Description

Tibet- an secretive Shangri La locked away in the icy mountain ramparts of the Himalayas, and a place that holds a deep fascination for anyone who wishes to visit one of the last few cultures that has resisted the onslaught of globalisation and the encroachment of the West. Previously only accessible by treacherous passages through rocky escarpments, Tibet has only recently become more accessible to tourists and travellers.

Despite attempts by the Chinese occupation to submerge Tibetan culture, the people of Tibet have clung stubbornly to their ancient ways and traditions and these are represented throughout the temples and sprawling cities, remote village outposts and isolated nomadic communities of this enigmatic land. Visit festivals that assault the senses with firelit processions, billowing clouds of pungent incense, and dancers and priests dressed up in kaleidoscopic masks decorated with leering grins, designed to drive out evil spirits. Watch as a vast prayer wheel spins, emitting a thousand prayers up to the heavens, as a mass of Buddhist followers chant incessantly, observing age old customs that have endured to the modern day.

* What Will I Be Doing?

You will be travelling into and around Tibet from Beijing. Your journey will cover a range of sites ranging from well known highlights to obscure and fascinating but lesser known areas. Lhasa, traditionally home to Dalai Lama before his exile, is one of the key sites on the tour. Behind the towering walls of the Potala Palace in Lhasa lies a world of extraordinary colour, rich tapestry and precious artefacts, all reflecting the spiritual appreciation of beauty that sits at the centre of Buddhism.

Other Lhasa highlights include Barkhor Square, a bustling marketplace which at dawn and dusk teems with pilgrims circumnavigating the Jokhang temple. The route will also take in smaller villages and towns and monasteries, where time seems to have stood still- teahouses where locals gather to share the latest gossip, shrines, shared quarters where whole communities rely on one water pump, and much more. In more remote areas you will admire glorious birds of prey circling the towering peaks, and vast valley scapes where tribesmen herd their flocks of cattle following age old traditions and routes. All this and so much more awaits you on this exciting tour.

Highlights

* Travel to wondrous places rich in history and culture.
* Gain a life time of unmatchable memories.
* Experience new & exciting adventures.

Travel Types

• Eco Tours

Cost in US$:

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel

Independently

Application Process Involves

• Phone/Video Interview

Frontier's Mission Statement

To conserve the world's most endangered wildlife and threatened habitats and to build sustainable livelihoods for marginalized and under resourced communities in the world's poorest countries. To create solutions that are apolitical, forward-thinking, community-driven, and innovative and which take into consideration the long-term needs of low income communities.

Year Founded

1989