From its most prominent monastery, mandala-formed Samye, to the dazzling bulwarks of the North Face of Everest, you may explore the heart of Tibet's numinous civilization on the Roof of the World. Sense Tibet's enchantment in places like the splendid Potala Palace and in the vigorous Barkhor Bazaar, crowded with pilgrims and Khampa traders from eastern Tibet. Crossing the towering Tibetan Plateau below azure skies on your overland journey, and visit remote villages and outstanding citadel-monasteries where flaring lamps light up ancient Buddhist frescoes. And then reach the foot of Everest; the glittering glaciers of the world's highest peak seem almost close enough to finger and travel right across the spine of the Himalayas for a spectacular 10,000-foot descent into the lush greenery of Nepal.

Lhasa, Tibet
In Lhasa (11,830'), you may join the pilgrims who gather at the candle-lit chancels of the Jokhang, Tibet's most sacred temple, and walk in the Barkhor, a pilgrimage circuit that rings in the Jokhang. You also may explore the regal Potala Palace and make a full day's excursion outside of Lhasa to stretched Ganden (13,700'), an astonishing monastic city where the His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, studied when young.

Yarlung Valley / Samye / Gyantse / Shigatse / Lhatse
In the remote and beautiful Yarlung Valley, cradle of Tibetan civilization, we explore 8th century Samye, Tibet's first Buddhist monastery. Samye's unbelievable architecture mirrors the universe structure in accordance with Buddhist cosmology. Travel further to the historic settlement of Gyantse, crossing two high passes and calling on Yamdrok Lake ("Jade Lake"), one of the three largest lakes in Tibet. Then you may continue onward to Shigatse, Tibet's second city, where gold-crowned Tashilumpho, one of Tibet's most vivacious and awe-inspiring monasteries, stretched across the foot of Nizer Ri Mountain.

Rongphu / Everest Base Camp
Nowhere in the Himalaya can the immense height of Mount Everest be better appreciated than in Tibet, where the North Face of this great mountain range is open and neighboring peaks or ridges are hindering to view the magnificent mount.

Nyelam, Tibet / Kathmandu, Nepal
On the road across the Lalung La (16,600'), Himalayan giants surround the travelers.