(Above photo: Pilgrims prostrating in front of Jokhang Temple)
Travelers to China’s skyscraper cities of Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong may think they have seen and done all there is to do in China. Other travelers may even venture beyond to cities like Xi’an, Guilin, and Hangzhou. But those looking to escape the more traditional and explore an incredibly unique destination and culture on a deeper level should definitely consider Lhasa in Tibet. A time of year Imperial Tours recommends for visiting is during Losar, the Tibetan New Year Festival.
Tibetans come to this most holy of destinations during this festival to make their once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimages to Lhasa, and they choose this time of year because many of them are farmers who are unable to work their fields in the winter. These pilgrims come from all across Greater Tibet, for example the Amdo and Kham regions, and therefore dress differently and ceremonially according to their provenance. It’s a terrific time to see and mingle with many different regional types of Tibetans all in one place.
As you can imagine, Lhasa at Losar comes alive with color, vibrancy, and spirituality. Oh, the spirituality…you can feel it in the air and cut it with a knife. Some of the pilgrims have walked the entire way from their homes, sometimes hundreds of miles away across Tibet, doing full body prostrations with every 4th step to show their devotion. The Tibetans you meet are incredibly friendly, warm and welcoming. The sites you will see are awe-inspiring from the massive Potala Palace to the holy Jokhang Temple. And some of the sights you will see may take you a bit out of your comfort zone, like butchers plying their trade right on the sidewalk or kids throwing firecrackers to scare away evil spirits or bonfires set in the middle of the street (this is a way to get rid of the old in order to make room for the new). But the frenzy of the new year is juxtaposed with the calm of everyday Tibetan life. The sounds of the spinning prayer wheels and the smells of incense and yak butter tea will fully immerse you into the culture and Buddhist traditions. You might even want to have a meditation session with a monk in a chapel on a pilgrimage route overlooking the Himalayas.
Click here for a glimpse at a sample Lhasa at Losar Itinerary. This itinerary assumes two people traveling but of course, any aspect of it can be customized to suit travelers’ dates and interests. For a longer trip, you may want to add Chengdu, Lijiang and/or Shangri-La.
