GEOGRAPHICALLY DRAMATIC AND REMOTE, IT HAS AN AVERAGE ALTITUDE OF 13,000FT (4,000M) above sea level and is popularly referred to as “the roof of the world”. For centuries this mysterious Buddhist kingdom, locked away in its mountain fastness of the Himalaya, has exercised a unique hold on the imagination of the West. Tibet offers fabulous monastery sights, breathtaking high-altitude treks, stunning views of the world’s highest mountains and one of the most likeable peoples you will ever meet.
Lhasa, the remote abode of the Dalai Lamas, has the Potala Palace dominating the skyline and Jokhang is the real spiritual heart of the city. One of the more pleasant towns, Gyantse is famed for the Gyantse Kumbum, the largest chörten in Tibet. Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, the second-largest town has been the seat of the Panchen Lama. Yarlung is considered the cradle of Tibetan civilisation and it was from here that the early Tibetan kings unified Tibet in the 7th century. Drive through the Himalayas with a stop at the Mt. Everest Base camp, a once in a lifetime experience!