Rongphu Monastery
So Close to the tallest mountain
Also known as Dzarongpu monastery (4980m) is the power place through which all seeking the highest peak via the North Face must pass. It is the monastic center of the region, established in 1902, in an area of meditation huts that had been in use by nuns and hermits for over 400 years. Hermitage meditation caves dot the cliff walls all around the monastery complex and up and down the valley. Mani walls and stones, carved with sacred syllables and prayers, line the path It is situated half-way up the mile-wide, 20-mile long valley, is accessible today by vehicle over an obscure, rough track that crosses frozen streams and deep dry washes. About 30 monks and nuns live here.
The 90km road from Shegar to Ronphu takes about 2-3 hours across Pang La (5120m), providing stupendous views of Himalayan range including Makalu, Lhotse, Everest and Cho Oyu and then past several scenic villages.
Near Rongphu Monastery
More to see around Tsang.
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Sight
Everest North Area (Rongphu Face)
The north face of Everest and the Rongphu Glacier, reached by road from Tingri to Rongphu and Base Camp.
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Sight
Gyantse
Gyantse (3,950m) in the Nyang Chu valley, 254km south-west of Lhasa, is one of the least Chinese influenced towns in Tibet and is worth a visit for this reason alone.
