MT EVEREST 29,030 Ft
               Base Camp 17,500 Ft
This is the north face of Everest taken from Base Camp. There is a monastery (farther down) or nomad tents (base camp) to accommodate travelers who wish to stay the night and see Everest at dusk and dawn. It is reached by an easily accessible highway.

Tibet is one of the world’s most isolated regions, surrounded by the magnificent Himalayas on the south, the Karakoram Range on the west, and the isolated Kunlun Mountains on the north. With an average elevation of 4,900 meters (16,000 ft), it is the highest region on Earth. Most of the inhabitants of Tibet live at elevations ranging from 1,200 m (3,900 ft) to 5,100 m (16,700 ft). Among the principal peaks are Mount Everest (8,850 m/29,035 ft), the world’s highest mountain; Namcha Barwa (7,756 m/25,446 ft); and Gurla Mandhata (7,728 m/25,354 ft). The Tibetan Plateau, which slopes progressively from south to east, is interspersed with mountain outcroppings of an average elevation of about 4,510 m (about 14,800 ft). The eastern part of Tibet is a rugged region with numerous smaller mountain ranges interspersed by deep valleys. With mountains and valleys sprinkled continuously over this land, the stunning views never end!

Seven Summit Schedule

TIBET HOLY MOUNTAINS

WESTERN TIBET HOLY MOUNTAINS

Awe inspiring "Sacred" Mt. Kailash and "Holy Lake" Lake Manasarovar are venerated places for many faiths, including Tibetan Buddhists, Buddhists, Bon, Jains, and to those with other esoteric beliefs. They come to walk the kora around the mountain, around the "center of the world". Not only is this trek a life-long goal for pilgrims, but many visitors find the attraction irresistible.

Ancient Sanskrit documents tell us the Gangdise Range had become a holy mountain 2,000 years before Christ. A Hindu myth explains how a palace for the god of gods was build on Mt. Kailash. With 6656 meters, this is an extremely important mountain in Asian and Tibetan history. Tibetan Buddhists have a belief that the mountain is in a shape of an olive. The legendary palace is thought to have been build right on the peak. Centuries ago a visiting Bangladesh monk heard bells chiming from the palace, along with drums beating and mysterious sounds. Even pilgrims today claim to hear things during their kora around this mount.

Kailash crowns the Himalayan Mountains with its innumerable myths and legends. By far, it remains the focus of the religions that believe in the magnetic draw of the mountain. It takes from 24-36 hours to make the full circle (kora) around the mountain. Some people caravan with their yaks, camp and do the kora in two days time. This form of worshipping is common to Tibetan Buddhists who do koras around all important religious sites. The more koras done, the better your life now and the next time will be. This deep rooted notion of circling holy mountains and places started in ancient times with pagan rituals. more

Pungri Holy Mountain, Tibet

GOLOG HOLY MOUNTAINS - QINGHAI, TIBET

Deforestation

Tibet's total forest cover declined from 25.2 million hectares in 1949 to 13.57 million hectares in 1985 alone, which means 46 percent destruction. According to Chinese official statistic from 1959 to 1985 Tibetan timber worth US$54 billion were cut down and sold in the international timber market by China. No recent data is available but public outcry doesn't seem to have much impact. When gold is king, nature is a slave. No one can say when deforestation will stop, but apparently not until the world awakens.

Grassland Degradation

Tibet is 70 percent grassland and the health of these extensive grasslands are fundamental to the survival of about 1 million people consisting mainly of nomads and about 70 million domestic animals such as sheep, goat and yak and countless number of wildlife. Damage from overgrazing can happen to some degree. Sheep, preferred by Chinese, yank out the grass while the yak licks and leave the stalk. Military encampments also contribute to the degradation of grasslands.