It is Tibet’s heartland and has almost all the landscapes you’ll find
across the plateau, from sand dunes and wide rivers to soaring peaks
and alpine forests. Due to its proximity to Lhasa, it is the first taste of
rural Tibet that most visitors experience, and exploring the region on
foot is thebest way to appreciate its scenery - fine walking opportunities
abound, from day hikes to overnight treks. It is also the traditional
power centre of Tibet, and home to its oldest buildings and most historic
monasteries. A thousand-year-old temple or hilltop fort seems to lie
around every bend in the road. Some of its best-known destinations are
crowded in high season, so consider getting off the beaten path ꡃ there
are endless valleys along the Yarlung Tsangpo river to explore. Head
up one and you’ll feel like you have Tibet all to yourself.
When to Go?
Pilgrims converge on Tsurphu in May/June to take part in a festival of
cham dancing, religious devotion and bouts of Tibetan-style drinking
games. Festival season at Samye Monastery comes in June/July. Take
part in the party then trek over the mountains to Ganden Monastery.
Serene Lake Nam-tso comes alive in September for an annual horse
festival. It’s a good time to see horse racing and horse games before
the cold sets in.
What to See?
With most of its major sights relatively close to Lhasa, and the rich
culture of this region, Central Tibet draws the crowds. This is no reason
to avoid it. The Tibetans trace the very birth of their nation to the valleys
of the Yarlung and Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra), in particular the
Monkey Cave above Tsetang. The nearby Yumbulagang Palace is
claimed as Tibet’s oldest building. Centuries later Guru Rinpoche
meditated at caves in Sheldak and Chimphu and battled demons on the
bank of the nearby Yarlung Tsangpo, before founding Tibet’s first
monastery at nearby Samye. It was from the Yarlung Valley that the
earliest Tibetan kings launched their 6th-century unification of the
plateau and it is in the nearby Chongye Valley that they lie buried.
It’s not all ancient history. With a gorgeous turquoise hue, Nam-tso, an
immense salt-water lake, is far and away the region’s most popular
natural attraction. The dramatic desert landscapes of the Yarlung
Tsangpo, Tibet’s most important river, are a surreal highlight.
Mysterious Lhamo La-tso, a hard-to-reach lake southeast of the capital,
is the only place where access remains a real challenge
See more at Tibet Travel
