The Roof of the World
🗓️ Best time: May–October | ⏱️ 7–10 days
Tibet sits at an average elevation of 4,500 meters — a landscape of snow peaks, turquoise lakes, and Buddhist monasteries that have survived centuries of history. Lhasa's Potala Palace dominates the skyline with 1,000 rooms stacked 13 stories high. Outside the capital, the turquoise waters of Yamdrok Lake curve through barren mountains, Everest Base Camp offers a view of the north face that mountaineers have sought for a century, and the overland route from Lhasa to Kathmandu is one of the world's great road trips. Traveling here requires permits and planning — but that filters out the casual tourists and leaves something more serious.
