Sadly most people use Shigatse , Tibet's second city, as an overnight stop on the way to or from Lhasa. While one day is long enough to see the two main sights, Tashilunpo Monastery and Shigatse Dzong , it's worth spending at least an extra night here simply to do everything at a more leisurely pace, take in the market and spend a bit of time absorbing the atmosphere and wandering the attract

Mount Everest (Qomolangma) For most of us, a trip to Mount Everest—better called by its Tibetan name, Qomolangma—means a stay at Everest Base Camp (EBC) and a few tentative forays in the general direction of the world's highest peak, which towers 8,848 meters (29,028 feet) above sea level. If you're fit enough and have acclimated to the altitude, you might manage to make it to a higher camp, thou

Air   Shigatse doesn't have an airport, so most travelers fly to Lhasa and either rent a car or take the bus.   Bus   The second largest city in Tibet, Shigatse acts as the transportation hub for central Tibet and the gateway to the vast western region. Buses link Shigatse to several locations around Tibet. Buses leave Beijiao Bus Station (Tel: 0891 6922 104) in Lhasa, at 8:55

Shigatse boasts several local dishes. There are, for instance, Tibetan sausage, high-land barley wine and yak butter, beef and mutton, tongue of yak that served cold and dressed with sauce, tsampa, various kinds of cookies and sweat tea, milk tea, yoghurt, roasted sausage, dried meat, shapu (smashed meat) and so on. All these dishes can be found served in the night fair near the bus station, where

The Tibetan market across the street from the Tenzin Hotel is the best place for souvenirs and local handicrafts; it has one of the territory's best selections of Tibetan boots and costumes. Tibet Gang Gyen Carpet Factory sells handmade rugs and carpets, but they are not cheap after shipping prices are included.