What Is Tibet Like?

My Journey from Dhumba Lake to the Hidden Lake with Adventure International Trekking

Tibet is a place of breathtaking contrasts: towering mountains, remarkable monasteries, vast open landscapes, and people whose warmth stays with you long after you leave. Visiting was a once-in-a-lifetime experience—and one that took careful planning. Travel permits can be difficult for foreign visitors to obtain, and visitors must be accompanied by a guide.

Adventure International Trekking organized a trip for 14 of us. We split into two groups: one followed a higher-altitude route, while the other took a lower-altitude route. Even the lower route was high by ordinary standards, and altitude sickness affected many of us at some point. My group chose the high-altitude route, which took us all the way to Mount Everest Base Camp.

We spent about a week exploring the countryside—a beautiful part of the world that relatively few travelers get to experience. I wanted to share some of our journey, beginning with the time we spent in Lhasa and the memorable road trip that followed.

Lhasa: A city in the clouds

Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, sits at about 11,450 feet (3,500 meters) above sea level, making it one of the highest cities in the world. Its most celebrated landmark, the Potala Palace, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an unforgettable sight.

At that elevation, it’s no surprise that many of us felt lightheaded on our first day. One friend developed severe altitude sickness and spent his first night in a hospital. With oxygen and an IV, he was back on his feet within about a day—and, remarkably, was still able to join us on the high-altitude route. Whether that turned out to be wise is a story for later.

The road to Shigatse

On our way to Shigatse, the second-largest city in the Tibet Autonomous Region, we stopped at several places that made the journey every bit as memorable as the destination.

Our first stop was a viewpoint overlooking the broad Tibetan countryside. Vendors there offered visitors the chance to take photos with yaks, Tibetan Mastiffs, and tiny goats—for a fee, of course. The animals made for charming pictures, but the sweeping landscape was the real star.

Next came Yamdrok Lake, its water an astonishing, clear turquoise. No photograph could do it justice. The lake was one of the highlights of the entire road trip, and I couldn’t resist posing on a yak with the brilliant water behind me. A yak photo cost around 2,000 Nepalese rupees—about US$3.

Yaks are central to life in Tibet. They provide meat, milk, butter, cheese, and yogurt, and you’ll find yak on many menus. I’m vegetarian, so I didn’t try it myself. I’d also heard people say that eating yak helps with altitude sickness, though I can’t vouch for that!

A difficult climb to the glacier

Our third stop was a short hiking trail leading to a beautiful glacier. At a lower elevation, the 30-minute walk might have felt easy. But at roughly 17,000 feet (5,000 meters), it was a real challenge.

I overestimated how quickly I could manage the climb. By the time I reached the glacier, I was lightheaded, nauseous, and dizzy. I felt so unsteady that taking photos seemed like a huge effort. I was focused on staying upright and making it safely back to the van.

Then came the worst migraine of my life. It felt as if my head might split open. For the rest of the drive, I hid under anything I could find to block out the light and tried not to get sick in the van. It was a miserable end to an otherwise extraordinary day—and a powerful reminder of how seriously high altitude can affect you.

Even in that difficult moment, Tibet’s immense beauty was impossible to forget. The landscapes, the lake, the glacier, and the kindness of the people made this journey unlike any other.