Tibet
Lhasa Tour
Lhasa Tsedang Tour
Art of Bhutan
Laya Gasa Trek
Lhasa Yamdrok Tso Lake
Tibet Lasha Major Scenic Spots
Tashilunpo Monastery
Located on the south slope of the Nyimari hill in the west of the city of Shigatse, the Tashilunpo Monastery was originally built in 1447, which is known as one of the six major monasteries of the Gelug Sect. It is the largest monastery in the Tsang area of 300,000-sq. m. Tsongkhapa's 8th disciple, Gendun Drupa, the 1st Dalai Lama, built it with the financial aid from the Pakdru regime. The monastery was expanded and renovated by the 4th, 5th and 6th Panchens.Thereafter, the Tashilunpo Manastery stands at an impressive scale today and becomes the residence for each successive Panchen Lama. The highlight of the monastery is the statue of Maitreya Buddha made of copper with 22.4 meters high, which looks graceful and dignified in appearance. It is considered to be the highest statue in the world.
Shalu Monastery
Situated in the Shalu village of Gyatso district 30 km. away from the southeast of Shigatse city, the Shalu Monastery was built in 1000 AD. The monastery shows a special architectural style combining Han with Tibetan style. A lot of treasures, handed down from ancient times, are left in the monastery. The mural paintings inside are numerous and delicate which are the rarity of art treasures in Tibet.
Mt Qomolangma (Mount Everest)
Stretching on the Sino-Nepal border, in the middle section along the Himalaya range, to the south of Tingri County, the Qomolangma stands as the highest peak in the world with 8848.13 m above sea level within the circumference of 5000 sq. km. around the peak, there are about four of the 8000-meter high peaks, and thirty-eight of the 7000-meter high peaks. The Rongpu Monastery at the foot the Qomolangma is the highest monastery in the world. It is only 40 km away from the peak and is the base camp for mountaineers to climb its summit from its north slope.
Glaciers are widely distributed on the north slope of the peak; there are 217 pieces among which the biggest is the Rongpu Glacier
Sakya Monastery
Sakya Monastery boasts of many classical books, relics and precious mural paintings. Therefore, it is proclaimed “the Second Dunhuang”. The Sakya Monastery is located by the two banks of the Drongchu River, on the ridge of the Bonbo mountain, within the boundary of the Sakya county, about 160 km. to the west of Shigatse. It comprises the southern and northern monasteries. The northern monastery was built in 1079 and the southern in 1268. There are large collections of historical cultural objects stored in the monastery, such as the letter of appointment to the Sakya by the Central government of Yuan Dynasty, jade seals, crown, gown, sculptures and religious articles and porcelains from Sung and Yuan Dynasties as well as precious mural paintings etc. The Sakya Monastery has large collections of classic books, which are not only the volumes of Kagyur and Tengyur or scriptures written on pattra leaves, but also more than ten thousand classics on astronomy, geography, history, medicine and literature.
Gampa Castle
The Gampa Castle is an ancient castle built of bricks and earth. You may have a mangnificent view of the castle located in the northeast part of the Gampa County. This has been where the frontier strategic point of Gampa Dzong.
Mt Makalu
It is the fifth highest peak in the world with an altitude of 8463 m, which has 24 kilometers in a direct-distance from Mt Qomolangma. The northern section of the mountain is within the boundary of our country while the southern section is in Nepal. The great tracts of glaciers are distributed along the slopes of mountain valleys in this area.
Labu Jikhang peak
It is the borderline between the Nyanang County and the Tingri County in Tibet. Three of 7000-meter peaks are ranged in a row from east to west. The highest peak is 7367m surrounded and covered by icebergs, ice slopes and serac forests. The difference of the Labu Jikhang Mountain has a lot of glacier lakes of high mountains. The bigger one is Chuolangma Lake in the north slope of the mountain.
Peku Tso Lake
Located within the boundary of Nyanang County, it is the biggest lake in Shigatse with its area of over 300 sq. km. surrounded by hills in three sides with a vast terrain, and is rich in fish resource. In the vanity, there are many wild animals, such as wild horses, wild donkeys and wild yellow ducks, etc.
Mt Lhotse
It is the fourth highest peak in the world with an altitude of 8516 m. The Lhotse peak is located 3 km. to the south of Mt Qomolangma, which is separated by a mile from it, the name Lhotse means“an emerald charming fairy maid”in Tibetan languange.
Palcho Monastery
Located at the foot of the Dzong Fort in the northwest of Gyantse, the Palcho Monastery is so famous that its remarkable feature accommondates the three sects of Tibetan Buddhism in one monastery coexisting in peace with each other. The monastery originally belonged to the Sakya Sect and then to the Kagyu Sect and the Gelug sect got into it one after another. These sects had once become rival claims, but later they gave in space to each other. Therefore, the Palcho Monastery is in coexistence of the three sects namely, the Sakya, the Kagyu and the Gelug. The offerings and the architectural styles are expressed that they incorporated things with diverse nature and gained the superiorities from each other.
The full name of the Palcho Monastery is called“the Auspicious Wheel Joy Monastery ”. According to the historical records, this monastery was built in 14th or 15th century. It consists of the Assembly Hall, the 100000-Buddha pagoda, dratsangs and an enclosure wall as its constructon units.
Remains of the Dzong Fort in Gyantse
In 1904, six hundred soldiers of the British imperial troop invaded Gyantse but met with heroic resistance by the Tibetan soldiers, civilians and monks from the Palcho Monastery. They advanced northwards from Yatung to Gyantse. The local army men and civilians built batteries and fought a bloody combat against the enemy by using primitive weapons such as old batteries, fire guns, swords, spears, bows and arrows etc. One night in the first half of May 1904, over a thouand of local army men and civilians made a surprise attack on the British invading camp and wiped out all of them. In June, British reinforcements arrived and used cannons to bombard the battery of the Dzong Fort wantonly and indiscriminately in consequence the ammunition depot within the fortress was blown off by the British artillery fire. At the critical moment, Gyantse army men and civilians still continued their tenacious resistance against the enemy with stones for following 3 days and nights. In the end, they would rather die than surrender and all of them jumped off the cliff and died for their country. What they had done added an illustrious chapter to the annals in the national resistance against the British aggression. On the Dzong Fort, the artillery fort used in that war to fight against the British invaders is still kept. Dzong Fort is the former location of Gyantse local government in old Tibet. Four steles put up by the high-rank commissioners dispatched by the emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty are still kept in good order for extremely precious value as the historical cultural relics.
Rongpu Monastery
Built in 1899, the Rongpu Monastery was founded by Ngawang Tenzin Norbu, a lama of Nyingma Sect. It is the highest monastery in the world in term of its geographical location. It is located at the end of the Rongpu Glacier, the north of Mt Qomolangma with its altitude of 5154 m, which is a distance of 20 km to the summit of Mt. Qomolangma. The monastery is divided into two parts: the new and the old. The old part is 3 km to the south of the new which is rather close to Mt Qomolangma, where Padmasambava’s cultivating cave in the past, a piece of stone with his handprint and footprint and a stone pagoda, still well-preserved. The new part was completed in 1902. In the past, the Rongbuk monastery was quite scaled in construction with more than ten branch monasteries. However, some of them are now still in Nepal and been destroyed somehow for historical reasons. Today, there are eight branch monasteries of Rongbuk including a nunnery. Due to the favorable distance to Mt Qomolangma, the Rongpu is taken as the base camp for the mountaineers who may climb the Qomolangma peak from its north slope. Looking into a distance southward from here, travelers may find out the location, which is the best spot to enjoy scenery or take a good picture of Mt Qomolangma.
Rongpu Glacier
The world-famous Rongpu Glacier is not far from the Rongpu Monastery. A colossal ice forest is some 40-50 meters high. What exquisite patterns created by the Nature with the original craftsmanship of human being are doubtless incomparable. Glacier was formed under the earth’s gravitational force, which results in scrawling movement of the everlasting snow and ice along canyons. The Rongpu Glacier covers a broad stretch dominating 5300-6300 m. of the Qomolangma range. The colossal glacier stretches 26 km. and consists of three major glaciers namely, the west, the middle and east Rongpu glaciers, covering a total area of 1500 sq. km. that is well known for being the best preserved and the best developed glacier configuration.
Phalha Manor
Located in Paljor Lhunpo village near Gyantse, the Phalha Manor is one of the twelve large manors in Tibet and best preserved for the aristocracy survived to the present day. ”Phalha” is a short form for the Phakue Lhakhang family. Phalha originally was a tribal chief in Bhutan, later moved to Tibet due to interior disorder of his country and gained officialdom in Tibetan local government. In the old system of Tibetan aristocracy, Phalha was one of the five major dukedoms only second to the successive Dalai Lamas in social status. In the families, rising and declining during 300-year history, there were five members of the family had taken up important positions in the government in old Tibet, which is locally known as “Kalon” who played important role in local politics.
Currently, here are 57 rooms left with a three-storeyed building as the manor's dominant construction namely, the family chapel, reception hall, bedrooms, and a special room for playing Mahjong etc. The manor occupies the central position of the Paljor Lhunpo village and stands to the north facing the south. The south entrance of the manor is fixed with two black-painted heavy gates. A giant and tall tree in front of the main entrance has two wood poles fully decorated with colored prayer flags. To the north of the big yard is the three-storeyed main building in which the chief of the tribe lived and attended social activities, which is the central part of the manor. To the right south section is the biggest yard of the Phalha family named "Lhansheng". It is well preserved now as an indispensable part of the manor.
Ralak Yungdrungling Monastery:
The Ralak Yungdrungling Monastery is located at the foot of the Yulha Jiesam mountain in the Numa village in Namling County about 90 km. from Shigatse. The monastery is surrounded by dense wood. The climate here is pleasant and the environment tranquil and serene. The monastery is also one of the four major monasteries of Bon religion in Tibet, which was constructed by Jianggun Dawujian during the rule of Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century. Every 29th day of the twelveth month in Tibetan calendar, here is a“driving off evil spirits” ceremony at which sorcerers-dandcing is held in the monastery.
Holy Tsepuri Mountain
Located in the boundary of Tingri County, the Tsepuri Mountain rises about 5,500 m above sea level and is called“The Flying Mountain”. It is said that this mountain came flying from India and later fixed here with 12 wood stakes by Shakyamuni. There is a ruined palace in the mountain that appears rather spectacular. The high walls, the arched mountain gate, the central palaces, the temples are still remaining in traceable shape.
Shigatse DzonggShigatse Dzong
a hill to the right of Shigatse, it is a ruin of small-sized palace highly similar to the Potala in appearance. Presently its magnificent view of the old days can still vaguely be seen. Under it is a large bazaar, which is said to be the site of local government.
Dechen Phodrang
It is the summer palace of the Panchen, also called “The New Palace”. In 1954, the original summer palace named Kunkyab-Ling was washed off by flood. That is why the summer palace was rebuilt. The new summer palace located in the southwest of Shigatse, covers an area over 500,000 sq. m. In the palace, there are office and residential rooms of the 10th Panchen, the five chapels in different sizes and some 100 Buddha’s images. Many vegetables and grains are planted in the garden of the new palace. People are grazing sheep and cattle where you may get a view of natural beauty there.
Phuntsok-Ling Monastery
Located in the Phuntsok-Ling village in the Lhatse county, the Phuntsok-Ling monastery has an altitude of 4100 m. In 1615 Duoluo Nata presided over its construction, which originally belonged to Jonang sect. During the reign of the 5th Dalai Lama, the temple monastery was appointed as one of the 13 converted monasteries. Thus, Duoluo Nata converted it to the Gulug sect. The founder of the Jonang sect is Thukje Tsundui and “Jonang”is the name of a place.
The monastery is big with an area of 37,800 sq. m. The assembly hall is its dominant part surrounded by 16 small chapels inclusive of a block printing house and premise for monks. The whole monastery consists of two parts: one part on the hill and the other at the foot of the mountain.
Dam (Zhangmu)
Dam (Zhangmu) port has a distance of only 90 km. from Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. Therfore it is taken as the entrance for travelers to go in and out of Tibet. The Dam (Zhangmu) ravine is not wide the Bochi flowing through it. When the raining season comes, caves are all watery and waterfall comes down from the cliffs. Because the mountain is huge, its ravine and the water drop are deep. The strong turbulent current hits the rock along the riverbed and produces a monotonous roaring with rhythms like an everlasting canyon sonata.
The best scenery in Dam (Zhangmu) port is in the Qingzhangbu ravine. A folk proverb goes like that: “the four seasons coexist in a mountain, while the weathers change treacherously within a 10 mile sky”. This is a vivid description. One may have opportunity to see how the biological communities are interdependent. Though Shisha Pangma with its altitude of 8012 m. is not visible from here, but the snow-capped Qiaoba Bama peak can fall into people’s clear sight. Above 4000 m. altitude of the surrounding area are grown with low and small rice bitches as well as azaleas everywhere.