TSANG the larger monasticcompounds. outtolittle-visited monasteries, repeathikes onelongertrek visitsto and(well-deserving) Aweekisbare time. minimum,whilethree Howshort? a short weeksgives timeforday aroundtripfromLhasashouldallowyoutoseemorelers are in headedforKathmandu, though there are others. trekking: Everesttrekking: BaseCamp toTingri ( p299 to 5100m.The adventurous thisallinslowlybycyclingdowntheFriendshipHwy,or take owlands dotted withwhitewashed villages,andstunningviewsfrompassesthatgetup turquoise waters ofYamdrok-tso, valleysoftheYarlung thesnaking Tsangpo, widemead- placesinTibetanimportant history. diversions.very worthwhile Bothare intensely atmospheric,highlyphotogenicandhave Phuntsoling andShalumonasteriestour youshouldarrangethisfromthestart. are two ernment withalamaruler,andTashilhunpo, seatandburialsite ofthePanchen Lamas. monasteries. The latterSakyaMonastery, includethefortress-like seatofthefirstTibetan gov- bum, ’s moststunningarchitectural wonder,andmanyofthecountry’smostimportant all, thisistheregion thathasEverest, thehighestmountaininworld,GyantseKum- Hwy, thetraditionalprovince ofTsang drawsthecrowds. This isnoreason toavoidit.After With mostofitsmajorsightsrelatively closetoLhasa,andonornearthepaved Friendship g n a s T 180 © LonelyPlanetPublications After Shegar andtheturn-offforMtEverest, dryup.Though theattractions mosttravel- Tsang foroutstandingscenery,either. doesn’thurt There’s Everest, ofcourse,butalsothe Getting offthetouristpathisrelatively easy,thoughifyou’re travelling byLandCruiser

„ „ „ „ „ „ HIGHLIGHTS

Climbthedazzling Marvel attheturquoisewaters of Marvel Sleep innomadtents face of and gaze uponthenorth Getoffthebeaten trackatphotogenic Absorbtheholyatmosphere inside ancient Worshipbefore a26mgoldBuddhaat complex thesize ofavillage Tashilhunpo Monastery tso ( p187 lakes monstrous sanddune ( opposite ), a monumental chörten with mural-filledchapels ),amonumentalchörten ),oneofTibet’s mostsacred  Kumbum ( p191 ),awalled Yamdrok-

Phuntsoling Monastery ) is the most popular trekking route )isthemostpopulartrekking inTsang, Mt Everest Monastery Monastery Phuntsoling Mt Everest Sakya ( p201 ( p200 ( p209 ) ),setatthebaseof a Tashilhunpo Monastery ) Kumbum Gyantse Yamdrok-tso TSANG 181 羊卓雍措

 The entries in this chapter follow a south- The entries in this chapter Public transport runs along the Northern Public transport runs along writing, foreigners that at the time of Note were not permitted to take any form of public any form of to take not permitted were transport from ’s station. main bus This included information so we have may change, it exists. where from Lhasa to through route Tsang westerly takingthe border with , in the main the way. on the area attractions of YAMDROK-TSO elev 4441m Zhuoyong Cuo) (Yang Yamdrok-tso Dazzling seenis normally first of from the summit lies several (4700m). The lake the Kamba-la below the road, and in clear metres hundred deep turquoise. of weather is a fabulous shade Mt of massif in the distance is the huge Far (7191m). Kangtsang Nojin shape, but after Nyalam it’s a mess to the it’s a mess Nyalam but after shape, Yam- via route The southern border. Nepali time of being upgraded at the drok-tso was from all the way be paved should writing and 2007. Land by the end of Chushul to through Cruiser (the usual way to travel trips but scenic route, this more take the region) for the transport here is less public there independent traveller. By 2009 as Shegar. Friendship Hwy as far train could be open from the Qinghai–Tibet to Shigatse. Lhasa TSANG •• Yamdrok-tso Yamdrok-tso has an unusual location, locked 4441m above sea level in a high bowl above the the in a high bowl above sea level an unusual location, locked has above 4441m Yamdrok-tso Not only was been expected. with the enthusiasm that may have was not greeted But the gift Much of the watt of power. with every the plant is still generating controversy A decade later,

Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra sanctioned In the mid-1980s the Chinese leadership River). a plan Tsangpo Yarlung to build a 6km tunnel below the surface dropping some of the lake that would send the waters hydroelectric project,846m. The capable of generating 90 megawatts of power, would be a gift Li Peng. people, according to then premier to the Tibetan the energy sensibilities but, as many complained bitterly, religious to Tibetan it a painful effrontery Work to military bases and Chinese communities around Lhasa. produced would mostly be directed Lama, but with the lama’s death in 1989 opposition by the Panchen after halted was temporarily the project was back on track. By 1997 the turbines had started to produce electricity for the Lhasa You can see the pumps from the Lhasa–Shigatse road, 15km southwest of Chushul. region. is a dead lake no outlet and no perennial with Yamdrok-tso the environment. ongoing concern is over drain, diverting to completely While it is unlikely Chinese will allow Yamdrok-tso the source of water. what is lost would change the done) to replenish (as has been promised, though never water river in Ngari, the famed turquoise-blue Like the vast herds of gazelle of the lake’s waters. consistency it now supports, and the ecosystem may one day be things of the past. of Yamdrok-tso, waters DOWN THE DRAIN It’s also, holiest lakes and an important for pilgrimage. centre is one of Tibet’s Yamdrok-tso hydroelectric plant. largest of Tibet’s incongruously, the site

After the fall of the Sakya government, the government, the Sakya the fall of After ship Hwy, is paved all the way to . The the way to Tingri. all ship Hwy, is paved to Nyalam is in good dirt road from Tingri The main road through Tsang, the Friend- The main road through Tsang, laxation of the rules after the 2008 Olympics. the the rules after laxation of Getting Around an organised Land Cruiser tour. Check the sit- Landan organised Cruiser tour. as many expect a re- you leave uation before visit these areas. At the time of writing the writing At the time of visit these areas. with was by travelling permits only way to get Most of Tsang’s sights involve detours from detours sights involve Tsang’s Most of you needthe Friendship Hwy and permits to provincial wrestling for political dominance. political for wrestling provincial Permits see the rivalry between the Panchen Lamasee and the rivalry between the Panchen this of extension Dalai Lama as a latter-day all of central Tibet, and the two provinces two provinces and the central Tibet, all of Some commentators rivals for power. were order and the Dalai Lamas in the 17th cen- governed nor Ü effectively tury, neither Tsang power shifted back to Ü and then again backpower shifted the Gelugpa But, until the rise of to Tsang. the decline of the Lhasathe decline of the 10th cen- kings in power moved Tibetan of tury, the epicentre from the Mongol patronage to Sakya, under centuries. mid-14th the mid-13th to litical dominance and cultural influence over over and cultural influence litical dominance With its neighbour. with plateau the Tibetan History History po- has shared Ü and west of lies to the Tsang lonelyplanet.com TSANG its reaches. ForTibetans, itisoneof thefour side, effectively creating a large islandwithin onthewestern pion. Itdoublesbackonitself (access via Gyantse wasalso restricted),(access via Gyantse but far asthe Kamba-la duetoroad construction At thetimeof writingyoucouldonlytravel as Permits can stay the night. views fromthetownof where Nangartse, you ofa glimpse thelake fromtheKamba-la and bulate thelake inaround days. seven Tibetan pilgrimscircumam- deities. Devout tso andManasarovar) andhometowrathful holy lakes Nam- (theothers are La-tso, Lhamo 182 Western Tibet To MtKailash; (Southern Route) TSANG Yamdrok-tso isshaped like acoilingscor- Most Western travellers are content with Dzongka SN • Ymrkto TSANG ••Yamdrok-tso Kyirong Langtang (7246m) Lirung Langtang &Helambu Saga Drolung-tso Dhulikhel Shishapangma Base Camp Shishapangma Checkpoint Peiku-tso Base Camp Shishapangma Barabise Nyalam PelgyeLing (8012m) Milarepa's Cave&

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