Buddhist-influenced petite Himalayan land of Tibet is a suave upsot of the god’s creation so here is the Top 10 Must See Attractions in Tibet. Cruising through the Tibetan alleys, centuries-old Tibetan erections carrying religious ethos mesmerize backpackers with unremitting historical probes. Furthermore, bringing glee to each traveler, the mystical Himalayas, and the pristine lakes sway people’s attention to this land. If you too want the same enticement, make sure to visit the below-mentioned top 10 must-see attractions in Tibet.
10 most beautiful places that make Tibet delightful in Asia:
Mount Kailash – Top 10 Must-See Attractions in Tibet
Perched in the rustic western region of mesmerizing Tibet, Mount Kailash holds significant importance for Buddhists, Bons, Jains, and Hindu Pilgrims. With different stories in mind, people following each of these religions visit this sacred place to achieve eternal peace and happiness. For instance: Hindu pilgrims consider this place as an abode of Lord Shiva and for Buddhists, it is the dwelling place of Lord Buddha.
Being the holy mountain, till now nobody has climbed Mount Kailash. However, by joining the circumambulation around Mt Kailash you can relish the pristine beauty of this stunning mountain. Furthermore, the pilgrims here also believe that just a holy walk around this mountain brings good health and fortune. Thus, most of the pilgrims from neighboring countries Nepal, Bhutan, and India travel to Tibet, especially for the holy circumambulation of Mount Kailash. The circumambulation covers around 53km of walking distance and is normally completed within 3 days duration.
To your astonishment, there is a holy Manasoravar Lake at a short distance from this sacred mountain. It is believed that making a holy dip at this lake washes all the sins of the lifetime and brings out salvation and merriment.
Holding such great virtue, no doubt the place is a paradise for religious believers. However, for non-religious people also, the walk around Mount Kailash is equally fruitful because of its magnificent beauty.
Potala Palace – Top 10 Must-See Attractions in Tibet
No matter for which reason you are in Tibet your eyes cannot just ignore the enthralling beauty of the artistic Potala Palace. Renowned as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this ancient Palace is the pride of the entire nation and is the reason for the visit of a plethora of travelers to this country.
Situated on the side of Red Mountain aka Marpo Hill, the sheer structure of the Potala palace is not that difficult to detect.
Moving towards the origination date of this landmark, it was built initially in 637 AD. The structure of Potala Palace was constructed as the Royal Palace of King Songstan Gampo. Around the year 1645, the Palace was rebuilt by the 5th Dalai Lama. Since then, Potala Palace served as the residence of the Dalai Lama. Further, the palace also catered to the political center of Tibet. The reconstruction of this eminent palace was again held by the 13th Dalai Lama.
The multitudinous treasures and eloquent artworks of the Potala Palace never let you bewail your decision of joining the Tibet Lhasa Tour.
Jokhang Temple
In the middle of the beautiful Lhasa city, what draws your full attention is the miraculous structure of the Jokhang Temple. Further, if you want the precise location, it is exactly located on Barkhor street in old Lhasa city. Holding a vast space in Tibetan Buddhism, Jokhang is deemed a sacred temple by Tibetans. Moreover, followers of Buddhists and other tourists from different parts of the world visit this destination more often. Because of its beauty, it merits the title of one of the top attractions of Tibet.
Similar to that of the Potala Palace, this fine structure of Jokhang was constructed during the reign of King Songstem Gampo for his two beloved wives, Princess Wencheng from Tang and Princess Bhrikuti from Nepal. Looking at the temple structure you can notice the combination of the Chinese Tang dynasty, Indian Vihara, and Nepalese style in its structure.
Popular for being part of UNESCO world heritage site, many pilgrims visit this destination to achieve spiritual happiness also.
Namtso Lake
Having the literal meaning of ‘heavenly lake’ Namtso lake is situated in Damxung Country and Baingo Country of the Tibetan Autonomous Region.
With an area of around 1870m, the turquoise lake of Namtso receives lots of pilgrims, especially on every Sheep year of the Tibetan Calander. Furthermore, the presence of four temples around this lake contributes a lot to making your Namtso Lake visit more religious and spiritual.
If not for religious purposes visit this place to caress your eyes with heavenly scenery.
At an elevation of 4718m, this lake is capable to drag thousands of visitors here on itself. However, the mountain of Nyainqentanglha at the premise of Namtso adds up extra beauty to this natural marvel. To experience this natural splendor, flocks of tourists visit this destination once and again.
Mount Everest Base Camp
With the tag of the highest mountain in the world, the name Mount Everest is not new to anyone throughout the world. Each and every person builds up the dream of conquering Mount Everest once in a lifetime. However, due to the extreme altitude, extreme expenses, and other difficulties only a few people opt for this option.
But, to cherish the beauty of Everest from a close distance many adventure seekers make their way up to the base camp of Everest.
As the base camp of Everest is present not only in Nepal, you can also choose to reach the Everest Base Camp from the Tibetan side also. This base camp is situated in the southern part of Tingri Country in southern Tibet.
Dare to spend a night at this base camp and gaze at the shimmering stars from a close distance. After spending a pleasing night there be ready for the blissful morning which blesses you with the tinting sunrise view over the magnificent Mt. Everest.
Tashilunpo Monastery
Used today as the residence of Panchen Lama, Tashilunpo Monastery is one of the popular landmarks of Tibet. Though the monastery was constructed initially in the 15th century by Gendun Drup, the expansion of the monastery was held later by the fourth Panchen Lama. Located in the pristine ambiance of Shigatse City, Tashilunpo monastery is among the total of four great Gelugpa monasteries. The others on the list include the Sera monastery, Drepung Temple, and Ganden Monastery.
The entire complex of the Tashilunpo is extremely beautiful on its own. Further, the presence of an approximately 22.4 meters tall statue of Maitreya Buddha at this complex makes your visit to Tashilunpo Monastery more worthwhile.
Samye monastery
Established during the reign of King Trisong Detsen in 775, Samye Monastery is the first-ever built Tibetan monastery in Tibet. Along with the great history behind its construction, the monastery is popular worldwide due to its meticulous arts.
Showcasing the unique mandala design, the monastery is standing in the south of Lhasa in Yarlung Valley. The structure consists of the main temple representing Mt Meru in the center. The temple on corners surrounding the main temple represents continents, subcontinents, and other traits of Buddhist cosmology.
Up to this date, the monastery has been reconstructed several times due to several reasons.
Yamdrok Lake
With a surface area of around 638 square kilometers, Yamdork lake is one of the largest sacred lakes in Tibet. Fed by the surrounding snowy mountains and small streams, the lake is around 100km southwest of Lhasa.
Yamdork lake is sometimes uttered as the Coral Lake also. Observing this fan-shaped lake you can notice that the lake is spreading mostly towards the south and narrowing towards the north.
As Tibetans believe mountains and lakes to be the dwelling places of their deities, they consider this lake sacred and make their visit to this spot with the intention to achieve eternal happiness.
Serving as the pastureland for the local herdsman, a number of islands are there in this mountainous lake. Thus while visiting this lake, besides the snowy mountains and azure water, you can also get to observe the emerald pasture lands.
Norbulinka Palace
The impressive structure of Norbulinka lies in the western section of the beautiful Lhasa City. After spending the pleasing wintertime in the Potala Palace, Dalai Lamas used to transfer to this palace during summer. Thus, Norbulinka today is widely known as the former summer residence of Dalai Lamas.
Located within a close distance from Potala Palace, Norbulinka literally translates to the ‘Jewelled Park’ in Tibetan. Covering over 36 hectares of land, the artistic Palace here consists of around 347 rooms. outside the Palace consists of a fascinating artificial Park. The moment you make your entry inside the park, the flora and fauna here steals all your attention and give you a sense of satisfaction.
The construction of this UNESCO World Heritage Site was started in 1755 by the seventh Dalai Lama. In later days, the site has gone through several renovations and constructions. Every year on the 13th day of the sixth lunar month, the Shortun Festival is celebrated here. During the occasion of this ancient festival, with no entry fee, you can enjoy the exotic Tibetan performance inside the Park.
Lulang Forest – Top 10 Must-See Attractions in Tibet
Translated to ‘Dragon King Valley’ in Tibetan, Lulang is a plateau forest with mountainous slopes. It is settled around 88km away from Bayi town in Nyingchi Prefecture. The dense forest of Lulang is vast and consists of lush green vegetation including high bushes, Dragon Spruce, Pine trees, and many others.
Venturing inside the forest, the scattered village and the farmlands appear to your eyes. Observing the raw beauty of villages, greenery, and the rustic Himalayas happens to be the most daring and exciting lifetime adventure.
As National Road 318 passes through this forest, access to the Lulang forest is definitely not that difficult.
The Final Saying About Top 10 Must See Attractions in Tibet:
The beauty of Tibet is not just limited to these top ten attractions. As the mountainous land of Tibet is profuse in natural as well as religious aspects, to schlep away your tedium, there are several other attractions in Tibet. Some of them are Ganden Monastery, Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery, Namcha Barwa Mountain, Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, and Manasoravar Lake.
Birendra Duwadi by profession a trekking and tourist guide and an enterpreur whose passion is trekking in the himalayas. Started Mission Himalaya Treks in 2015 with a new vision to introduce Nepal's Himlayas to the world. His vision is to explore and documentation new trekking routes . Birendra leads Mission Himalaya, a company that change the qualities of trekking in Nepal.
