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FLIGHT TO LHASA: Probably the most spectacular flight in the world! Leaving Kathmandu the plane skirts the Himalayan range where Cho Oyo (8153 m), Lhotse (8501 m), Everest (8848 m) and Makalu (8463 m) are visible. Looking back as the plane leaves Kathmandu it may be possible to also see Manaslu (8125m) and Annapurna I (8091 m). Turning North the plane crosses between Kanchenjunga (8586 m) and Makalu. From the left side of the plane the east face of Everest and Makalu are visible and from the right the whole Kanchenjunga massive and Chomo Lhari in Bhutan (7315m). The flight is a spectacular experience to see eight of the world’s fourteen 8000m peaks. The flight duration will be about one hour.

The POTALA PALACE (now a museum, but still visited by Tibetan pilgrims as a holy site). Former winter residence of the Dalai Lama and named after Mt. Potala in India, one of the holy mountains of the Hindu God Lord Shiva. The Potala is a place of spiritual pilgrimage and a mammoth tribute to Tibetan architectural skills. Built by the fifth Dalai Lama in 1645, the Potala was from then on the winter residence of all Dalai Lamas and is still occupied today by monks.

JOKHANG TEMPLE - in the heart of old Lhasa, and the most sacred temple in Tibet — established in 7th century by King Songtsen Gampo, the King who brought Buddhism to Tibet. One can see the statue of Buddha (Jowo Shakyamuni) brought by the Chinese wife of the King as part of her wedding dowry. King Songtsen Gampo also had a Nepalese wife who was the force behind the use of Nepalese craftsmen in designing the Jokhang.

NORBULINKA - The summer palace of the Dalai Lamas was started by the Seventh Dalai Lama in 1755. This large complex of small palaces and chapels within a walled garden and is about four km west of the Potala.

SERA MONASTERY - founded in 1419, located on the outskirts of Lhasa - principle buildings are intact — Home of the Gelukpa Order - yellow hat sect — the Dalai Lama’s sect. Sera was at one time famous for its fighting monks, who spent years perfecting the martial arts. Here, as at Drepung, many monks renounced their vows to take up arms during the uprising of 1959.

GANDEN MONASTERY - A Geluk lamasery founded in the 15th century, destroyed in the Cultural Revolution and rebuilt. In early 1996, following a ban on Dalai Lama pictures, the 400 monks at Ganden were involved in a riot. Many were arrested and some fled into the hills.

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last updated 9 Oct 2002