Lhasa is the capitol of Tibet, and is the normal starting point for most tours of the country. The Lhasa area has many outstanding attractions, including the amazing Potala Palace. This was the former palace of the Dalai Lama until 1949. The area from Lhasa to Lhatse may be accessed from either the Northern or Southern Friendship Highways, and crosses many 17,000 ft mountain passes with unforgettable views of the Tibetan landscape. The new Quinhai Railway that runs from Beijing to Lhasa is the world’s highest rail line, with oxygen pumped into the cars for the ten hours of the run in Tibet. If you visit Tibet, try to take the new train either into or out of Tibet if you can … for example, fly in and take the train out. That is better than the opposite, because the train to Lhasa arrives in the middle of the night, whereas the train leaves Lhasa at 9 a.m. In that way you do not miss seeing the spectacular mountain scenery from the train.
Lhasa is the largest city in Tibet (Shigatse is second), and has many local attractions for sightseeing and shopping. If you are setting out from Lhasa for Gyantse, Lhatse, Shigatse or points west, such as Everest, then plan on staying at least two nights in Lhasa to acclimate when you arrive. Even Lhasa is very high, but it is not as high as those other locations! You can easily buy personal oxygen bottles there, and this is recommended, even if you stay in Lhasa. If you fly from Lhasa to Beijing as I did, it is a shock to go from sea level to 12,000 feet when you step off the plane into Gonggar airport. It was a very similar experience to stepping off the plane in La Paz, Bolivia. A headache is almost guaranteed on the first evening.
Gallery Slideshow Photos for the Drive from Lhasa to Lhatse in Tibet:
*** NOTE: Click on “Show as Slideshow” to Display these Photos as a Slideshow at the Bottom of the Page. When the Slideshow Begins, place the Curser at the Bottom Center of the Photo to View the Slideshow Navigation Bar. The Title of each Slide is in the Center of the Navigation Bar. To Pause the Slideshow on a Photo, click on the Slide Number. To Mute and Unmute the Music, click on the Speaker Icon that is Second from the Right. To Display the Slideshow in the Full Screen Mode or in a Smaller Window, click on the Display Icon at the Far Right End of the Navigation Bar. To end the Slideshow click on “Show Picture List”.***