Tibet, the once forbidden kingdom of the Dalai Lama hidden in the heart of Asia has perhaps kindled man's imagination to mystical heights provoking beliefs of a Shangri La somewhere in the snowy realms of the Roof Of The World. Now people have the opportunity to a first hand experience of what was it that created such an enigmatic aura that is only 55 minutes away from Kathmandu via air.
The flight to Lhasa offers spectacular views of the Himalayas including flying above Mt. Everest. On arrival at Lhasa day upon day can be spent marveling at the colossal palaces and monasteries. Lhasa, which in Tibetan means, Palace Of Gods is the earthly representation of the Celestial Palace of Avaloketeshwora, the Buddha of Infinite Compassion whose incarnation in the human form is believed to be the Dalai Lama.
In a huge country of nearly 800,000 square kilometers with the terrain lying mostly between 4,000 - 5,000 meters, there are many other places beyond Lhasa with equally captivating sights. Lhasa sightseeing tours range between 4 and 5 days while tours progressing beyond the capital stretch from 7 to 12 days with the longest duration - 19 days being required for the Mt. Kailash- Lake Manasarovar Tour which lie in the far western corner of the country.
Following a tour in Tibet, onward flight connections are possible for Chonqing and Chengdu in China besides the return to Kathmandu. For the more adventurous, overland trip to either Kathmandu via Zhangmu or to Lanzhao in China are the alternatives.
