Gyantse has played a key role in several phases of Tibet's complex history, both in its modern and medieval epochs. Gyantse's two primary attractions, in fact, stand on one hand as monuments to Tibet's difficult and violent passage into the modern world, and on the other, its long periods of relative isolation. And as part of an itinerary running between Lhasa and Mount Everest, it's a great place to stop off for at least a day.
The first of Gyantse's famed pair of attractions is the 14th century Gyantse Dzong (Gyantse Fortress). It was there in 1904 that Tibetan forces mounted stiff resistance against the British Expeditionary Force led by Francis Younghusband, only to lose out to superior firepower. The British marched on to Lhasa, where they extracted onerous concessions from a Tibetan government in shambles—the 13th Dalai Lama had fled, the Tibetans were ignoring the dictates of the Qing Dynasty Chinese advisor known as the amban, and Tibet's tenuous isolation from Great Power geopolitical maneuvering was no more.
Gyantse Kumbum and the surrounding Pelkor Chöde Monestary complex comprise Gyantse's other major attraction. The largest chörten (stupa) in Tibet, the 15th century structure takes the the form of a massive three-dimensional Buddhist mandala. Today, the Kumbum is at the heart of a monastic community numbering about 80, a far cry from the thousand-plus monks who resided on the site in its heyda. And though a number of the statues and murals housed in the Kumbum's 77 chapels are post-Cultural Revolution replicas, it remains one of Tibet's finest examples of Tibetan Buddhist architecture.
Aside from Gyantse Dzong and Pelkor Chöde (including the Guru Lhakhang chapel), Gyantse attractions worth visiting include the Rabse Nunnery, located on the other side of the hill rising between Palkor and the Dzong, the Tsechen Monastery ruins, and the more disant Tsi Nesar Monestary, some 25 kilometers outside of town.
Once the third largest Tibetan city after Lhasa and Shigatse, Gyantse today is home to only 8,000 or so residents, offering basic accommodations and dining options. Gyantse's Old Town clusters in the space between Pelkor to the north and the Dzong to the south, while the newer largely Han Chinese district lies to the south of the Dzong on its rocky promontory. If you stay overnight in Gyantse, you'll almost certainly stay in the new district where all of the hotels and and restauarants catering to tourists are to be found.
History
Historically, Gyantse was part of the Tsang region of Tibet, aligning it with the Sakya-led lamas who struck a deal with the Mongol Empire that rose in the wake of Genghis Kahn's conquest of much of central Asia. In the 14th and 15th centuries as a religious favored by politics and location, Gyantse's most impressive religious and temporal structures were built, with the fortress of Gyantse Dzong's establishment in 1390, followed by Pelkor Chöde Monastery in 1418 and the comissioning of Gyantse Kumbum in 1427.
The city's importance was not only religious and military, however, as it also became an important clearinghouse for regionally produced wool and timber as well as a significant center for trade with India and Bhutan. Linked to far-flung destinations by way of the Ancient Tea Horse Road, Gyantse played its role in the development and dissemination of Buddhism in Tibet and China; aside from Sakya sect temples and monasteries, Gelukpa and Zhalupa schools of Tibetan Buddhism thrived in Gyantse and monks from India, Southeast Asia and China crossed paths.
Tsang lost prominence when the Mongol-established Yuan Dynasty gave way to China's Han-restorationist Ming Dynasty. Tibet at that time became fully independent, with power shifting to the Ü region's Yarlung Valley in the east, finally settling, after a prolonged period of struggle among regional kings and lamas, in Lhasa with the reign of the fifth Dalai Lama beginning in 1656. Again, political and spiritual power were backed by Mongolian military force, this time to the advantage of the Gelukpa sect based in Lhasa.
Throughout much of the subsequent Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), when Tibet was absorbed by the Chinese empire with the help of Mongolian factions at the beginning of the 18th century, an uneasy balance of power existed, with the Dalai Lama in Lhasa ruling—within limits—under the watchful eyes of the Qing representatives, known as amban.
In this uncertain atmosphere of political intrigue and power shifts, Gyantse would briefly become the focal point in the "Great Game" (ca. 1813-1907) in which the rival Russian and British empires competed for control over Central Asia. Great Britain, concerned about the expansion of Russian power on the northern borders of the British Raj, sought inroads into Tibet, hoping to establish the Himalayan nation as a buffer state between the British-ruled Indian subcontinent and the Russian-dominated steppes extending into Mongolia.
When British intelligence turned up reports of Russian influence gaining a foothold in Lhasa thanks to Agvan Dorjieff, a Russian Buddhist monk, Lord Curzon, the viceroy of India, decided to take action. Corzon dispatched an expeditionary force under Colonol Francis Younghusband to Tibet by way of Sikikim. With some 1,000 well-armed troops accompanied by around 9,000 porters and sherpas, Younghusband was prepared
Climate
From March through October, Gyantse's weather is quite tolerable, with average high temperatures peaking in May at nearly 30 degrees Celsius and staying above 20 degrees into early October. That said, lows can easily hit freezing in spring and fall, and rains peak between June and August. The best times to visit are spring and fall, roughly from April through May and late September well into October. Winters are cold and relatively dry. Regardless of the time of year, warm layers and sunscreen are musts, and in summer you don't want to forget your rain poncho.
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Most visitors pre-arrange accommodations via any number of agencies who book Gyantse tours, but individual travelers can easily enough drop into town and expect to find satisfactory basic accommodations. This is generally the most comfortable and convenient option.
If you're up for something intensively local and willing to expend a little effort, you might try to arrange a stay in a local home in the Tibetan quarter in the north of Gyantse. This isn't guaranteed, however, and, depending on the political situation at the time of your visit, it could lead to encounters with Chinese security forces (regardless, be sure all of your Tibet travel permits are in order).
Otherwise, head to the southern part of town, where Han Chinese businesses predominate. The large Gyantse Hotel (8 Yingxiong Nan Lu; 817 2222) is all right in a pinch, though the Tibetan-run Jianzang Hotel (817 3720) wins on overall value, charm and friendliness.
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The easiest way to get to Gyantse is to sign up before arriving in Tibet or after arriving in Lhasa with a tour company that includes Gyantse tours on their itinerary offerings. Ctrip is a good bet for their well-organized Tibet tours.
Regardless of whether you're doing it on your own or going with a tour, be sure that all of your Tibet travel permit papers in order. If you're traveling independently, you can grab a minvan or taxi from Shigatse (where you can also get necessary local travel permits for Gyantse from the Shigaste Public Security Bureau). Trips run around RMB 25-30 for the hour-and-a-half drive (for an extra RMB 50 or so, you can book a private taxi; otherwise, you'll likely ride with others and wait to depart until the vehicle is full). Don't count on getting a ride before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m.
Buses from Lhasa depart in the morning and stop in the late afternoon in Gyantse as well. Daring travelers can try their luck at hitching a ride.
Once in town, everything can be easily reached by walking or by bike (rentals available at several hotels, including the Gyantse Hotel for around RMB 5/hour).