Altitude: 3650m Distance: 100km, about 1.5 hours’ drive
Upon your arrival at the Lhasa airport, your tour guide will greet you and escort you to your hotel and help you check in. You will have the rest of the day and evening to rest and relax to become acclimatized to the higher altitude of Tibet.
Travel Tip:
With its much higher elevation, some visitors may experience symptoms of altitude sickness. We recommend taking everything slowly, getting plenty of rest the first day and staying very well hydrated by drinking plenty of water to minimize the effects of the high altitude. Usually, you will fine by the second day, but if you do experience severe and/ or worsening symptoms, please contact your tour guide or a member of our staff immediately.
Accommodation: Standard/Comfort hotel in Lhasa
Altitude: 3650m
This day will give you the opportunity to fully immerse yourself in Tibetan culture as you will be involved in the hands-on process of the traditional Tibetan handicrafts;, we will learn how to make a simple traditional Tibetan cuisine in a typical Tibetan setting. Dishes will include making Tsampa (roasted barley) with butter and cheese, enjoy Tibetan butter tea and other tasty Tibetan treats. After that, we will take you to the treasure house of Tibetan culture which will teach you all about various Tibetan costumes, such as making Tibetan incense, the methods behind Tibetan calligraphy and the secrets of block printing. The whole journey takes around 2 hours.
Then we will move on to visit the holy Sera Monastery, which is held in the courtyard almost every day between 3:00pm and 5:30pm. Please note that in case of some special monastery activities such as the Dharma Meeting or the reception of VIPs, the monk debates may be canceled that day. After our visit to the monastery, feel free to stroll around the streets of Lhasa as you absorb the atmosphere and spirit of the devoted Tibetan people, or you may return to your hotel to rest and relax from this wonderful Tibetan cultural experience.
Accommodation: Standard/Comfort hotel in Lhasa
Altitude: 3650m
Potala Palace
Initially built in 641 AD and listed as a world heritage site in 1994, the Potala Palace is the most popular tourist attraction in Tibet. The halls, murals, statues and mountain views will make you shocked even if you are not a Buddhist.
Canggu Temple
Located in the city of Lhasa Tibet, Canggu Temple enjoys a high reputation in Tibetan Buddhism. This temple is not only a Gelug temple of Tibetan Buddhism but also the only nun temple in Lhasa. There are some tea houses, restaurants, clinics nearby. Most of them are charitable , with high in quality and low in price.
Barkhor Street
Located near the Jokhang Monastery, the Barkhor Street was only a place for Buddhists to do a religious circumambulation in ancient times. Nowadays, tourists can buy exquisite souvenirs on the street, such as handicrafts, costumes, tea, prayer wheels and Tibetan incense.
Tips for Visiting Potala Palace
1. The number of visitors to the palace is strictly limited to 2,300 per day. Visitors can only visit during the time specified on the admission ticket.
2. Admission tickets to visit the Potala Palace are sold out almost every day, so it is strongly recommended to book your tickets several days in advance.
3. There are many steps at the Potala Palace, so it’s best to take it slowly to avoid possible altitude discomfort.
4. Visitors should respect the rules while visiting. Do not wear hats, wear revealing clothes or step on thresholds as these actions violate local customs.
5. Photography and the taking of videos are forbidden inside the Potala Palace.
6. A security search will be taken place at the entrance to the palace. Explosives, flammables, knives, lighters and even water bottles are not allowed inside the Potala Palace.
Accommodation: Standard/Comfort hotel in Lhasa
Altitude: 3650m Distance: 380km, about 7 hours’drive
This morning we’ll take a drive up to the Kampala Pass (elevation 4797 meters) where you’ll have a glimpse of Yamdrok Lake down below as well as spectacular views of the holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar in the distance. You will want to have your camera at the ready for the turquoise waters of Yamdrok Lake, which is one of the three holy lakes of Tibet, and the beautiful Mt. Nyenchen Khangsar glacier as seen from the Karol la Pass. Later on we’ll be able to visit the Karola Glacier.
Accommodation: Accommodation: Standard/Comfort hotel in Shigatse
Altitude: 5100m Distance: 340km, about 7 hours’ drive
After breakfast we’ll set out towards the peak of the world – Mount Everest. Departing from Shigatse you will see some of the most beautiful and unique scenery in the world – incredibly blue skies, floating high clouds, endless grasslands and the highest mountain peaks in the world. We’ll also stop by the Rongbuk Monastery – the world’s highest altitude monastery before spending the night at the Everest Base Camp.
Travel Tip:
Today’s food and lodging is poor. Due to the high altitude, it is possible that you may have some symptoms of altitude sickness. We recommend that you stay well hydrated, relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery to minimize your symptoms.
Accommodation: EBC tent or guesthouse
Altitude: 3650m Distance: 340km, about 7 hours’ drive
We will get an early start today to cross the Gyatso La Pass, also known as the Dingri Boundary, At an altitude of 5248 meters. In the afternoon we will drive back to Shigaste to visit Tashilumpo Monastery.
Tashilumpo Monastery
Tashilumpo Monastery, the seat of Tibet's second highest incarnation-the Panchen Lama. The immense complex is a rambling warren of chapels, shrines, and halls linked by mysterious alleyways and steep staircases. At the center of the monastery is a courtyard that was used as a theater for religious dances. Just off the great courtyard in Tashilumpo’s main hall, where, like the explorer Sven Hedin, we may hear “the monks…intone a chant…enthralling, mystical, full of yearning…soothing as a cradle, intoxicating as wine, and sedative as morphia.” We'll visit this dark and evocative chamber and its many side altars, as well as a distinctive red building called the Jamkhang Chenmo, which houses a massive yet lyrical 90-foot tall statue of Maitreya, the Future Buddha, built in 1914 by the Ninth Panchen Lama while Europe was madly at war.
Accommodation: Standard/Comfort hotel in Shigatse
Altitude: 4700m Distance: 330km, about 6 hours’drive
Yampachen: Far View
Located in Damxung County and 90 kilometers northwest of Lhasa, Yampachen is the first wet steam field developed in mainland China and the highest geothermal power station in the world.
Grassland in northern Tibet
It is located among the Kunlun Mountains, Tanggula Mountains and Gangdise Mountains.It is not only a paradise for wildlife, but also a culturally place with rich sedimentary layers.
Accommodation: Standard/Comfort hotel in Damxung
Altitude: 3650m Distance: 350km, about 7 hours’drive
Namtso Lake
Today is a great day for witnessing Tibet’s natural beauty. Namtso Lake, one of the famous Tibet tourists’ attractions, is one of the 3 holy lakes in Tibet, playing an important role among Tibetans. On the way to namtso the road conditions is very good and comfortable. Start from Lhasa around 280 km you will arrive at a scenic point call Nyenchen Thankghula pick (the height is 7162m) and this mountain is the one of the holiest mountain in Tibet. At that moment you will have time to view that mountain and you are standing around at 4800m when that time you can show your photographic skills to that mountain. After that some times on the way also you will see some of the nomads families are roaming on the grass land of the north Tibet. Also on the way to Namtso lake there are lots of real Tibet yak, sometimes if you are lucky you will see some of the wild animals like wild donkeys, wild yaks, wild rabbits and wild fox ext. then also you will pass the pick called Laken La (the height of Laken La 5190m).
Jokhang Temple
The Jokhang Temple is the final destination for pilgrims. A statue of the 12-year-old Sakyamuni, who lived in India in the fifth century BC, and who was the creator of Buddhism, is collected in the monastery. This is the reason why Buddhists consider Lhasa a Sacred Land.
Kind Notice: If Namtso Lake is not allowed to be visited due to the weather conditions, such as heavy snow, ice on road, our itinerary will be adjusted as follows:
DAY 7 Shigatse-Jokhang Temple-Lhasa
DAY 8 Lhasa-Ganden Monastery(Kora trekking around the monastery)-Lhasa
Accommodation: Standard/Comfort hotel in Lhasa
Altitude: 3650m Distance: 100km, about 1.5 hours’ drive
Today you will have free time until your tour guide escorts you to the Lhasa train station or airport for your departing train or flight from Lhasa. This will end your tour services in Tibet.
Accommodation: None
1.The above routes accept Chinese people(people from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) and foreign visitors to attend the group booking, foreign guests and Taiwan tourists to Tibet, please contact us to apply for Tibet Permit!
2.Due to Covid-19, there has international travel restrictions for Tibet travel, so we can not guarantee travelers in one group are all English speakers. Our professional tour guide will provide Chinese-English service if there has English speakers in the join-in group. Therefore, we will not make any reimbursement for tour guide language reason.
3.June, July, August, September is peak season. Joining our group can guarantee the ticket of Potala Palace. The Potala Palace may be adjusted to the other days because of the current limitation of 2,300 visitors per day to protect the historic site.
4.Without affecting the original standards and scenic spots, we might change the sequences of scenic spots according to the actual situation on the day of the trip.
5.Patients with severe hypertension, asthma or heart disease should not join the group. Patients with colds should only go to Tibet after recovery.
6.Due to force majeure factors in case of landslides, mud-rock flow, avalanche, flood, earthquake and other natural phenomena influence or airline flight delay, cancel to causes such as the increase of expenses or unable to follow a normal schedule, we shall not bear the liability for compensation according to the tourism related regulations, but we will actively coordinate processing, in order to ensure a smooth trip.
7.Any failure to complete the activities during the tour due to the guests' own reasons or early departure will be considered as a waiver and the fee will not be refunded.
8.Tibet is a borderland area inhabited by ethnic minorities with limited tourist reception conditions. We hope that visitors can have reasonable expectations, respect the cultural beliefs and living habits of ethnic minorities and live in harmony with each other.
9.If there is a single room due to gender reasons, we will arrange a triple room (or double standard room with and extra bed) or fill the single room difference by the guest.
10.The shops in scenic spots do not belong to the travel agency's shopping shop arrangement. Please consider carefully.
11.Self-paid items are considered according to the time and the proportion of the approved members on the day, and no mandatory consumption is made.
1.Travelers with severe high blood pressure or heart disease should not go to Tibet. Please do not bring serious colds into Tibet. Don’t go before the serious colds recovered!
2.Tibet is located in the plateau and most of the travelers might have plateau reaction. Please pay attention to rest and have proper diet (do not eat too full, because it will increase the burden of the stomach). Travelers can be appropriate to take some drugs, such as: Gaoyuan An, Rhodiola, Nuodi Kang; travelers with serious can appropriately take oxygen or hanging saline.
3.Because of the long drive in Tibet, travelers will spend a lot of time in the car, and inevitably can not eat on time, please bring some snacks and biscuits during drive.
4.Due to the special conditions in Tibet, please pay attention to keep warm. On the first day of arrival, please do not try to take a bath. Taking a bath will accelerate blood circulation and increase the body's demand for oxygen.
5.Tibet has a strong sunshine, especially dry climate, sunscreen, sunglasses, lip balm and other essential are necessary.
6.From April to November is the best time for sightseeing.