| Tibet is most unusual and beautiful place. The majority of its land rests above 4000 meters and is surrounded by mountain ranges on three sides. The awe- inspiring Himalayas are the highest in the world, as is the never-ending Tibetan plateau. It is a place for the rugged adventurers as well as the spiritual wanderers.
Tibet is a land held back in time, housing many secrets. Nomads remain much the same as they did one hundred years ago. Roaming around the plateau from winter and summer camps the nomads still mainly subsist from their yak herds. Then there are the monasteries, which are striving to find a place in a country that's suddenly facing the 21st century.
The Tibetan people and their religion have been inseparable. Even in their earliest myths one finds references to Tibetan religious beliefs. Originally, the bon religion dominated Tibet. After the introduction of Buddhist statues and later, Sanskrit document from India, Buddhism crept increasingly into Tibetan culture. Tibetan Buddhism is the culmination of some early Bon beliefs, Indian Buddhist texts and several great Lamas. Buddhism and politics had been interwoven since King Songtsen Gampo married a Chinese and a Nepali Princess, who were both integral in the emergence of Buddhism. It was the Fifth Dalai Lama who built the Potala Palace as the government seat and religious center. A theocracy had prevailed until 1951.
After centuries of virtual isolation Tibet is cautiously opening up to the western world.
Officially, China has only opened the doors for travelers these past few years. A visit to Tibet is an incredible experience, although it is not for the faint- hearted. The traveling is difficult and unpredictable. The infrastructure is poor to non- existent, therefore turning a regular tour into a complete adventure. Traveling in Tibet is not your average trip but an experience of the lifetime, which we invite you to take with us.
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