
Long regarded as a land of mystery and magic,
harsh yet exquisitely beautiful, Tibet is without
question a world apart.

and barley flour. The Jokhang Temple is a 1300
year old, golden roofed building at the center of
the Barkhor Market.The most sacred and active
of Tibetan temples, it was founded by Bhrikuti,
KingSongtsenGampo’sNepalesebride,onasite
chosen by his other wife; aTang dynasty Chinese
princess, Wenchang. He Barkhor is the holiest
of Lhasa’s Koras (devotional circumambulation
circuits)anditsmostfascinatingmarketincludes
shops, stalls, teahouses and cafes.The streets are
filled with monks, pilgrims, street performers
and hawkers.The atmosphere is an intoxicating
blend of the sacred, medieval, commercial and
exotic.

Itinerary in brief

The Potala Palace towers over Lhasa and is an
enduring landmark ofTibet. Little remains of the
originalstructurebuiltbySongtsenGampoother
than its foundations. After Lhasa was reinstated
as the capital of Tibet in the 17th century, the
Great 5th Dalai Lama began construction of the
White Palace (built 1645 – 53) employing 7,000
workers and 1500 artisans. Norbulinkha is a 40
hectare park to the west of Lhasa town and was
built as a summer residence for the Dalai Lamas
in the 18th century. The site was selected on
account of its medicinal spring.

Day 1: The flight to Lhasa from Kathmandu is
spectacular. From Gongkar airport it is about 90
minutes drive to Lhasa, first along the Yarlung
Tsangpo - the largest canyon in the world with
a total depth of 5,382m and then into the Kyi
Chu Valley. Lhasa is connected to other parts
of China by flights from Chengdu. The famous
Qinghai Railway line connects Lhasa to many
other parts of China, specially the first town
Golmud. Every day, there is a train leaving for
Lhasa from Beijing and Xian and on specified
days of the week from Chengdu.
Day 2 – 4: With a relaxed pace to allow for the
effectsofaltitude,explorethefantasticcityonthe
Roof of the World. The spiritual heart of Tibet
is the Jokhang Temple and every morning, it is
full وY