"Returning to Tibet!" a Tibet Travel Page by tremendopunto

For my latest trip in August 2006, I entered Tibet from Nepal to go all the 1.000km to Lhasa by Jeep. The typical route went from Kathmandu to the bordertown Kodari with getting stopped by the Maoists once - but because of the ongoing talks withe the democratic parties, the rebells just asked for a "goodwill" donation. When you reach the border, you have to walk over the Friendship bridge to the Chinese side to do the paper work while your baggage gets smoked with bug-killer. Ok, and on the road again from Zhangmu over passes above 5.000m past Tingri (where you get a glimpse on the Everest), Shigatse, Gyantse all the way to Lhasa. There are heavy roadconstructions going on at the moment - which blocked our way, let us wait for hours or take the worst detours possible, earning a flat tire and a broken axle of one jeep. But that is part of the game and makes Tibet still to an adventure. In a few month you will fly by with full speed on a fancy highway (that really deserves the name highway - compared to the path I saw;-), just like at home. Thats not my illusion of Tibet - but modernization finds its way. There are many beautiful places on the way. Take a look at the tips and share my impressions of those places. More detailed pages of the main places will follow soon.
Here is a very very short summary as a sneak preview short summary clip),

Finally finished, my complete Tibet video in 5 parts:
From Kathmandu to Tibet with Tingri and Qomolangma
Shigatse and Gyantse
Lhasa
Ganden
Sera and Drepung

About my first trip in April 2004, I only went to the holy city of Lhasa, the seat of the Gods. Because of my short time and my extensive travel plans for China (it is always a trade-off between time, money and places to see) I chose to take the plane from Chengdu to Lhasa. This was a good opportunity to get a good look over the high peaks of the Himalayan mountain range.

Now that I can compare the different seasons, I have to recommend to visit Lhasa in off-season. Since it turns more into a Disney Land, crowded with tourists in summer. For example the debating classes of the monks in Sera Monastery were totally crowded with tourists in August - actually more tourists than monks, with "funny" people disturbing the scene by running right between two monks, who were doing their debate, and putting the camera into their faces - that even the nicest monks had to push them back....."nice" to see those "sensitive" tourists.....
Whereas in the beginning of April, I was on my own, enjoying their debates in silence!

Wherever you go you will always see pittoresque stone paintings and rock carvings, prayer flags flying in the wind, prayer wheels sending their prayers to heaven and mani stones.