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Philip Game | profile | all galleries >> China, including Tibet and Hong Kong (15 galleries) >> Traversing Tibet (4 galleries) >> Traversing Tibet, 2014 (To Lhasa by train) tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Traversing Tibet, 2014 (To Lhasa by train)

An overland journey, from Beijing to Xi'an by overnight train (then a short hop by air) and from Xining (Qinghai province) overnight to Lhasa, Tibet on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. The journey then continues southwest and west by road through Gyantse, Shigatse, Everest Base Camp and down to the Nepalese border and so to Kathmandu. This journey was arranged by Passport Travel of Melbourne.

Enthralled from an early age by Heinrich Harrer's epic narrative of his Seven Years in Tibet, I skirted around the Chinese-occupied Tibetan heartland in my own earlier travels, visiting Nepal, Ladakh (India), Bhutan, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces (China). This year I was offered an opportunity to experience the 'real thing'; Tibet at present is not accessible for spontaneous, individual travel. Read more.

This first gallery follows the journey as far as Lhasa. The second gallery continues the journey from Lhasa on to Gyantse, Shigatse, Everest Base Camp and so to the Nepalese border.

2018: Further images from a return visit.






Boarding the Qinghai-Lhasa Railway
Boarding the Qinghai-Lhasa Railway		 Trackside views at 4500+ metres
Trackside views at 4500+ metres		 Trackside hamlets
Trackside hamlets
Looking out over Lhasa
Looking out over Lhasa		 Yaks' arteries a la carte!
Yaks' arteries a la carte!		 Potala Palace, Lhasa, once the seat of successive Dalai Lamas in independent Tibet
Potala Palace, Lhasa, once the seat of successive Dalai Lamas in independent Tibet
Potala Palace, Lhasa
Potala Palace, Lhasa		 Potala Palace, Lhasa
Potala Palace, Lhasa		 Former Tibetan Treasury, below the Potala
Former Tibetan Treasury, below the Potala
Monks unfurling a banner, Lhasa
Monks unfurling a banner, Lhasa		 Pilgrims resting below the Potala Palace, Tibet
Pilgrims resting below the Potala Palace, Tibet		 Niche in a wall at the foot of the Potala Palace
Niche in a wall at the foot of the Potala Palace
Tibetan woman, Lhasa
Tibetan woman, Lhasa		 Woman worshipping outside the Potala
Woman worshipping outside the Potala		 Looking out from the roof of the Jokhang Temple, Lhasa
Looking out from the roof of the Jokhang Temple, Lhasa
Pilgrims on the Barkhor circuit, Lhasa
Pilgrims on the Barkhor circuit, Lhasa		 Pilgrims on the Barkhor circuit
Pilgrims on the Barkhor circuit		 Prayer wheels for sale in a store on the Barkhor
Prayer wheels for sale in a store on the Barkhor
Pilgrims on the Barkhor circuit, Lhasa
Pilgrims on the Barkhor circuit, Lhasa		 Near the Jokhang Temple, Lhasa
Near the Jokhang Temple, Lhasa		 Worshippers prostrate themselves at the Jokhang Temple, Lhasa
Worshippers prostrate themselves at the Jokhang Temple, Lhasa
Jokhang Temple, Lhasa - Tibet's most sacred Buddhist temple
Jokhang Temple, Lhasa - Tibet's most sacred Buddhist temple		 Colourful tassels decorate a selection of Buddhist prayer wheels
Colourful tassels decorate a selection of Buddhist prayer wheels		 Golden roofs of the Jokhang Temple
Golden roofs of the Jokhang Temple
Golden roof ornaments of the Jokhang Temple
Golden roof ornaments of the Jokhang Temple		 From the roof of the Jokhang Temple
From the roof of the Jokhang Temple		 Monks in the Jokhang Temple courtyard
Monks in the Jokhang Temple courtyard
Monks in debate, Jokhang Temple
Monks in debate, Jokhang Temple		 Monks in debate at Sera Monastery
Monks in debate at Sera Monastery		 Norbulingka Summer Palace park, Lhasa
Norbulingka Summer Palace park, Lhasa
Working the prayer wheels, Lhasa
Working the prayer wheels, Lhasa		 Norbulingka Summer Palace park, Lhasa
Norbulingka Summer Palace park, Lhasa		 Norbulingka Summer Palace park, Lhasa
Norbulingka Summer Palace park, Lhasa
Woman visiting the Norbulingka
Woman visiting the Norbulingka		 A woman visiting the Norbulingka shows off her hair
A woman visiting the Norbulingka shows off her hair		 Pilgrims perform kora (ritual circuit) around the Potala
Pilgrims perform kora (ritual circuit) around the Potala
Early morning light on the Potala Palace
Early morning light on the Potala Palace		 Potala Palace by night
Potala Palace by night		 Potala Palace by night
Potala Palace by night
Potala Palace by night
Potala Palace by night

comment | share
Marc Demoulin14-Nov-2014 06:38
Magnificent travel and reportage! vVv
Marc
Joe Bonello12-Nov-2014 11:45
Beautiful gallery !
Hugh Rooney12-Nov-2014 10:43
Truly indeed a fascinating journey and wonderful images...VVV
Helen Betts12-Nov-2014 06:53
Fascinating journey and superb captures of it. How very fortunate you were to be able to take it. V.
Tom LeRoy03-Nov-2014 13:53
Wow, Philip, what an incredible trip/expedition and what fabulous photos you brought back. Truly magnificent! BV
joseantonio03-Nov-2014 13:28
What an amazing experience. Thank you for sharing.V
Cathryn01-Nov-2014 23:04
An impressive gallery full of outstanding images.
barbarajoy01-Nov-2014 06:46
Great gallery. Magnificent images. What an experience! V
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