20 Top Tibet Travel Experiences

Tibet is a mysterious place that can offer different people different experiences. The following are 20 top Tibet travel experiences rated by Lonely Planet.

Mt. Kailash Kora

1. Mt. Kailash Pilgrimage

Mt. Kailash, the holiest mountain in Asia, is worshipped by more than a billion Buddhists and Hindus. A three Kailash Pilgrimage around the Mt. Kailash can erase the sins of a lifetime and bring an extra bonus to your tour.

2. Potala Palace

Potala Palace, a world heritage site, is the first site to visit, and also a must-visit site for most travelers to Tibet.

3. Jokhang Temple

Jokhang Temple is the holy center for Tibetan Buddhists. You can see queues of devout pilgrims shuffle up and down the stairways, pat medieval doorways and millennium-old murals.

4. Mt.Everest

Through tourists can view the world’s highest peak in Nepal, the best views of the Everest can only be seen in Tibet.

5. Samye Monastery

Samye, Tibet’s first monastery, is a heavily symbolic collection of chapels, chortens and shrines.

Qinghai Tibet Railway Scenery

6. Qinghai-Tibet Railway

The Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the world’s highest railway, is a man-made world wonder and a delightful way to Tibet.

7. Butter Tea

Tibetan people love butter tea too much. If you do not taste a cup of butter tea in Tibet, your Tibet tour cannot be perfect.

8. Sera and Drepung monasteries

Lhasa’s great religious institutions of Sera and Drepung are more than just monasteries – they are self-contained towns. Do not miss the afternoon debating at Sera. The Buddha painting unfold ceremony at Drepung during the annual Shoton Festival is the most memorable and impressive.

9. Saga Dawa Festival

Thousands of pilgrims would pour into Lhasa to visit the monasteries and make a ritual walk around the 8km Lingkhor path. It is a great opportunity for tourists to experience Tibetan people’s devoutness. At the same time, there is an annual biggest party at Mt. Kailash during the festival.

10. Guge Kingdom

The ruins of Guge Kingdom leave us a mystery. Why did such a grand kingdom disappear overnight? Maybe you can find some clue and rise to fame overnight.

11. Ganden Monastery

Located in a natural bowl high above the braided Kyi-chu Valley, the Ganden Monastery is a collection of chapels centering on Tsongkhapa’s tomb, and offers a delightful kora path.

12. Ganden-Samye Trek

It is the most popular trek route in Tibet. The classic 4-day trek between two famous monasteries takes you past herder’s camps, high alpine lakes, three passes over 5000m and one Guru Rinpoche hermitage.

13. Namtso Lake

Do not miss the spectacular heavenly lake Namtso which is just a few hours’ driving north of Lhasa. The deep blue lake is fringed by colorful prayer flags and snow-capped mountains.

14. Gyantse Kumbum

The giant chorten at Gyantse is unique in the Himalayas. As you spiral around and up the nail shell-shaped building, you pass dozens of alcoves full of serene painted Buddhas, bloodthirsty demons and unrivalled Tibetan art. Finally you pop out onto the golden eaves, underneath all-seeing eyes, for fabulous views of Gyantse fort and ancient town.

15. Riwoche Tsuglhakhang

Tibet is large enough to hold some hidden wonders. You have to overland for days to reach it and then haggle with the caretakers to let you in, but this dramatic, towering and remote temple in eastern Tibet feels like it’s marooned in an earlier age.

16. Adding your prayer flags to a high pass

In Tibet, you can see colorful prayer flags everywhere. Why not add your prayer flags to a high pass? They will bring you good luck.

17. Barkhor Street

The Barkhor Street is more than just a commercial street, but also a ritual circuit around the Jokhang Temple. When you are doing shopping on the street, you can join the centrifugal tide of Tibetans to do the ritual walk.

18. Koras and Pilgrims

When travelling in Tibet, you will see wizened old pilgrims twirling prayer wheels, rubbing sacred rocks and walking around temples, sacred mountains and lakes.

19. Overland from Lhasa to Kathmandu

It is the most popular overland route in Tibet, with satisfying sense of journey and giant slice of adventure.

20. Alpine Lakes

Located at the roof of the world, Tibet is not short on spectacular, remote, turquoise alpine lakes. Some of them are considered as holy lakes by Tibetan people, such as Yamdrok, Manasarovar and Namtso.