Place to Interests in Tibet

1) Lhasa
Lhasa was and still is the religious, cultural and economic center of Tibet. Places of interest include the Potala, the 13 storey, 1,000 room palace of the Dalai Lama; the monasteries of Drepung and Sera, the summer palace of the Dalai Lama, Norbulinka; and the Jokhang, the holiest shrine in Tibet. The circular Barkhor Street with innumerable shops and wayside peddlers intermingle with the devotees walking clockwise around the Jokhang infusing the magic that is Tibet.

2) Potala Palace
One of the highlights is the visit to the symbol of Tibet; the Potala Palace set high on Red Hill, the winter home of the Dalai Lama until 1959. The most sacred temple in Lhasa is the Lokhang, where people come from all over Tibet to visit and pray in this spiritual heart of the country. It was used as a military kitchen during the Cultural Revolution but has now been beautifully restored, with many priceless thangkas and statues adorning the chapels, and magnificent gilded roofs.

3) Norbulinka Park
Norbulinka means “the jewelled garden”and is the summer palace of the Dalai Lama. This large complex of small palaces like Gesang Palace, Jianse Palace and Daktanmiju lies within a walled garden that covers 360,000 sq. mts. The whole garden consists of two main parts – Norbulinkha at the western area and Jianselingka at the eastern area. It has fascinating murals in excellent condition, superb Mandalas and frescoes.

4) Sera Monastery
Sera monastery, which was created in 1419, has always been an important Buddhist seminary. As roses are planted everywhere in the monastery, it is also called “the court of wild roses”. Today still 200 lamas live there. Another great treasure is the Norbulingka – the old summer palace of the Dalai Lama.
5) Jokhang Temple
Jokhang temple was built in 647 A.D and is the spiritual center of Tibet and the holiest destination for Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims. It houses the sitting statue of Sakyamuni, when he was 12 years old. From dawn till dusk, one can see an astounding display of chanting, prostrating pilgrims circumambulating the temple. Hundreds of faces, ornaments, clothes and colors swirl round in a gigantic whirlpool of religious fervor.

6) Drepung Monastery
It is located at the foot of the West Valley Mountain (Gyephel-Ou-Tse) about 10 kms from Lhasa. Drepung Monastery was built by Jamyang-Choje Tashi-Phiden in 1416 AD. Drepung is one of the six largest monasteries of the Gelupa sect and comprises of six main temples: Ganden Palace, Tsochen, Ngakpa, Losaling, Gomang and Dyeyang. The main relics in these temples are image of Maitreya, Yamantaka, Mitrukpa, Sutrakangyur with golden letters, Thankas, Silk scrolls (which are very precious and are rarely seen in the world), various gilded statures, Buddhist scriptures and countless other cultural relics. There are monastic colleges for the study of Philosophy and one for the practice of Tantric Buddhism. The monastery covers an area of over 20, 000 sq. mts.

7) Yarlung Valley
The Yarlung Valley is the home of the great Tibetan empire which flourished in the seventh and eight centuries. It was during this period, when Tibetan influence reached into Central Asia, China, and India, that Buddhism was introduced and a written script developed for the language.

8) Shigatse
Shigatse, the second biggest city in Tibet is situated at the altitude of 12,600 ft. It is famous for its great Tashilhunpo Monastery - the seat of the Panchen Lama, who is regarded as the reincarnation of the Buddha of Endless Enlightenment. Items of interest inside this monastery built in 1447 by the First Dalai Lama are: the relics of Sakyamuni, the Hall of Maitreya, and an incredible collection of thankas, frescoes and statues. There is also a dynamic 'free' market where one can buy local handicrafts embedded with coral and turquoise, Tibetan Daggers, Chinese pottery and yak butter. Since it is the second biggest city in Tibet, it is the center for transportation and distribution of agriculture and other products.

9) Tsetang
Tsetang, the third largest town in central Tibet, 196 km from Lhasa, is known as the cradle of Tibetan civilization. The ancient town offers a number of side trips that illustrate Tibet’s early history. The Valley of the Kings (ancient capital of the Yarlung kings who established the Tibetan nation), the Yumbu Lagang Palace (built for the first Yarlung King), and the Tandruk Monastery (one of the three royal Buddhist temples) are some of the major sites.

10) Yamdrok
One of the three largest lakes in Tibet, lies about a hundred kilometers southwest of Lhasa. The surface of the lake covers some six hundred square kilometers. Interior hills form islands that provide homes to flocks of wild ducks. Fish are plentiful and supply a diet for the locals

11) Ganden Monastery
Ganden Monastery: Founded in 1409 by Tsong Khapa, the founder of the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat Sect), this monastery is the earliest of the Three Great Monasteries of Tibet. It lies 70 km east from Lhasa and situated at 4300m on a hidden side of mountaintop commanding a spectacular view of the Lhasa river valley.

12) The Karo Ruins
The Karo Ruins: These four to five thousand year old ruins include house architecture, stone paved roads, stone built walls, cave dwellings, and many different kings of chipped stone implements. Their discovery provides new threads for the study of migration and exchange between people of the Neolithic Age.

13)Tashilumpo Monastery
Tashilhumpo is a vast monastery with its own streets, housing sectors, plazas, back alleys and complex of temples and halls. It is located in the town of Sigatse and was founded by Gedun Drup, a disciple of Tsongkapa, the founder of the Gelungpa Sect in Tibetan Buddhism. Gedun Drup was later recognized as the first Dalai Lama. The monastery was built in 1447 and continuously expanded by the subsequent Panchen Lamas. The Ngagpa College (Tantric College), one of its four monastic colleges, was the residence of the Panchen lamas. One of the best attractions of this monastery is the giant Maitreya (Future Buddha) erected by the 9th Panchen Lama in 1914 which took 4 years to complete. This twenty six meters tall statue is very big and lots of precious stones like pearls, turquoise, coral and amber were used with its 275 Kg. of solid gold.