MY first date with Mt Everest was in Kathmandu, Nepal. I took a flight that encircled the world’s highest peak and I wasn’t disappointed. It was incredibly majestic, but still, I yearned for more.

So when I planned a trip to Tibet, I wanted to take another look at what is known as Mt Qomolangma in Chinese — not from the sky but up close this time.

I set out on a crisp yet sunny morning from Lhasa with a guide, driver, altitude sickness medications and plenty of drinking water. On the 600 kilometer trek to Everest, I stopped at Yamdrok Lake. The crystal clear blue water shimmered in the sun and it just looked heavenly. Surrounded by rugged mountains, I shivered despite wearing layers of warm clothing and it being the middle of summer as the lake is 4,677 meters above sea level.

My guide said the road we were taking ultimately reached the Nepal border. The drive was an adventure in itself as the topography changed at every turn. In some places there was only rugged peaks and barren land. The Karuola Glacier stood magnificently — seemingly the only witness to the silence and the serenity of the place. Around other corners, colorful prayer flags fluttered in the strong wind with a deep blue sky in behind.

Next up was a stop at Palkhor Monastery, where the Sakyapa, Gelukpa and Kadampa Buddhism sects all worship. The nine-story pagoda is rather impressive with a commanding view of the area. The Kumbum is breathtakingly beautiful with each tower adorned by artistic murals. The assembly hall is draped in colorful thangkas, or paintings of Buddhist deities on cotton or silk. Don’t miss the Manjushree Bodhisattva sculpture. It’s beautiful.

Our drive continued to Shigatse and once again the topography changed — this time it was lush fields. The wind blew over the wheat and barley, making the crops look like ocean waves.

Shigatse is the second largest city in Tibet and is famous for Tashilhunpo Monastery, home to the Panchen Lama. Since I had yet to visit Potala Palace in Lhasa, I thought it would be a great experience to see a major Tibetan pilgrimage destination. The tombs of the Panchen Lama are carefully preserved and feature intricately decorated gold items and precious stones.

The following morning, I reached the Everest Nature Reserve. Surprisingly, the expressway just ended and a bumpy dirt road lay ahead. But the excitement of once again seeing the world’s highest peak quickly made me forget about the inconvenience.

A short but winding road led us to an elevation a little above 5,200 meters. The air was fresh but light. I could also feel the dearth of oxygen in it. It was a clear sunny day and it was summer, the view of the Himalayan range from this point was mind blowing. The guide pointed out the North face of Mount Everest and a few other peaks, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu, the world’s fourth, fifth and sixth highest peaks respectively. The mountain peaks seemingly were playing hide-and-seek with the clouds and it was wonderful.

We reached Rongphu Monastery, the highest monastery in the world at 4,980 meters. The yak wool tents looked interesting and many travelers seemed to be enjoying them, but I had booked a guest house. A pollution free bus took visitors to Everest Base Camp and the view of the mountains was well worth a million dollars.

Finally I was there. My heart pounded — partly in excitement and partly because it needed to work harder to pump oxygen through my body. Mount Everest was partially blanketed by snow as it stood there majestically. It was so close that I felt I could stretch my hands out to touch it. But that was an illusion as the mountain was still rather far off.

Next morning, it was another round of admiring the peaks and then it was time to return. Suddenly I felt very tired. Perhaps it was just the thought of driving back to Lhasa, but by gazing at Everest I had fulfilled a dream.

So what if I didn’t climbed Mt Everest, I had touched it with my heart.

If you go

All foreigners need a travel permit to visit Tibet Autonomous Region. It is convenient to have a travel agent do all the paper work and air ticket booking.

Lhasa is connected to Shanghai or Beijing by multiple airlines, either directly or via Chongqing, Xi’an or Chengdu. A travel agent can arrange for “group bookings” even if you are not a part of the group and get you a reasonable fare. Trains traveling from Shanghai to Lhasa take around two days.

Everest Base Camp can be visited from Lhasa. It takes about 2-3 days depending on how much time is spent on driving. Any travel agent based in Lhasa, Shanghai and Beijing can organize a trip.

English speaking guides are freely available in Lhasa. The hotel tour desk can find a good, reliable one. English speaking guides can also be arranged by some travel agents in Shanghai and Beijing. It is very important to check the credentials of the agency and the guide so that there is no confusion with the itinerary or the quality of the car they provide. Do not always believe or depend on the travel agent blindly. Check all possible things like entry fees and time, as well as good and reliable places to eat. Double check with the hotel tour desk about bars.

Visitors to Tibet should be careful about the high altitude. The air is light as the oxygen content is only 65 percent. Tourists may feel tired, lose their breath quickly and may experience headaches or nausea. Remember to take it easy until acclimatizing to the air before going out for long day trips.

The best time to travel to Tibet is from April to October. Winter is also preferred by some as it is much less crowded. Hotel rates and airfares are also comparatively lower than the peak season. It is advisable to avoid China’s national holidays as it becomes too crowded and getting a permit is more difficult. Even though a travel permit can be issued in 7 days, it takes longer during the holiday times.

The weather is always dry and cold. Wearing layers of warm clothing year round is a must.

Bring the following items: High altitude medication but consult a doctor first, dry snacks, plenty of fluids like water and juice, road maps, guide books, insect repellent if you go camping, skin moisturizers, lip balm, sun screen lotion, gloves, hat, cap and sunglasses.

Oxygen cans are available almost everywhere in Lhasa. Hotels have it in the rooms. They can also be bought in pharmacies around the city.