As the "Roof of the World," Tibet has long been a favored destination for tourists from around the world.

The mysterious Buddhist holy place was hidden from the outside world for thousands of years. For adventurers and traders it was a legendary land of treasure and riches.

Located in the southwest of China, Tibet Autonomous Region has changed very rapidly both in its economy and tourism development. An airport now established in Lhasa has flights that can take visitors to and from many major cities like Beijing, Chengdu and Shanghai. A railway from Qinghai Province to Tibet is also under construction. After the completion of the Qingzang (Qinghai-Tibet) rail line, the trip to Tibet will be much easier.

Tibet is without doubt one of the most remarkable places to visit in Asia. It offers fabulous monastery sights, breathtaking high-altitude treks, stunning views of the world's highest mountains and one of the world's most grand peoples and cultures.

Religion here has a strong Tibetan cultural flavor, while keeping the original basic doctrines of Buddhism.

Tibetan Buddhism has a great influence in the daily life of the Tibetan people. There were many different schools of the Tibetan Buddhism in history.

From Lhasa, the capital of Tibet Autonomous Region, to the pastoral villages spread throughout the grasslands, there are many temples with golden roofs shinning under the sun.

Another important symbol of Tibetan Buddhism are the pilgrims who prostrate themselves every nine steps on their way from their hometowns to the holy city of Lhasa. Pilgrims can also be seen throughout Tibet visiting religious sites to erase their sins and accumulate virtue.

The monasteries are also the places where monks study Buddhism and where religion, art and customs have coalesced into one whole in Tibet.

The Shoton Festival, also known as Tibetan Opera Festival, is one of the major festivals in Tibet. Its origin is derived from a rule set by Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug (Yellow Sect of Buddhism), which decreed that Buddhists should cultivate themselves only indoors during the summer, to avoid killing other creatures carelessly. This was because creatures are most active in summer. This rule must be carried out until the seventh lunar month. Then Buddhists go outdoors, accept yoghurt served by local people, and have fun. Generally summer is the best time to go to Tibet.

Usually, a visit to Lhasa will take at least a week or more. It depends how many places you want to go in Tibet. Here is a recommended itinerary for your choice.

Day 1: Arrive in Lhasa. Get accustomed to the high altitude by resting upon arrival. After a rest, visit Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Square. Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 2: Visit Potala Palace and Norbulingka. Stay in Lhasa.

Day 3: Visit Drepung Monastery in the morning and Sera Monastery in the afternoon. Stay in Lhasa.

Day 4: Take local bus (Lhasa-Tsetang) to the ferry terminal. Take ferry to Samye Monastery terminal (3 hours). After crossing the river, take the local truck or walk to the monastery. Visit the monastery and follow the same route back to the ferry terminal across the water. Take the same bus (Lash-Tsetang) or hitchhike on to Tsetang. Stay overnight in Tsetang.

Day 5: In the morning, hire a local pedicab for a whole day to go to Yumbulagang, visiting Trandruk monastery en route, and then head back to Tsetang. Take the local bus back to Lhasa in the afternoon (4 hours).

Day 6: Shopping in Lhasa and prepare for return trip.

To get there:

Flying is the most widely used means of transport to and from Tibet. There are flights to Lhasa from Chengdu, Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing and Xi'an.

The ticket price between Beijing and Lhasa is about 2,000 yuan (US$247) for a one-way fare.

Summer is the peak time to visit Tibet. So book your air ticket four or five days in advance. If possible, buy the return ticket before starting your trip, which will avoid many inconvenient aspects while you are in Tibet.

While getting to Lhasa is straightforward, transport to some remote mountain areas or other isolated religious destinations may not be convenient. Public bus routes are not developed like those you see in Beijing. Renting a pedicab or a Land Cruiser from local travel agency is recommended. The price is judged by day.

Notes:

It is better to spend the first two or three days at least getting accustomed to the high altitude in Tibet. Don't exercise too strenuously for the first few days. Lhasa lies considerably above the altitude at which one's body begins to feel oxygen deficiency. Headaches, vomiting and heart palpitation are common ailments that appear in the first two or three days. Those with severe heart or chest problems should seek medical advice before going to Tibet.

Be sure to respect local customs and traditions when traveling.

Some Tibetans believe that taking their picture will harm their soul. It is best to ask for permission before taking pictures or filming any locals, especially the elderly.

Like the Lama Temple in Beijing, most Tibetan monasteries, especially larger ones, do not allow photography. Please pay attention to signs prohibiting photography. If you don't see any, assume they exist, or ask for permission before taking pictures.

As we described on page 4, Tibetan dogs are dangerous. Do not approach any stray or wild dogs you see and carry a stick if you plan to wander off on your own or at anytime after dark.

Jokhang Temple

Jokhang Temple is the spiritual center of Tibet. Everyday, pilgrims from every corner of Tibet trek a long distance to the temple. Some of them progress by prostrating themselves throughout their journey until they reach the threshold of the temple. Pilgrims kindle butter lamps with yak butter, or honor the deities with white scarves (Kha-btags or Hada) while murmuring sacred mantras to show their pieties to the Buddha.

The temple lies at the center of the old Lhasa. Built in 647 by Songtsen Gampo and his two foreign wives, it has a history of more than 1,300 years. It was said that the Nepalese Princess Tritsun wanted to build a temple to house the image of Jowo Sakyamuni brought by Chinese Princess Wencheng. Princess Wencheng reckoned according to Chinese astrology that the temple should be built on the pool where the Jokhang is now located. She contended that the pool was a witch's heart, so the temple should be built on the pool to get rid of evils. The pool still exists under the temple.

The construction took 12 months. However, the original structure was small. Large scale reconstruction and renovation took place under the reign of the Fifth Dalai Lama.

The temple is the product of Han, Tibetan and Nepalese architectural techniques. Visitors will be treated to the sight of various exotic and sacred sculptures. It also houses many invaluable cultural relics. The most famous and valuable of these is the sculpture of Jowo Sakyamuni aged 12. It is one of the very few sculptures of its kind making it even more precious. The image is flanked on both sides by the altars of Songtsen Gampo and his two wives who introduced Buddhism into Tibet.

The murals in the main hall depicting the procession of Princess Wencheng arriving in Tibet and other murals depicting Jataka stories are also worth seeing. Two thangkas portraying Yamantaka and Chakrasamvara from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) still remain in perfect condition. The gold bumpa (a vase) upon which the reincarnations of Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama are decided, musical instruments brought into Tibet by Wencheng and other important artifacts are also kept here.

Every year, the Great Prayer Festival is held in the Temple. Initiation rites into lamahood of the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lamas are also held in this monastery.

Drepung Monastery

Drepung Monastery, the largest and richest monastery in Tibet, was founded in 1416 by a disciple of Tsong Khapa under the patronage of a noble family and later enlarged by the Fifth Dalai Lama. Drepung, which means rice heap in Tibetan, lies 8 kilometers west of Mt. Gambo Utse. The monastery covers a floor space of more than 200 thousand square meters. At its peak, it had a registration of more than 10,000 thousand monks. Many high and learned lamas had studied here.

The main structures of the monastery include the Main Assembly Hall (known as Tshomchen), four Tantric colleges and Ganden Palace (Ganden Potrang). The tshomchen of Drepung, covering 4,500 square meters and supported by 183 pillars in the center of the monastery, is the best known, most powerful tschomen of all the monasteries in Tibet. Gilded Buddha and Sakyamuni are enshrined and worshipped in this hall where the Iron Bar Lama, assistant to the the chief of the tshomchen, would take over administrative power of Lhasa during the Great Prayer Festival. Upstairs, a collection of valuable scriptures is kept. Northwest of the hall is a small hall in which a bronze Jowo Maitreya aged 8 is enshrined and worshiped. In front of Buddha, a conch shell, once used by Sakyamuni and hidden at Mt. Gambo Utse, is also worshipped. Later Tsong Khapa discovered it and bestowed it to his disciple to be the monastery's treasure. Four Tantric colleges in the monastery are the place where many Buddhist monks were trained. Each has a chanting hall; Loseling's, the largest, can seat 5,000 monks.

Monks in other colleges have to pass the sutra examination in order to learn Tantra, which is taught exclusively at Ngapa.

Ganden Potrang Palace was the regular residence of the Dalai Lamas before the reconstruction of Potala palace. The palace is divided into two sections. The front section is Dalai Lamas' living quarter and the rear is the chanting hall. On the first day of the grand Shonton Festival, ceremonies are held in the courtyard of this palace.