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TibetPOP 3.2 MILLION
Includes Why Go? Lhasa ...... 915 For many people, the highlights of Tibet will be of a spiritual Drepung Monastery....922 nature: magnificent monasteries, prayer halls of chanting Ganden Monastery ....922 monks, and remote cliffside retreats. Tibet’s pilgrims – from Sera Monastery ...... 923 local grandmothers murmuring mantras in temples to hard- core visitors walking or prostrating themselves around Mt Samye Monastery ..... 924 Kailash – are an essential part of this appeal. Tibet has a Saga ...... 924 level of devotion and faith that seems to belong to an earlier Gyantse ...... 925 age. It’s fascinating, inspiring and endlessly photogenic. Shigatse ...... 926 Tibet’s other big draw is the elemental beauty of the high- Lhatse ...... 929 est plateau on earth. Geography here is on a humbling scale and every view is lit with spectacular mountain light. Your Sakya ...... 929 trip will take you past glittering turquoise lakes, across huge Everest Base Camp ....929 plains dotted with yaks and nomads’ tents, and over high Tingri ...... 930 passes draped with colourful prayer flags. Hike past the ru- Darchen & ins of remote hermitages, stare open-mouthed at the north Mt Kailash...... 931 face of Everest or make an epic overland trip along some of Lake Manasarovar .... 932 the world’s wildest roads. The scope for adventure is limited only by your ability to get permits.
When to Go Best Places to Eat Lhasa ¨¨Sumptuous Tibetan °C/°F Te mp Rainfall inches/mm Restaurant (p928) 40/104 12/300 30/86 ¨ ¨Lhasa Namaste 20/68 Restaurant (p920) 10/50 8/200 0/32 ¨¨ Third Eye Restaurant -10/14 4/100 (p928) -20/-4 -30/-22 -40/-40 0 J FDM A M J J A S O N Best Places to Sleep May–Sep The Apr & Oct–Nov Dec–Feb Very warmest weather The slightly colder few people visit ¨¨Kyichu Hotel (p918) makes travel, trek- weather means Tibet in winter, ¨¨Yeti Hotel (p926) king and transport fewer travellers so you’ll have key easiest. and a better range attractions largely ¨ ¨Gang Gyan Orchard Hotel of vehicles. to yourself. (p926)
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