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Lhasa
The capital of Tibet, at an altitude
of 3650m, is situated on the north
of bank of Kyichu River, a tributary
of the Yarlung Tsangpo river. Lhasa
in Tibetan means " Place of the
Gods" and Potala Palace, the
Residence of Dalai Lama ( The God
King), is the earthly representation
of the celestial Palace of
Avaloketeswora, The Buddha of
infinite compassion whose ncarnation
in the human form is believed to be
the Dalai Lama. It is a city truly
blessed by the gods where life is
unburied.
Tsedang
No tour of Tibet is complete without
a visit to Tsedang, situated 170km
Southeast of Lhasa in the Yarlung
Valley along the banks of the
Tsangpo River (Brahmaputra) The
cradle of Tibetan civilization. This
region abounds with important
historical landmarks such as Samye,
Yumbulkhangm Chonggye, Mindroling
and others.
Yambulakhang Palace
: Situated about
12 km south of Tsedang, Si the first
palace built by the Tibet and for
their first recorded king Nyatri
Tsedpo, who is believed to have
descended from heaven. It is a 05
storied fortress-like dwelling built
on the spur of a bill that commands
an impressive view of the entire
fertile valley. It was destroyed
during the cultural revolution and
the present structure is an exact
replica of the original rebuilt
1982.
Samye Monastery : Lies about 40km to
the west of Tsedang across the
Tsangpo River. It is the first
monastery built by King Trisong
Detsen in the latter part of the 08
the century. Samye Monastery
combines 03 distinctive
architectural styles that of India,
China and Tibet, symbolizing the
source, stability and spread of the
Buddhist faith. With the building of
this monastery, the community of
monks began.
Gyantse
Is a pastoral town between Lhasa and
Shigatse. It is 264km South west of
Lhasa. It still retains the charm of
a traditional Tibetan town untouched
by modern expansion. It made world
headlines in 1904 when colonel Young
Husband, who led a British
expedition to Tibet, defeated the
Tibetan army there. As a crossroads
on the principle trade route to
India, it used to be renowned for
the excellence of the carpets. The
compound, encircled by an impressive
wall, once contained 19 monasteries,
presided over by the still intact
fortress Perched a top a nearby
mountain.
Shigatse
The town of Shigatse (Xigaze) is
called "Center of Rear Tibet", sits
at the confluence of Nyangchu and
Yarlung Tsangbo Rivers about 250
kilometers to the west of Lhasa.
This second largest city in Tibet at
an elevation of 3,800 meters has a
history of more than five centuries.
The region around is historically
known as the Rear Tibet and Shigatse
has been its political, business,
cultural and religious center. The
residence for all the Panchen Lamas
has been traditionally in the town.
The city located between altitude
29°2' north and longitude 88°8'
east, with a population of 70,000.
The annual rainfall is 300 to 450
mm, the average annual temperature
is 6°C and the frost-free period is
160 days.
Shigatse region enjoys a moderate
climate with plenty of sunshine. The
fertile river valley is one of the
granaries of Tibet. The town proper
has undergone a construction boom
with roads leading to Ngari in the
west, the Qomolangma Nature Reserve
and border with Nepal in the south,
Nakchu to the north and Lhasa and
Shannan to the east.
The ancient town of Shigatse has
become well-known for its past and
rich cultural tradition with Palcho,
Sakya, Pingcuolin and Juenang
monasteries and Pala Estate as well
as the Qomolangma Nature Reserve
covering an area of over 30,000
square kilometers in the nearby
region. The annual ceremony of
display of Buddha tapestry, the
Sorcerer's Dance Festival, the
Ximuqingpo Festival at the Shalu
Monastery and the active local
Tibetan theater are popular
attractions to visitors.
With its rich cultural tradition,
majestic monasteries, breath-taking
scenery and convenient location,
Shigatse has become on of the most
popular tourist destination in
Tibet.
Tingiri / Zangbu
KODARI (pop. 3,100) lies on the
Nepal-China border 114 km north-east
of Kathmandu at the end of the
Arniko Highway. The village,
situated beside the thundering Bhote
Koshi river, was a stopover on the
ancient trans-Himalayan caravan
trail. The Arniko Highway offers an
enjoyable drive, taking you through
magnificent river gorges and
mountain scenery. The Tatopani hot
water springs are situated 3 km
before Kodari. Most of the
inhabitants in the area are Tamangs
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