Shigatse  (3900m)

Shigatse is the second largest city in Tibet. With a population of about 50,000, and located at the intersection of several roads, it is an important trading and administrative centre.

Tashi Lhunpo Monastery
Tashi Lhunpo Monastery is one of the largest functioning monasteries in Tibet. The Tashi Lhunpo Monastery meaning ‘heap of glory’ is seat to the Panchen Lama, the second most important spiritual leader of Tibet. In 1447 the Monastery was founded by His Holiness the 1st Dalai Lama, Gyalwa Gendun Drup. It is one of the four great monasteries of Central Tibet and was supervised and looked after by the Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas of the Gelugpa, or Yellow Hat tradition. It has the glory of producing thousands of renowned scholars in the field of Mahayana Buddhist Philosophy and Tantra. Steep steps, cobbled alleys, golden roofs, red and white and black walls are all features of the monastery. It has the highest sitting Maitreya Buddha Statue in the world which is housed in gold and copper alloy (80ft high with 600pounds of gold).