--- product_id: 56511253 title: "My Journey to Lhasa: The Classic Story of the Only Western Woman Who Succeeded in Entering the Forbidden City" price: "VT2729" currency: VUV in_stock: false reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.vu/products/56511253-my-journey-to-lhasa-the-classic-story-of-the-only store_origin: VU region: Vanuatu --- # My Journey to Lhasa: The Classic Story of the Only Western Woman Who Succeeded in Entering the Forbidden City **Price:** VT2729 **Availability:** ❌ Out of Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** My Journey to Lhasa: The Classic Story of the Only Western Woman Who Succeeded in Entering the Forbidden City - **How much does it cost?** VT2729 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Currently out of stock - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vu](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/56511253-my-journey-to-lhasa-the-classic-story-of-the-only) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description My Journey to Lhasa: The Classic Story of the Only Western Woman Who Succeeded in Entering the Forbidden City : David-Neel, Alexandra: desertcart.co.uk: Books Review: Surprisingly easy read of an amazing journey by one very tough lady - I wont get into a debate about how much of this book is or isn't factual. My only wonder is, given that it covers a very long walk pretending to be a beggar on a pilgrimage to Lhasa in the company of her adopted son the lama Jongden, is just how did she record everything that is depicted in this book? Setting that query aside though, this book tells a truly amazing story of how the author made her way from China all the way to the fabled Forbidden City of Lhasa. Although she wasn't the first westerner to get there (the British forces were in the country), her story is made all the more remarkable given the fact that she had to do her travelling in secret. The book, despite its age (it was first published in 1927), is very readable. I found the descriptions of both the landscape and, in particular the people she meets along the way, both interesting and convincing. Given the Shangri-La status in which Tibet is viewed today there is a fair amount of debunking contained within these pages. For example, not all Tibetans turn out to be peace loving, animal loving, caring and spiritual. Indeed along the way she comes across robbers, excessive violence/abuse and a great deal of superstition by the uneducated. Indeed the Tibetan propensity for superstition is used by the author and her companion to extricate themselves from some difficult circumstances. However, despite the hardships and the unsavoury nature of some of the people she meets on her journey, Alexandra David-Neel is a lover and academic of all Tibetan culture and religion(s), and this comes across strongly. Additionally, and to me surprisingly, there is also the occasional sense of humour evident. Well worth a read by anyone interested in the life of the ordinary peasants of Tibet before the country was opened up to external influences. Review: what a tough woman - I found this fascinating and she is quite honest and funny. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | 481,126 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 63 in Dalai Lama 125 in Religious Travel 128 in Asian & Asian Descent Studies | | Customer reviews | 4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars (278) | | Dimensions | 13.49 x 2.16 x 20.32 cm | | Edition | Illustrated | | ISBN-10 | 0060596554 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0060596552 | | Item weight | 1.05 kg | | Language | English | | Print length | 376 pages | | Publication date | 23 Aug. 2005 | | Publisher | Harper Perennial | ## Images ![My Journey to Lhasa: The Classic Story of the Only Western Woman Who Succeeded in Entering the Forbidden City - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71kKgR+GkaL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Surprisingly easy read of an amazing journey by one very tough lady *by B***H on 17 August 2014* I wont get into a debate about how much of this book is or isn't factual. My only wonder is, given that it covers a very long walk pretending to be a beggar on a pilgrimage to Lhasa in the company of her adopted son the lama Jongden, is just how did she record everything that is depicted in this book? Setting that query aside though, this book tells a truly amazing story of how the author made her way from China all the way to the fabled Forbidden City of Lhasa. Although she wasn't the first westerner to get there (the British forces were in the country), her story is made all the more remarkable given the fact that she had to do her travelling in secret. The book, despite its age (it was first published in 1927), is very readable. I found the descriptions of both the landscape and, in particular the people she meets along the way, both interesting and convincing. Given the Shangri-La status in which Tibet is viewed today there is a fair amount of debunking contained within these pages. For example, not all Tibetans turn out to be peace loving, animal loving, caring and spiritual. Indeed along the way she comes across robbers, excessive violence/abuse and a great deal of superstition by the uneducated. Indeed the Tibetan propensity for superstition is used by the author and her companion to extricate themselves from some difficult circumstances. However, despite the hardships and the unsavoury nature of some of the people she meets on her journey, Alexandra David-Neel is a lover and academic of all Tibetan culture and religion(s), and this comes across strongly. Additionally, and to me surprisingly, there is also the occasional sense of humour evident. Well worth a read by anyone interested in the life of the ordinary peasants of Tibet before the country was opened up to external influences. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ what a tough woman *by S***T on 27 September 2025* I found this fascinating and she is quite honest and funny. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Terrific story. Atrocious formatting *by M***L on 30 November 2025* An absolutely fascinating and utterly unique insight into a world long past, told by the most intrepid, courageous and philosophical woman. The story itself deserves 5 stars and more, but the formatting into e-reader format is atrocious. I am such a fan of the author that I stuck with it, but at times it took a take a fair bit of patience piecing together the often chaotic narrative. Brilliant to have made this fairly obscure gem available, but it so deserves better on the formatting front. ## Frequently Bought Together - My Journey to Lhasa: The Classic Story of the Only Western Woman Who Succeeded in Entering the Forbidden City - Magic and Mystery in Tibet - The Secret Oral Teachings in Tibetan Buddhist Sects --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vu/products/56511253-my-journey-to-lhasa-the-classic-story-of-the-only](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/56511253-my-journey-to-lhasa-the-classic-story-of-the-only) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vanuatu* *Store origin: VU* *Last updated: 2026-05-13*