Tibet is a special tourist destination for lots of travelers. So what makes Tibet so special? Its location? Its landscape? No, it is the special Tibetan people. When we travel to Tibet, Tibet’s mysterious culture and fabulous natural sights would attract us deeply. But what attract us most is Tibetan people.
When you are doing a Lhasa tour, go to wander on the Barkhor Street or take a moment to relax and sit down on the square in front of the Jokhang, and observe the Tibetan people. The most obvious are the owners of the souvenirs stalls, which try to attract your attention. Filter these ones out, and what you see is the real heart of Tibet: the pilgrims, monks, nuns, children, women going to the market place.
When you are at the Jokhang square, focus on the pilgrims prostrating in front of the Jokhang - some have been traveling for months from their home. Most of them do not use any vehicle during their pilgrimage journey. They travel to Lhasa on foot, even prostrate to Lhasa.
When you are wandering on the Barkhor Street, you can meet many pilgrims chanting and rotating their prayer wheels while walking along the Barkhor Street. Again avoid the souvenirs sellers, but go into the side alleys, and discover the horn-and-cymbals-playing-monks and the chanting nuns; let the prayer wheels rotate that are placed on several spots along the way, discover a crowded courtyard full of ordinary people drinking yak butter tea. If you do the same walk along the Barkhor Street many times, you will find something different around the corner each time.
The above are the people you see in the city. Let’s go to Tibetan villages and grasslands to see Tibetan people there. When you go into the 'true wilderness' of Tibet, you will encounter the people in the little villages and the nomads with their yaks, and the horsemen along the way. Generally, foreign tourists are not allowed to get into the home of Tibetan people. But some local Tibetan tour guide may be able to bring you into a Tibetan home where you can have some yak butter tea with the family, while you are not allowed to stay overnight at the Tibetan home.
However, you can spend several nights in a local Tibetan guesthouse that is licensed to offer accommodation for foreign travelers. You can enjoy authentic local food and experience daily life of Tibetan people.
About the Author - Master Catherine Jigme
With exceptional passion and outstanding leadership, Mrs. Catherine has dedicated herself to Tibet inbound tourism and China tour for 15 years. As one of the handful females who see great potential of Chinese inbound tourism, Catherine has made great contribution to promoting Tibet tourism and enhancing the employment of Tibetans and prosperity of local Tibetan community.
Over the years, she travelled overseas with Tibet Tourism Bureau many times to promote Tibet tourism. Currently, Catherine works as the marketing director of Tibet Vista, an opinion leader behind the whole team of Tibet Vista.
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