Lhasa to Shegar Tibet - 2
We loved our 4-wheel drive journey from Lhasa to Shegar. We could meet local people, get a sense of how Tibetans lived their daily life and just get into the peaceful pulse of Tibetan living. Major sites included:
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the huge turquoise Yamdrok Tso Lake and its amazing flowers
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the gorgeous Karo La Glacier and its 5,200 metre pass
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Gyantse's octagonal Kumbum Chorten
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Shegatse's Tashi Lhunpo Monastery
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local streets and sights as you journey round
Lhasa to Gyantse
There are a lot of scenic sites between Lhasa and Gyantse.
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First stop: the beautiful Yarlung Tsampo River that flows through the gorge of the same name: one of the longest in the world and little explored. The river flows into India where it is known as the sacred Brahmaputra .
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Next stop: Karo La Pass at 5,200 metres and the accompanying impressive Karo La Glacier. It's worth stopping here to marvel at this amazing site and check out the bird life.
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Finally, stop at Yamdrok Tso turquoise lake. It's so big you can stop more than once. Each time, the views and biodiversity are amazing. Botanists and biologists will have a field day with the amount of flora and fauna to be viewed.
Gyantse
Gyantse is charming. It has not been as much spoiled by tourism as Lhasa and is easy just to wander round and explore. The older streets round Kumbum Chorten are a delight, with calves and puppies in the cobbled streets and people going about their business.
The restaurants in Gyantse are also very good, specialising in vegetarian food and momos.
Kumbum Chorten
https://wondersoftibet.com/destinations/shigatse-and-gyantse/kumbum-stupa/
Kumbun Chorten is a delight, an octagonal chorten on four levels with rickety steps between each level and amazing views from the fourth level which is 35 metres high.
Built in 1427, the chorten has a dazzling array of wall paintings and statues, and according to the website listed above, has 108 cells and 75 chapels. There certainly seemed to be a lot according to what we saw. The statues, paintings and views combined were pretty magical.
The chorten is also the centre of a prayer circle (kora) so you can see local people with prayer wheels and beads practicing their daily meditation. If you are a Buddhist or a person who wants to learn more about Tibetan culture and belief, you may wish to join them.
Shigatse
Although not as pretty as Gynantse, Shigatse is an interesting place to visit and like Gyantse, is a lot more laid back than Lhasa.
Tashilumpho Monastery
Tashilunpho Monastery, home of the Panchen Lamas, is here, with its many treasures. Like Kumbum Chorten in Gyantse, it was built in 1427. It has suffered much during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, with the more than 5,000 monks being reduced to qbout 400.
Many areas of the monastery are off-limits in terms of photography although of course you can visit and observe them. Much of the complex is impressive as it has been restored.
Shegar
https://www.greattibettour.com/tibet-attractions/shegar-dzong-shegar-chode-monastery-592
Shegar is the start of many treks, including ours. There is a dzong you can visit if you have the time (we did not).
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