Vietnamese tourists visit Tibet, feel something special before the enchanting scenery

Tibet is located in the southwest of China. With an average altitude of more than 4,500m, it is known as the "roof of the world". Although it has an area of ​​more than 1.2 million km2, Tibet's population is only about 3.64 million people (in 2022, according to Statista).

In recent years, Tibet has become a popular tourist destination. However, to get there, in addition to having a Chinese visa, visitors must also apply for a separate permit to enter Tibet. Most visitors travel in groups organized by travel agencies.

Our group consisted of 14 people from many different professions such as businessmen, lawyers, doctors, etc. Thanks to Ms. Hai (the group leader) who had led 16 tourist groups to Tibet before, the visa and permit application were all carefully prepared.

Tibet is located at high altitude, so the temperature is cold and the air is thin. Therefore, physical preparation is also necessary. Before the trip, we were encouraged to run, practice yoga and meditate to quickly adapt to the harsh conditions on the plateau.

In mid-October, we set off for Tibet. After taking an afternoon flight from Noi Bai Airport (Hanoi) to Tianfu Airport (Chengdu, China), we stayed overnight at a hotel near the airport in the evening to fly to Lhasa early the next morning.

The plane landed in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, at 11am. The airport is located in a valley, surrounded by rocky mountains. The sky is blue and clear. Although the sun is a bit harsh, the daytime temperature is only about 5 degrees Celsius, ideal for exploring this land.

Pema, our Tibetan guide, greeted us at the exit with open arms and a bright smile. He draped a traditional white khata over each of our shoulders as a gesture of hospitality and best wishes for the group.

The massive Potala Palace

After visiting some places near the accommodation, we went to Potala Palace. This is a symbolic building that visitors to Lhasa should not miss. The palace was built by King Songsten Gampo in 637 on the slopes of Potolaka Mountain at an altitude of 3,700m above sea level.

The palace consists of two parts: the White Palace and the Red Palace, of which the Red Palace is the place for religious activities.

The palace has large sloping walls with flat roofs of varying heights, interspersed with long rows of windows. To the south of the palace is a large open space surrounded by walls and doors, inside of which are massive arched gates. A series of internal stairs lead to the top of the hill.

The inner palace consists of many buildings located in a large quadrangle. The central building in this part stands out with its deep red color, making it easily distinguishable from the rest, so it is called the Red Palace. There are halls, halls, chapels, and temples.

There are also rich decorative paintings, with jewelry, carvings and other decorative works. After many ups and downs, the Potala still preserves about 700 murals and 10,000 Thangka paintings.

As I entered the Potala Palace, I felt like I was standing in front of a living piece of Tibetan history. The murals, Thangkas, and grand architecture left me in awe of the ingenuity and solemnity that this place holds.

From here, looking out at the surrounding mountains, I feel the sacred connection between people and nature in this place.

Leaving the Potala Palace, we visited Lhasa's famous tourist attractions such as Drepeng and Sera Monasteries. Both are among the largest monasteries in Tibet.

Emerald green "silk ribbon"

Saying goodbye to Lhasa, we drove to Gyantse. Despite its large area and sparse population, the roads in Tibet are well-maintained. The main roads are paved smoothly. However, the roads have many curves and constant elevation changes, so tourists can easily get carsick.

Yamdrok Lake, located about 100km southwest of Lhasa, on the way from Lhasa to Gyantse, is one of the four largest sacred lakes in Tibet. The lake lies in a natural depression formed by glaciers millions of years ago at an altitude of 4,440m above sea level.

Yamdrok Lake stretches over 72km with an average depth of 20-40m, the deepest point is 60m. The lake also has dozens of small islands. Seen from afar, the lake has a very special emerald green color, like a silk strip hanging loosely on the mountainside.

When Yamdrok Lake appeared before my eyes, I was mesmerized by the color of the lake surface. Standing in the vast space, where the sky and the earth almost merged into one, I felt so small. My mind seemed to be "liberated" from daily worries, I let my soul drift with the cool breeze from the lake surface.

There are many species of fish living in the lake, but Tibetans do not catch them, because they believe fish are the embodiment of the water god.

West of Yamdrok Lake is one of the most pristine glaciers in Tibet, the Karola Glacier. Nearby are permanently white glacial peaks.

Tolerance and compassion

Leaving Yamdrok, we continued west to the city of Shigatse, home to the Tashilunpo monastery. Located on the slopes of Drolmari Hill, 250km west of Lhasa, the monastery was built in 1447 by Gedun Drupa, the first Dalai Lama.

This is one of the largest monasteries in Tibet and probably the most beautiful one we have visited here. The whole monastery complex consists of many stupas and buildings built into the mountainside.

To the west of the monastery is the Maitreya Buddha tower built in 1914. It houses the world's largest Maitreya Buddha statue, measuring 26.2m in height, cast and decorated with 279kg of gold, 15,000kg of copper and many precious stones.

The monastery complex has many ancient buildings, visitors can leisurely stroll around and admire them all day without getting bored. Every now and then, we come across monks discussing scriptures under the ancient willow tree or young monks walking around helping with the monastery's work.

Tashilunpo Monastery gives me a feeling of grandeur, majesty and peace. Looking at the giant and intricately carved Maitreya Buddha, I feel tolerance and compassion.

Around the sacred mountain Kailash

Leaving Shigatse, we continued our journey to Mount Kailash, the main destination of this trip. The mountain is located in the West of Tibet, about 1,200km from Lhasa with an altitude of 6,638m above sea level. This mountain is considered the abode of gods and a place of spiritual enlightenment.

Here we have the journey of walking around (kora) this mountain. This is a pilgrimage in Tibetan Buddhism, it is believed that walking around Mount Kailash is a spiritually beneficial practice, can bring merit on the path to enlightenment.

The Kailash kora is done at an altitude of about 4,600-5,600m on steep terrain in oxygen-poor conditions. Most visitors choose to walk, a few ride horses, but only as far as Dromala Pass and back. Our kora took 2.5 days.

On the first day, from Darchen, a small town near Mount Kailash, we drove about 7km to the meeting point at Sarhung. Our sherpa was waiting for us. Our guide, Pema, always accompanied the slowest person in the group, ensuring that everyone got back to camp safely.

The first day we covered about 13km, up and downhill but not too steep. Along the way there was only dirt, rocks and ice on the streams. Below there were partially frozen streams. However, the cold and thin air made the walk much more tiring.

After about 5 hours of walking, we reached camp number 1 at Drirapuk around 4pm. The last people arrived at 5-5:30pm. At first we thought it was just a nomadic style tent camp, but it turned out to be more like a homestay with a brick dormitory.

In the evening, the whole group was given a pot of thin porridge by the inn. After dinner, the tour guide asked the whole group to go to bed immediately to regain strength for the next day. At night, the temperature dropped to -8 degrees Celsius. The thin air forced some members to use oxygen tanks because of difficulty breathing and headaches.

Journey of self-discovery

The next day was the hardest, with nearly half of the time spent climbing the pass. In order not to reach the second camp too late, the group set off at 5am while it was still dark. The moon was still shining, casting a dim light on the path, allowing everyone to observe the terrain better.

Along the road, there are mostly trails made by humans, winding through rocks of all sizes and shapes. In dangerous places, people have arranged rocks into small paths. The biggest obstacle is climbing Dromala Pass, which is more than 5,600m above sea level.

After climbing for 1-2 hours, most people felt exhausted. The many layers of snow gear and the cumbersome boots made their feet even heavier. Every 10-20 meters, the group had to stop and rest. At first, each person carried a small backpack, but later they had to ask Sherpas to carry it for them.

There were no houses or signs of human habitation along the road, but everywhere one could see neatly stacked mani stones beside the road, many of which were engraved with the mantra “Om Mani Padme Hum”, and any windy peak was fluttering with colorful flags.

At around 11am, the first group finally reached the top of Dromala Pass. All the tourists stopped at the top of the pass for a while to admire the whole view of the dangerous pass they had just conquered, and to see the colorful prayer flags hung by pilgrims all over the top of the pass.

After stopping at the top of the pass for about 15 minutes, we started going downhill. The road down was very steep and rocky. At the foot of the pass, it started to snow lightly. At 5pm we reached the second camp. By the end of the day, it started to snow heavily, blocking the way for those coming later.

The third day was the easiest day of the trip. The group leisurely had breakfast and then set off. Dawn in Tibet is very late, so at 7am it was still a bit dark. Today's journey was relatively flat, with a river along the way, some parts of which were frozen.

At around 10am the first group arrived at the stop. The driver was already waiting, the whole group sat sipping steaming cups of butter tea, waiting for the last people to arrive, the whole group took souvenir photos and said goodbye to the Sherpa to return to Lhasa, then return to Vietnam.

12 days is too short to experience a vast land like Tibet. During the trip, we also had the opportunity to visit many other attractions. Each destination left a deep impression on the landscape, culture, history, people and faith here.

The trip not only brings the experience of majestic natural scenery, but also an opportunity to challenge one's adaptability. This is also a journey deep inside the person to learn about himself, draw lessons about humility and harmony with nature.

We, without anyone telling each other, all longed for the opportunity to return to this land at least one more time to be able to experience more deeply the land, culture and people here.