Tibet, Himalaya and Silk Road
Monasteries and palaces of the Tibetan plateau together with the great walking routes of the Himalayas.
Start here · Essential guide
The Potala is a palace in Lhasa, not a city. Learn its history as the Dalai Lamas' residence, what it means to pilgrims, and why Tibet travel permits must be checked.
A route-minded look at how Tibet's major Buddhist sites link up, from Lhasa through Tsang to the west, with notes on permits, access and altitude that change.
Passes, prayer flags, mani walls, lakes and sky burial sites: how the land between Tibet's monasteries reflects lived belief, described with care and respect.
A hedged timeline of Ganden Monastery: its founding by Tsongkhapa in the early 15th century, centuries as a Gelug seat, 20th-century destruction and rebuilding.
The Annapurna Circuit passes Tibetan-influenced villages, gompas and Muktinath, sacred to Hindus and Buddhists. Read about the sites and the serious altitude cautions.
The Everest trek passes through Sherpa Buddhist country, with Tengboche Monastery and mani walls along the way. Learn the customs and the serious altitude risks.
Why Ganden matters: the first Gelug monastery founded by Tsongkhapa (traditionally 1409), its role in the tradition, its damage and its rebuilding as a symbol.
Ganden Phodrang is not a monastery. It names the Dalai Lamas' government, founded in 1642, and a residence at Drepung. Here is what the term really means.
A visitor's view of Ganden: the ridge-top setting above Lhasa, the Ganden kora walk around the mountain, and the altitude cautions to take seriously.
The historical Buddha never visited Tibet. This article traces how Buddhism reached the plateau by tradition, through kings, Padmasambhava and Atisha.
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