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Like Timbuktu or Zanzibar, Tibet is one of those almost legendary places that most of us will never visit. Although officially part of China, the Tibetan people have gone to great lengths to retain their own culture and identity and a trip to this distant land – for many years closed to outsiders – is one of the last great adventures in travel.
A journey through this vast and mysterious land will take you past ancient monasteries, prayer-wheels turning in the wind and towns and villages which the 21st century seems to have passed by. And if you are lucky, you may catch a glimpse of the world’s highest mountain, Everest - or Qomolangma - as the Tibetans call it.
Traveling through Tibet is not easy, partly due to the scarcity of public transport and partly due to the various restrictions imposed by the Chinese. Most roads are in poor condition and there is almost no air service, although the Chinese plan to build an airport near the Indian border – at 14,000 feet it will be one of the world’s highest.
One of the most popular ways of getting around is to rent a 4 wheel drive vehicle and a driver/guide. You can rent vehicles easily and cheaply in Lhasa and several of the larger towns.
If you do drive in Tibet, one road not to be missed is the road between Lhasa and Katmandu, Nepal. This 600 mile road, known as the Friendship Highway is one of the world’s most spectacular drives and reaches an altitude of 15,000 feet in places. One of the highlights along the road is the Tashilhunpo monastery in Shigatse, with its priceless statues, artwork and the beautiful Kelsang Temple.
Visiting Tibet recently became a lot easier when in July 2006 the first rail service between Lhasa and the outside world was opened. The railway line – a masterpiece of engineering – covers 700 miles between Lhasa and Golmud in northern China, and the journey time is around 48 hours.
The line runs through mountain passes of up to 16,000 feet high and large parts of the terrain traversed by the line are frozen all year round. The highest station on the line is at Nagqu at an altitude of around 15,000 feet on the Tibetan plateau.
To increase the comfort of passengers, the cars have oxygen supplies for the thin air and filters in the windows protect against UV rays. A state of the art high-tech cooling system helps to keep the rails frozen.
If you travel to Tibet, eventually you will end up in the capital, Lhasa – as many Tibetan pilgrims spend a lifetime trying to do. Lhasa is dominated by the spectacular Potala Palace, once the home of the Dalai Lama, now a museum and a permanent reminder of Tibet’s efforts to be self-governing once more. The other main site in Lhasa is the area known as the Barkhor, a collection of temples, narrow alleyways and small colorful shops.
Tibet still exerts a strong hold over many people. A visit here is not for everyone – but a journey through Tibet is a unique chance to experience the world’s most spectacular mountain scenery as well as a glimpse into one of the world’s most fascinating cultures.
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