The intrinsic urge to travel is believed to be linked to excessive brain dopamine. This excess in dopamine is associated with a particular variant of DRD4 gene, and we call this intrinsic urge “the sense of wanderlust.” It seems therefore that this sense of wanderlust is genetically programmed; if you always have this urge to travel, you should be proud of yourself, for you may be one of those select few who has this variant gene.
Understanding Wanderlust
Wanderlust—the usual term used to describe the intrinsic urge to explore, confront unforeseen challenges, and get to know other cultures—needs to be satisfied. If you are lucky enough to be one of those endowed with this so-called genetic variant, there is no better way for you to satisfy this urge than to explore the so-called “roof of the world” called Tibet. I would strongly urge you to temporarily forget and set aside any of the less adventurous tours that you have in your mind and also forget about your car loan and home loan, and instead, get yourself a once-in-a-lifetime most thrilling tour of Tibet.
What’s So Unique About Tibet?
This may sound like a sales pitch, but some places are truly worth selling. Tibet has all the unusual ingredients that make it a veritable tourist attraction. It has the uniqueness, historicity, natural beauty, and many adventures to offer. Hence, you should never leave it unchecked on your bucket list of places to visit in your lifetime.
Tibet is like a mountain citadel that affords very limited points of entry. You can approach it by plane, train, or overland vehicle travel. By plane, you will have to enter it via Gonggar Airport, the highest airport in the world, which is located in Lhasa, Tibet’s capital. This is the easiest way to Tibet. You can also travel to Tibet by train via the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway is an engineering marvel because it is built mostly on permafrost. Lastly, you can also approach Tibet via an overland route from China or Nepal.
Amazing Sites to Visit in Tibet
Tibet is a landlocked kingdom, and for several millennia it has been mysteriously isolated by its lofty location up in the Himalayas. Upon arrival at Lhasa, you need to slowly adjust to its rarefied atmosphere, being situated almost 3,650 meters above sea level. Here, the oxygen content of the atmosphere is way below the normal level at the sea level. Hence, the sooner you acclimatize yourself to this new ambiance, the better you would enjoy Lhasa.
Your tour guide will pick you up at the airport lobby and billet you to your specific hotel, from where you can readily get a glimpse of the famous Potala Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The next day, you will be thrilled to wake up early in the morning and enjoy your first sunrise at the top of the world. After breakfast, your tour guide will lead you to the famous Potala Palace, the most majestic palace in Lhasa. This palace is now a museum, but in the past it used to be the residence of the Dalai Lama.
After lunch, you can visit the Jokhang Temple where you will find the famous statue of the great Buddha Sakyamuni, located in Barkhor Square. This temple is considered by the Tibetans as their most sacred temple. Lastly, your visits to the Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple are just a foretaste what Tibet has to offer, and if you have that variant gene, you can surely satiate your wanderlust with this tour.
