Tibet is a captivating, isolated and autonomous region, located high in the Himalayas. It is situated 4,000 meters above the sea level that is the highest region in the world and hence it is often referred as the “Roof of the World”. This mysterious country is a land of great nature with stunning beauty of snowy surfaces, sky touching mountains, tranquil lakes, beautiful rivers and ancient culture. Tibet is enthusiastically visited by sight- seers from all over the world for the reason this place is still in the purest form and totally different from the rest of the world.
Lhasa is the Tibet’s capital and is considered as the heart of this country. This city is the political and economic center of Tibet. Most of the travelers start their trip from Lhasa only. The capital city has a numerous temples and palaces that make the visit to this place even more exciting and interesting. Some of the most popular and worth-visiting places in Lhasa are Potala Palace, Chamdo Region, Norbulinka Palace, Jokhang Temple, and Sera & Drepung Monasteries.
The Potala Palace– Potala Palace is known for its graceful buildings, splendid constructions, exquisite artworks, and devout religious atmosphere. It is located on the Red Hill of Lhasa, and is famous all over the world for its charming beauty and sacred religious environment.
Norbulinka Palace is surrounded by beautiful gardens in the western part of Lhasa. It is known as the summer palace of the Dalai Lama and it served as the traditional summer habitation of the successive of the Dalai Lama from 1780s to 1959. Now, Norbulinka is known as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Jokhang Temple, is a Buddhist temple that is located in Barkhor Square at the center of old Lhasa. It is considered as the spiritual hub of Tibet and is currently maintained by the Gelug school, though they accept worshipers from all sects of Buddhism.
Sera monastery is located 1.25 miles north of Lhasa, it is one of the great three Gelug monasteries of Tibet, the two others are Drepung and Ganden. Sera is 5 km north of the famous Buddhist temple, i.e. Jokhang temple. The sera monastery is responsible for some 19 hermitages, which includes four nunneries that are all sited in the foothills north of Lhasa. And, the Drepung Monastery is located at the bottom of mount Gephel on the Gambo Utse mountain, that is five kilometers from the west Lhasa.
The best time to travel to Tibet is from April to October as during this time the atmosphere is comparatively dry, warm, with bright sunlight and the clearest skies. The winters in Tibet are extremely cold and the roads are usually covered with snow, therefore most of the people prefer to visit Tibet in summers.