Tibet

Chanting monks in orange robes, beautiful monasteries and snow-capped mountains - Tibet is not only a spiritual realm but a place of outstanding beauty. Known as the ‘roof of the world’ for being the highest plateau on Earth, a retreat to this mountainous region offers show-stopping views of the unfolding valleys and glassy lakes, with a plethora of colourful rural houses dotted around.

Lhasa is Tibet's cultural hotspot, where you’ll find many stunning places of worship including the famous Jokhang temple, with its iconic golden Buddha and hosts of dedicated pilgrims bowing by the entrance or spooning yak butter into lamps to keep them burning. Don’t miss the extraordinary Potala Palace: the highest ancient palace in the world, the 17^th-century 13-storey-high former residence of the Dalai Lama is now a museum and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Just north of Lhasa, sitting at the foot of Tatipu Hill, is the Sera Monastery, one of the great monasteries of Tibet, which sprawls over an impressive 28 acres, with halls of gold and colourful murals. Its name means ‘wild rose’, in reference to the wild roses which covered the hill behind it while it was being built.

Tibet is also home to Mount Everest’s northern Base Camp, which you can get to on a guided trekking expedition, passing through the scenic Tibetan highlands 6,500m above sea level.