Itinerary Details

• 

  Day 1: Arrival in Lhasa (3680m)

  Welcome to Lhasa! Upon your arrival at Gonggar airport or Lhasa Railway Station, your professional Tibetan guide will meet you at designated location on time, with Pickup Board. Then a comfortable private car and experienced driver will take you to Lhasa hotel safely. It is about 65km from the airport to Lhasa city and takes less than an hour through the Airport Expressway. It is only 25km from the railway station and takes about half an hour.

  After arriving at hotel, tour guide will help you check in. You can take a rest and get acclimatized to high altitude.

  Overnight at Lhasa.
  
  Tips:
  1. To adapt to the high altitude ( over 3,600m ), you are recommended to have a good rest in the hotel, no running and intense activity, no smoking and no alcohol, no shower.
  2. Please drink sufficient water and eat more vegetable, fruits, meat and eggs for more energy.
  3. For the first-time visitors, it is common to have different degrees of high altitude sickness symptom.

  

  Lhasa Gonggar Airport Pick-up

  

  Lhasa Railway Station Pick-up
• 

  Day 2: Lhasa tour

  After breakfast at your hotel, driven to visit Drepung Monastery. Drepung Monastery was ever the largest monastery with more than 10 thousand monks, and now is one of three great monasteries in Lhasa. Seen from the distant, its grand, white construction gives the appearance of a heap of rice.

  In the afternoon, driven to visit Sera Monastery, which is famous for the unique “Daily Scriptures Debating” activity held from 3:30pm to 5pm in the central courtyard. Then transfer back to the hotel.

  Tips:
  1. The road condition to Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery is good.
  2. Pack plenty of drinking water, sun glasses, suncream and some food.

  

  Drepung Monastery

  

  Sera Monastery
• 

  Day 3: Lhasa tour

  After breakfast, your tour guide & driver will pick you and drive to visit the splendid Potala Palace, which is Lhasa’s cardinal landmarks. You will have a whole morning to explore this world-level architectural works: White Palace, Red Palace, corridors and stairs and countless lama’s dormitory. Others include: Buddha statues, red-robed lamas and devoted, murals, etc.

  In the afternoon, you will walk to visit the age-old Jokhang Temple, as the spiritual center of Tibet, which will deeply impress you with its magnificence and sincere pilgrims. You will see pilgrims donating butter oil to keep the lights burning for the Buddha; learning Tibetan Buddhism; hearing the red-robed Lamas praying; taking photos of the gold roof and enjoying the beautiful sunshine of Lhasa.

  Finally, you will have a relaxing walk around Jokhang Temple at Barkhor Street, which is the oldest street in Lhasa, and full of religious atmosphere, showcasing Tibetan culture, economy, religion and arts assemble. Then transfer back to the hotel.

  Tips:
  1. In Potala Palace, your visiting time is limited on 1 hour. Climb up there, you might experience slight shortness of breath, please take your time and rest when needed.
  2. Don’t disturb pilgrims and Lama. Don’t take photos of them without permission.
  3. In Barkhor Street, remember to bargain and compare the price in different shops for the souvenirs if you are purchasing.

  

  Potala Palace

  

  Jokhang Temple
• 

  Day 4: Lhasa - Gyantse (3900m) – Shigatse (3800m) (350km, 7-8hrs)

  On leaving the Tibetan capital, we will first drive southwest towards the beauty of Lake Yamdrok taking the winding road up to the crest of the Gampa La pass at 4794 meters. From the pass you get the first glimpse of the beauty of Lake Yamdrok below ringed by snowy mountain peaks and stretching out across the whole landscape before you. In the distance the holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar stands tall in the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountain Range. We will drop down to the lake shore for a closer look before continuing on to Nagartse for a delicious local lunch.

  On the way to Gyantse, after lunch, we cross over the pass at Karo La (5159m) where we can view the beautiful glacier that falls from the slopes of Mount Nyenchen Khangsar. In Gyantse we will stop at the Pelkor Chode Monastery to explore both the monastery and the outstanding 32-meter stupa that is the highlight of the day. Known as the Kumbum Stupa this one-of-a-kind stupa has nine floors and 108 chapels which contain thousands of images and statues throughout. Then we will continue on in the late afternoon to reach Shigatse before nightfall.

  Overnight at Shigatse.

  

  Yamdrok Lake

  

  Karola Glacier
• 

  Day 5: Shigatse to Lhasa (350km, 7-8hrs)

  After breakfast we will spend the first part of the morning touring around the famous Tashilhunpo Monastery the seat of the Panchen Lama before heading off along the Friendship Highway towards Lhasa the Tibetan capital. Built in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama the monastery is now the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama Tibet’s second highest religious incarnation. There you will be able to see the tombs of 7 Panchen Lamas explore the twisting cobbled streets and get a peek into monastic life.

  On the rout drive back to Lhasa by following Yalong Valley, you can stand on the viewing platform and view the vast Yalong River bed. Finally the guide will transfer you back to your hotels in Lhasa.

  Overnight at Lhasa.

  

  Panoramic view of Tashilhunpo Monastery

  

  Tashilhunpo Monastery
• 

  Day 6: Depart from Lhasa

  Today is free for you until you are escorted to the airport or railway station for departure and the guide will help you get on board.