Tibet enchants tourists from China and abroad with its landscape, religious traditions, culture, and its unsolved mysteries. At any mention of this land, the images of snowy mountains, mirror-like lakes, Potala Palace and Buddhist disciples immediately come to mind. The history of Tibet can be traced back by about 4,000 years, during which the Buddhist religion, Zang Language and culture are shaped up. Most of local inhabitants practice Tibetan Buddhism and Bon. They maintain many unique practices, such as pilgrimage prostration and sky burial, where the bodies of the dead are exposed to birds of prey. Potala Palace, Jokhang Monastery and Toling Monastery are among the most famous Buddhist temples. Most young and middle-aged people have command of two languages, their own Tibetan language and Mandarin. The people living in this vast land are mainly Tibetan, an ethnic group with bold and uninhibited characteristics. Most live a pastoral lifestyle, earning a living by raising yaks, farming, as well as by making crafts. Some cultural highlights include the thangka, a style of Buddhist painting on cotton or silk applique, herb medicine, and local operas. Tibetans also celebrate various festivals, such as Tibetan New Year, the Shoton Festival, the Monlam Prayer festival, the Butter Lamp Festival, and the Saga Dawa Festival. In recent years, the local transportation transportation has improved drastically, particularly so with the completion of the Qinghai-Tibet railway. The Lhasa Gonggar Airport also operates flights to the first-tire cities of China, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xi'an. A few international flights are also available. Behind the whitewashed walls of every Tibetan Buddhist monastery lurks a hidden world of golden sculptures and rainbow-coloured murals. These radiant artworks were clearly not inspired by the grey and ochre colour scheme of the Himalayan landscape; Tibetan Buddhist art is, at its purest level, art of the imagination. Tibet, isolated on the remote Himalayan Plateau, is every traveler's dream. It draws millions of travelers each year to explore its old Tibetan culture, and pure, untouched scenery. Tibet Plateau generally slopes from the northwest to the southeast, with a complex and varied terrain of mountains, valleys, glaciers, lakes, steppe and tundra. It supports a wide variety of herbs, flowers, and rare animals in a wide variety of climate zones ranging from high-altitude polar to tropical, desert to wet. The natural scenery varies with altitude and (in the summer) can provide "four seasons' beauty on one mountain in one day,The landscape can be divided into four areas: the Himalayas, Southern Tibet Valley, North Tibet Plateau, and East Tibet Canyons.The Himalayan Mountains are in the south of Tibet, an east-west mountain range with an average altitude of about 6,000 meters (20,000 feet). Mt. Everest is located in Tingri County, Shigatse Prefecture, on the border of Nepal. At 8,844 meters (29,017 feet) it has the highest point on the earth's surface. The Himalayas are covered by ice and snow all year round above 5,700 meters (19,000 feet). Read more on Tibet's altitude .There are so many Buddhist buildings in Tibet due to Tibetans' strong culture of faith. The oldest and most popular ones include Jokhang Temple, the Potala Palace, Sera Monastery, and Samye Monastery. The most suitable time to visit Tibet is from May to October. The weather is uncomfortably cold to dangerously frigid otherwise. The Potala Palace is a symbol of Tibet. The majestic white and red building complex, set against grey/green mountains and blue sky, is an iconic image of the Roof of the World. It is a huge treasure house of materials and articles from Tibetan history, religion, culture, and art. The palace is widely known for precious sculptures, Buddha statues, murals, antiques, and religious jewelry housed within. It is the must-see attraction which is included on almost all Tibet tour itineraries. Jokhang Temple is the most sacred temple for Tibetan People.Pilgrims travel from all over Tibet to their spiritual focal point. They prostrate themselves in front of the temple, and circle around the temple clockwise. Barkhor Street is Lhasa's pilgrimage circuit around Jokhang Temple. The street is also a busy shopping street, selling a mind-blogging array of souvenirs from Tibet and Nepal. Join the pilgrims as they circle clockwise around Jokhang Temple to roll the prayer wheels, or join the locals or travelers haggling hard over souvenirs. Watching monks debate scriptures at Sera Monastery is a highlight considered not-to-be-missed by many travelers. The monks in their traditional red robes gather at the monastery courtyard each afternoon. During a debate they may jumps or make many other interesting gestures. It is really interesting to watch. Yamdrok Lake will take your breath away with its stunning scenery. On clear days it is a fabulous shade of deep turquoise. On the lake side, there are Tibetan villages and fields of yaks. For a balance of scenery and culture combine this lake with monasteries in Lhasa. It is a refreshing experience to see a lake after the cultural experiences of Lhasa. Mount Everest is many travelers' dream. Most travelers only stay around 30 minutes at Mt. Everest Base Camp to take some photos and admire the majestic mountain. Although it is a long and tiring trip from Shigatse, those who make it (when it is clear enough to see the summit) say it is well worthwhile. Tashilhunpo Monastery is the seat of the Panchen Lama. The monastery architecture is a grand view to behold. Topping the red building complex are gold roofs that shine under the sunshine. There is a busy cobbled pilgrimage circuit around the monastery.
