itinerary

At a Glance

Day 1 : Arrive in Lhasa(3650m)

Day 2 : Lhasa tour - Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street

Day 3 : Lhasa tour - Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery

Day 4 : Lhasa(3650m)-Namtso Lake(4718m) via Nyenchen Thanglha Ranges

Day 5 : Namtso(4718m) - Lhasa(3650m) via Yangpachen hotspring

Day 6 : Lhasa - Shigatse(3900) via Yamdro Lake,Karo Glacier,Gyantse

Day 7 : Shigatse (3900m) - Lhasa (3650m) with Tashi Lhunpho Monastery

Day 8 : Depart from Lhasa

Daily Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Lhasa(3650m)

When you arrive in Lhasa either by train or flight, your guide will greet you and take you to your hotel and move to visit the Yarlung Tsangpo River/ Bhamaputra river (the Longest and largest river in Tibet) and Lhasa river. After arriving in Lhasa, you can take a rest and get acclimatized. 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 scenery around.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Day 2: Lhasa tour - Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street

Today's tour will first bring you to the Potala Palace, the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. It has been used since the 7th Century by the 33rd great king of Tibet. The most valuable collection are the gilded burial stupas of past Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.

After you take lunch and then 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 single most venerated object in Tibet Buddhism.

Around the temple is Barkhor street where you can do kora (circling the Barkhor street) with pilgrims and locals and buy the souvenirs.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Day 3: Lhasa tour - Drepung Monastery, 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 is used as Dalai lama’s palace in the Drepung before moving to the Potala palace.

In the afternoon, visit 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(3650m)-Namtso Lake(4718m) via Nyenchen Thanglha Ranges

Today, we continue to drive to Namtso Lake and all the way you can see Nyenchen Thanglha snow mountain ranges and lots of nomads’ tent with grazing yak and sheep densely-populated along 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 relax trekking around the lake side and Tashi Island. To spend a night at lake shore is a fantastic plan to see the stars.

Stay overnight in Namtso Guest house

Day 5: Namtso(4718m) - Lhasa(3650m) via Yangpachen hotspring

Enjoy the clear morning at the lake shore, and 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) which has both indoor and outdoor swimming pool filled with hot springs water. The hotspring itself is the highest swimming pool in the world. Then drive back to Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Day 6: Lhasa - Shigatse(3900) via Yamdro Lake,Karo Glacier,Gyantse

Today, we have to drive from Lhasa to Gyantse. On the way, the group will pass over the Gampala pass (4790 m),and tourists will have a glimpse of Yamdrok-tso (4400m) .The Lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountain and in the distance you have spectacular views of Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar, (7191m) the highest mountain near Lhasa.

We head westward along the lake and drive towards Gyantse. Gyantse was historically Tibet's third largest city (after Lhasa and Shigatse). In Gyantse, we will visit the famous Pelkor Monastery(also known as Gyantse Kumbum).

After one and a half hour's driving, we arrive in Shigatse, which is the second largest city in Tibet.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

Day 7: Shigatse (3900m) - Lhasa (3650m) with Tashi Lhunpho Monastery

In the morning, tourists will visit Tashilunpo monastery of Gelug Sect, the seat of the Panchen Lama built in 1447. The monastery houses a giant statue of the Maitreya Buddha, the biggest gilded statue of Maitreya (Buddha of the future) in world and a tomb of all the Panchen Lama containing masses of jewels and gold.

In the afternoon, we drive back to Lhasa on the friendship Highway. The whole distance is almost 280km and it takes 6 hours along the Yarlung Tsangpo River / Bhamaputra River (the Longest and largest river in Tibet).

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Day 8: Depart from Lhasa

The guide will transfer you to the airport or train station and help you get on board.