| Reviews and photos of Tibet attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Tibet sightseeing. Map |
 | Tibet Things To Do | Tips 1 - 10 of 265 |  |
The Yarlung Valley is 72 km long and is often referred to as the Cradle of Tibetan civilisation, mainly because of its ancient temples, monasteries, castles, caves, stupas and peaks. The story goes that Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisatva of Compassion, descended to earth from the heavens in the form of a monkey. The place he arrived in was called the Land of Snows (now Tibet). While meditating in a cave (on the slopes of Gangpo Ri), he was disturbed by hearing crying outside the cave. The crying belonged to Sinmo, the white demoness, a manifestation of the goddess Tara, and over the years the pair produced six children – the very origins of the Tibetan race!
This is also the area in which Nyetri Tsenpo, the first Tibetan King, is said to have descended to from heaven on a sky cord. The same sky cord was used by all the subsequent Tibetan kings to ascend back to heaven, until the cord was accidentally cut by Drigum Tsenpo whilst showing off his marksmanship.
The valley takes its name from the Yarlung Tsangpo - the river that snakes its way through this area - and has given its name to the ancient line of Tibetan kings.
The valley contains a gorge three times as deep as the Grand Canyon, at a depth of 17,657 feet (5382 metres). Leave a Comment
|
 | |  |
Visiting Tibet?
Read reviews about Tibet Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
The Sera Monastery is situated just a few kilometers outside the Holy City of Lhasa, the Seat of the Gods. In past days there were more than 5.000 inhabitants which has been reduced to a few hundreds nowadays. But still the huge number of buildings and alleys give the impression of a small city.
But dont think of monasteries as stonage anymore. Ive seen monks with mobile phones and as an entrance ticket you get a CDRom, I couldnt believe it! One of the most interesting things to me were the Debating Classes,taking place everyday in Sera. A big number of monks come together and discuss their philosophical and religious standpoints. Each argument is stressed by clapping with your hands. Most of the times it is a one-on-one, sometimes there are two or even three monks discussing with only one opponent. In the end they reach a uniting conclusion.
Really fascinating!
In addition I did the Kora around the monastery in 2006 - it is a great experience, you pass along the skyburriel rocks, minor temples and hermitages and great rock carvings. There is But sometimes you have to climb like a goat, so it can get really exhausting! I once lost the track, it got smaller and smaller untill I realized that this was just a goat way......
My Sera and Drepung Video Leave a Comment
|
| | |
 The BIG ONE - Mt Everest or
Qomolangma in Tibetan by tremendopunto
Later, shortly behind Tingri Monsieur Forclaz from Switzerland took this picture and did not forget to send it to me. Mr. Forclaz deserves all the credit for capturing this beautiful moment!
Merci Beaucoup! Leave a Comment
|
 by bijo69
Just saw a documentary about Tibet and they said that the Chinese are taking water from the lake to feed a hydropower plant. But as the lake feeds itself exclusively from melt water it might mean that it will dry up soon.
What a shame!!! Leave a Comment
|
The Potala Palace, maybe the most famous building in Tibet, known by every tourist, is still able to keep its promise, even if you have seen all the movies and reports you wont be disappointed, because it is incredible!
The Potala dominates the city from a hill right in the center of Lhasa.It is the highest building in town and can be seen from nearly every point of the city. Despite the fact that the days are gone when religious and political decisions for Tibet were made here, it is not a dead and dusty museum. There is a vivid life inside and around the building because of the huge number of pilgrims visiting it each day (at least during my stay).
The building consists of up to 13 storeys and can be devided into the Red and the White Palace. Walk all the way through mystic dark halls filled with incense, chapels and rooms up to the roof from where you have the best view over the city!
Around the Potala, especially in the back there is a narrow pilgrimage circuit with hundreds of prayer wheels and stone carvings and paintings.
One GREAT news from 2006: they finally pulled down the disco and Karaoke Bars right in front of the Potala! Seems there is a little plant called cultural sensitivity growing :-)
My Lhasa Video Leave a Comment
|
| | |
Visiting Tibet?
Read reviews about Tibet Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
 View over Lhasa by tremendopunto
The best one is of course from the rooftop of the Potala, which is the highest building and can be seen from everywhere in Lhasa.
The second one is the roof of the Jokhang Temple, from where you have a nice view over the vivid market life of the Barkhor square all the way to the Potala. Leave a Comment
|
Within close distance around Lhasa you can find the major monasteries of the Gelugpa Order. Drepung is still the biggest one with round about 600 monks today. In the past it was the largest monastery of the world with more than 10.000 monks. Dont get lost in the narrow alleys embraced by beautiful decorated buildings because it got the size of a small city! But you can still see many ruins of destroyed buildings from the cultural revolution. The surrounding is also worth to take a look at. On the left side you can take a hike up to the pitoresque stone paintings. Behind the monastery on the ascent of the mountain you can see a rock plateau where the traditional sky burial took place.
In one sentence, Drepung is a MUST!
Watch Sera and Drepung Video ! Leave a Comment
|
The monastery-castle of Yumbu Lakhang is reputed to be the oldest building in Tibet, dating from the 2nd century. Attached to the origin of the castle, is a legend:
It is said to have been built for King Nyentry Tsenpo, who descended from heaven and was hailed a king by the people of the Yarlung Valley.
A further legend tells of 400 Buddhist holy texts which are said to have fallen from heaven and landed on the roof of the building in the 5th century.
Originally Yumbu Lakhang was built as a chapel, but it now serves as a chapel and a monasteric home for a few monks. The chapel is consecrated to the ancient kings of Tibet and there are images of Nyentri Tsenpo and Songtsen Gampo in the main chapel, as well as other kings and ministers. There are also some beautiful murals depicting the mystical visions of Tsongkhapa.
The 11m high tower of the fortress appears to be much taller than that when seen from the lower sides. You can climb to the top, from where there is a great view; it is entered from behind the shrines of the chapels.
The tower is 4.6m wide by 3.5m and is decorated with kataks and sacred threads. The surrounding countryside can be admired from observation windows on all sides. Leave a Comment
|
| | |
This Pilgrimage Circuit around the Jokhang Temple is crowded with praying pilgrims and full of shops with pilgrim equipment. Prayer Flags, Prayer Wheels, everything a pilgrim needs. The assortment gets completed by a huge number of food stores (fresh meat and Yak butter most of the times) and delicious streetkitchens. The heart of the Barkhor Area is the Jokhang Temple.
You cannot get enough of the vivid Tibetan life in this part of the town! Leave a Comment
|
Ganden is situated in the most spectacular way of the three major monasteries around Lhasa:
It is seated on top (on the shoulder) of a mountain, formed like the old roman or greek theaters of the past. You have to climb steep curves to reach it on a height of 4500m. But it also suffered the strongest damages by the Chinese. You will see many ruins, so you can imagine its former size. But there are also many renovations going on and parts get built up again, which gives hope for the future.
One of the most spectacular things you can do at Ganden is the HIGH Kora which climbs up the peak on the left side for quite some additional meters, which make it close to 5.000m! From the top you have a great surrounding panorama down on the monastery and further down into the different valleys on the sides!
There is also a LOW Kora to do, but it is not as spectacular as the high one.
You can get to Ganden from Lhasa by public bus, departing in front of the place of the Jokhang Temple. It took about 1h and both ways was 20 Yuan. You are totally free to travel there on your own. On the way back you will stop at another minor temple/monastery, since this is more a pilgrimage for Tibetans than a tourist bus (thats why you have to live with this 'beautiful' music on the bus, if you are lucky).
My Ganden video Leave a Comment
|
| | |
|
|
