Lonely Planet Publications

Contents
On the Road

Tibet Highlights

Destination Tibet

12

Preface

14

Getting Started

15

Itineraries

19

Snapshot

26

History

27

The Culture

46

Tibetan Buddhism

62

Food & Drink

76

Environment

81

Gateway Cities

87

KATHMANDU
Information
Dangers & Annoyances
Sights
Sleeping
Eating
Shopping
Getting There & Away

87
87
87
89
89
90
90
90

Getting Around
CHENGDU
Information
Sights
Sleeping
Eating
Entertainment
Shopping
Getting There & Away
Getting Around

Lhasa
History
Orientation
Information
Sights
Activities
Walking Tours
Festivals & Events
Sleeping
Eating
Drinking
Entertainment
Shopping
Getting There & Away
Getting Around
AROUND LHASA
Drepung Monastery
Nechung Monastery
Sera Monastery
Pabonka Monastery
Ganden Monastery
Drak Yerpa
Drlma Lhakhang
Shugsheb Nunnery

NORTHERN
Tsurphu Monastery
Nam-Tso
Lhundrub Valley
Talung Monastery
Reting Monastery
Road to Drigung
Til Monastery
Drigung Til Monastery

90
91
91
91
91
94
94
94
94
94

95
97
98
98
101
117
117
119
119
123
124
125
125
126
128
128
129
132
133
135
137
140
140
141

143
144
144
147
150
151
151
152
162

10

CONTENTS

Tidrum Nunnery
YARLUNG TSANGPO
VALLEY
Gongkar
Dorje Drak Monastery
Drak Yangdzong
Dongphu Chukhor
Monastery
Dranang Monastery
& Valley
Mindroling Monastery
Samye Monastery
Around Samye
Namseling Manor
Tsetang
Yarlung Valley
Chongye Valley
Lhamo La-Tso

Tsang
Yamdrok-Tso
Ralung Monastery
Gyantse
Around Gyantse
Yungdrungling
Monastery
Shigatse
Around Shigatse
Phuntsoling Monastery
& Jonang Kumbum
Sakya
Lhatse
Around Lhatse
Baber & Shegar
Everest Region
Tingri
Around Tingri
Nyalam
Nyalam to Zhangmu
Zhangmu (Dram)

Western Tibet
(Ngari)
Southern Route
Northern Route
Ali
Lake Manasarovar
Tirthapuri Hot Springs
& Kora
Guge Kingdom
Dungkar & Piyang

163
163
164
165
166
166
167
167
168
171
173
173
175
177
178

180
181
184
184
189
190
190
198
200
201
204
205
205
206
210
210
211
212
212

215
219
221
224
229
231
232
237

Rutok Xian
Western Nepal to
Mt Kailash

Eastern Tibet
(Kham)

237

279
279

238

Trekking

241

Medro Gongkar to
Kongpo Gyamda
Kongpo Gyamda
Draksum-Tso
Bayi
Around Bayi
Nyingtri to Pomi
Pomi
Pomi to Rawok
Rawok
Around Rawok
Rawok to Pasho (90km)
Pasho
Pasho to Chamdo
Chamdo
Chamdo to Riwoche
Riwoche
Riwoche Tsuglhakhang
Riwoche to Tengchen
Tengchen
Tengchen to Sok
Sok
Sok to Nagchu
Nagchu
Nagchu to Lhasa

245
245
247
248
250
251
253
254
254
254
255
255
256
257
260
260
261
262
262
263
264
264
264
265

Overland Routes
from Sichuan

Around Batang
Batang to Pomda

267

Permits
Kangding (Dartsedo)
THE NORTHERN ROUTE
Tagong (Lhagong)
Tagong to Ganzi
Ganzi
Ganzi to Derge
Derge
Derge to Chamdo
THE SOUTHERN ROUTE
Litang
Around Litang
Daocheng (Dabpa)
Yading Nature Reserve
Batang

268
268
270
270
271
271
272
273
274
275
275
276
277
277
278

PLANNING
When to Trek
What to Bring
Maps
Trekking Agencies
Permits
ON THE TREK
Guides & Pack Animals
Food
Drink
TREKKING ROUTES
Ganden to Samye
Tsurphu to Yangpachen
Shalu to Nartang
Everest Base Camp
to Tingri
Mt Kailash Kora
Nyenchen Tanglha
Traverse
MORE TREKS
Lake Manasarovar Kora
Everest East Face

Directory
Accommodation
Activities
Bathhouses
Business Hours
Children
Climate Charts
Courses
Customs
Dangers & Annoyances
Embassies & Consulates
Festivals & Events
Gay & Lesbian Travellers
Holidays
Insurance
Internet Access
Legal Matters
Maps
Money
Permits
Photography & Video
Post
Shopping

281
282
282
282
283
283
285
285
285
286
287
288
288
292
296
299
302
308
311
311
312

313
313
314
315
315
315
316
316
316
317
317
318
319
320
320
320
320
321
321
323
324
325
325

 Lonely Planet Publications

C O N T E N T S 11

Solo Travellers
Telephone
Time
Toilets
Tourist Information
Travellers With Disabilities
Visas
Volunteer
Women Travellers

Transport
GETTING THERE &
AWAY GATEWAY
CITIES
Entering the Country
Air
GETTING THERE
& AWAY TIBET
Air
Land
GETTING AROUND
Bicycle
Bus
Car
Hitching

326
326
326
326
326
327
327
329
329

330
330
330
330
333
333
335
341
342
343
343
344

Local Transport
Tours

344
345

346

Health

BEFORE YOU GO
346
Insurance
346
Recommended
Vaccinations
346
Medical Checklist
347
Internet Resources
348
Further Reading
348
IN TRANSIT
348
Deep Vein Thrombosis
(DVT)
348
Motion Sickness
348
IN TIBET
348
Availability & Cost of Health
Care
348
Infectious Diseases
349
Travellers Diarrhoea
350
Environmental Hazards
351
Womens Health
355
Tibetan Medicine
355

Language

357

Glossary

365

The Authors

371

Behind the Scenes

373

Index

376

World Time Zones

383

Map Legend

384

Western Tibet
(Ngari)
p217

p145
Eastern Tibet
(Kham)
p244
Lhasa p96
Tsang pp182-3