Our trip to Tibet

Nさんがチベットの旅行記を書いてくれました。鉄道での旅行、ぜひ行ってみたい場所のひとつです!


Do you know where Tibet is?
I went on a trip to Tibet with my friends last year. We flew to Xining in China by plane and we got on the Tibetan railway from there. The railway is famous for running at an altitude of 5,072 meters, which is the world’s highest point on a railway. Interestingly, there are air intake holes everywhere in the train to help passengers not to get high altitude disease. We admired the view from the train and enjoyed meals in the dining car.

After 20 hours’ trip in the train, we arrived at Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. Tibet has a World Heritage Site which is called Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa. The heritage site includes Jokhang Temple and Norbulingka in addition to the Potala Palace.
Potala Palace is the grand head of Tibetan Buddhism. In the palace, successive Dalai Lamas who were supreme leaders of Tibetan Buddhism held religious events and dealt with political matters. The palace was full of majestic atmosphere.
Jokhang Temple is the oldest wooden temple in Lhasa. In front of it, we saw many pilgrims throwing down their whole bodies repeatedly to show utmost respect.
Norbulingka has been known as the summer palace where successive Dalai Lamas stayed in summer. Over two centuries, each Dalai Lama built or added to the palace complex. The palace for the 14th Dalai Lama was open to the public. There were a lot of nature and people enjoyed picnics in the park around Norbulingka. I felt at ease. I forgot to take pictures of Norbulingka, sorry!
Besides the World Heritage Site, there are many excellent places in Tibet such as Yamdrok Lake and the Tibetan plateau.
How about adding Tibet to your list of places to visit after the COVID-19 situation is over?