Tashilunpo hike...view from the saddle

...looking back down toward the Tibetan quarter of Shigatse, where we began our hike.

Tashilunpo hike...prayer flags and rock altars in the saddle

Tashilunpo hike...following the prayer flags, up the backside of the main peak

Tashilunpo hike.in the saddle

Tashilunpo hike..hiking up to the peak

After climbing the intital ridge line and crossing a wide sadlle, this is the backside of the peak that lies directly over Tashilunpo Monastery. Climbing up this hill was not as easy as it looks... it was very loose rock, criss-crossed with sheep trails which may work great for agile little sheep, but aren't the easiest for gangly humans. The last bit to the top was a literal scramble... but the view on the other side, AND what awaited us at the top was so phenomenal!!

Tashilunpo hike..cuddled up in the prayer flag shelter

We weren't the only people who ever had THIS idea! The thick layers of flags provided the only shade for at least an hour in any direction. The soft, padding provided by the bottom layers of flags was a bonus! We could not resist taking a nice, long rest here...

Tashilunpo hike..Tashilunpo itself, through the prayer flags...

Tashilunpo hike..prayer flag web