Tibet, a rich and beautiful land, is located at the main part of Qinghai-Tibet plateau, south-West frontier of China. Tibet borders with Sichuan, Yuannan, Qinghai And Xinjiang; to the south contiguous to India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan and Burma, and bounded by Kashmir on the west.
When the word Tibet is mentioned something icy chils the readers' nerves. In fact it snows only once or twice in a year and owing to the perpetuity of bright sunshine, it is not at all cold during the daytime even in the coldest of the winter. Tibet is so sunny that it produces a year-round sunshine of over 3,000 hours in a year. Its old name-"land of snow" - the name by which Tibet is almost popilary known as, is always thickly covered with snow with hardly any signs Of inhabitation. In fact, it is correct only when it is referred to the world greatest ranges located in Ima, the Tisi, and like. These ranges, run by leaps and bounds across the country showing their beautiful snow covered peaks against the bluest of skies.The main places which are famous for tour are mention in below:

 

Potala Palace

Standing on the Red Hill on Beijing C. Road, Lhasa, the Potala Palace is the highest of its kind in the world, at an altitude of 3,700 meters. The place was first build in 17th Century and was damaged in 18th Century. Destroyed by lightning and war, Potala Palace has been rebuilt by the Fifth Dalai Lama in 1645. Since, then Potala Palace has become the seat of Dalai Lamas and also the political center of Tibet. The Thirteenth Dalai Lama extended it to the present size, 117 meters (384 ft.) in height and 360 meters (1,180 ft.) in width, covering an area of more than 130,000 sq. meters (about 32 acres). Mainly comprised by White Palace (Administerial building) and Red Palace (Religious building), Potala Palace is famous for its grand buildings, complicated constructions, devotional atmosphere and splendid artworks. It has been recognised as the World Heritage site by UNESCO. Some of them even say that the Potala Palace is worthy enough to place in the list of wonders of the world. Being one of the oldest structures of Tibet, Potala Palace has become the most visited monument in Tibet.

Sojourn to this paradise, so mighty, so divine and absolute sceneric. The words here are just the mere reflection of what you are going to see in this one of a kind marvel. Potala Palace has everything in it that will make you think, is there any better place on the face of earth.

(Open Hours: 9:00-12:00 As it opens only for three hours a day, it is better for you to arrive little earlier. On Monday, Wednesday and Firday, more places of this Palace are opened for the visitors. Entrance fee is 70 Yuan, but only 50 Yuan on Sundays. Picture taking inside the halls cost 40-150 yuan. )

Sera Monastery

At the foot of the Wuze Hill in Sera to the north of Lhasa, the Sera Monastery is one of the three great monasteries in Lhasa and one the six great monasteries of the Gelug Sect of Buddhism in Tibet. It was built by one of disciples of Zonggaba in 1419. On 27th of the 12th month of the Tibetian calender, the monastery holds the grand Sera Bungchen Festival, which attracts flocks of Buddhists and others. The monastery was named Sera which means wild rose in the Tibetan language, because the hill behind it was covered with wild roses in bloom when the monastery was built.

The monastery is magnificient and covers an area of 114,946 square meters (28 acres.) Its main buildings are the Conqen Hall, Zhacang (college) and Kamcun (dormitory). Scriptures written in gold powder, fine statues, scent cloth and unparalleled mural can be found in these halls. Colorful debates on Buddhist doctrines are held here and thes employ a style distinctive from those at Lhasa's other famous monasteries. during Shoton Festival which runs from June 30 to July 6 in the Tibetian calender (approximately August in the Gregorian calender) the Buddha-Unfolding Festival is held. This is a fantastic occasion to worship the Buddha which is open to both locals and tourists. The only celestial burial place in Lhasa is on the hill behind the Sera Monastery. However, visitors are not permitted to witness a celestial burial due to the local customs.

(Entrance fee is 35 Yuan. Open Hours : 9:00-16:00)

Drepung Monastery

On the slope of the Wuze Hill in the Genbi five kilometers northwest of Lhasa, there lies a beutiful monastery, Drepung Monastery which was built in 1416 and is the largest of the monasteries of the Gelug Sect. It covers an area of 250,000 square meters. In its heyday, it had more than 10,000 monks. The monastery has trained a large group of talents for Tibetian Budhhism. The Fifth Dalai Lama lived here before he moved to the Potala Palace. It houses plenty of historical and cultural relics and Buddhist classics. In the exciting Shoton Festival, " Sunning the Buddha" by the monastery has been one of the most magnificient religious activities in Tibet.

Seen from afar, its grand, white construction gives the monastery the appearance of the heap of rice. As such, it was given the name "Drepung Monastery" which in Tibetian Langugae means Monastery of Collecting-Rice.

(Entrance fee is 35 Yuan. Open Hours" 9:00-16:00. Photo taking costs 20 Yuan in each hall)

Jokhang Monastery

Included on UNESCO's World Heritage list in 2000 as part of the Potala Palace, the Jokhang Monastery (Temple), located in the center of the ancient city of Lhasa, was built in the seventh century by Songtsan Gampo, the Tang Princess Wen Cheng and Nepalese Princess Bhrikuti. Its four-storey main building demonstrates a combination of the Han, Tibetian, Indian and Nepalese architectural styles, as well as a mandala world outlook of Buddhism. With the Hall of Amitayus Sutra as its center, the monastery symbolises the nuclear of the universe. The Hall of Sakyamuni is the essence of the Monastery.

With an area of 25,100 square meters (about 6 acres), it is the ultimate destination for the Tibetan Pilgrims and the tourists.

(Open hours: 9:00-16:00. The entrance fee is 5 Yuan. Photos can be taken in front of the monastery and on the top floor. Photos are charged inside the halls, which varies from different halls. It is unkindly to take pictures of Tibetan who stretch thier body forward to pay thier respects to the Buddha in front of them.)

Norbulingka - The Summer Palace

Norbulingka Palace, situated in the west side of Lhasa is just around a km southwest of Potala Palace. Norbulingka meaning "Treasure Park" covers an area of around 360,000 sq. meter and considered to be the biggest man made garden in Tibet. You will amazed to know that there are more than 370 rooms insied its premises. It is called summer Palace because after the 7th Lama, Dalai Lama used to visit here during summers to hold religious and government related activities. As a part of "Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace", UNESCO added Norbulingka in its list of World Heritage site.

Coming to Norbulingka is nothing less than a perfect excursion in the lap of the nature. In this beautiful and serene environment, brimming with the fragrance of fresh flowers, dotted with magnificient historical palaces, each one of you has something to look forward too.

(It can be reached on foot from the city center or take mini-bus and get off at the College of Tibetian Medicines shop. Also it costs four youn by tricycle. The entrance fee is 35 Yuan. Open Hours: 9:30-18:00 and closed on Sundays.)

Bharkhor Street

Bharkhor Street is the shopping street around the Jokhang Monastery. Being 500 meters long, it is also a way aong which the pilgrims walk aroung the monastery while turning prayer wheels in thier hands.It is the oldest city in Lhasa and also traditional. It is a place where Tibetian culture, economy, religion and arts assemble and a place to which a visit must be paid.

(Tourists should walk clockwise as pilgrims do. While buying articles you should choose the best and cheaper one after comparision and bargaining.)

Tashi Lhunpo Monastery

Tashi Lhunpo Monastery is one of the Six Big Monasteries of Gelugpa (Yellow Hat Sect) in Tibet. Also called the Heap of Glory, the monastery is located at the foot of the Drolmari Mountain at Shigatse, the second largest city of Tibet.

From the entrance of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, you can see the grand buildings with the golden roofs and white walls. The remarkable Thanka Wall was built by the First Dalai Lama in 1468 and displays the image of Buddha on the 14th, 15th and 16th of May every year following the Tibetan Lunar Calender. The images are so homongous that one can easily recognise them from the Shigatse City. The biggest building of the Monastery, the Maitreya Chapel is located at the west side of Tashi Lhunpo. Inside of it a huge Buddha statue is positioned. It measures 26.2m in height and is decorated with gold, copper, pearl, amber, coral, diamond and other precious stones. It is one of the best Monasteries of Tibet and it revels the history and culture of Tibet.

 

Great Kumbum Stupa and Palkhor Monastery

Located 230 kms south of Lhasa and 100 kms east of Shigatse at the foot of Dzong Hill in Gyantse, the reknowned Palkhor Monastery is different to others in Tibet, its architecture combining stupa and temple, with temples in the stupa and vice versa. The harmony of this style is undeniable, with each bringing out the best in each other. Its styles dates from the typical of the 13th to 15th centuries and there are three schools of Buddhism (Sakys, Gedang and Gelugpa) that exist hamoniously within this monastery.

It is famous for its Kumbum, a great magnificient stupa and the symbol of the monastery and one of only 3 in existance and which dates from 1436. The Kumbum here at Gyantse is three dimensional mandala, a representation of Buddhist universe and is, like other madalas, portrayed by a circle within a square. This enable a devotee to participate in the Buddhist perception of the universe and can show the path through it; a very powerful Buddhist symbol.

This stupa consists of hundreds of chapels arranged in layers, housing some 100,000 images of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Vajras, Dharma Kings, Arhats and disciples of the different schools from throughout Tibetan Buddhist History; there are some 3,000 statues in total.