Mapping the Tibetan World

From Library Journal
Although this book has about 300 very detailed maps everything from a map of Potala Palace to downtown Cheng-du it is essentially a travel guide rather than a history of mapping the Tibetan region, as the title may suggest. In the first chapter, the authors, all experienced travelers captivated by Tibet, are admirably forthright about the drawbacks of travel there (e.g., Tibetan mastiffs that bite on sight, the need for vaccinations, altitude sickness, and the absence of gourmet meals) and then spend the rest of the book focusing on the good points, such as the many monasteries and cultural sites and the ability to travel on $12 a day. Pages are filled with practical tourist information, basic tours, very detailed instructions (e.g., the building in front of which a bus leaves), and plentiful photos. Recommended for all travel collections specializing in Asian geographic areas. Mary Lynette Larsgaard, Univ. of California, Santa Barbara Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Tibet Society, Spring 2001
This is a highly comprehensive publication with all the latest information,covering even the remotest areas.

Library Journal, February 15, 2001
Recommended for all travel collections specializing in Asian geographic areas.

Tibet Aid, Japan, January 2002
This wonderful guidebook which contains almost 300 detailed maps is the Bible for Tibetan freaks.

Big World Travel Magazine & Hostels.com, December 2000
Tibet-bound travelers will find no better guide than Mapping the Tibetan World. This is a must-have if you're seeing Tibet.

Shambhala Sun, May 2001
A little gem of a guide, gives excellent synopses that help one prepare for a trip to the Himalayan region.

Shambhala Sun, May 2001
A little gem of a guide, gives excellent synopses that help one prepare for a trip to the Himalayan region.

Free Tibet Campaign, Spring 2001
The 'Bible' for independent travel in the region. Laminate your copy against the rigours of the Tibetan road now!

Book News, February 2001
A genuinely distinct travel and cultural guide to Tibet, Bhutan, and the Tibetan areas in Nepal, W.China, and N.India.

Book Description
Whether you are visiting the central Tibetan plateau or more easily accessible Tibetan areas in northern India, Nepal, Bhutan, or western China this is the guidebook that gives you all the information you require to truly explore this wonderful region. The Tibetan way of life thrives in many areas outside of the area commonly known as "Tibet". With a unique collection of over 280 highly detailed, tried and tested maps in combination with more than 400 pages of practical travel information and 339 illustrations, color and black & white photographs, "Mapping the Tibetan World" is a one-stop guide and map book to this entire Tibetan region. The more than 280 maps are clear, concise and packed with useful information as well as all the relevant towns, villages, monasteries, trekking routes and base camps as well as other points of interest along the way. There are country maps that cover all of the main Himalayan destinations including double page maps of Nepal and Bhutan. Bus route & highway maps, which help with planning your routes into the region and in getting around. The regional & local maps along with special ones showing large monasteries and sights of special interest will allow you to relax and soak up the atmosphere of the place without those nagging worries that you are missing out on something just around the corner. This collection of maps is the most comprehensive ever offered in a guidebook covering the Himalayas and many of them are simply unavailable anywhere else. Please see the Interior Artwork provided above for a taste of what to expect. The travel information provided includes difficult to find bus and train timetables, air schedules, sample budgets and model routes as well as hotel rates, restaurant suggestions and hundreds of interesting sights to see. This is supplemented by a balanced look at the historical, cultural and religious backdrop to the Tibetan way of life. There are language sections covering both the Tibetan and Chinese languages. Each town is identified by it's Tibetan and Chinese name (and at times Nepalese) and also by it's local name where the regional dialect is different. To further assist in your endeavors to get from A to B there is a full map and location index alongside an appendix crammed full of place names in English along with their names in Chinese characters. Readers who stand to benefit from this book include: *Independent Travelers Any traveler planning to explore any part of the Tibetan Cultural Area, whether in Tibet, China, Nepal, India or Bhutan. *Group Tours Anyone who is joining a group tour to the Himalayas and is in search of background information on the history of the area, the culture and customs of the people or the festivals and complex world of Tibetan Buddhism. *Trekkers Those adventurous souls who are aiming to tackle the Everest routes from either the Nepal or Tibet side, challenging the Annapurna sanctuary or attempting Mt. Kangchenjunga among the many other peaks in the region. *Travel Professionals Travel and trekking agencies will be able to offer better organized and more in-depth travel packages to their clients by using this book. *Scholars & Others Anyone studying, researching or with a general interest in the region will gain invaluable information and gain access to a unique set of maps. You will gain further knowledge of the Tibetan people and the areas they call home and it will act as reference resource for years to come.

From the Publisher
On first seeing the "Mapping the Tibetan World" guidebook we immediately realized that we had in our hands the most comprehensive collection of maps and travel information covering the Tibetan region that had been published up to now. Even the best previously published guides to the region have offered only a handful of quality maps or larger numbers of inaccurate line drawings. As travelers and now as travel publishers we have always felt that having the information and the means to truly appreciate the region that you are a guest in is a vital asset. We hope that making this practical, up-to-date and no-nonsense guide available to those interested in the Tibetan region will increase the understanding and appreciation of the people and culture in the area. This is the first-ever guidebook to include all of the areas that can be classed as within the 'Tibetan Cultural Region', a classification that cuts across 'National' or 'Geopolitical' boundaries and encompasses the areas where the people share a common ancestry, culture and religion. This allows the reader of "Mapping the Tibetan World" to gain access to Tibetan life wherever it is alive and in this way we are hope to further encourage the preservation of this rich, diverse and thriving culture. We believe that by bringing such a detailed, wide-ranging and high quality guidebook onto the market we will set a new standard for future guidebooks covering the Himalayan region and beyond. You will be offered guidebooks that follow Mapping the Tibetan World's lead in not only meeting your expectations but going far beyond them.


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This is a highly comprehensive publication with all the latest information, covering even the remotest areas with helpful costings to facilitate a reasonably accurate budget.Read all 6 "From The Critics" >


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