PLAN YOUR TRIP

20 Top Experiences ...............4Welcome to Tibet .................14Need to Know .......................16If You Like ..............................18Month by Month ...................21Itineraries ............................. 24Tours & Permits................... 29Regions at a Glance ............ 35

YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT

Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions

to help you put together your perfect trip

UNDERSTAND TIBET

Tibet Today ........................272History ................................ 274Landscapes in the

Land of Snows .................293The People of Tibet .......... 299Tibetan Buddhism ............307Tibetan Art .........................322The Future of Tibet ........... 330

Tibet Today Change is afoot in Tibet. The economy is booming; extended train links, airports and paved roads are revolutionising transport on the plateau; and Tibet’s urban areas are expanding at an unprecedented rate. As partof its ‘great leap west’, the Chinese government has poured billions of USdollars into Tibet’s infrastructure and resettled 1.3 million Tibetans innew housing, while a domestic tourist boom is fuelling hotel and restau-rant construction across the plateau.

In most parts of the world this would all be good news, but herein lies Tibet and China’s conundrum. Alongside the short-term tourists hascome a ood of Chinese immigrants, whom Tibetans claim are the realbene ciaries of Tibet’s economic boom. Although no gures are avail-able, it is obvious that many Chinese people – attracted by preferentialloans and tax rates, a less strictly enforced one-child policy, stipendsfor a hardship posting and easy business opportunities – are setting up shop in urban centres all over Tibet.

As the face of Tibet changes, many Tibetans feel they are becoming increasingly marginalised in their own land. China reminds them that it has brought in education, health and infrastructure, and spent mil-lions renovating monasteries. Tibetan groups maintain that it is mostly Chinese immigrants who run Tibet’s businesses, and that monasteriesremain under tight political control and exist largely for tourism. TheChinese counter that they are just trying to bring economic prosperity to one of its most backward provinces, at a large nancial loss. (Then everyone storms out of the room.)

Tibet’s long-simmering tensions boiled over on 10 March 2008, the anniversary of the Dalai Lama’s ight into exile, kicking o several daysof protests by monks from Lhasa’s big monasteries. As protest turned toviolence, at least 19 people, mostly Han Chinese, were killed in rioting

There is an increasing eco-

nomic and social divide in Tibet.

Per capita dispos-able income

currently stands at over US$1800 in the towns, but only US$460 in the countryside.

Dos & Don’ts Top Books

19-tibet-today-tib8.indd 272 8/12/2010 12:03:03 PM

reconcilable versions of history lie at the heart of Was Tibet an independent nation invaded by an aly-driven Chinese army keen to avenge the humilhas Tibet always been part of the loosely-de nedby tribute to B ij ng just like the other nations of a

For centuries Tibet resisted outside in uencetributed in large part to its downfall in 1950. Notswamped by a resurgent China and ignored by a wbillion-dollar trade deals, it has also been victim oability to engage with the world. For centuries theas a timeless, impossibly remote Himalayan fantaof Snows, whose people are somehow detached f

28,000 BC The Tibetan plateau is covered in ice. It’s cold. Very cold. But

there are people are living there. Tools,

stone blades and hunting instruments

are in use in Chupsang, 85km from

Lhasa.

300 BCThroughout the plateau people

are building stone dwellings and ne

potteries; petroglyphs indicate that

Buddhism may have started to spread by

this time.

20-history-tib8.indd 2 22/11/2010 4:51:10 PM

Mt Kailash, Western Tibet 1 Worshipped by more than a billion Buddhists and Hindus, Asia’s most sacred mountain (p 175 )

rises from the Barkha plain like a giant four-sided 6714m chörten. Throw in the stunning nearby Lake Manasarovar and a basin that forms the source of four of Asia’s greatest rivers, and who’s to say this place really isn’t the centre of the world? Travel here to one of the world’s most beautiful and remote corners brings an added bonus: the three-day pilgrim path around the mountain erases the sins of a lifetime.

BR

AD

LEY MAY

HEW

4 20 TOP EXPERIENCES

00-colour-prelims-tib8.indd 4 7/12/2010 4:34:29 PM

“All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!”TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET

PAGE

1

PAGE

271GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP

Learn about the big picture, so you

can make sense of what you see

Tours & Permits Getting into Tibet You need a Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) permit to be able to board or train a plane to Lhasa. For this you need to pre-arrange an itinerary through a travel agent before arriving in Tibet. You need travel permits to travel outside Lhasa Prefecture and you can currently only get these by hiring transportation and a guide as part of your itinerary. If you plan to enter Tibet from Nepal, you will have to travel on a short-term group visa, which is hard to extend (see p ### ). All of these rules have exceptions and by the time you have nished reading this list, all of these rules will probably have changed.

Planning Your Trip The million-dollar question everyone wants to know is: how do I get into Tibet? Tibet has never been the easiest place to visit, but these days the permit situation can be a harder obstacle than the mountain roads or lack of oxygen in the air.

The bottom line is that travel to the Ti-bet Autonomous Region (TAR) is radically di erent from the rest of China and a valid Chinese visa is not enough to visit Tibet. You’ll also need several permits, foremost of which is a Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) permit, and to get these you have to book some kind of tour. Requirements change frequently. In the past these have been lim-ited to a short three-day package (that then allowed you stay independently in Tibet), but currently at a minimum you need to ar-range a guide for your entire stay and hired transportation for any travel outside Lhasa.

Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) Permit A TTB permit is currently required to get into the TAR. Without one you will not be able to board a ight or train to Tibet and will not be able to secure the other permits you need to continue travelling throughout Tibet.

How these rules are interpreted depends on the political climate in Tibet. In the past travellers have been able to sign up for a nominal two- or three-day tour from one of the many budget travel agencies in

07-tours-and-permits-tib8.indd 29 19/11/2010 1:21:13 PM

need to know

Currency » Renminbi, or

yuán (Y) Language

» Tibetan and Chinese

High Season (May–Sep)

» The warmest weather makes travel, trekking and transport easiest

» Prices are at their highest

» The 1 May and 1 October national holidays bring the biggest crowds

Shoulder (Mar–Apr, Oct–Nov)

» The slightly colder weather means fewer travellers and a better range of 4WDs

» Prices are slightly cheaper than during the high season

Low Season (Dec–Feb)

» Very few people visit Tibet in winter, so you’ll have the place largely to yourself

» Hotel prices are discounted by up to 50%, but some restaurants close

When to Go

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Desert, dry climateWarm to hot summers, mild wintersMild to hot summers, cold wintersCold climate

Mt KailashGO May–Sep

Everest Base CampGO May–Sep

LhasaGO Apr–Oct Bayi

GO Feb–Nov

NagchuGO Jun–Aug

Your Daily Budget Budget less than

US$50 » One-way hard

sleeper X níng–Lhasa train and permits: $170

» Rooms without bathroom: $5–12

» Meal in local restaurant: $3

» Join a small group to share obligatory guide fees

Midrange

US$50–150

» One-way flight to Lhasa from Kathmandu/Chéngd : $400/$200

» Daily 4WD rental per person: $40–60

» Double room with bathroom $20–50

Top end over

US $150 » Boutique or four-

star hotel in Lhasa: $90–150

» Main meal in a top restaurant in Lhasa: $7.50–10

1 6

03-need-to-know-tib8.indd 16 7/12/2010 5:00:03 PM

RMt Kailash(6714m)

Tsaparang

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tibet-8-cover.indd 2tibet-8-cover.indd 2 8/12/2010 12:56:44 PM8/12/2010 12:56:44 PM

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

p95Ü

Lhasa

Western Tibet(Ngari)

Eastern Tibet(Kham)

Tsang

p40 p189

p163

p126

THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY

Bradley MayhewMichael Kohn, Daniel McCrohan

John Vincent Bellezza

YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE

In-depth reviews, detailed listings

and insider tips

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Directory A-Z .................... 334Transport .......................... 349Health ................................. 361Language .......................... 368Index ...................................387Map Legend ...................... 394

YOUR AT-A-GLANCE REFERENCE

How to get around, get a room,

stay safe, say hello

ON THE ROAD

Richard Dawood is com-prehensive, easy to read, authoritative and highly recommended, although it’s rather large to lug around.

IN TIBET

Availability & Cost of Health Care Self-diagnosis and treatment can be risky, so you should always seek medical help where possible. Although we do give drug dosages in this section, they are for emergency use only. Correct diagnosis is vital.

Top-end hotels can usu-ally recommend a good place to go for advice. Standards

( ) u’ is a subtype of the

A in uenza virus. Thistypically infects birds humans. There have bsome cases of bird-toman transmission, altthis does not easily ocVery close contact witor sick birds is the curprincipal source of infThere is currently no vavailable to prevent b

Symptoms includefever and typical in ulike indicators, with radeterioration leading respiratory failure andmany cases, death. Tadministration of antidrugs such as Tami urecommended to impthe chances of survivaImmediate medical cashould be sought if bisuspected

29-health-tib8.indd 3 19/11/2010 1:42:29 PM

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Gyantse KumbumA Tibetan architectural andartistic masterpiece (p132)

Mt EverestUnsurpassed views of the

North Face (p154)

Mt KailashAsia’s most sacredmountain (p175)

Potala PalaceSpectacular fortress homeof the Dalai Lamas (p52)

TsaparangLost kingdom of exquisiteKashmiri-style art (p183)

Nam-tsoA taste of the Changtangnorthern plateau (p101)

The external boundaries of India onthis map have not been authenticated

and may not be correct

Friendship HighwayEpic Lhasa–Kathmandu

overland trip (p353)

Drepung & SeraMonasteries

Great monastic cities (p78)

LakeManasarovar

Brahmaputra

Xinjang–Tibet Hwy

Nganglong Kangri(6596m)

Mt Kailash(6714m)

Kanchenjunga(8598m)

Nanda Devi(7816m)

Saipal(7050m)

Mt Everest(8848m)

Sakya

Tsaka

Tuoya

Simikot

Yatung

Tashigang

Zanda(Tholing)

Tingri

GegyeGar Dzong

Yutian (Keriya)

Moincer

Kodari

Dongpo

Namru

Tsaphuk

Shigatse

Gertse

Jaggang

RutokXian

Dormar

Ali

Sumzhi

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Darchen Hor Qu

Pongba

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Tsochen

DzangoTsangon

Ombu

Lhadrong

Zangdo

Qiemo

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Zhongba

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Gangtok

Pokhara

Kashgar

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Delhi

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Ngan-tso & Rawok-tsoTurquoise waters and

snowcapped peaks (p196)Samye MonasteryTibet’s beautiful first

monastery (p114)

Ganden–Samye TrekClassic four-day trek between

two monasteries (p237)

Riwoche TsuglhakhangHidden highlight of the east

(p209)

Ganden MonasteryA great day trip from

Lhasa (p89)

Train to LhasaThe world’s highest

railway (p356)

BarkhorEndlessly fascinatingpilgrim circuit (p42)

Jokhang TempleThe spiritual heart of

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INDIA

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Top Experiences ›

Itiner-aries

Whether you have seven days or 40, these itineraries provide a starting point for the trip of a lifetime. Want more inspiration? Head online to lonelyplanet.com/thorntree to chat with other travellers.

10 Days to Two Weeks Lhasa & Around

The chief goal of travellers is Lhasa itself, the spiritual heart of Tibet. The train ride from Xīníng or Běijīng is a great way to get to Lhasa, but ticket demand in high season

means it’s easier to leave Tibet by train rather than arrive. There’s enough to see in and around Lhasa to occupy at least a week. Highlights include

the Potala Palace (a Unesco World Heritage Site), the Jokhang Temple and the Bark-hor pilgrimage circuit. The huge monastic institutions of Drepung and Sera lie on the edge of town, and Ganden Monastery is a fantastic day trip away.

There are plenty of excursions to be made from Lhasa. An overnight return trip to stun-ning Nam-tso off ers a break from peering at Buddhist deities, though you should allow at least a few days in Lhasa to acclimatise before heading out to the lake. Add a day or two and return via the timeless and little-visited Reting Monastery to avoid backtracking.

With another couple of days, visit atmospheric Drigung Til Monastery and Tidrum Nunnery, both east of Lhasa. You can visit these directly from Reting or on a two- or three-day excursion from Lhasa.

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Seven Days Lhasa to Kathmandu

The 1300km Friendship Hwy between Lhasa and Kathmandu in Nepal is a classic overland journey and easily the most popular travellers’ route through Tibet. It allows

excellent detours to central Tibet’s most important monasteries, plus views of the world’s highest peak, and it’s paved all the way! Combine it with the train route into Tibet for an epic overland tour.

From Lhasa you can head straight to the coiling scorpion-lake of Yamdrok-tso and take in the views from Samding Monastery before heading over the glacier-draped Karo-la pass to Gyantse. This town is well worth a full day: the kumbum (literally ‘100,000 images’) chörten is a must-see and the fort is a fun scramble. A 90-minute drive away is Shigatse, with its impressive Tashilhunpo Monastery. Shalu Monastery is a worthwhile half-day trip from Shigatse, especially if you have an interest in Tibetan art.

A popular side trip en route to Kathmandu is to brooding Sakya, a small monastery town located just 25km off the Friendship Hwy. Overnight here and investigate the north-ern ruins.

The most popular excursion from the road is to Rongphu Monastery and Everest Base Camp, just a few hours from the main highway. An overnight here at 5000m guar-antees both clear views and a pounding headache. It’s not a good idea to stay here if you’ve come straight from Nepal, as the altitude gain is simply too rapid to be considered safe.

After Everest most people take the opportunity to stay the night in old Tingri, with its wonderful views of Mt Cho Oyu, before the scenic roller-coaster ride to Nyalam and nearby Milarepa’s Cave. One interesting detour is to head east to overnight at Peiku-tso, a stunning turquoise lake nestled at the base of hulking Shishapangma. The highway drops like a stone off the dusty plateau, past misty waterfalls and lush green gorges to Zhāngmù and the gates of the Indian subcontinent at the Nepali border.

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15 to 21 Days Mt Kailash Pilgrimage

Much talked about but little visited, Mt Kailash occupies one of the most remote and sacred corners of Asia. Until very recently this trip entailed a rugged 4WD expedition,

but the increasing number of paved roads under construction on the southern route is gradually making this a much more comfortable ride.

If you just want to visit Mt Kailash and Lake Manasarovar, the most direct route is the southern road (870km), a four-day drive from Lhasa along the spine of the Himalayas. Most people stop en route at Shigatse, Saga and Paryang, though Zhongba and Lhatse are also possibilities. Figure on a minimum of two weeks. See the fi rst half of the Lhasa to Kathmandu itinerary for worthwhile extra stops in Gyantse and Sakya.

A kora (pilgrimage circuit) of the mountain will take three days and you should allow at least half a day afterwards to relax at Lake Manasarovar, probably at Chiu Monastery. You could easily spend a half-day at Darchen visiting Gyangdrak and Seylung monaster-ies. After the kora pilgrims traditionally then visit the sacred hot springs at Tirthapuri.

An ambitious but rewarding alternative is to travel one way to/from Lhasa along the longer (1700km) northern route to Ali, making a loop that will take three weeks. The six-day drive is astonishingly scenic but the towns en route are mostly charmless, so con-sider camping somewhere such as Tagyel-tso. From Ali you can make a good day trip to Pangong-tso and Rutok Monastery.

You’ll need at least three extra days if you want to visit the Guge kingdom sites around Zanda: one day from Ali, one day to Mt Kailash (or vice versa) and at least one day to visit the sites. You need most of a day to explore the otherworldly ruins at Tsaparang, plus a few hours in Zanda at Thöling Monastery. En route to Kailash, adventurers could add on an extra day to explore the Bön school Gurugyam Monastery and the amazing ruins of the ancient Shangshung kingdom in the Khyunglung Valley.

Finally, if you are heading to Nepal from Mt Kailash, it’s well worth taking the short cut south via stunning Peiku-tso and its views of Shishapangma to join the Friendship Hwy near Nyalam.

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18 to 21 Days Eastern Tibet Loop

Equally remote, but completely diff erent scenically, are the wild valleys and gorges of eastern Tibet. Road conditions are best from late March to late April, and late Septem-

ber to early November. It’s possible to enter or leave Tibet on a one-way trip but you can’t beat the comprehensiveness of a loop route. The only snag is that permits can be hard to get even on a group tour. This is probably a trip for people who have already visited the major sights of central Tibet.

From Lhasa the southern route heads eastwards over a high pass to the beautiful but touristed lake of Draksum-tso and the fascinating Kongpo region, with its lovingly re-stored Lamaling Temple. From here the road climbs to the Serkhym-la, for excellent views in good weather of Namche Barwa, before dropping down into the dramatic gorges north of the Yarlung Tsangpo. There’s some great accommodation on lake Ngan-tso, or camp by the shores of turquoise Rawok-tso, from where you can visit nearby glaciers; otherwise Pomi and Pasho are the logical overnight stops. Swing north over the high passes into the deep red-hued gorges of the Salween and Mekong Rivers. Reach the mod-ern town of Chamdo after fi ve or six days and rest for a day, visiting the large Galden Jampaling Monastery.

From Chamdo the northern route continues three or four days westwards to Nagchu, likely overnighting at Riwoche, Tengchen and Sok, all the time gradually climbing to the high-altitude pasturelands of Amdo. This road less taken passes the impressive temple of the Riwoche Tsuglhakhang and the incredibly sited Tsedru Monastery, the largest Bön monastery in Tibet.

From Nagchu visit Nam-tso and Reting Monastery en route to Lhasa (allow three to four days), though the direct road can be completed in a day’s drive if you are short on time.

A shorter and cheaper fi ve- to seven-day loop itinerary from Lhasa to Kongpo could take in Drigung Til Monastery, Draksum-tso and Lamaling Temple, overnighting in Bayi before swinging back via Tsetang and Samye. Adventurous add-ons include a visit to sacred Bönri mountain, the remote oracle lake of Lhamo La-tso.

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Two to Three Weeks Overland Routes to Lhasa

There are three main overland routes from the east: the northern route and southern route through Sìchuān and the shorter Yúnnán route. The Tibetan areas of western

Sìchuān and northwestern Yúnnán do not require travel permits; the eastern Tibetan Au-tonomous Region does and these are sometimes tricky to get, even on an organised tour. If your 4WD has to come from Lhasa to pick you up, you can save some money by meeting your guide close to the TAR border at Bātáng, Derge or Déqīn.

The northern route through Sìchuān starts from Kāngdīng and passes the grasslands and monastery of Tagong and several large monasteries around Gānzī. The timeless printing press of Derge is a day’s ride further but there are plenty of exciting excursions en route, including to the remote Dzogchen Monastery and the pretty Yihun La-tso. From Derge you cross into Tibet proper over some wild passes to Chamdo, the biggest town in eastern Tibet. For the route west of Chamdo, see the second half of the eastern Tibet loop; alternatively travel south to join the southern route.

The southern route through Sìchuān runs west from Kāngdīng past the important Khampa town and monastery of Lithang, home to an epic horse festival in August, and then low-lying Bathang. The road up into Tibet via Markham and over concertina passes to Pomda ranks as one of the wildest and remotest in Asia. For the route west, reverse the fi rst half of the eastern Tibet loop itinerary, overnighting in Markham/Dzogang, Pasho and Pomi.

A popular alternative option is to start in Yúnnán at the Tibetan town of Zhōngdiàn (Gyeltang), from where it’s a day’s ride to Deqin. From here you cross into the Tibet Au-tonomous Region (TAR) near the salt pans of Yánjǐng; then it’s 111km to Markham on the Sìchuān southern route.

From Zhōngdiàn to Lhasa, allow a week in a 4WD. From Chengdu it takes 10 days to two weeks along either the northern or southern route. You’ll pass a number of hardcore Chinese cyclists en route.

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2 8

Contributing AuthorJohn Vincent Bellezza John has been living and travelling in Tibet and the Himalaya since 1983. A leading authority in the pre-Buddhist civilization of Tibet, he is affi liated with the Tibet Center, University of Virginia, as a senior research fellow. He has been charting Zhang Zhung and Sumpa, fabled cultures of Upper Tibet that had attained a surprising level of sophistication more than 2000 years ago. His most recent work, Antiquities of Zhang Zhung, is freely available online at http://thlib.org. He researched the Tibetan Treks chapter for this book. More information about John’s life and work are available on his website: http://tibetarchaeology.com.

OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their fi rst travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offi ces in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.

Bradley Mayhew Coordinating Author, Lhasa, Western Tibet, Tibetan Treks (Mt Kailash), Gate-way Cities A self-professed mountain junkie, Bradley has been visiting the Tibetan plateau for 20 years now, since studying Chinese for four long years at Oxford University. So far he’s been horse trekking in Kham, travelled for four months in Bhutan, gompa-stomped in Ladakh, trekked in Dolpo, done the Kailash kora twice and was last seen heading to Sikkim for Lonely Planet’s India

guide. Bradley has coordinated the last four editions of this guide and is also the co-author of over 25 Lonely Planet titles, including Bhutan, Nepal, Trekking in the Nepal Himalaya and Central Asia. He has lectured on Central Asia to the Royal Geographical Society and was recently the subject of a fi ve-part Arte/SWR documentary retracing the route of Marco Polo from Venice to Xanadu, via Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia. See what he’s currently up to at www.bradleymayhew.blogspot.com.

Michael Kohn Ü, Tsang Michael studied journalism at UCSB and took time off in 1994 to make a round-the-world journey that included a trip to Tibet. After roaming the Yar-lung Tsangpo Valley he went overland to Nepal on an eight-day epic ride across the plateau. The trip had him hooked on Tibet. Michael returned to Tibet in 2004 to update the 6th edition of this guide. That time he covered Ü and Kham prov-inces before a second overland journey to Nepal. Michael has researched Lonely

Planet guides to China, Central Asia and Mongolia and has written two books of his own: Dateline Mongolia: An American Journalist in Nomads Land; and Lama of the Gobi, the fi rst biography of Mongolia’s famed monk Danzan Ravjaa. Michael is currently based in Ulaanbaatar with wife Baigal and daughter Molly.

Daniel McCrohan Eastern Tibet, Overland Routes from Sìchuān Daniel worked as journalist in the UK for seven years before turning his hand to travel writing. An Asia fanatic, he has been travelling regularly to the Tibetan plateau ever since he moved to China six years ago. He lives with his wife and two children in Beijing, but makes forays into the more remote pockets of western China as often as he can. Daniel has co-written Lonely Planet guides to China, Tibet, India and Shanghai. He also

worked as a presenter for Lonely Planet TV’s Best in China series. His research trip for this book was detailed every step of the way on http://twitter.com/danielmccrohan – the fi rst time Lonely Planet has commissioned an author to tweet! To fi nd out more about Daniel, visit his website: http://danielmccrohan.com.

OUR WRITERS

Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reason-able care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxi-mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 9838th edition – March 2011ISBN 978 1 74179 218 8© Lonely Planet 2011 Photographs © as indicated 201110 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Printed in SingaporeAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.

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