6 Days Travel to Sky Lake - Lhasa and Lake Namtso Small Group Tour
(SG005A) Lhasa - Namtso Lake - Lhasa
Overview
This is the Classic tour itinerary to visit Lhasa and the holy lake Namtso lake. Meanwhile, if you are not used to the high altitude, then this is one of the best itineraries that cover the all the main tourist sites in Lhasa like Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkor street, Drepung and sera monastery.
Of course, the highlight of this tour would be the one of the must-see attractions sacred lake Namtso.The heavenly lake is the second largest alpine saline lake in Tibet with an altitude of 4,718 meters above sea level. Its surrealistic beauty will take your breath away in no time. Just as a tourist noted:" It is one of those rare places on Earth where you feel the beauty of Nature as something material. You can drink the air and taste the wind admiring mountains in a place where you feel reluctant to leave."
Itinerary
At a Glance
Day 1 : Arrival in Lhasa
Day 2 : Lhasa Tour - Potala Place, Johkang Temple, Barkor Street
Day 3 : Lhasa Tour - Drepung and Sera Monastery
Day 4 : Lhasa to Namtso Lake (250km, 5 hours )
Day 5 : Namtso Lake back to Lhasa via Yampachen (230km,5 hours )
Day 6 : Depart from Lhasa
Daily Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Lhasa
When you arrive in Lhasa either by train or flight, your guide will greet you and take you to your hotel. Tourists may view the Yarlung Tsangpo River/ Bhamaputra river (the Longest and largest river in Tibet) and Lhasa river on their way to Lhasa.
After arriving in Lhasa, you can take a rest and get acclimatized to high altitude. If you feel to go out, then you can go to the Potala Square, where you will enjoy the fountain with different colors and get amazing photos of the Potala and around.
Stay overnight in Lhasa.
Day 2: Lhasa Tour - Potala Place, Johkang Temple, Barkor Street
Today's tour will first bring you to the Potala Palace which is the winter palace of the Dalai lama. It was put to use since the 7th Century by the 33rd great king of Tibet. The most valuable collections of Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.
Then after lunch, tourists head to Jokhang temple which was founded by the 33rd great king of Tibet in the 7th century, in order to promote the Buddhist religion. Inside you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve, perhaps the only most venerated object in Tibetan Buddhism. Around the temple is Barkhor street, where you can do kora (a religious circle of a building or mountain) with pilgrims and locals, in the meantime you can buy some souvenirs.
Stay overnight in Lhasa
Day 3: Lhasa Tour - Drepung and Sera Monastery
In the morning, you are going to visit Drepung monastery which was one of the “ three greet” Gelug monasteries of Tibet and was founded in 1416 by Jamyang choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. Ganden palace was used as Dalai lama’s palace in the Drepung before moving to the Potala palace.
In the afternoon, Sera Monastery--It was one of the “three great” Gelug monasteries of Tibet and was founded in 1419 by Jamchen chojey, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. The Most attraction is the Monks debate at around 3 - 5 in the afternoon.
Stay overnight in Lhasa
Day 4: Lhasa to Namtso Lake (250km, 5 hours )
In the morning, drive from Lhasa to Lake Namtso. On the way, you can see Nyenchen Thanglha( snow mountain ranges )and lots of nomads tent with grazing yak and sheep densely-populated around the mountain side. Namtso Lake is the Heavenly lake which is one of the four holy lakes of Tibet and also the highest salt lake. You can do a very relaxing trekking around the lake side and Tashi Island.
To spend a night at lake shore is fantastic to see the stars.
Stay overnight in Namtso Guest house
Day 5: Namtso Lake back to Lhasa via Yampachen (230km,5 hours )
Enjoy the clear morning at the lake shore, you can trek along the lake shore to Tashi Dor Island to explore the meditation caves. Drive to Dumxung to have lunch.
In the afternoon, you may enjoy Yangpachen hot spring (Optional) and have both indoor and outdoor swimming pool filled with hot springs water. Finally, head back to Lhasa.
Stay overnight in Lhasa
Day 6: Depart from Lhasa