Mystical, magical, incomprehensible Tibet offers an overload on the senses: the gaspingly thin air; the overwhelming beauty of the world’s highest mountains; the haunting images of Buddhas, deities and demons; the intricate patterns of the colourful Tibetan art; the poignant devotion of the pilgrims circumambulating sacred images; the improbability of the ancient architectural wonders clinging to perilous hillsides; the tumultuous history of inaccessibility, mystery, struggles, determination and resilience. This is a country of extremes with one of the most adventurous, scenically stunning and physically demanding road trips in the world, as we followed the path from Tibet’s capital Lhasa, through gruelling conditions, past vast landscapes and glittering peaks, remote high altitude deserts, densely forested precipitous gorges and virtually unpopulated high altitude moor-land to the end of its borders and further towards the fabled city of Kathmandu.  

 

It was a journey of scenic and religious discovery, of many monasteries merging into one recollection of dazzling Boddhisatvas and Maitreyas, the scent of yak butter lamps permeating the air, the murmured chanting of Buddhist mantras emanating from the faithful, the niggles of the constant attention received from long-distance pilgrims to whom we were their first meeting with the outside world, the struggle for breath at the high altitude passes, the emotional turmoil upon my first glimpse of the Potala Palace.  It was the journey of all journeys with the thinnest air, the most treacherous road conditions, the most picturesque panoramas, the most intriguing and jumbled amalgamation of traditional and progressive existence and one of the most distressing and ambiguous political situations. It was the realisation of a long-standing ambition – the ultimate expedition teeming with life-long memories.

View of the Himalayas with Mount Everest in the background (with the cloud)

Yarlung Tsangpo Valley with the river of the same name

The fortress of Yumbu Lakhang, the oldest building in Tibet

The main prayer hall of Samye Monastery

Potala Palace, Lhasa

Pilgrims prostrating in front of Jokhang Temple, the most sacred shrine in Tibet

Pilgrims on the Barkhor Kora

Drepung Monastery

Pilgrims

Monks in the debating courtyard at Sera Monastery

Norboulinka Summer Palace, Lhasa

Yamdruk Tso Lake

A stunning setting for a picnic

Karo La Pass - 5,010 metres above sea level

The srtificial lake at Simi La

Cutting the grass with scissors

Kumbum Stupa Gyantse

Tibetan village

Weaving workshop

Inside a Tibetan home

The market in Gyantse

Gyantse fort

Tibetan children

Tashilumpo Monastery, Shigatse

Young monks of the Gelupa Sect

Yarlung Tsangpo River

The Himalayas

Sunrise over the Himalayas

Old Tingri

Somewhere behind those clouds lurks Mount Everest

Tingri Snowlands Restaurant - using yak dung and sheep droppings to heat the water

Tibetan woman with traditional turquoise jewellery

Tong La Pass. Cold, wet and windy

Yak plough

The village of Yarleb

Milarepa's Cave, the hermitage of one of Tibetan Buddhism's most famous saints

168 km of road works - is this the longest roadworks in the world?

The 1000 metre deep Bhote Khosi Valley - with our road clinging precariously to the side half way down.

Zhangmu

Friendship Bridge marks the borden between Tibet and Nepal and heralds the end of our amazing journey

This is singularly the most terrifying, spectacular, dramatic, thrilling, dangerous, breathtaking, exhilirating and perilous road trip we've ever undertaken. It was arranged through http://www.exodus.co.uk/ and we shared our journey with a fun bunch of people:

Jane & Clive

Inger & Nils

Richard, Margaret & Helen

Suzanne

Sarah

Richard

Dan & James

Ian

Graham

Prem (tour leader)

Yang Zoom (Tibetan Guide)

Sonam (Driver)