**12th–16th centuries:**
– Benjamin of Tudela, 1160: Earliest European reports of Tibet
– Louis IX emissary, 1253: First diplomatic mission to Mangu Khan
– Friar William of Rubruck: Described Tibetan rituals and garments
– Odoric of Pordenone, 1325: First European claim to visit Tibet
– Fra Mauro map, 1459: Tibet’s location known
**17th century:**
– António de Andrade and Manuel Marques, 1624: First documented Europeans in Tibet
– Jesuits João Cabral and Estêvão Cacella, 1628: Established missions in Tibet
– Jesuits Johannes Grueber and Albert Dorville, 1661: Traveled from Peking to Agra via Lhasa
– George Bogle: Welcomed by the Panchen Lama in Shigatse
– Missions evacuated in 1635 due to sect rivalry
**18th century:**
– Ippolito Desideri, 1716: Italian Jesuit who explored Tibet
– Capuchins: Sole Christian missionaries in Tibet, expelled in 1745
– George Bogle: Welcomed by the Panchen Lama at Tashilhunpo in Shigatse
**19th century:**
– Nain Singh, 1865-1875: Conducted secret surveys of Tibet for the British
– Nicholas Przewalski, 1879-80: Russian explorer in northern Tibet
– Sven Hedin, 1893-35: Swedish explorer who mapped large parts of Tibet
– Dr. Susie Rijnhart, 1898: Canadian missionary who attempted to reach Lhasa
– Japanese explorer Ekai Kawaguchi, 1899: Disguised as a Chinese monk to enter Tibet
**20th century:**
– British explorers Frederick Bailey and Henry Morshead, 1913: Unauthorised exploration of Tsangpo Gorge
– German expedition led by Ernst Schäfer, 1938-39: Scientific exploration in Tibet
– Tourist statistics, 2009: 5.6 million tourists visited Tibet, spending ¥5.6 billion
– British Mount Everest reconnaissance expeditions in 1921 and 1935
– Russian explorers Tsybikov and Norzunov, 1900: First photographers of Lhasa
