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Tibet Photo Gallery - Best Photos, including Lhasa, Gyantse, Shigatse, Zhangmu, Nyalam, Tong La, and Tingri

I traveled to Tibet in 1993, 1998, 2005, 2006 and 2010.

Tibet Lhasa 02 04 Jokhang Outside Full View The Jokhang Temple is the spiritual centre of Tibet and destination of millions of Tibetan pilgrims. The Jokhang (or Jowokhang meaning 'chapel of the Jowo') Temple was founded sometime between 639 and 647 by King Songtsen Gampo. Pilgrims pass the front of the Jokhang Temple as they continue their Barkhor kora.

Tibet Lhasa 02 04 Jokhang Outside Full View

Tibet Lhasa 02 12 Jokhang Inside Jowo Shakyamuni The Chapel of Jowo Shakyamuni is the most important shrine in Tibet, housing a 1.5m sitting image of Shakyamuni at the age of 12. It is supposedly one of only three made during his lifetime. It was a gift from the Chinese Princess Wencheng to her husband King Songtsen Gampo. The Jowo sits on a majestic massive three-tiered stone platform. Two silver-plated dragons presented by the Chinese emperor entwine the ornate pillars that support an intricate double canopy over the Jowo. An ornate crown of coral, turquoise, diamonds, rubies, and other precious gems, sits on the Jowo’s head. Although there’s no photography allowed, here’s a photo from my 1993 trip. Note the photo of the current Dalai Lama, allowed in 1993 in a period of religious tolerance.

Tibet Lhasa 02 12 Jokhang Inside Jowo Shakyamuni

Tibet Lhasa 02 13 Charlotte Ryan, Dangles, Peter Ryan, Jerome Ryan On Jokhang Roof with Potala Behind Charlotte Ryan, Dangles, Peter Ryan, and Jerome Ryan on Jokhang roof with the Potala Palace behind.

Tibet Lhasa 02 13 Charlotte Ryan, Dangles, Peter Ryan, Jerome Ryan On Jokhang Roof with Potala Behind

Tibet Lhasa 03 02 Potala Palace The Potala Palace, perched high above Lhasa on the Marpori (red mountain), is a place of spiritual pilgrimage and a mammoth tribute to Tibetan architectural skills. The name Potala derives from the Sanskrit ‘Potalaa’, the abode of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. Unlike most Tibetan monasteries, the Red Guards did not sack the Potala during the Cultural Revolution, and, as a result, all the chapels and their artifacts are remarkably well preserved.

Tibet Lhasa 03 02 Potala Palace

Tibet 05 01 Yamdrok Tso Kamba La The road from Lhasa to Gyantse (260km) took us over two mountain passes. From the Kamba La (4794m), we had a fantastic view of the beautiful Yamdrok Tso (Turquoise lake) with Nojin Kangtsang (7191m) behind, hidden in the clouds. In the foreground is the new paved road just opened in June 2005, in preparation for the 40th anniversary of the creation of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Tibet 05 01 Yamdrok Tso Kamba La

Tibet 06 07 Gyantse Kumbum Outside Commissioned by a Gyantse prince in 1270, the Kumbum chorten was built in the style of a 108-sided mandala by craftsman from the Kathmandu Valley, and houses many excellent unique frescoes of Newari influence, a painting style originating in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley. It rises in eight stages to over 52m and has lots of images (Kumbum means '100,000 images') and 70 chapels. It is topped in typical Nepalese Buddhist style with the all-seeing eyes, the spire, umbrella and the pinnacle. The first five floors are four-sided, while the upper floors are circular, forming a huge three-dimensional mandala.

Tibet 06 07 Gyantse Kumbum Outside

Tibet 06 10 Gyantse Kumbum Chandamaharoshana In the Gyantse Kumbum, standing on a lotus platform against a fiery halo of flames, there are three statues of the Buddhist guardian deity Chandamaharoshana (Tib. Achala). His name may be translated as

Tibet 06 10 Gyantse Kumbum Chandamaharoshana

Tibet 07 01 Shigatse Tashilhunpo Entrance Tashilhunpo, in Shigatse, is one of the six great Gelugpa institutions and is the largest functioning monastic institution in Tibet, with 800 monks. It was founded in 1447 by Gendun Drub, who retroactively was named the First Dalai Lama. The Fifth Dalai Lama declared his teacher, then abbot of Tashilhunpo, to be a manifestation of Amitabha, founding the Panchen Lama lineage. Tashilhunpo is one of the few monasteries that weathered the stormy seas of the Cultural Revolution relatively unscathed.

Tibet 07 01 Shigatse Tashilhunpo Entrance

Tibet 07 02 Shigatse Tashilhunpo 26.2m Maitreya The most impressive Tashilhunpo sight is the Maitreya Chapel, a tall red building with a gold roof at the complex’s northwestern corner, built in 1914 by the ninth Panchen Lama. It houses a 26.2m image of Maitreya, the Future Buddha, whose ears are 2.6m long and each finger 1.2m. The statue contains 279kg of gold and 150,000kg of copper and brass molded on a wooden frame.

Tibet 07 02 Shigatse Tashilhunpo 26.2m Maitreya

06 Friendship Bridge Between Kodari Nepal And Zhangmu Tibet From Kodari The Friendship Bridge is the border between Nepal and Tibet, with Zhangmu (2300m) looming above.

06 Friendship Bridge Between Kodari Nepal And Zhangmu Tibet From Kodari

11 Zhangmu Tibet Zhangmu (Tib. Dram, Nep. Khasa, 2300m) is the Tibet border town just across from Kodari and is a major trading post between Tibet and Nepal. Zhangmu is built on a steep uphill street that twists through town in a series of tight switchbacks, lined with private homes, shops, restaurants and government buildings.

11 Zhangmu Tibet

18 Nyalam Main Street Nyalam (3750m) is a small Tibetan town near the Nepal border, and the normal first night’s stay in Tibet.

18 Nyalam Main Street

25 Nyanang Ri, Pungpa Ri and Shishapangma At Sunrise From Nyalam Nyanang Ri (7071m), Pungpa Ri (7445m) and Shishapangma (8012m) shine at sunrise from the Shisha Bangma Hotel in Nyalam.

25 Nyanang Ri, Pungpa Ri and Shishapangma At Sunrise From Nyalam

04 Peter Ryan At Milarepa Cave Near Nyalam Peter Ryan does his best Milarepa imitation at the low-ceilinged Milarepa Cave in 2005. The cave is formed by a large overhang supported by a smaller rock. Milarepa supposedly used his magic feats by raising the ceiling of the cave with his bare hands while Rechungpa slid in the other piece. You can still see his handprints in the roof.

04 Peter Ryan At Milarepa Cave Near Nyalam

06 Shishapangma East Face Leads To Summit With Phola Gangchen From Friendship Highway Just After Passing Turnoff To Ngora Between Nyalam And Tong La About 30km after leaving Nyalam just past the turnoff to Ngora there is a beautiful view of Shishapangma. The east face of Shishapangma just to the left of centre leads up to the summit of Shishapangma. The peak in the centre forefront is Phola Gangchen.

06 Shishapangma East Face Leads To Summit With Phola Gangchen From Friendship Highway Just After Passing Turnoff To Ngora Between Nyalam And Tong La

09 Pungpa Ri, Phola Gangchen And Shishapangma From Tong La The mountain panorama from the Tong La (5143m) between Nyalam and Tingri includes Pungpa Ri (7445m), Phola Gangchen (7661m) and Shishapangma (8012m).

09 Pungpa Ri, Phola Gangchen And Shishapangma From Tong La

11 Gang Benchen From Tong La The large mountain to the north west of Shishapangma is Gang Benchen with heights variously given as 7281m, 7295m or 7299m.

11 Gang Benchen From Tong La

12 Lobuche Kang III E, Labuche Kang, Labuche Lang II and Colangma From Tong La The Labuche Kang massif is part of a beautiful mountain panorama viewed from the Tong La (also called Yarle Shang La). The Labuche Kang massif is part of the Himalayan range in Tibet, located North-West of Cho Oyu, and half-way between Cho Oyu and Shishapangma. This massif has several summits over 7000m, from left to right Lobuche Kang III East (7250m), Labuche Kang (7367m, also called Lobuche Kang I or Choksiam), the pyramid-shaped Labuche Kang II (7072m) and to the far right Colangma (6952m).

12 Lobuche Kang III E, Labuche Kang, Labuche Lang II and Colangma From Tong La

20 Pemba Rinjii, Pasang, Ngawang, Jerome Ryan, Pemba, Gyan Tamang On Tong La With Shishapangma Behind Here is my 2010 crew on the Tong La with Shishapangma behind: cook Pemba Rinjii, cook’s helper Pasang, Tibetan guide Ngawang, Jerome Ryan, Tibetan driver Pemba, and Nepalese guide Gyan Tamang.

20 Pemba Rinjii, Pasang, Ngawang, Jerome Ryan, Pemba, Gyan Tamang On Tong La With Shishapangma Behind

02 Mount Everest Close Up At Sunrise From Across Tingri Plain Mount Everest close up from Tingri at sunrise.

02 Mount Everest Close Up At Sunrise From Across Tingri Plain

04 Gyachung Kang Close Up From Across Tingri Plain The little known Gyachung Kang (7952m), just 48m short of the magic 8000m mark - the 15th highest mountain in the world, is seen at sunrise from Tingri.

04 Gyachung Kang Close Up From Across Tingri Plain

05 Cho Oyu Close Up At Sunrise From Across Tingri Plain Cho Oyu (8201m), the sixth highest mountain in the world, close up from Tingri at sunrise.

05 Cho Oyu Close Up At Sunrise From Across Tingri Plain

06 Labuche Kang III E and Labuche Kang I At Sunrise From Across Tingri Plain The Labuche Kang massif is part of a beautiful mountain panorama viewed to the southwest from Tingri at sunrise. This massif has several summits over 7000m, including Lobuche Kang III East (7250m) in the centre and Labuche Kang (7367m, also called Lobuche Kang I or Choksiam), the broad partly sunlit mountain on the far right.

06 Labuche Kang III E and Labuche Kang I At Sunrise From Across Tingri Plain

12 Tingri Is Spread Out On The Tingri Plain In The Early Morning Tingri (4345m), also called Old Tingri, is a village nestled next to a small hill on the broad Tingri plain, while the Chinese part of town spreads along the Friendship Highway.

12 Tingri Is Spread Out On The Tingri Plain In The Early Morning


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