TIBET JOURNEYS

Tibet! A once-forbidden, sacred land of Tibetan Buddhist monks, nuns and lamas, mysterious oracles, gilded, ochre Buddhist monasteries, the massive, history-laden Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple, deep chanting with horns and cymbals, smoke from juniper incense wafting overhead and lung-ta (prayer flags) sending out prayers throughout this incredibly diverse country. Devout Buddhists count their prayer beads and spin mani wheels, Tibetan pilgrims circumambulate sacred stupas, monasteries and chortens, nomads roam the vast, high Tibetan Changthang plateau with their goats, sheep, Tibetan mastiffs and yaks, living in yak-hair tents. Tibet is a realm of sacred mountains, breathtakingly beautiful landscapes, bustling, colorful Central Asiain markets, Silk Road influences, soaring Himalayan snow peaks, ancient, crumbling fortresses, sparkling, high altitude rivers and turquoise lakes, dramatic canyons, traditional Tibetan whitewashed villages, migratory birds and rare wildlife, and the resolutely independent, joyful and religious Tibetans themselves …