Shangri-la, the Land of Snows, the roof of the world: the magical, mysterious Buddhist kingdom of Tibet is without doubt one of the world's most remarkable places. Whether you seek spiritual enlightenment or a close-up look at the world's highest mountains, Lonely Planet will guide you on your quest.

Highlights      6

Preface by

HH The Dalai Lama    9

Getting Started    10

Itineraries       14

The Authors      21

Snapshot       23

History        24

The Culture      40

Tibetan Buddhism   53

Environment      68

Food & Drink      73

Gateway Cities     77

Lhasa         85

u       131

Tsang        160

Western Tibet (Ngari)  197

Eastern Tibet (Kham)  224

Roads to Tibet    249

Trekking       262

Directory       295

Transport      310

Health        324

World Time Zones   335

Language       336

Glossary       344

Behind the Scenes   350

Index         353

Legend        360