DAY 1 ARRIVE IN LHASA
When you arrive in Lhasa either by train or flight, your guide will greet you and take you to your hotel .An route to view 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 acclimatize to plateau environment. 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.
DAY 2 LHASA CITY SIGHTSEEING – POTALA PALACE – JOKHANG TEMPLE – BARKHOR STREET (B)
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 souvenirs.
DAY 3 LHASA CITY SIGHTSEEING – SERA MONASTERY – DREPUNG MONASTERY (B)
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. 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.
DAY 4 LHASA – SAMYE MONASTERY – TSEDANG (B)
Today, you will have a 290 km driving along the Yarlung Tsang (Brahmaputra River), the Sand Mountain, the high mountain meadow, and the wide rivers accompany you heading to Samye Monastery. The Samye Monastery is the Tibet’s first Buddhist monastery, built in 8 century in Tibet and it is the first monastery of its kind which houses three Buddhist jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Then we drive to Tsedang, the capital of Shannan Prefecture, located in Yarlung Valley.
DAY 5 TSEDANG TOUR – YOMBULAKHANG PALACE AND TRUNDRUK MONASTERY (B)
Tsedang is reputed to be “the cradle of Tibetan Civilization””. In the morning, tourists can visit Yumbu Lhakhang, the first imperial palace built on the rocky hill for the first Tibetan king and you could have a nice view of the whole valley from there. Then tourists head to visit Trandruk which has a history of 1,300 years, one of the oldest monasteries one couldn’t afford to miss.
DAY 6 TSEDANG – YAMDROK LAKE – KARO GLACIER – GYANTSE (B)
Today, we have to drive 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 Nojin 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). .
DAY 7 GYANTSE – SHIGATSE (95km, about 2.5hrs’s driving) (B)
In Gyantse, we will visit the famous Pelkor Monastery(also known as Gyantse Kumbum). The Kumbum has nine floors and each tier has unique chapels. It is considered the largest stupa in Tibet. In the afternoon we drive to Shigatse, which is the second largest city in Tibet. You can go to see Local Tibetan Market.
DAY 8 SHIGATSE – TASHILUNPO MONASTERY – LHASA (B)
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 will drive back to Lhasa on the friendship Highway. The distance between these two places is almost 280 km and it takes 6 hours along the Yarlung Tsangpo River / Bhamaputra River (the Longest and largest river in Tibet).
DAY 9 DEPART FROM LHASA (B)
Today is free for you until your tour guide transfer you to the airport in time for your flight or drop you off at Lhasa train station.
Tips of Today: 1) please pack your luggage carefully, especially for small things like camera charger, power adaptor, mobile phone, phone charger, wallet and towel; 2) If your flight is arranged in the afternoon, please make sure you check out the hotel before 12pm.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
✓ All necessary Tibet Travel Permit. (Including Tibet Entry Permit, Alien Travel Permit, Boarder Pass)
✓ Private professional English-Speaking local tour guide
✓ Licensed Vehicle with experienced driver
✓ All Entrance tickets to the sightseeing places listed
✓ Airport (or train) pick up and drop off
✓ Accommodation listed in the itinerary
✓ Breakfast provided by the hotel
✓ Tourists Accident/Casualty Insurance
✓ A container of Oxygen for emergency use
✓ All taxes, fees and handling charges
✓ Lodging and meal allowance to the guide & driver
✓ Reservation fee for visiting Potala Palace
✓ 2 bottles of drinking water per person per day
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
✗ Meals not specified in the itinerary (All lunches & dinners)
✗ Flight/Trian tickets in and out of Tibet
✗ Sightseeing places not listed in the itinerary
✗ Personal expenses such as laundry, drink, fax, telephone call, optional tour activities, etc.
✗ Any losses incurred from the force majeure factor like government control, natural disaster etc.
✗ Tips to the guide & driver (Tips is not required but expected)
✗ Single room supplement
