Southern Tibet
Southern Tibet is the most popular travel destination in Tibet since it is the roof of the world where the highest mountain in our world Mount Everest (8848M) is located.
Southern Tibet is also famous for many important monasteries, beautiful nature with mountains, Lakes, and Rivers.
Every year around 90 percent of the Travelers who are traveling to Tibet have visited the Mount Everest North Face Base Camp making Southern Tibet the most important highlight sightseeing region in Tibet.
Below Tibet Travelers will share a few of the important sightseeing located in Southern Tibet.
Shigatse City
Shigatse is the central city in Southern Tibet. located 280km from Lhasa. They are 3 ways to get to Shigatse from Lhasa.
1. By Plane
2. By Train
3. By Overland
Most of the Travelers travel to Shigatse via overland from Gyantse town visiting Yamdrok Lake and Palkor chode monastery and Kumbum stupa in Gyantse. Shigatse is also the second-largest city in Tibet after Lhasa.
Main Sightseeing inside the Shigatse is Tashilhunpo monastery, founded in the year 1447 by the 1st Dalai Lama, it is located in the center of the city. It is also the main monastery of the Panchen Lama. The future Buddha Maitreya's statue is 26.2 meters (86 feet) in height, making it the biggest statue of Buddha in the whole region in Tibet.
The smaller version of Potala Palace built in Shigatse at the Dzong/ Fort is also beautiful to see from the outside.
Local Market in Shigatse is also a great option for Travelers who are spending 1-2 full days in Shigatse.
Few important monasteries near Shigatse include Ngor monastery, Phuntsokling monastery, and Bon Monastery Yungdrungling.
Gyantse Town
Around 90km from Shigatse, the beautiful town Gyantse is located. The main sightseeing in Gyantse town is the Kumbum Stupa with 100 thousand images of Buddha's and Palkor Choede Monastery built during the 12th-14th century.
Gyantse Dzong or Fort is also a great option to see the whole view of Gyantse from the Top of the hill.
The few other sightseeings located around 200km from Gyantse are Yamdrok Lake and Karo La Glacier. The few important monasteries include Samding nunnery and Ralung Monastery.
Tingri Town
One of the most popular towns in Southern Tibet is the Tingri Town. Tingri is also my hometown and I feel blessed that I was born in such a precious place. Many great Spiritual Masters including Je Milarepa, Maha Guru Rinpoche, and Pa Dampa Sangay have blessed people in Tingri for many centuries.
Mount Everest North and East Face Base Camp
They are actually two Towns named Tingri. One is Old Tingri and another is New Tingri. Travelers who are traveling to Mount Everest North or East Face have to travel through New Tingri, which is around 10km from Pelber town. Around 240km from Shigatse and around 100km from Mount Everest North Face Base Camp.
Mount Everest East Face is located in the Karta village, around 150km from New Tingri. It is popular for Travelers who love Trekking.
Mount Everest North Face is located around 8km from the highest monastery in the world Rongbuk monastery. Rongbuk monastery is around 90km from New Tingri.
Every year around 90 percent of the Travelers is traveling to Mount Everest North Face Base Camp. Nowadays there is already a paved road until around 4km before Mount Everest Base Camp. Tibet Travelers arranges many different types of tours to Mount Everest North Face Base Camp.
Photo: Yamdrok Lake
Sakya Town
Once Sakya was central in Tibet, Sakya town is also famous for Sakya Monastery. The monastery is rich in spirituality, the colors of the walls are dark blue, red, and white, symbolizing the Compassion Buddha Chenresig as white, Wisdom Buddha Manjushri as red, and Power Buddha Chagna Dorjee as dark blue.
Kyirong Town
Before all the Travelers who are traveling to Nepal via overland from Tibet are traveling from Zhangmu Border but Zhangmu border was affected by the Earthquake happened a few years ago in Nepal.
2017, August 28th Kyirong Town border between Nepal was officially open for Travelers around the world, which is great news for both Travelers and Travel agencies. On the way to Kyirong town, Travelers can visit Phikutso lake and see the view of Mount Shishapangma (the only mountain above 8000m fully planted in Tibet) Other mountains including Mount Everest is located on the border of Tibet and Nepal.
Above are the important highlights of sightseeing located in Southern Tibet. Tibet Travelers arrange 3 different types of tours to Southern Tibet. Travelers can visit the Tibet Travelers link for 3 different types of tours in Tibet to choose a tour to Tibet.
1. Private Tour
2. Group Tour
3. Customized Tour
Tibet Travelers will also do their best to share more information on Southern Tibet in our future articles.
For Tibet Travel free information or booking a tour to Tibet, Email Tibet Travelers at info@tibettravelers.com
Dec 29, 2017