"The Roof of the World - Under Construction" Top 5 Page for this destination Tibet by grets

Tibet Travel Guide: 1,293 reviews and 3,665 photos

The Roof of the World - Under Construction - Tibet

Mystical, magical, incomprehensible Tibet offers an overload on the senses: the gaspingly thin air; the overwhelming beauty of the world’s highest mountains; the haunting images of Buddhas, deities and demons; the intricate patterns of the colourful Tibetan art; the poignant devotion of the pilgrims circumambulating sacred images; the improbability of the ancient architectural wonders clinging to perilous hillsides; the tumultuous history of inaccessibility, mystery, struggles, determination and resilience. This is a country of extremes with one of the most adventurous, scenically stunning and physically demanding road trips in the world, as we followed the path from Tibet’s capital Lhasa, through gruelling conditions, past vast landscapes and glittering peaks, remote high altitude deserts, densely forested precipitous gorges and virtually unpopulated high altitude moor-land to the end of its borders and further towards the fabled city of Kathmandu.

It was a journey of scenic and religious discovery, of many monasteries merging into one recollection of dazzling Boddhisatvas and Maitreyas, the scent of yak butter lamps permeating the air, the murmured chanting of Buddhist mantras emanating from the faithful, the niggles of the constant attention received from long-distance pilgrims to whom we were their first meeting with the outside world, the struggle for breath at the high altitude passes, the emotional turmoil upon my first glimpse of the Potala Palace. It was the journey of all journeys with the thinnest air, the most treacherous road conditions, the most picturesque panoramas, the most intriguing and jumbled amalgamation of traditional and progressive existence and one of the most distressing and ambiguous political situations. It was the realisation of a long-standing ambition – the ultimate expedition teeming with life-long memories.

Tibet Autonomous Region measures 2,600 km from west to east and 1,300 km from north to south with an area of 1.2 million square kilometres. This is roughly equal to the size of England, France, Germany and Austria put together. Tibet is a landlocked country which borders India, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma and China. Most of the Tibetan Plateau is over 4,000 metres high, with an average elevation of 4500 metres and contains the world’s highest mountains, as well as the world’s deepest gorges.

Under Restaurants I have not named specific establishments, I have tried to give a description of the various dishes we were served in different places within Tibet. The food was far superior to our expectations in general.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Stunning scenery, fascinating culture
Cons:Altitude and remoteness
In a nutshell:Go while you can

Last visit to Tibet: Sep 2005
Intro Updated Oct 28, 2005
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Reviews (67)

Simi La Pass Things to Do (15)

At Simi La Pass, located at an altitude of 4,330 metres above sea level, there is no commercialism. For a while we are... more travel advice

Karo La Pass Things to Do (15)

The Friendship Road from Lhasa to Gyangtse goes right past the Karo La Pass, and close to the hanging glacier nearby.... more travel advice

Yamzho Yumco Lake Things to Do (15)

Lake Yamzho Yumco is a lake located on the southern Tibetan Plateau (28?‹56?Œ N 90?‹41?Œ E), situated 120 km south of... more travel advice

Kamba La Pass Things to Do (15)

Kamba La Pass, at an altitude of 4,794 metres above sea level, is traditionally the divide between ‘front’ and ‘back’... more travel advice

Nightlife (1)
Tibetan Opera
Restaurants (26)
See All Fried sheep's lung
Local Customs (18)
See All Floor layers
Favorites (3)
See All Atmospheric mist

Off The Beaten Path (1)
I never expect that!
Warnings and Dangers (1)
Protect yourself from the cold
Transportation (2)
See All Ferry cross the river
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Comments (30)

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hunterV Feb 19, 2012 at 1:40 AM

Hello, Grete! Thanks a lot for your comprehensive page! It's a great place to visit!
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ettiewyn Dec 20, 2011 at 11:22 PM

Hi Grete, what a wonderful page!!! So inspiring, the pictures are most beautiful and the descriptions very interesting!
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volopolo Aug 18, 2009 at 4:43 AM

In my travel plans
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TheLongTone Dec 20, 2007 at 10:50 PM

mmmmm. I think I'll eat yak today..... Preumably meat is a luxurt item. You will get sooooo sick of chicken and rice in Yemen....almost always good, but that's why you end up eating it every other nicght, 'I want to eat something recognisable. Ish.)
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clairedemaisip Nov 25, 2007 at 2:17 AM

excellent pics of tibet..enjoyed looking at them :)
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staindesign Sep 4, 2007 at 3:42 PM

WOW! I am completely amazed by your page! It inspires me, I really can't wait to visit there. Now, I can't wait to research everything so that I can have the best experience. Which type of tour did you go on?
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Oana_bic Jun 30, 2007 at 5:25 AM

great tips and photos!!!!amazing tibet, just came back from a week of traveling around and will also start soon building my website!
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Toyin Jun 11, 2007 at 9:01 AM

A monk withh the latest fold-up camera phone? I was relieved, I thought he was bringing out a gun to shoot that guy. Excellent page Grets.
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mad4travel Apr 12, 2007 at 3:28 AM

Hi Grets. Thats a great photo of Yumbu Lakhang. I'm off to Tibet in 4 weeks. Can't wait!
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budapest8 Feb 27, 2007 at 1:07 PM

Must commend u on yr food selection! Must say I missed such delights on my 4 trips from Lhasa to Kodari back in `87.Glad your photos with info filled in a lot of blanks for me ♫·:*¨`* :·~My§ticÄl~·:*¨`*" .隐形的" Greetings from TIM