Itinerary Details

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  Day 1: Arrival in Lhasa (3650m)

  Welcome to Lhasa! Upon your arrival at Gonggar airport or Lhasa Railway Station, your professional Tibetan guide will meet you right at designated location on time, with Pickup Board. Then a comfortable car or bus and experienced driver will take you to Lhasa hotel safely. It is about 60km from the airport to Lhasa downtown and takes about an hour through the Airport Expressway. It is only 30km 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 Train Station Pick-up
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  Day 2: Lhasa tour

  After breakfast at your hotel, drive to visit Drepung Monastery. Drepung Monastery was ever the largest monastery with more than 10 thousand monks, and now it 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, drive to visit Sera Monastery, which is famous for the unique “Daily Scriptures Debating” activity held from 3:30pm to 5pm in the central courtyard. In addition, you can tour  the Tibetan religious scripture printing house; inside the monastery, you can see three sand Mandalas and colorful Rock Painting of Buddha. Then transfer back to the hotel.

  Overnight at Lhasa.

  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
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  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.

  Overnight at Lhasa.

  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
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  Day 4: Lhasa-Ganden-Tsubshi, Trek to Yama-do (trek 2 to 3 hours, 7km)

  In the morning, we will drive to Ganden Monastery, about 70 kilometers east of Lhasa and is one of the “Great Three Gelugpa monasteries of Tibet”, founded by the Great Tsongkhapa in 1409. On the way you can enjoy the beautiful view of Kyichu River and as we drive up to Ganden along winding mountain road, tourists can see the far view of Splendid monastery complex on the top of the mountain. Later we will visit chapels of Genden monastery and the tomb of Tsongkhapa, the founder of Gelupa sect.

  After visiting Ganden, transfer to Tsubshi Village, prepare for yaks. Then start the trekking up to Yama-do (trekking time 2-3hours).

  Overnight at tent camping.

  

  Trek from Ganden to Samye Monastery

  

  Trek from Ganden to Samye Monastery
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  Day 5: Trek to Tsotup Chu Valley (5 to 6hours, 10km)

  In the morning, we leave the valley floor and make our way through a steep gully rising form the stream bank. Then, climb the Shug La and begin our climb down through treacherous boulder fields. Later, cross Tsotup Chu, a large stream winding through the valley floor. A comfortable camp will be set up in one of the herder fields.

  Overnight at tent camping.

  

  Trek from Ganden to Samye Monastery

  

  Trek from Ganden to Samye Monastery
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  Day 6: Trek to Herder's Camp (6 to 7 hours, 14km)

  Follow the Tsotup Chu down through its tributary and head towards the Chitu La pass. After ascending this rocky pass, we will quickly descend down and find a beautiful place to camp in one of the fields surrounding the stream. To find our campsite we will meander through quiet herder camps for nearly an hour. Another beautiful day of our trek is over!

  Overnight at tent camping.

  

  Trek from Ganden to Samye Monastery

  

  Trek from Ganden to Samye Monastery
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  Day 7: Trek to Yamalung (6 to 7 hours, 15km), transfer to Samye

  During the 39km today’s journey, you will trek about 15km, while the rest 24km you can enjoy the ride on tour vehicle. The trail gets wider and easier as we follow through scrub forests in the main valley. Beautiful streams and lush forests surround us as we walking. The next few hours are arguably the most beautiful part of our trek. More than 15 types of scrub trees, blooming rhododendrons, and vast meadow will amaze your every step of the way! After passing through this wondrous landscape, we will trek through the Changtang village. Less than an hour away, you can choose to make the one-hour hike to the Yamalung Hermitage. Yamalung is an ancient and holy Buddhist meditation site. Drier will pick you up to Samye Monastery.

  Overnight at Samye guesthouse.

  

  Trek from Ganden to Samye Monastery

  

  Trek from Ganden to Samye Monastery
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  Day 8: Explore the Samye Monastery and Yarlung River Valley, live in Samye Town

  Today, you will visit Samye Monastery, the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet built in the 8th century. Ascend to the top of the 3-story monastery to have a clear view of this unique monastery whose layout was designed in the form of a giant mandala, a representation of the Buddhist universe. The main temple in the center represents Mt. Meru, the mythical mountain at the center of the Buddhist universe. The four continents in the ocean around Mt. Meru are represented by the four temples at the cardinal points, each flanked by two smaller temples to symbolize islands in the ocean. You will be struck by the distinctive spiritual ambience permeating through such a holy Buddhist site. With time permitting, you may kora up to the top of Hepori hill to enjoy the stunning panorama of Samye Monastery.

  After visiting Samye, we finish the trek and live in Samye Town near the Yarlung River.

  Overnight at Samye.

  

  Samye Monastery

  

  Samye Monastery
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  Day 9: Drive to Lhasa Airport or Lhasa train station for departure

  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.

  

  Send off to the Train Station / Airport

  

  Leave Tibet for next destination