Tibet is rightly called the Roof of the World: Not only does the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest or Chomolungma, rise to its immense height of 8,850 meters, but the highest mountain ranges on Earth also separate the land of snow from the rest of the world. In the south, the ice giants of the Himalayas form a natural border. In the west, the mountains of the Karakoram rise, and in the north, the mighty Kunlun mountain range separates the Tibetan Plateau from the vast deserts of Inner Asia. In addition to the unique landscape, the hospitable people, the distinctive monastic culture, the colorful pilgrimage festivals, and the once forbidden city of Lhasa are highlights of a trip to Tibet.