Potala Palace

Central Tibet (Lhasa and Ngari region)

About Lhasa region

Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, is located in U-Tsang. This central region of Tibet, which averages above 3600m, is home to the Potala Palace, Mt. Everest, holy lakes, medicinal hot springs, and many of the most famous monasteries in all of Tibet. Lhasa is one of the best places to get a glimpse of modern Tibetan life, while just outside the city many farmers and nomads persist in their traditional lifestyles. While most tourists visit Lhasa in the summer, the winter is an opportune time to see the colorful Tibetan capital. During the winter, pilgrims from all over Tibet flock to Lhasa to visit holy sites and enjoy the (relatively) warmer weather.

Lhasa is best for travelers interested in touring historic Tibetan sites and buildings, visiting Mt. Everest, hiking, staying with nomads for a night, enjoying comfortable facilities, gaining an understanding of modern Tibetan life, and taking a dip in hot springs.

About Ngari region

Ngari is located in the far west of Tibet. The mountainous region, which is sparsely populated by nomadic tribes, is known as the “roof of the roof of the world,” as it averages about 4500m. It is home to Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarova, known among Buddhists as the “Sacred Mountain and Holy Lake.” The mountain ruins of the Guge Kingdom, famous for their murals, sculptures, and stone inscriptions, are also located in Ngari. A mountain road connecting Ngari and Xinjiang makes it possible to drive from western Tibet to Kashgar.

Ngari is best for travelers interested in rugged adventure tourism, challenging trekking, seeing archaeological sites, circumambulating Mt. Kailash, observing local culture and folk customs, and visiting the most remote area of the Tibetan plateau.

Mt.Kailash

Potala Palace from on the roof of Jokhang Temple

Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, is located in U-Tsang. This central region of Tibet, which averages above 3600m, is home to the Potala Palace, Mt. Everest, holy lakes, medicinal hot springs, and many of the most famous monasteries in all of Tibet. Lhasa is one of the best places to get a glimpse of modern Tibetan life, while just outside the city many farmers and nomads persist in their traditional lifestyles. While most tourists visit Lhasa in the summer, the winter is an opportune time to see the colorful Tibetan capital. During the winter, pilgrims from all over Tibet flock to Lhasa to visit holy sites and enjoy the (relatively) warmer weather.

Norbulingka Summer Palace

Lhasa is best for travelers interested in touring historic Tibetan sites and buildings, visiting Mt. Everest, hiking, staying with nomads for a night, enjoying comfortable facilities, gaining an understanding of modern Tibetan life, and taking a dip in hot springs.

Monks Debating Court at Sera Monastery in Lhasa

Barkhor Street

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Labrang/ Xiahe བླ་བྲང

Labrang(Chi: Xiahe) town is sprawls along the banks of Shangchu River(see above picture).  It’s an one street town and is predominantly Hui Muslims at the east side of the town and Tibetans at the west end.   Labrang Monastery which is one of the Six great Monasteries in Tibet,   lays the edge of the west town at the north shore of Sangchu river. The monastery is founded in 1709 by The First Jamyang Gyapa Ngawang Tsondru(1648-1721) who studied at Drepung Monastery in Lhasa. In his age of 53 to 60, he was the abbot of Drepung Gomang monastery in Lhasa.  During his study in Lhasa, he received the title”Gamyang Gyapa’(laughing Manjushri), when a statue of Manjushiri(Tib: Jamyang) laughed at his prostrations in the Manjushiri temple in Lhasa.  Jamyang Gyapa’s later reincarnations become the abbot of Labrang Monastery since then. His reincarnations are superseded by H.H The Dailai Lama and Panchen Lama, the two highest ranks of Lama in Tibetan Buddhism. Once he returns to Labrang, he founded the great Monastery of Labrang.

Labrang Monastery, this famous monastery in Amdo region of Tibet, it is home to about 1000 monks.  There were 3600 monks in it’s peak in 1958.  The First Jamyang Gyapa returned to his home town  the Gangya grassland in the March 1709  after graduated from Drepung Monastery in Lhasa. He is searching for the monastery location in this area, finally 22nd of April 1709, he chose Labrang as the location of the monastery, thus the monastery refers as Labrang Monastery. The initial constructionof this monastery is a tent monastery, monks live in tents and pray in tents.  Later with great support from 8 local tribes, the first 88 pillar of prayer hall is built.

Today Labrang monastery is one of the biggest monastery in Tibet and one of the foremost great monastery for studying Tibetan language and Buddhism.  Many Tibetan and Mogolian monks and students come to the monastery for studying and practice Buddhism.  There are six colleges(Tib: Dra Tsang) in the monastery which are Tsannyet Dratsang – Buddhism philosophy college, Gyumed Dratsang-Lower Tantra College, Gyuto Dratsang-Uper Tantra College, Menba Dratsang-Medical College,  Dukhor Dratang – Kalachakra or artist College and Jaydro-Vajra College.

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Taktsang Lhamo/ Langmusi

Travel from Labrang to the beautiful Tibetan hilly town of Taktsang Lhamo or Langmusi. Two major monasteries (Kirti Monastery and Sertri or sorting Monastery) can be visited. Langmusi is a great place to do a short horse trek or to explore grasslands that are home to nomadic Tibetans. Besides visiting two  Monasteries, which was built in the 18th century and houses about 100 monks. You can also take a walk on the grassland and admire the blooming plateau flowers.

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Rebkong/Tongren  རེབ་གོང

Rebkong(Tib: རེབ་གོང/reb gong/Repkong/ cn: Tongren),  is located in the Golden Valley of the Rongwu Guchu River  in Malho (rma lho, Huangnan) prefecture southeast of  Qinghai province, The valley is at about 2600m(8500 feet) above sea-level, extends from the north to south, and is surrounded by several mountains. Rebkong is also famous for it’s Tibetan traditional arts and cultural preservation.  The there are several large monasteries and villages scattering around the Rongwu town which is home to hundreds  of artist. The most well known villages and monasteries are Sanggeshung Yago and Sanggeshung Mago(upper and lower Wutun), Gomar Gompa, Nyamtok village.etc.  If you are interested in learning Tibetan culture and Tibetan traditional arts, Rebkong will be one of most recommend region.

One Rebkong artist is painting Thanka-Buddha’s image

Rebkong is one the major Tibetan town in Amdo both in economically and politically.  Rebkong has a diverse population of  Tibetans, Chinese and Hui,  among these ethnic groups, Tibetan population takes about 70% of whole region.

The main attraction of Rebkong are Rongwu Gomchen monastery, upper and lower Sanggeshung monastery and artists village, Nyamtok village, Gomar Monastery and local Tibetan farming homes.

Monastic Mask Dance – Cham Dance

Rongwu Monastery རོང་བོ་དགོན་ཆེན, the largest monastery in Rebkong located at the south end of the town. The monastery is built in 1301 by Lama Samten Renchen. The Monastery has consist of  several important temples and colleges. The main temples are The Great Sutra Hall, Main Assembly Hall, The Manjushri  Hall.etc. Rongwu Monastery was a Sakya Sect Monastery but later became a  Gelug Pa sect of Tibetan buddhism Monastery.

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Golok/Golog/Guoluo  མགོ་ལོག

Golok Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture/ མགོ་ལོག་བོད་རིགས་རང་སྐྱོང་ཁུལ: is located in Southeastern of Qinghai Province and Eastern edge of Tibetan Plateau. As it is located in the upper reach of Yellow River, also known as the Source of Yelllow river. Golok is one of the biggest Tibetan Population in Qinghai Province, 90% of population are Tibetan and living in a traditional way of nomadic life style with average altitude 4200m/13450ft. . Golok Tibetan Prefecture consists by 6 counties which are Machen, Gade, Mato, Padma, Jigdril and Darlag. The capital city of Golok is Tawu, which is located 450km south of Xining.

Geographically, Golok is embraced by the mountain Banyakala and Holy Amnye Machen Snow Mountain.

Amnye Machen Snow Mountain/ ཨ་མྱེས་རྨ་ཆེན།
(alt 6282m/20603ft) is located 70km in the southwest of Tawu town of Machen county. Amnye Machen is one of the four main holy mountains of Tibet along with Mt.Kailash, Mt. Minyak Gongga and Mt.Karwa Karpo. It attracts Tibetan pilgrims from across eastern and northern Tibet during the summer months. Especially, the year of sheep in Tibetan calendar, nomads people from Amdo flows here with their families

Amnye Machen is one of the four main holy mountains of Tibet along with Kailash, Gongga and Meili Xue. Located in the northern Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Amdo, it rises to 6282m / 20,605 feet. It might be less-known as a holy mountain but it is equally as important to the Tibetan people as the well-known Mt. Kailash and attracts Tibetan pilgrims from all across eastern and northern Tibet during the summer months.

The Source of Yellow River

This is an area rich in natural mineral and forest resources and is characterized by vast grasslands covering high mountains and deep valleys. We’ll ride out into this rugged countryside where you often see nomads camping with their herds of yak, horse and sheep and grazing on these grasslands as well as devoted pilgrims on their way to do the 7-10 day holy circumambulation of Amnye Machen.

The Amnye Machen Trek has two options, one is full circumambulation of the mountain which takes 8 days and the other one is 4 days trek in front of the snow mountain. The average trek distance is about 15-16km with 6-7hour per day.

Yaks carry camping gears during trek

Xining is located in the eastern part of Qinghai Province and lies on the upper  Tsongchu  River (Huangshui River). An important attributory of Yellow River. It is formerly part of Tibet’s Amdo province, and a little over one million Tibetans inhabit Qinghai’s minority Tibetan prefectures of Haibei,Hainan,huangnan,Golog, Yushu and Haixi.

Now Xining is the political, economic, and cultural center of Qinghai Province with an average altitude of about 2,200 metres (7,200 ft). Human activity in the region can be traced to 2,100 years ago.  Xining has six colleges and universities, eight hospitals, some four hundred plants and mines and a few bustling commercial centers where the cuisine reflects the province’s ethnic diversity. Ethnic minorities, mainly consisting of Hui (Muslims) and Tibetans, account for about 15% the city’s one million people. East part of Xining around the biggest Mosque in Qinghai province,  is  mainly inhabited by Hui Muslims. But there are total of 5 ethnic minorities such as Tu, Sala, Mongolian.

The whole Xining city population is about 2.5 million.

Xining has both flights and train from most of major cities in China. The Xining to Lhasa train become most popular train in the summer season because Xining considering the gateway of Qinghai-Tibet Railway.

Xining  Tourist sightseeing:
Huzhu Beishan National Park,  a day trip from Xining  by private car.

Kumbum Monastery/Ta’er Si, A half or  day trip from Xining, bus or taxi available.

Nanshan Si, a combine monastery of Taoism and Buddhism at the bottom of south mountain in Xining.

Beishan Si, a Taoism Temple on the hillside of north mountain.

Great Mosque, the biggest Mosque in northwest China is also in the east of Xining.

Qinghai Tibetan Cultural and Medical Museum, the largest and most authentic Tibetan museum so far.

Qinghai Provincial Museum, it’s the west side of the town but not much to see.

Datong Yaozigou forests, a day trip with a good  hiking place in the forest.

Golung Monastery/Youning si, a day trip from Xining by car.

Qinghai Lake/Kokonor lake, a day trip from Xining

Xining Three Scholars Temple

Xining Train station

There are two train station in Xining.  The old train station is on the Qilianlu street which  has been under construction and not run anymore,  this will be ready by 2014.  The other one is Xining West station is located at Chengbei district Xizhan Street #10. It takes about half hour from downtown to the West Station.

Xining Local Markets

There are two main Tibetan Markets in Xining. One is the local Market, it’s located in the eastern part of the town opposite the Xining long distance bus station and Xining train station.  The other one is tourist Tibetan market, it’s in downtown at Ximen Shuijing Xiang alley.

Xining Night Market is on the Daxingjie street downtown,  it’s open after 7pm everyday. You can have local Muslim and Chinese food on the night market street.

Xining Hostels and locations:

Xining Sangzhu International Hostel,  Huzhu Zhonglu Street.

Xining Pogoda International Youth Hostel,  Wenhuajie Wenmiao Street

Xiliangyi Hostel: Shipojie street

Lete International Youth Hostel, Jiancaixiang Street.

 The Tibetan Market Tibetan decoration store 

Xining Tibetan Market yak butter store

Tibetan tent factory in Xining Tibetan Market

Chinese Tea Farmer in Xining

Kumbum Monastery (Ch Ta’er si) is one of the six great monasteries of the Gelugpa school  of Tibetan Buddhism, is famous for being the birthplace of the great religious reformer Tsongkhapa. It is a wonderful place to check out Tibetan religious culture, Tibetan architecture, and Tibetan art. Highlights at the monastery include a large butter sculpture, murals and applique embroidery. Another highlight is the daily monastic debating holds at the assembly court a front of  the Assembly hall 5-6pm.

Kumbum Monastery  is located 25km to the west from Xining. The capital city of Qinghai province. The monastery houses about 600 monks. There were more than 2500monks in this monastery when it peak.

Kumbum Monastery (ch Ta’er si),was founded in 1583 by the Third Dalai Lama, Sonam-gyatso (1543-1588). It was built at the site where Tsongkhapa (1357-1419) , the founder of the Gelugpa Tradition, had been born. According to Tibetan Text books, a drop of blood fell from Tsongkhapa’s umbilical cord when it was cut after his birth. From this drop grew a wondrous white sandlewood tree. It has a about100,000 leaves, which it never sheds. In Tibetan, the number 100,000 merely signifies a very large number, and is not meant literally. On each leaf is an image of the Buddha Sinhanada (Seng-ge sgra). On the bark of the branches and trunk are the designs of the seed syllables and hand implements of this Buddha. In the future, Tsongkhapa will take birth as Sinhanada, the eleventh Buddha of the 1,000 who will grace the earth during this fortunate eon.

In 1379, Tsongkhapa’s mother, with the help of the local faithful, built a small temple with a stupa around this tree. It stands to this day. This was the first temple at Kumbum. In 1481, The temple had expended to a larger temple where the local tribes make offering at the site of holy tree by the meditator Rinchen Tsondru-Gyaltse and local tribes.

In 1576, Altan Khan (1507-1583) of the Tumed Mongols invited the  Third Dalai Lama, Sonam-gyatso, to bring Buddhism to Mongolia. At that time, Sonam-gyatso, was known as the Gyelwa Rinpoche or the Drepung Tulku, the third incarnation in the first line of incarnate lamas in the Gelug tradition. After Altan Khan adopted Buddhism, he gave Gyelwa Sonam-gyatso the title Dalai Lama. “Dalai” is the Mongolian translation of “gyatso,” meaning “ocean.” Thus, Gyelwa Sonam-gyatso became the Third Dalai Lama.

On his way to meet Altan Khan near Kokonor, Gyelwa Sonam Gyatso stopped at the isolated retreat by the holy tree marking the spot where Tsongkhapa had been born. He requested Rinchen-Tsondru-Gyeltsen to construct a larger monastery at this site and appointed him as the head lama. The monastery was completed in 1583 and an annual Great Prayer Festival (Kumbum Molam) was inaugurated since then.

The new monastery full name  called Kumbum Jampa-ling. “Kumbum” means 100,000 enlightening bodies of the Buddha. It is named after the 100,000 images of the Buddha Sinhanada on the leaves of the holy sandle wood tree. “Jampa-ling” means “Maitreya Cloister.” This refers to the Maitreya Temple built by Rinchen Tsondru- Gyeltsen to the right of the precious tree. Furthermore, Tsongkhapa is considered inseparable in nature from Maitreya Buddha, and whatever spiritual practices one does at this site are said to bring rebirth in Maitreya’s Pure Land.

Kumbum has four monastic colleges. The largest is the Debate College  or faculty for logic also called Tsedma Dratsang, this was built 1603 by Dundrup Osar Gyatso with instruction from Fourth Dalai Lam .  Others are Tibetan Medicine College, Gyupa Dratsang- Tantric college was built by Chojey Legpa-gyatso in 1649 and last one is Kalachakra College which was built 1820 by Ngawang Shaydrub Tenpay Nyima.

After study of the major texts and commentaries of the Guhyasamaja, Chakrasamvara and Vajrabhairava systems, monks receive the Geshe Ngagrampa degree. and Labrang Monastery. The highest degrees of Geshe Rabjampa and Geshe Shayrampa. are awarded at the Kumbum Monlam Prayer Festival each year.

The Six Great Tibetan Monasteries are : Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, Sera Monastery in Lhasa, Ganden Monastery in Lhasa, Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, Labrang Monastery in Amdo and Kumbum Monastery in Amdo.

According to the Buddhist belief, time of Shakyamuni Buddha is considered as the time of Dharma (Buddha’s teachings) flourishment or the time of spiritual prosperity. However, it has already passed its peak, therefore, is gradually declining. During Monlam festival monks, nuns as wells as lay people are sending prayers in order to postpone and slow down time of decay.

Monlam Chenmo was established in 1409 by lama Tsongkhapa, the great philosopher and founder of Gelug tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. The first festival was held in Jokhang in Lhasa, where thousands of monks gathered together for chanting prayers and performing religious rituals, such as Buddhist dances (cham), torma offering, giant thangka unveiling, etc. Due to all these rituals have been preserved, they are being performed every first lunar month nowadays.

Giant Thanka Unveiling

Tea party in Gomar monastery

Cham dance 

Buddhist ceremonies 

Next Monlam Prayer Festival will be held on February 15-25th 2013.
For more information please contact us at info@snowliontours.com

Qinghai Lake (Tib Tsongongpo, Mogol Lake Kokonor ) is  at  an elevation of 3200m. The Qinghai Province named after the lake.  It  is the largest lake in all of China and largest salt lake in Asia.  Qinghai Lake is regarded as holy by Tibetans and Mongolians and this is also the sea offering site for Penchen Lama. You can see sea offering site at the south shore of the lake.    At the south shore  of the lake (150km from Xining), take a boat ride on the turquoise waves of the lake or go horseback riding along the shores with Tibetan nomads. If you have an extra day, continue on to the northwest side of the lake (220km from Xining), where you can visit Bird Island, a breeding ground for black-necked cranes, sandpipers, wild geese, and other bird species.

The average depth of the Qinghai lake is 25m and the deepest area goes down to 80m.  The perimeter of the lake is 365m.  The shores of the lakeand their environs are administered from four counties: Kangtsa(Gangchaxian) in the west and northwest, Haiyanxian(Dabzhidzong) in the northeast, Tongkor(huangyuanxian) in the east and Chabcha(Gonghexian) in the south.

There are few small monasteries around the Qinghai lake. But the Tsonyang which is a island in the center of the Lake. Tsonyang means “Heart of the lake” is essential Tibetan Buddhism retreat hill. There are only handfull monks and nuns live on this hill and most monks are practice in the retreat cases. These caves have been used  by many famous Tibet Yogis and practitioners.  Tsonyang Island  can be accessible  only in the winter time after the lake freezes.

Qinghai lake eco-system has been changed since mass tourists arrive  everyday in the summer time. There are more and more restaurants,  hotels and shops  at both south and north shore. The wild life and nomadic life  nearby have been sadly degraded by intensive development of mass tourism and a spread of constructions and transportation.  However, the government has investing a lot of money to develop tourism and preserve degraded grassland around the lake. This step can be only proved by the coming years.  Hopefully with efforts of government, organizations, travel agency and tourists, we will see more balanced Eco-system in the future.

The best time to travel to Qinghai Lake is from July to September. You will see the nomads move down to the lake and many yaks and sheep scattering around the lake.  The fields of yellow rapes seeds in the summer time is one of the highlight and it’s attracts massive tourists in August.  However, this time is also the busiest season at the Qinghai lake. Therefore, there are some negative things may need to consider before go there.  Hotel and food increasing the price dramatically,   you have to make a line due to the number of tourists to visit some of the lake shore tourist sights, noisy everywhere you feel you came to a busy port.  But If you visiting Qinghai lake in the summer season, I suggest you go one of the small trail that lead to the lake, you still need to pay entrance fee but half cheaper and less people in these area. Then you can hike up to the mountain to view the whole lake. Since 2013, the nomadic trail may not be possible due to the Qinghai lake management bureau made for big gates in 4 directions  before reach the lake, so all the tourists and cars who is heading to the lake has to buy entrance tickets. The Qinghai lake entrance fee is 100Y in 2012 but this may change in 2013.

Dzogchen Monastery in Kham

The Kham region of Tibet is located in the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Tibet, Qinghai, and Yunnan. Kham is known for its verdant grasslands, craggy mountains, and pure rivers. The most famous Tibetan horse festivals such as Litang Horse Festival or Yushu Horse Festival  take place every summer in Kham, where Tibetans compete and show off their riding skills. Tibetans from Kham have a reputation for being as loyal as they are tough. Many carry traditional swords and walk with a swagger, but are quick to invite you into their yak-hair tents for a cup of butter tea.

Kham is best for travelers interested in seeing wild Tibetan animals in their natural habitats, attending horse festivals, circumambulating the holy Mt. Kawa Karpo, staying with nomads, visiting small monasteries, camping, and bird watching in the forests.

Pelyul county (3150m) is a large and rapidly expanding town with great number of Han Chines. The most Khampas with traditional Tibet clothes you see in town are on pilgrimage  from outside  town.  Though the number of Tibetans who live in town getting less but the Pelyul Monastery which located upper side of the town is huge and prosperity.

Palyul Monastery (ch Baiyu si)  is one of the six great “mother monasteries” following the Nyingma School, or Ancient Translation Tradition, of Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery was founded in 1665 in the Kham province of eastern Tibet (present-day Baiyu, Sichuan, China) by Kunzang Sherab, the First Palyul Throne Holder.

The construction of Pelyul Monastery has shown the traditional Tibetan style which normally built against a slope of mountain. Among the temples in the monastery, the Chagrakhang or Lhasarkhang which was constructed by Kunzang Sherab is  the most important temple in the monastery. The temple contains a gilded copper image of Jowo Shakyamuni in the form of Jowo Yeshin Norbu, as well as frescoes of the Namcho dieties. The other temples are assembly  hall, Dorsem Lhakhang, Library.etc.

You can walk to the monastery from the main street in town, there is a trail leading up the Assembly Hall in the southern end of the town. After visiting temples, you can keep walk up to the image of Stupa made from the prayer flags,  where you can seat with local pilgrims and enjoy the sun.  If you want to walk more, I suggest climb up the slope of opposite mountain, this can be done behind the 456 hotel. There is a trail to heading to village and up into the forest. This is one of the best place to take photos of the monastery.

The following photos taken when lamas of Pelyul Monastery giving teaching and blessing locals.

5 Lama’s offer blessing water to the locals in Pelyul/Baiyu Monastery

Local Tibetans waiting for lama’s blessing in Pelyul.

Road between Pelyul/Baiyu to Ganzi/Gantse/Kantse

“Stone Town” between Ganzi/Gantse and Pelyul/Baiyu

Above pic is taken on the way from Chola Mountain to Dege.

Dege is often regarded the heart of Kham Tibet. It lies on the bank of Sugchu River, a tributary of Yantze River. The town of Dege  located next to Dege Gomchen and Parkhang(Dege Printer house) in the Sugchu valley. It takes about 10 minutes walk from town to the Dege Gomchen Monastery.  There are more than 50 monasteries in Dege County. Among which most are Sakyapa Monasteries but Nyinmapa, Gelupa and Kagyupa as well as Bon monasteries are also established in the county. The Dege area had been an independent kingdom until 19 century. Among all the Dege Kings Tenpa Tsering(1678-1738) is famous for his contribution to Buddhism and culture preservation.

Above pictures is taken from the roof of printing house, This is Dege Gomchen.

Dege Gomchen, it was founded in 1448, the monastery originally built as a Sakyapa Monastery, therefore, it has kept strong ties with Sakyapa and the center of Ngor Gompa. However, the monastery introduced different traditions. It was destroyed during the cultural revolution but it has been reconstructed and now houses more than 300 monks. Dege Gomchen is not only name of the monastery but it is also the seat of Dege Kings.

Above picture is taken inside the Dege Parkhang, the printing house. This is wooden block store section.

Dege Parkhang/ Dege Printing House,  In the 18th century, the king Tenpa Tsering brought Dege to the peak of it’s power by conquering the outlying northern districts of Dzachuka. Under his instructions and assistant from local tribes, Dege Parkhang is founded in 1729, and the construction completed in 1750 during the reigns of his successors. The famous Sakya Pa scholar Zhuchen Tsultrim Rinchen edited Gargyur and Tangyur. The Tibetan book of Gargyur and Tangyur are knowns as the most accurate and completed  Tibetan Buddhism scripture. There are total of 217000 wooden printing blocks housed in the this printing house and the works of this print house has been used all cross Tibet Plateau. Today, Dege Parkhang printing house is still functioning as it was a century years ago, all the works are done by manual. It became the biggest printing house in Tibet.  The printing house produces traditional mathematic, science, Tibetan medicine books and scriptures and books from  Nyingmapa, Gelukpa, Kagyupa and Sakyapa  as well as Bon religion.

Above picture is taken inside the printing house, this is how they print the scriptures.

Some other famous monasteries and sights worth to visit are following:

Tengchen Monastery, a Bon tradition built between 8th and 9th century.

Palpung Gompa(Babangsi) was established in 1727 by the Karma Kagyupa’s highest Lama Taisitu Rinpoche.

Dzongsar Tashi Lhatse Monastery, was founded in 1253 by Drilgung Chogye Pakpa. Dzongsar Monastery’s construction was instructed by Jamyang Kyentse Wangpo(1820-1892) and Dzongsar Khyentse Chogyi Gyatso (1896-1959). These two were among the most prolific teachers and lineage holders of the combined Sakya, Nyingma and Kagyu traditions in East Tibet.

Above picture is taken in Dege Gomchen