Like many people I have often dreamed of making a trip to the mystical land of Tibet located on the world’s highest plateau with altitudes averaging around 3,600 meters. As this dream became reality, I began to make preparations for my journey into a land of fierce natural beauty, where the climate is harsh and altitude sickness remains an ever-present threat. Yet here, in this remote corner of the earth where most aspects of daily life are dominated by Buddhism, I found an infinitely picturesque landscape and a unique race of people which captured my imagination.

Naturally the real beauty of Tibet can only be seen by leaving the confines of the city and getting out into the countryside. This can be a little challenging since there are only a few paved roads meaning that a land cruiser and local guide must be hired, making group travel more economical than independent travel. One fairly reachable and easy destination is a trip to see the turquoise water of Namtso Lake a little north of Lhasa. Traveling to the lake is convenient since no additional Alien Travel Permit is required and working through the hostel travel agent I was able to arrange joining other adventurers for the bumpy 8 hour ride in a minibus. At 4718 meters above sea level Namtso Lake, also known as “Sky Lake” is the highest salt water lake in the world.

Aaron
Germany