Tour Highlights Of Central Tibet

Transport

Group transportation by a van or bus. If you book a flight different than advised by your tour adviser, you are billed for a private airport transfer.

Accommodation

Seven nights three star hotel (by local standard) on double occupancy basis. Private room supplement is enforced if no-one is available to share room with you.

Others

Tibet entry permit. This will be obtained in Lhasa and shipped to your hotel in Chengdu or Beijing or other gateway city. Sightseeing admision tickets

Meals

Daily breakfast at your hotel.

Guide

English speaking local certified guide.

Not included:

Insurance

Travel insurance is not included but highly recommended.

Others

China visa fee. You need to obtain it from your home country and provide us a scan 45-days prior the trip date. Hotels and tours in the gateway city. Drinks, tipping, laundry, phone and other expenses of personal nature Extra expenses due to nature and unforeseen events

Flights

You need to first arrive in Beijing or Chengdu on your own minimum a day before the trip date. From Beijing or Chengdu, airfare to Lhasa is booked separately.

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Arrival In Lhasa Gonggar Airport
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Arrival In Lhasa Gonggar Airport

Arrive in Gonggar Airport of Lhasa. Airfare to Lhasa is not included but we can book it for you and bill you separately. You need to first arrive in Beijing or Chengdu on your own , at least a day before your trip date. Your Tibet entry permit will be shipped to your hotel in Beijing or Chengdu.

You need to book Air China 4112 from Beijing or Chengdu to Lhasa. If you book a different flight, you are resposible for airport transfer cost.

Upon arrival in Lhasa airport, meet your Tibetan Guide and driver and transfer to your hotel in the city. Balance of the day is for rest for acclimatization. You are likely to experience mild symptoms of altitude sickness that includes headache, light headed-ness, disorientation, breathlessness etc. but it should go away in a day or two. Please, take rest, drink plenty of water and consume liquid food in meals.

Optional: Tonight, you may want to attend Tibetan Opera and folklore shows that help you understand Tibetan culture and traditions!

Accommodation in Dekang or similar 3* hotel.
Day 2 Day 2: Lhasa: Drepung Monastery, Norbulingkha Palace, Jorkhang Temple And Barkhor Street
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Lhasa: Drepung Monastery, Norbulingkha Palace, Jorkhang Temple And Barkhor Street

Today, we will visit the major historic and cultural attractions of Lhasa, that includes Drepung Monastery, Norbulingkha Palaces and Jorkhang Temple and conclude the day with a relaxed stroll in the Barkhor Street.

Drepung Monastery, situated to the west of Lhasa city, was the largest and richest of the three major Yellow Hat Sect monasteries in Lhasa. Once the most powerful of the “Gelukpa” monasteries, Drepung had seven colleges and, at its height, housed over 10,000 monks. It owns many splendid murals, elaborate statues and other rich treasures.

Next stop will be at Norbulinka Palaces- the summer residences of the Dalai Lamas. The Norbilinka has three palaces, situated in a beautiful garden. Most visited is the private residence of current Dalai Lama that includes his private chamber, meditation room, the reception room and the throne room.

We will have lunch break in Barkhor area (Pay on your own) and after that we visit Jokhang Temple- situated at the center of old Lhasa. Originally, built in 647 AD, the temple site was believed to have been chosen personally by the wife of King Songtsan Gampo, the Tang Princess Wen Cheng. The temple is the spiritual center of Tibet and the holiest destination for all Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims.

Now, we will go for a relaxed stroll in the Barkhor street that encircles the Jokhang Temple. Barkhor means “a pilgrim’s inner circuit”, and it’s believed to be the earliest street of old Lhasa city. It dates back to the foundation of the Jokhang and is an essential pilgrim route. Houses and small inns were built all around the street. As time went on, shops and businesses sprug up in the Barkhor, and it slowly became a prosperous area.
Day 3 Day 3: Lhasa: Potala Palace And Sera Monastery
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Lhasa: Potala Palace And Sera Monastery

As we gradually acclimate in Lhasa’s altitude, we have two interesting destinations to visit today. We visit the magnificent Potala Palace in the morning and the Sera Monastery in the afternoon.

The world famous Potala Palace of the Dalai Lama is located on "Red Hill", to the west of old Lhasa. Architecturally, it is considered to be one of the wonders of the world and thousands of domestic and foreign tourists visit the palace every day.

From here, we will head to Sera Monastery-the last of the three principal Yellow Sect monasteries to be built in Lhasa. Sera means” Hailstone” in Tibet, and legend tells that it hailed during the foundation of this famous monastery. Sera comprise a great sutra chanting hall, a college and 32 sections. It once housed nearly 10,000 monks, and is proud of its glorious history during the Ming Dynasty. Here, we take a chance to attend the debating ceremony of monks in which the monks discuss their knowledge of Buddhism. It’a an ancient method of learning and sharpening their knowledge about Buddhism and quite interesting to onlookers as well.
Day 4 Day 4: Via Yamdrok-Tso Lake To Gyantse
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Via Yamdrok-Tso Lake To Gyantse

(13467 ft., 176miles, 6 ½ hrs.)

By now, you should have been well acclimated and ready to hit the high roads of Tibet. Today, we drive to Gyantse town in central Tibet. While Chinese influences rapidly engulfing many Tibetan towns, Gyantse still preserves its Tibetan characters.

The journey involves crossing of two high passes Kamba La (15,700 ft.) and Karo La (16,500 ft.) and then follows the shores of Yamdrok Tso Lake for more than 40 miles. Yamdrok Tso Lake is one of the four holiest lakes of Tibet and has turquoise green water. As we leave the lakeshore behind, the road climbs to Karo La (16,500ft), once again opportunities of breathtaking views of the Himalayan peaks and vast Tibetan plateau. We should arrive in Gyantse town in mid- afternoon. We check in hotel and after wash and change, we set out to visit the attractions of the town.

Gyantse’s major attractions are the Gyantse Kumbum, a magnificent tiered structure that has only one ruined and remote contemporary (at Jonang, 60km north-east of Lhatse ) in the Buddhist world and the Pelkor Chode Monastery. Kumbum and Pelkor Chode monastery share the same compound which ones contained 15 Monasteries of different faiths.

Depending on available time and your interest, we may take a hike to the historic Gyantse Dzong. There is of course history in place, but what attracts most is fascinating views of Pelkhor Chode, the ancient alleyways, and the jagged surrounding peaks. We descend and visit the Tibetan dwellings, and take a peek into their lifestyle.

Overnight in Gyantse Hotel or Yeti Hotel
Day 5 Day 5: Shigatse
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Shigatse

(12,785 ft., 57miles, 2 ½ hrs.)

After breakfast, we leave Gyantse for Shigatse. About 13 miles before Shigatse, we take Shalu Monastery turn off. Shalu Monastery lies about 5 miles from the main highway. The monastery was built in the year 1000 by Jetsun Sherab Jungne. The architecture of the monastery with a feature of completely Chinese Yuan Dynasty’s temple, it is a rare and unique work of art, mixed feature of Tibetan and Han. The monastery enshrines various relics such as religious objects, Buddhist scriptures written on "pattra" leaves, and an important decree of Pagpa, the Sakya abbot.

Upon arrival in Shigatse, check in hotel and after refreshment, we visit the famous Tashilunbo Monastery-the principal seat of Panchen Lama-the second most venerated religious leader of Tibet. The monastery is the landmark of Shigatse and associated with the Gelugpa order and is one of the six great Gelugpa institutions along with Sera, Drepung, Ganden, Kumbum and Labrang. We also take chance to visit the vibrant ’free’ market of Shigatse, where we can get good bargains on local handicrafts embedded with coral and turquoise, Tibetan Daggers, Chinese pottery and yak butter and local produces.

Overnight in Vanray or Gesar Hotel
Day 6 Day 6: Tsedang
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Tsedang

(186miles, 7 hrs.)

We have an early start today as we have a long day drive to Tsedang. We take the southern friendship highway that runs along the Yarlung Tsambo River.

We bypass Gonggar Airport and arrive in Tsedang late afternoon. Check in hotel and balance of the day is for rest.

Overnight in Snow Pigeon Hotel
Day 7 Day 7: Tsedang: Visit Samye Monastery, Yambulakhang Palace And Tradruk Temple
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Tsedang: Visit Samye Monastery, Yambulakhang Palace And Tradruk Temple

We explore the highlights of Tsedang. We visit Tradruk Temple, Ruins of Yambulakhang Palace and the ancient Samye Monastery.

Tradruk Temple, one of the earliest temples of Tibet lies about 5 miles from main Tsedang. The temple is contemporary to Ramoche and Jorkhang Temple of Lhasa. It’s one of the major attractions of Tsedang. From here, we continue to Yambulakhang Palace-the oldest building of Tibet. It is situated atop a craggy ridge overlooking the patchwork fields of Yarlung Valley and makes an impressive sight with a lovely setting.

Afternoon is for the excursion of ancient Samye Monastery-the first Buddhist monastery of Tibet. Samye monastery is hugely popular among the Buddhist pilgrims from around the world.Built in the shape of universe as described in Buddhist scriptures, the monastery expands in a vast area of more than 25,000 sq m. The monastery features Tibetan, Chinese and Indian style architecture and is among the most important monastery for Tibetans.

Late afternoon, we retrace drive to our hotel in Tsedang.
Day 8 Day 8: Depart.
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Depart.

Following an early morning breakfast, you are transferred to the Lhasa Gongaar airport in time for flight to your next destination. You have option to fly to Kathmandu (Nepal) or any other Chinese cities. Flights to Hongkong or Bangkok can be connected from Chengdu. Airfare is not included. Airport transfer is arranged in group and if you need a private transfer, you are responsible for the airprot transfer.

8 days tour

Highlights Of Central Tibet

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Highlights Of Central Tibet

Day 1: Arrival In Lhasa Gonggar Airport

Day 2: Lhasa: Drepung Monastery, Norbulingkha Palace, Jorkhang Temple And Barkhor Street

Day 3: Lhasa: Potala Palace And Sera Monastery

Day 4: Via Yamdrok-Tso Lake To Gyantse

Day 5: Shigatse

Day 6: Tsedang

Day 7: Tsedang: Visit Samye Monastery, Yambulakhang Palace And Tradruk Temple

Day 8: Depart.

Experience Style

Accomodation level

Experience Type

Physical Rating

Age range

Who talk about us:

Best cities to travel to

America

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania