Lhasa

After flying into Gongkar airport, we will be driven into Lhasa (12,000 feet). The city's famous sights exude the spiritual beauty and intensity of Tibetan beliefs which have survived 40 years of Chinese persecution.

Under the golden roofs of the Jokhang Temple, built by King Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century, is the most sacred image in the country. The Jowo Sakyamuni was brought to Tibet, as part of her dowry, by King Songtsen Gampo's Chinese wife, Princess Wenchang.

The Potala once held the Dalai Lama's apartments, eight tombs of previous Dalai Lamas, the national treasury, a monastery, a university and government offices.

Sera Monastery contains the Tamdrin chapel where fierce masks hang from ancient pillars and chain mail, swords and shields are suspended from the ceiling. In a courtyard novices perform balletic debates. Drepung, meaning "rice-heap," once housed 2,000 monks but is now reduced to 500. Here are the chorten tombs of three Dalai Lamas. The large sites of Lhasa are stunning, but there are events and small holy places which I like to take people to because they provide a more intimate perspective of Tibetan Buddhism—monks chanting in the evening, a chapel to the water spirits, rock carvings, the summer retreat of the Dalai Lamas and daily ceremonies.

We will stay near the Jokhang, in a simple hotel with private baths where, instead of wall paper there are murals depicting important sites of Tibet on the walls.

We will drive along the Tsangpo River to the area of the Yarlung Valley.