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Introducing Tibet

When is the best time to visit?
The best times to visit Tibet are April-June and September-October when the weather isn't too cold or rainy and there are great mountain views. Late June through September tend to be cloudy and rainy. November is chilly, but still good to visit most of Tibet, as it is just after the main tourist season has ended. If you don't mind the cold, January and February have great visibility of Everest, but in March there are typically closures throughout the country for Tibetan New Year.

Where should you go?
In Lhasa, you'll want to visit Patola Palace, see monks debating at Sera and Drepung Monasteries, check out Jokhang Temple off Barkhor Square, and tour Norbulingka, the summer palace of the Dalai Lama. Just an hour away is Ganden Monastery, also worth a visit. Beyond Lhasa, make time for Yarlung Valley (the "Valley of the Tombs"), holy Nam Tso Lake, and Mt. Kailash, which is especially worthwhile at Saga Dawa time (usually May or June) where you can join pilgrims from all over the world at the most important Buddhist festival in Tibet. Other places of interest include Shigatse, Gyantse, Rongbuk Monastery, and Everest Base Camp.

How many days do you need?
With less than a week, stick to Lhasa—you can visit the monasteries and Patola Palace, with an overnight in Gyantse, in about five days. Double that, and you have time for a comprehensive overland tour from Lhasa to Nepal with stops in Shigatse, Shegar, and Rongbuk Monastery. With two weeks, combine a trek around Mt. Kailash with a road trip from Kathmandu to Lake Manasarovar. Have more time to spend? Adventurous travelers can add the Ganden Samye Trek (12 days) or Kong Tso Trek (9 days) to a traditional sightseeing trip, or spend 20 incredible days trekking the Kharta Valley.

Tibet Travel Insights

Manasarovar Lake and Kailash
Map of Trekking Nepal & Tibet: Mt. Kailash Kora - 21 Days
Trekking Nepal & Tibet: Mt. Kailash Kora - 21 Days

From Kathmandu, enjoy a multi-week trekking adventure through the Himalaya, learning about Nepali culture and Tibetan Buddhism along the way. You'll do a circuit, or 'kora', of sacred Mt. Kailash in western Tibet, camp beneath the mountain's north face, and visit Everest Base Camp on the Tibetan side of the border. You'll also stop at other Tibet cultural highlights, such as the Tashi Lhunpo Gompa in Shigatse, and end in Lhasa, the former home of the Dalai Lamas.

Potala Palace, Lhasa
Map of Ultimate Tibetan Experience - 9 Days
Ultimate Tibetan Experience - 9 Days

This 9-day itinerary through the heart of Tibet is the ultimate immersion experience in Buddhist culture. After exploring Lhasa's most important and holy sites, you'll hit the road with your private guide for a series of scenic drives to see the remarkable monasteries, temples, lakes, and markets of Shigatse, Tsetang, and finally Yarlung Valley—the cradle of Tibetan civilization.

Potala Palace
Map of Tibet Train Journey & Everest Base Camp - 11 Days
Tibet Train Journey & Everest Base Camp - 11 Days

Bordering ten of the world's tallest peaks, the Tibetan plateau is certainly deserving of its "Roof of the World" nickname. See the sky-high sights for yourself on this 11-day adventure. You'll journey to Lhasa on part of the world's longest railway, visit the famous Everest Base Camp, visit lakeside monasteries adorned with colorful Buddhist prayer flags, and more.

You'll cover a lot of ground in one week
Map of Discover Tibet's Cities - 7 Days
Discover Tibet's Cities - 7 Days

Led by a private guide, this week-long road trip covers three of Tibet's most important cities for a Buddhist cultural experience you won't soon forget. Start the adventure with two days in the Holy City of Lhasa, and then take scenic drives to the remarkable monasteries, temples, and markets of Gyantse and Shigatse—all while staying in some of the best traditional Tibetan hotels.

Morning sun at Potala Palace
Map of Highlights of Lhasa - 4 Days
Highlights of Lhasa - 4 Days

This fascinating 4-day itinerary explores the epicenter of Tibetan Buddhism: Lhasa, or 'Land of the Gods'. In just a few days you'll tour the capital city's most iconic and sacred sites with a private guide, including temples, monasteries, and bustling markets. Read on to learn more.

China
Holy Tibet - 10 Days

This 10-day adventure covers the major highlights of Tibet and more. Known as the "Roof of the World," you'll travel from Beijing to Tibet's eastern high-altitude plateau where you'll visit the area's historic and religious capital of Lhasa. After touring the iconic Potara Palace, you'll embark on a road trip through expansive valleys and over high mountain passes, crossing rushing rivers and visiting glassy lakes, on your way to the highlight of it all: Mt. Everest Base Camp.

Tibet Travel Maps

Get the lay of land, and understand distances between the places you want to visit
Tibet map: Finding Shangri-La in Tibet and Nepal: Kathmandu, Humla, Mount Kailash, Everest Base Camp, Lhasa - 21 days
Finding Shangri-La in Tibet and Nepal: Kathmandu, Humla, Mount Kailash, Everest Base Camp, Lhasa - 21 days
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Tibet map: Tibet Experience - 8 Days
Tibet Experience - 8 Days
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Tibet map: Tibet Train Journey & Everest Base Camp - 11 Days
Tibet Train Journey & Everest Base Camp - 11 Days
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