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Tibet Overview: Introduction
Why visit Tibet | Why travel overland | A word of caution | Travel Books
Since 1951, just as the Western world was beginning to catch its first real glimpse of life in Tibet, the Chinese government closed its doors. These remained closed until the early eighties. China's so-called 'peaceful liberation' of Tibet in 1959, has impacted significantly on both the land and its inhabitants.
It is important for travellers to the region to understand something about the political situation in Tibet. The political climate is turbulent and rules and regulations governing individual travellers are liable to change with little or no notice.
Yet despite the difficulties created by the presence of the Chinese authorities, travel to Tibet is still completely worthwhile. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama maintains that informed and aware tourists have an important role to play in the preservation of Tibetan culture and he has a clear message for travellers to his homeland, as stated in his Foreword to Tibet Overland:
I encourage anyone who wishes to go to do so.
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A 'vacant' Dalai Lama chair, now
commonplace throughout all
Tibetan monasteries
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