Tashilumpo monastery, built in 1447, was once inhabited by over 4000 monks. This monastery is the seat of the Panchen Lama, the second ranking person in the Gelugpa Tibetan Buddhist hierarchy, after the Dalai Lama. The Grand Hall contains the tomb (containing more than 85 kg gold and lots of jewels) of the 4th Panchen Lama. There is a 27 m high statue of the Maitreya Buddha.

Mount Everest, mountain peak in the Himalayas of southern Asia, considered the highest mountain in the world. Mount Everest is situated at the edge of the Tibetan Plateau (Qing Zang Gaoyuan), on the border of Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Situated at an altitude of 5,400 meters above sea level (ASL), Mt. Everest attracts some 20-30,000 tourists, many of whom aspire to scale the world's highest peak every year.