GYANTSE
Shigatse to Gyantse (altitude 3,800 m) is 94 km of gravel but good road. Gyantse’s symbol is the Kumbum Stupa which is 32 m high and contains 77 rooms and 100,000 images of Lord Buddha. Of the 112 chapels here, 23 are open to the public. A prince of Gyantse had it built in the style of a 108-sided mandala by craftsmen from the Kathmandu Valley in 1427. It is the finest example of 15th century Newar art extant in the world. Pelko Chode Monastery and Gyantse Fort (built a top massive rock) are other major sights of here.
The road from Gyantse to Lhasa ( 260 km) takes you over three mountain passes: Simala (4380 m), Karola (5045 m) and Ghampala (4794 m). The road skirts the Yamdrok Tso Lake before twisting up the Ghampala pass from the top of which there’s a magnificent view of the lake on one side and the Yarlung Tsangpo river on the other. The scenery and the adventure of traveling on the old caravan route makes this excursion an unforgettable trip.
