Central Tibet Highlights – Part I

Potala Palace, Lhasa

Although there are wonderful places to travel all around Tibet, but if you are planning only one Tibet tour, the ideal place to visit will be the central Tibet, it not only holds the important and historic places, but also some of the most beautiful mountain lakes and highest peaks you will ever come to face. The central Tibet is a world within itself, occupied in its own better business and religion(s).

If we were to count the sites in the part, the ten fingers wouldn’t be enough. So, it would be best if we take a virtual tour here.

Lhasa City:

The majestic holy city of Lhasa, at 3,490m above sea level became the capital city in 7^th century while under the rule of the 33^rd king of Tibet, Songtsen Gampo. The city lays in a beautiful valley between mountains rising up to 5500m. It contains more than 8 culturally significant Buddhist sites, all of which stay flocked with pilgrims and tourists all year round. To name some of them, first there is Potala Palace, standing magnificently tall over the city since 7^th century, the winter palace for the Dalai Lamas; then come Jokhang Temple and Barkhor street around the temple, which can be called the busiest street in Lhasa, also built in 7^th century, is always fogged with juniper incense burning, the temple is the home for the Buddha summoned by Songtsen Gampo’s Nepalese wife as her dowry; then comes the three holy monasteries, Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery and Ganden Monastery, all located east, west and further east to the centre of Lhasa respectively, are the soul monasteries of Gelug sect, Tibetan Buddhism; Drak Yerpa comes next, located in the mountains north-east to Lhasa, is a breath-pausing view to just stare at for the wonder of its peacefulness, the 80 meditation caves on it used to house more than 300 monks, the founder of the site is Songtsen Gampo who is said to have meditated there with his two foreign queens.

Note: If you want to book a just-Lhasa tour, or more, we have the most appropriate itineraries for you, you can also customize your own itinerary with our travel agents’ help. See Explore Tibet for the Tibet tour itineraries.

Ganden Monastery