October days in Tibet

In mid-October two years ago, the snow-capped peaks of the majestic Himalayas appeared against a clear blue sky, colorful lunta flags fluttered in the vast desert, rows of trees with golden leaves lit up like candles along the roadside, gentle breezes carried a few fallen leaves into the deep blue sky, tranquil rivers flowed with turquoise water, and charming trees reflected their images... Amidst this boundless autumn scenery, I was captivated and lost in thought, never imagining I would experience such a beautiful and dreamy Tibetan autumn.

The golden route from Gonggar Airport to Lhasa

Arriving at Gonggar Airport on an autumn afternoon, we felt the crisp, cool air of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Amidst the blue sky and white clouds at an altitude of nearly 4,000 meters above sea level, the roads lined with golden leaves stretched out like a carpet, welcoming us from the airport to the capital, Lhasa. The breathtaking scenery was irresistible. Sitting in the car, our hearts fluttered, longing to get out and embrace the mystical Tibetan autumn sky that so many yearn to experience. We should have slowed down to fully savor those moments, but how could ordinary people like us, setting foot on this earthly paradise for the first time, remain calm in the face of such a dreamy landscape? We were worried about the days that followed, wondering if we would ever have the chance to see such a magical scene again. Luckily, the driver understood our concerns and was very accommodating, often signaling when the car was about to pass beautiful stretches of road, and occasionally stopping the car so the whole group could get out and take as many photos as we wanted.

Autumn colors blanket the capital city of Lhasa.

During our first few days in Tibet, we spent a lot of time resting and only exploring the inner city of Lhasa to allow our bodies to gradually adapt to the altitude. Our Tibetan guide, Kunkun, advised us to walk slowly, breathe deeply, drink plenty of water, and avoid strenuous activity because the oxygen is thin at such a high altitude, making altitude sickness very easy to occur. Thanks to this, every moment we spent visiting the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Ramoche Temple, and Barkhor district was leisurely strolls, clearly feeling the autumnal atmosphere of Lhasa. From the Potala Palace, we could see the entire city. Lhasa seemed to have changed quite a bit compared to before; there were many more tall, magnificent buildings, unlike the pristine "land of the Lamas" I had read about in some books. But even so, from Potala, Lhasa still looked small, peaceful, and charming in its autumn colors.

Road to Everest Base Camp

While the autumn air was still vibrant in Lhasa, we had to set off for the next stop on our journey: the Everest Base Camp at Rongbuk Monastery. The distance from Lhasa to Rongbuk is quite far, about 800 km of mountain passes and vast deserts. We had to split the journey into two legs, taking two days to reach the summit of the world. We expected such a long and tiring trip, but we were incredibly excited when the 24-seater bus from Tibet FIT took us upstream along the Yarlung River, through the wild countryside of Gyantse and Shigatse.

Along the longest river in the Tibet Autonomous Region, we were once again amazed by the golden foliage reflected on the water's surface, a breathtaking sight. At each stop, our guide only gave us 10 minutes to look around and take photos before continuing on our planned route, but we always lingered for a few extra minutes. If the guide hadn't urged us to get back on the bus, we felt like we could have sat there forever.

"Candlelight trees" on the way to Namtso sacred lake.

After admiring the world's highest peak from Everest Base Camp at an altitude of 5,150m and spending a memorable night in Rongbuk, we had to leave early because the living conditions there were quite harsh; many members of the group suffered from insomnia due to anxiety and altitude sickness.

Bidding farewell to Everest, we returned to Shigatse, then spent another night in the town of Damxung before heading to Namtso Lake, the world's highest salt lake (at an altitude of 4,718 m). Namtso is also known as an incredibly beautiful and sacred lake, and almost every first-time visitor to Tibet seeks it out.

The Shigatse to Namtso route offered us many delightful surprises. Some sections featured intertwined tree canopies, romantic like the entrance to a cathedral. Others passed through vast deserts and rolling snow-capped hills, their soft white snow resembling tempting "coconut ice cream." And then there was the breathtaking Lakenla Pass, reaching a height of 5,190 meters.

The car stopped at the top of the pass, and I gazed down at the emerald green Namtso Lake below. The temperature outside was around -4 degrees Celsius, bitterly cold. We couldn't stay outside for too long, so we had to descend the pass as quickly as possible. Leaving Lakenla with regret, we traveled another 30 kilometers to reach the sacred lake. Namtso truly lives up to its name as a lake, with a surface area of ​​1,920 square kilometers.²Namtso, surrounded by snow-capped mountains year-round, truly reveals the magnificent beauty of Tibetan nature.

Leaving Namtso, we returned to Lhasa, preparing to bid farewell to this earthly paradise and return to reality. When planning my trip to Tibet in October, I only hoped for good weather, little rain, and clear skies so I could get a good look at the majestic Mount Everest – the dream of so many. But unexpectedly, Tibet graciously welcomed me with an abundance of breathtaking autumn colors.

Goodbye Tibet, I am reminded of Yao Min's words in the book "Neither Betraying the Tathagata Nor Betraying You," about the 6th Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso:Every person who has never been to Tibet firmly believes that one day they will set foot on this land. Every person who has left Tibet is convinced that they will return someday, because they have left a part of their soul there.

Mai Trang