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Pioneer of Tibet Tourism for Overseas Travelers since 1984!
After one week attending a yoga retreat on a tea plantation in Yunnan province I travelled to Chengdu and, in so doing, how could I not take the opportunity to see the giant pandas - which lived up to all expectations.
In Chengdu, I made contact with my travel advisor, Gigi, at Tibet Vista and arranged to call in at the office. I was unexpectedly and very kindly invited to join her and her colleagues for a special birthday lunch celebration.
We crossed town to a Sichuan hot pot restaurant and had a wonderful party with much laughter and singing, overcoming any language barriers. I was treated to a wide selection of delicacies which I would not ever have thought of consuming!
Join our 10 days Nyingchi Peach Blossom Festival tour to experience charm of eastern Tibet.
A Peaceful Journey Through Nyingchi: Blossoms, Pilgrims, and Daily Life
The following morning I caught a flight to eastern Tibet where I had wanted to go to see the spectacular peach blossom in Nyingchi. I was met at the airport by my guide Lhakpa who stayed with me for the next four or five days. We first visited the Kanding Valley and while walking up the steep gorge, saw spectacular animal figure outlines in the natural rock face.
The following day we went to see the peach blossom in the Lulang Forest area. It was a very long drive crossing a snow-covered pass en route. At times we saw pilgrims, mostly elderly women, making the long journey by foot to the most spiritual site at Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, sometimes the pilgrimage taking three years.
The driving was wild, but the Tibet Vista driver was thankfully very cautious and unlike most local road users did not overtake on blind corners. I spent the following day walking around Nyingchi which I took to be a typically provincial town with minimal impact from the outside world. Nevertheless, it was a fascinating mixture of smart European shops and local markets.
Girl in Tibetan dress takes pictures with the peach blossom.
Quiet Moments, Local Life, and Monastic Encounters Along the Road to Lhasa
After deciding to have a haircut, I was swept in off the street for a first ever manicure much to the amusement of the girls working there. The absence of tourists and particularly westerners made the stay in Nyingchi most welcome.
On my last day in the area, I went to Basumtso Lake, a very scenic and a popular destination for local visitors, many of whom dress up to have their photos taken in front of a majestic backdrop.
On the journey to Lhasa, we stopped at Ganden monastery which comprises a whole community spread across the hillside. Had lunch in the monk’s canteen and I was able to talk to some of the monks.
One 15-year old had just arrived three days ago and would now spend the rest of his life in the monastery. There was lots of laughing and gaming around among the monks as they carried sacks of rice through the monastery complex, tripping each other up as they went.
Photo with Tibetan monk in the monastery.
First Impressions of Lhasa: Monasteries, Debates, and the Potala Palace
Arriving in Lhasa my first sight was a part-built bridge across the river which had, on the top of each pier, large statues of birds in flight. Next morning I met my new guide who first asked for my Tibet travel permit which I had handed over to my previous guide. Lesson learned hold onto your Tibet travel permit throughout.
I joined a small group tour of overseas Chinese visitors and we first visited Drepung and Sera monasteries. Whilst there, we visited a courtyard where we saw the monks undergoing a seemingly very heated and animated philosophical monk debate - most fascinating to watch.
The following morning, we visited the Potala Palace which spectacularly dominates the city and is the landmark sight in every picture of Lhasa. It looked quite freshly painted and we were told that each year, prior to the Tibetan New Year, all monasteries are repainted; likewise, many private houses but only after all the monasteries have been completed.
The Potala Palace, the most iconic landmark of Tibet.
Sacred Sites and Holy Waters: From Jokhang Temple to Yamdrok Lake
Lunch, after Potala, was taken at the Tibetan Family Kitchen in downtown Lhasa which despite a wide-ranging menu, served multiple versions of yak meat in a tomato soup.
Jokhang Temple’s most famous treasure is the life-size statue of the 12-year-old Jowo Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism. Around the Jokhang Temple many Chinese tourists rent elaborate traditional court outfits to have their photos taken.
The following day I went to Yamdrok Lake, one of the three holy Lakes in Tibet; a long drive over spectacular but barren upland. At the summit we encountered the customary field of prayer flags in the five colours - blue for sky; white for cloud; red for fire; green for water and yellow for earth.
In the high winds, the flags quickly become tattered and are replaced each year. In the distance one could see the sacred mountain, Nojin Kangsang, the highest mountain in central Tibet.
In the lake and connected by a causeway is the small Samding monastery where I met a charming monk who lived here in solitary seclusion. He was called Tildon Nima and, delighted to meet a westerner, was very keen to show me around.
The famous monks debate at the Sera monastery.
From Lhasa to Beijing: Leaving Tibet with Lasting Impressions
The next day, my final in Tibet, I made a visit to the Tibet museum and although there was no guide material whatsoever in English, found my way around, with the ever-helpful support of kind local visitors.
That afternoon I started my 45-hour train journey from Lhasa to Beijing, having been thoroughly won over by Tibet, so much so I am planning another trip to Tibet in spring 2026, and of course using the services of Tibet Vista.
Join our 10 days Nyingchi Peach Blossom Festival tour to experience charm of eastern Tibet.
"From Yunnan to Chengdu and Lhasa: Pandas, Blossoms, Faith, and a Journey I’ll Never Forget"