Karola Glacier Tour Photos

Karola Glacier Tour Photos

Available from Tibet Vista, we have special tours that include Karola Glacier, one of the most amazing sights in the region. The tours start in Lhasa, with visits to the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Drepung and Sera Monasteries, and then moves outside the city.

Spectacular roadside landscape of Karola Glacier

The first stop outside Lhasa is at Yamdrok Lake, 170km from Lhasa. The lake is one of the three "sacred" lakes in Tibet, along with Lake Namtso and Lake Manasarovar. Surrounded by high, snow-covered mountains, the waters are a beautiful shade of blue, and it is a haven for local and migratory birds, with several small islands out in the lake.

About two hours drive from Lake Yamdrok, on the road to Shigatse, is the astounding sight of the Karola Glacier. At an elevation of 5,560 meters, it is a fantastic sight to see. Although it is not a big glacier, as glaciers go, the pristine whiteness of its surface is a spectacular view from the highway, and close up, it is even more amazing.

Using the Glacier as a Backdrop

Traveling around the shore of Lake Yamdrok, you will be struck by the sight of the stunning scenery, with the snow-capped mountains contrasting the intense blue of the sky, sparkling turquoise waters, and yaks grazing in the pastures.

Karola Glacier as Backdrop

White, Shimmering Ice

As the road continues on, the landscapes become even more spectacular, until you reach the ultimate sight of the glacier. The stop here is not a built-up tourist spot, more of just a coach stop.

Spectacular roadside landscape of Karola Glacier

Karola Glacier is only around 300 meters from the highway, and the glacier shines a brilliant white in the rays of the sun. Inside the ice stack you can see the various layers that make up this moving river of ice, and you can climb up close to it to get a better view.

Video about Karola Glacier Tour Photos.

Getting close to Karola Glacier

Close up, the view of the glacier is more than worth the walk to get to it. And for the photography enthusiasts, it is an exceptional chance to get the best possible photo of a real glacier that is still "on the move".

Getting close to Karola Glacier

Karola Glacier Stupa

Near the face of the glacier, there is a small stupa, and you will see many of the traditional Tibetan prayer flags dotted around the site.

Karola Glacier Stupa

Prayer Flags at Karola

A wooden walkway also goes from the stupa platform almost to the foot of the mountain where the glacier lies, and if you have the time, it is worth the extra walk to get that close. It is not every day you will get the chance to be this close to one of the most amazing features of nature.

Prayer Flags at Karola

Pelkor Monastery view

Another highlight of the tour that takes in Karola Glacier, is the Pelkor Chode Monastery, at the foot of the Dzong Hill, just inside Gyantse. This important cultural monastery is surrounded on three sides by moutains, and is the only monastery where three separate sects of Tibetan Buddhism co-exist in one place.

Pelkor Monastery as Backdrop

In Tibetan, Pelkor Chode Monastery means "Auspicious Wheel Joy Monastery", and it was built in the Ming Dynasty by the first Panchen, Gelegs Phabzang, and the Prince of Dharma Rabdain, and completed in 1425AD.

Inside the Monastery

There are 17 Zhacangs - halls for the monks - that belong to the three separate sects, the Sakya Sect, the Gagyu Sect, and the Gelug Sect. Inside, there are silk Thangka, sculptures, and three-domensional Mandalas, all of which have a very long history, and are made in unique styles.

Photo with Kumbum Stupa

One Huge Stupa!—Kumbum Stupa

The monastery also contains 1,049 sets of ancient Tibetan sutras, and has a tower that is 42,4 meters high, consists of fourteen levels, and houses over 100,000 statues of Buddha. Obviously, it is called the "One-Hundred-Thousand-Buddha Tower".

Another Photo with Kumbum Stupa

As well as these amazing artifacts, and that it contains three separate sects, the monastery is also home to an 8-meter tall, gilded bronze statue of Maitreya, the "future" Buddha.

So if you’re ready to a Lifetime Tour to Tibet, our dedicated and professional teams are expecting you in Tibet! Please feel free to reach us, sharing your great ideas. We would like to offer the most useful Tibet tour advice, For Free!