Tibet Vista's Top 8 Places to Travel in 2020

As we begin the new year of 2020, it is time to look at what we are expecting
to be the top tourist hotspots of the year in Tibet. While more of the plateau
region of Tibet is being explored by tourists every year, we still believe that
the top three tourist destinations for 2020 will be Mount Everest Base Camp,
Mount Kailash in Ngari Prefecture, and the stunning Tibetan capital of Lhasa.

However, we want to recommend that you also try and visit the more outlying
areas of Tibet, and get out to the off the beaten track destinations that can
give you a much more interesting view of Tibet and its unique culture. So if
you are thinking of taking a trip to Tibet in 2020, then why not try some of
our more unusual destinations to give you a much more authentic Tibetan
cultural experience.

Most Popular Tourist Destinations in Tibet Tour

2020
Mount Kailash and Manasarovar Lake

Always one of the most popular destinations in Tibet, the world’s most sacred
mountain is one of the most unique Tibetan experiences ever. Lying in the far
west of Tibet, in Ngari Prefecture close to the borders with Nepal and India,
this ancient sacred site is said to have been the site of a battle of magic
between the Buddhist sage Milarepa and the Bon magician Naro Bon-Chung.

While the mountain may never have felt the tread of mortal feet (Milarepa is
not counted as mortal), the kora route around the base of the mountain has
felt millions of footsteps tread its course. Noted as one of the most sacred
pilgrimage destinations in the world, and the most arduous trek in Tibet, the
hike around the mountain is one of major achievement, whether you are
Buddhist pilgrim or international tourist.

Lake Manasarovar, just to the south of the sacred mountain, is also a sacred
site in Ngari, and is believed to have been the place where Buddha Gautama
was conceived. Sacred also in Hinduism, the lake is believed to be able to
wash away the sins of an entire lifetime, and many come to drink its waters
and bathe in the lake.

Mount Everest Base Camp

No visit to Tibet is ever complete without a trip to the most iconic site on the
planet, the Everest Base Camp (EBC) in Tibet. The first of the base camps to
be set up at the foot of the world’s highest mountain, EBC in Tibet is the only
base camp that has direct views of the summit of Mount Everest. And at
5,150 meters above sea level, is often the highest many tourists will ever
reach in Tibet.

Thousands of travelers every year descend on this amazing site, and the base
camp has a wider variety of attractions that just the view. As well as being
able to send a postcard from the world’s highest post office, you can also visit
the renowned Rongbuk Monastery, said to be the official highest Buddhist
monastery in the world and the place where Sherpa Tensing was given his
name.

Lhasa City of Sunshine

Renowned as the City of Sunshine for its inordinate amount of sunshine hours
throughout the year, Lhasa is the capital of this ancient land, and was
founded as the capital of the Tibetan Empire in the 7 th century by King
Songtsen Gampo. Home to a huge number of attractions for both tourists and
pilgrims alike, this ancient capital is one of the best places to visit in Tibet,
Tour the sacred Jokhang Temple and walk the kora around Barkhor Street
with the Buddhist pilgrims; climb up the many steps to the Potala Palace and
see the former home of the Dalai Lama; and visit the Gelug monasteries of
Sera and Drepung, two of the most famous monasteries in Tibet.

Make In-depth Travel More Flexible: Group Tour +

Authentic Tibetan Experience in 2020

If you are looking at taking a Group Tour to save money, but want to
experience some of the more unique aspects of Tibetan travel, then we can
suggest a new idea to help you realize your dreams. Now, you can travel on a
Small group Tour to save money, but add on additional day trips to other
places not part of the tour, to reduce the cost of your travel in Tibet.

Ganden Paradise Hike with Tsubshi Village Family Visit

One of the best short hikes in Tibet, the trek around the famous Ganden
Monastery, with its visit to the small traditional Tsubshi Village, is an awesome
experience of traditional Tibetan life and living. One of the Great Three
monasteries of the Gelug tradition, Ganden offers you one of the most scenic
views in Tibet. Sitting on the side of Wangbur Mountain, the trek around the
monastery kora route gives you some of the most amazing views on the
plateau.

And after taking on the kora hike, which normally takes just a couple of
hours, you can drive back down the hill to the beautiful and traditional
Tsubshi Village. The village is a perfect example of the traditional way of life
that many of the smaller villages and townships in Tibet still live in, and is a
unique opportunity to learn more about rural life in Tibet. And you can sit and
talk to the locals through your guide, as well as break bread with them to
taste the typical Tibetan dishes of the rural people.

Drak Yerpa Meditation with Light Trek and Picnic

The Drak Yerpa Monastery, lying on the steep cliffs above the Drak Yerpa
Valley, is located by one of the most sacred cave hermitage sites in Tibet,
once used by both Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) and his consort, Yeshe
Tsogyal, the Indian sage Atisha, and the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo. The
monastery was actually commissioned by the king’s Tibetan wife, and the trek
up through the complex of caves that cover the hillside above the monastery
is a reward in itself for the 2km climb.

There are a huge number of caves in the cliff face, and while there are
believed to be 108 in total, an auspicious number in Tibetan Buddhism, only
ten are open to the public. From the Rigsum Gompo Cave and the Demdril
Drubpuk to the yellow Jamkhang, the Drubthub-a, and the Chögyal-puk, you
will be filled with a sense of ethereal wonder and serenity, and truly
understand the reason these caves were popular as meditation retreats.
Pabonka to Sera Utsé Trek with the Discovery of Hidden Buddhists’
Life

One of the most enthralling short treks in Tibet, the hike from the Pabonka
Monastery to the Sera Utsé hermitage is an amazing way to explore the many
hermitage sites and nunneries in the area. Covering a distance of only 11kmm
which can be done in around 7-8 hours, you can start the trek with a visit the
toe monastery where the first written Tibetan alphabet was formed, and visit
the meditation caves below.

The hike takes you on from Pabonka to Tashi Chöling Hermitage, a 7 th century
hermitage, and then on to the Takten Nunnery, hidden under the peak of the
small mountain. From the small isolated nunnery, you continue on to the Sera
Utse Hermitage, sitting high on the cliff above the famous Sera Monastery.
One of the most favored hermitage retreats of Tsongkhapa, Sera Utse gives
you some of the most beautiful sweeping views out over the City of Sunshine.

Big Loop of Lhasa Outskirts with Cozy Hot Springs & Bird-watching

An awesome tour that takes you to some of the lesser-visited places around
Lhasa, this is a great opportunity to get down into the real essence of Tibetan
life and explore some of the places that are more remote in the area. The
tour takes you to some amazing places, including the Drigung Til Monastery, a
Kagyu Monastery with a popular Sky-Burial site nearby; the beautiful Dezong
Hot Springs, one of the most popular hot springs in Lhasa for locals; and the
ancient Reting Monastery, founded in the 11th century by a disciple of Atisha.

You also stop to visit the beautiful Yangpachen Hot Springs, with its stunning
location in the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains to the north of Lhasa city; the
Chimelong Nunnery, also known as the Phyirmil Lung Nunnery, one of the
most remote in Lhasa; Tsurphu Monastery, the traditional seat of the Karma
Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, founded in the 12th century; and the
beautiful Shongse Nunnery.

Shalu to Nartang Trek with the Exploration of Old Trade Route

The famous Shalu to Nartang Trek takes you through some of the beautiful
countryside around Shigatse in a loop trek that takes just two days. The trek
starts at the beautiful Shalu Monastery, the seat of the Buton Rinchendrub,
one of the great masters who helped translate the Buddhist texts from
Sanskrit to Tibetan.

Crossing several high passes, as well as visiting the villages of Phunup and
Ngor, as well as the Ripu Hermitage and the stunning Ngor Monastery, this
26km trek is an awesome experience.

Conclusion
With many out-of-the-way places to visit in Tibet, just in the area around
Lhasa, you have the chance to take a closer look at Tibetan lifestyles and the
unique culture of the plateau people. These add-ons that you can tack onto a
classic Lhasa tour make for great opportunities to explore more of Tibet
without having to spend lots for a private tour. So why not treat yourself in
2020 to an awesome and inspiring tour of Tibet, the land at the Roof of the
World.