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Pioneer of Tibet Tourism for Overseas Travelers since 1984!
Have you ever been on the journey of dreams? Have you ever waited for something for almost 30 years? I have – and today my dream has become a reality with the help of Tibet Vista! The trip focused on three major Himalayan destinations: Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan.
Arrival in Tibet: First Impressions of the Roof of the World
The flight to Lhasa took off a little late due to atmospheric conditions, but safety comes first. You never know what the weather will be like in the Himalayas, so it’s better to be cautious.
The view speaks for itself: winding between the highest mountains of the world, seeing peaks rising above the clouds was an uplifting feeling for me, too. Look at the river: it has two colors, they flow together but do not mix!
Lhasa is located at 3650m above sea level. The symptoms of altitude sickness appear immediately here, fortunately they avoided me. Headache, drowsiness, bad sleeping, nausea - basic symptoms. In the worst case, shortness of breath, which requires immediate oxygen, but this can be obtained almost everywhere in Lhasa.
The Lhasa Gonggar Airport is still an hour away from downtown Lhasa. I still had to take a bus there, which I did after being greeted with the traditional khatag (white scarf). The bus is decorated in Tibetan style, full of Buddhist motifs, the huge mountains around me... a feeling of profound emotion settles over me, and at the same time immense happiness: I AM HERE!
In Lhasa, I stay in a traditional Tibetan-style hotel, everything is beautifully decorated, everyone smiles, spins the prayer wheel, chants mantras and counts the beads on their prayer beads.
The first day spent here was one of acclimatization, of getting to know each other.
The view from the flight to Lhasa.
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Lhasa City Exploration: Culture, Monasteries, and Daily Life
Drepung Monastery: One of the Great Gelugpa University Monasteries
Drepung Monastery was modeled after ancient Indian Buddhist institutions such as Nalanda and Vikramasila.
According to some records, Drepung was the largest Tibetan monastery in the world, sometimes housing 10,000 monks. During the twenty years of university training, the monks studied there had to pass rigorous tests and examinations, and they practiced philosophical debate for six hours a day. The education was centered on the five disciplines of ancient Indian Buddhism: philosophy, psychology, logic, metaphysics, and ethics. This was followed by a five- to ten-year apprenticeship, after which the monk had the opportunity to receive the Geshe degree.
The number of monks living and studying here has now exceeded three thousand. The monastery celebrated its 600th anniversary in 2016.
Built on a hillside, Drepung Monastery is the largest monastery in Tibet.Sera Monastery: Famous for the Monks’ Debate Tradition
The other of the three great Tibetan Gelug monasteries that I was lucky to visit during my Lhasa city tour. Its name comes from the fact that wild roses bloomed on the original site where the monastery was built.
The Sera Monastery was founded in 1419. At that time, a complex of three buildings was built with three colleges and a large assembly hall. The monastery is famous for the mandatory debate exercises for students, which I managed to take a picture and video of.
The monks debate in Sera Monastery, a feature practice on Buddhist doctrines, is part of learning process. This helps them better understand Buddhist philosophy and continue their studies at a higher level. This tradition of debate, supplemented by gestures, is considered to be a specialty of Sera Monastery.
Don’t miss the monks debate when visiting the Sera Monastery.Longwangtan Park: Morning Life of Local Tibetans
A well-maintained park where locals always gather and dance in the morning. It is worth observing their clothes, hairstyles, and ornaments. It all reveals who belongs to which ethnic group or area. The prayer wheels are spinning, while the Potala Palace is already a few steps away. Almost at arm's length.
Local Tibetans dancing in Longwangtan Park.The Potala Palace: Iconic Landmark of Lhasa
It was undoubtedly one of the highlights of my trip. Its imposing appearance captivates you from afar. Although Lhasa is now a bustling and modern city, the Potala Palace still rises as if deliberately raised by an imaginary hand.
The Potala Palace is a huge building complex on the top of Red Hill, at 3,630 meters. It is a 13-story structure and is said to consist of exactly 999 rooms. The Potala was once the seat of the Tibetan government. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994.
Today, the Potala Palace is a museum and a place of pilgrimage; its labyrinthine rooms and sanctuaries are connected by countless doors, corridors, and staircases. Its halls and long galleries are covered with the brilliantly colored wall paintings (thangkas) and colorful silk embroidery of Tibetan Buddhist art, and it is decorated with nearly two hundred thousand statues.
Thousands of tourists and pilgrims visit the palace every day, but only the first 1,600 non-Tibetan tourists and 3,000 Tibetan pilgrims are allowed to enter each day.
Seeing the Potala Palace from the square park.Jokhang Temple: The Spiritual Heart of Tibet
The Jokhang Temple is the holiest monastery in Tibet. It combines different architectural styles, from Indian viharas to Chinese Tang Dynasty architecture to Nepalese architectural style. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the spiritual centers of Lhasa.
It was founded in 642 by King Songtsen Gampo, who, according to tradition, had it built for his two brides, Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty of China and Princess Bhrikuti of Nepal. Both princesses brought important Buddhist sculptures and paintings with them to Tibet as dowries.
The temple is situated in the historic center of Lhasa, in Barkhor Square. Pilgrims pay their respects in a Barkhor Kora around the Jokhang Temple, in a clockwise direction.
Since I had often asked where I could place a donation or rather an offering, I had the opportunity here and received one of my biggest surprises – my guide, Lobsang, "took pity" on me: seeing how embarrassed I was that I couldn't enter an area that was only open to locals, he gave me a gift, a small consecrated package, which I have been guarding ever since. Both physically and in my heart. He is the most amazing guide!
Visited the holy Jokhang Temple in LhasaOverland Journey from Lhasa to Shigatse
From Lhasa, my journey continued towards Shigatse. This journey took a full day, during which we stopped at the Yamdrok Lake and crossed several passes over 5000m.
Yamdrok Lake: Sacred Waters and a Visit to a Local Tibetan Family
Yamdrok Lake is one of the three holiest lakes in Tibet and is known for its mysterious turquoise color. With an altitude of 4,441m above sea level, it occupies a truly imposing position among the high mountain lakes.
According to local legend, the lake was once a goddess who turned into a sapphire sea. The lake is revered as a miracle worker. This is the largest lake in southern Tibet, and according to tradition, if it dries up, Tibet will no longer be habitable.
The lake is more than 72 km long. Its fan shape narrows towards the north. Its jagged shore forms numerous bays and peninsulas, which provide homes and nesting places for birds and ducks.
Besides enjoying the stunning landscapes of Yamdrok Lake, we also had a chance to visit a local Tibetan family by the lakeside.
In traditional Tibetan houses, yak dung, neatly arranged on the fence to dry, will provide fuel in winter. A lovely little hospitable family provided us with all the good things in the world, including yak butter tea and barley beer (chang), which I would have liked to bring home, but unfortunately I couldn't: a kind of gas is formed in it while it is being made, and therefore - to my greatest regret - it can no longer be transported by plane.
Meanwhile, their youngest family member rested peacefully on one of the sofas.
Visit the turquoise Yamdrok LakeKarola Glacier: A Close View of Tibet’s Glacial Landscape
At 4200m we found ourselves at the Simila Pass. Here, thousands of colorful Tibetan prayer flags decorated the rock walls, where we could hang ours - mine is probably still flying somewhere, while my prayers are diligently ascending to the sky...
In about an hour, we crossed the even higher (5010m), Karo La Pass (La means “pass” in Tibetan). From here, you can see the magnificent Karola Glacier at an altitude of 5039m. There are more than 100 glaciers in the mountain's ravines, but Karola Glacier is the largest.
So close to seeing the Karola Glacier!Shigatse and Tashilhunpo Monastery: Seat of the Panchen Lama
Tashilhunpo Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery of historical and cultural significance located in Shigatse, the second-largest city in Tibet.
The monastery is traditionally the seat of the reincarnation of the next Panchen Lama. It was founded in 1447. At its peak, the monastery was home to over 4,000 monks.
Since the early 1980s, parts of Tashilhunpo Monastery have been opened to the public and are now a major tourist attraction in Tibet.
The Maitreya Temple, located on the western side, is the tallest building in the monastery. It houses a colossal statue of Maitreya Buddha. The large statue's fingers exceed one meter, and 279 kg of gold and 150,000 kg of red and yellow copper were used to create it.
Exploring the Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse.An Unforgettable Trip to Everest Base Camp in Tibet
There are two base camps at the foot of the world's highest mountain: the Northern and Southern Base Camps. The North Base Camp is for visitors to Everest from Tibet, while the South Base Camp is for visitors from Nepal.
While visiting Everest Base Camp in Tibet, you can admire the northern side of Mount Everest. The view here is mainly limited to the Trans-Himalayan Mountains, with their snow-capped peaks and blue skies.
The Everest Base Camp in Tibet is slightly lower than the Nepalese one. It is located at an altitude of about 5,000 meters above sea level. This extreme altitude of the base camp can cause altitude sickness. You should also use sunscreen and moisturizer to avoid chapping your skin, sunglasses and a windbreaker are recommended, because even in summer it is never warmer than 5 degrees....
We are accommodated in completely comfortable tents, equipped with almost everything, only the water block is outside - everyone can survive a night without bathing.
You can buy oxygen anywhere if you have to get it. Restaurant, post office, souvenir shop - everything in one place.
It rained on the day of our arrival, Everest was unfortunately completely covered in fog and was not visible, but the next day, to our great luck, it emerged from the clouds in a wonderful flood of sunlight and showed itself in all its glory. Thank you for that!
Without a doubt, it was one of the greatest and most impressive experiences of my life!!!
How does it feel to stand there in front of the queen of the mountains, at 5,000m, and she shows herself? I'll tell you: UNBELIEVABLE!!! Mount Everest is a pure wonder, a divine creation covered in snow, which I also looked at with amazement.
A once-in-a-lifetime moment at Everest Base Camp in Tibet.Rongbuk Monastery, near the Everest Base Camp, is the highest monastery in the world, 4,980m above sea level.
What happened to me here was a huge luck or blessing. The monastery is open to visitors twice a year for a ceremony, and this was one of those times. We could watch a ceremony for the whole time, and anyone who asked was given a blessing. It was a very honorable and memorable feeling.
The highest monastery in the world, Rongbuk Monastery, was founded in the early 20th century by members of the Nyingma sect. Not many records have survived in history. The Rongbuk Valley was known as the “bird sanctuary”. It was strictly forbidden to kill any animal in the area.
One of the interesting things about Rongbuk Monastery is that the monks and nuns live together in the same monastery. I left the most shocking, although for me the most interesting, account of my trip to Tibet for last.
Photo with a local family in front of Rongbuk Monastery.Continuing the Overland Adventure to Kathmandu, Nepal
Unfortunately, due to the flood situation in Tibet, I could only cross the border by plane, because a key crossing point connecting China and Nepal was washed away by the flood along with many people a few weeks before my arrival.
The climate in Nepal was much more summery, meaning that I sweated everywhere... a lot of mosquitoes, you have to be prepared for that. An incredible crowd of people everywhere, the traffic here goes the opposite way, i.e. on the left side, which you also have to get used to.
An incredible amount of mopeds, cars, buses, and a flood of people - it seems like complete chaos, but there is some kind of system in it, because instead of lights, police control the traffic, and it works. It's not easy, but it works.
The first stop was Swayambhunath Temple, also nicknamed the Monkey Temple. It is a compound built on a hilltop, with lots of monkeys.
They are sensational, by the way, they are everywhere, but you have to be really careful with them! They can spread rabies, they can be terrible beasts, you can't have anything in your hands that is food or drink, because they will take it out of your hand, and if you don't give it back, they will slap you!
They also make the dogs whine all the time, pull their ears, and then run up the trees to avoid them...real little devils.
Monkeys in Swayambhunath Temple in Kathmandu.
Experience an epic overland journey across the best Himalayan destinations!
A Memorable Jungle Safari in Chitwan National Park, Nepal
I spent the most amazing 3 days of my life in a paradise environment, in the middle of the Nepalese jungle.
An Enjoyable Stay in Green Mansion Resort in Chitwan
It is the place that I have never seen a more beautiful environment. The almost 7-hour drive to get here was compensated for by the view that awaited me here. Lush greenery everywhere, a colorful cavalcade of flowers, an amazingly rich flora... a miracle itself.
Wildlife surrounds you, animals run around on the roof at night, geckos play freely on the wall, water buffaloes splash in the water, you can't leave your towel outside because of raccoons, because they will steal it, monkeys scream in the forest, while the rain just pours down in the monsoon, the humidity is 100%.
The Green Mansion Resort where I stayed in Chitwan.My Jungle Safari to the Paradise on earth!
During the programs, we canoed on the Rapti River in a small boat, while the real jungle surrounded us on both sides. Ghavials, Nepalese long-nosed crocodiles, were watching from both banks, one of them even started to come towards us, but fortunately, our helmsman steering the small junk scared it away.
A multitude of waterfowl, water buffalo, and a lot of reptiles were watching until we reached the shore.
From there, we headed into the jungle - on foot with a local guide, straight into the middle of the animal world!
Tigers also live here, which we didn't see, only their fresh footprints, elephants, a thousand species of reptiles, birds, crocodiles, monkeys, and insects, as well as antelopes and Indian rhinos.
I managed to see many of them live - I can't describe the feeling of seeing them in their natural habitat, in the wild and not behind bars, knowing that they are being guarded here and every move of theirs is being watched and protected in any way.
A baby elephant came to me with its mother, put its trunk in my lap, and its mother leaned her head towards me so that I could scratch it: you could feel the love directed towards me, the kind of love that only an animal can give to someone who loves them more than anything.
Monkeys ran everywhere, antelopes came out with huge antlers and grazed, wildebeests fished peacefully, peacocks walked in the thickets, and Nepal's largest species of deer also lives here.
If you can, visit this almost untouched jungle, a small slice of how this Earth should function and live: people and animals together, for each other, in symbiosis...
Seeing the little rhino in Chitwan!The Final Stop of My Himalayan Journey: Bhutan
The Bhutan Paro Airport is definitely the smallest, but also the most amazing airport I have ever been to! And the flight to Bhutan is the most exciting journey in the world: as I know, there are only 15 dedicated pilots in the world who are licensed to fly here! The pilots have a tough job: they have to maneuver their planes between the thousands of meters high mountains of the Himalayas, steering the huge aircraft left and right... not an easy task.
Exploring Thimphu, the Capital City of Bhutan
The Great Buddha Dordenma in Thimphu is a gigantic statue of the Shakyamuni Buddha in the mountains of Bhutan. The statue contains more than a hundred thousand smaller Buddha statues, all of which, like the Great Buddha Dordenma itself, are made of bronze and gilded. One of the largest Buddha stupas in the world, it is 54 meters high and contains 100,000 pieces of 8-inch-high and 25,000 pieces of 12-inch-high gilded bronze Buddhas.
Takin is the national animal of Bhutan. At first glance, it looks like a cross between a buffalo and a goat... it is an animal that only lives in this region in the whole world!
Tashichho Dzong in Thimphu is an impressive structure that houses the king's throne room and offices, the secretariat, and the ministries of home affairs and finance. Other government offices are also located in nearby buildings. It has been the seat of the royal government of Bhutan since 1962, after the capital was moved from Punakha to Thimphu.
Visiting Tashichho Dzong in Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan.
Bhutan’s National Animal: The Takin.The Most Enjoyable Hike of My Life: Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Paro
Taktsang Monastery is known in Bhutan as Tiger's Nest or Paro Taktsang, and is located in the Paro district. The monastery is one of the most respected pilgrimage sites in the Himalayas. Taktsang rises 800 meters above the valley floor, built into the rocks, and is located 3150 meters above sea level. It takes about 2-3 hours (depending on fitness level) to reach the monastery.
The hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery is 15km in total, where literally even the king of Bhutan walks into! There is no paved road here, you can't get here by car, motorbike, or even by horse, only halfway! It can literally only be reached on foot, but whoever gets there will be rewarded with - in my opinion - one of the most amazing places in the world, with its view, climate and one of the most fantastic buildings.
If you can, check it out! Be prepared, at an altitude of 3,000m, high-altitude hiking is anything but not easy.
After visiting the Tiger’s Nest Monastery, I also visited Kyichu Lhakhang in Paro. Located in the northern part of the city of Paro, it is the oldest and one of the most beautiful temples in Bhutan and is considered the sacred jewel of Bhutan.
The temple was one of the 108 monasteries founded by the Buddhist Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo. Of the 108 monasteries, 12 were built to control a demon that was native to Tibet and the Himalayas and was preventing the spread of Buddhism. It is believed that the twelve monasteries were built at twelve vital points of the demon to subdue and ensure the spread of Buddhism. It is said that the 108 monasteries were built in one day by craftsmen who were emanations of King Songtsen Gampo himself.
This was an amazing journey to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Paro.
Visit the beautiful Kyichu Lhakhang in Paro.A Dream Come True with Tibet Vista
This unforgettable Tibet Nepal Bhutan tour has been a dream come true. I’ll carry the memories of this Himalayan adventure with me forever, knowing that these moments will remain some of the most meaningful of my life.
Experience an epic overland journey across the best Himalayan destinations!
"A Himalayan Journey Through Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan: My Dream Fulfilled with Tibet Vista"