The amazing small group tour starts from the holy Lhasa city by appreciating its prominent and world heritage Potala Palace, sacred Jokhang temple, sprawling Sera and Drepung monastery. Your arrival to the holy city will be greeted by the lovely blue sky and an impressive glimpse of gigantic Potala palace perched on the red hill, while during a couple of days acclimation and jet-lag alleviation.
You will deeply be overwhelmed by visiting numbers of world heritages and supernatural temples, bustling street around the Jokhang temple is one of the most devotional streets known as Bakhor. It will also extend the way to Gyantse and Shigatse in the west, experience the distinct culture of western(Tsang) Tibet, by driving along the stunning turquoise color lake Yamdrok and blooming Nyenchen Kangsar glacier under the sunny plateau climate. You will never waste every single minute by discovering new experiences and wonders on the way to Gyantse and Shigatse.
Most importantly you will get the chance to know many new friends among the group and share beautiful stories that enrich your travel in Tibet. On your way from Shigatse, you may take the recently opened express train with adds different experiences for the group tour.
Lhasa Gonggar Airport
Lhasa Train Station
3 Hours Before Flight Time
A short flight into Tibet give you a panorama of the snowy Himalayan ranges or the days of train ride over the high plateau by crossing mighty Thangu la ranges get you to Lhasa with beautiful sceneries along the route. Your arrival at the Lhasa Gonggar airport or Lhasa Train Station will be greeted by our Tibetan guide and driver and transfer to your hotel in Lhasa city.
From the airport to Lhasa City it is about 60km and it takes less than an hour through the recently built highway, from the train station it is only 25km and it takes about half an hour, check in the hotel and maybe meet with other fellow travelers.
Then take it easy for the rest of the day to acclimatize and alleviate the jet lag. Overnight in Lhasa. If you have any health problems after arriving in Lhasa City, you must inform your tour guide about your well being.
(Note: If you shares the pick-up transportation with other travelers in the group then sometimes you may have to wait at the airport in case their flights delayed).
Here are some of the important gears you should take during Tibet Tour.
A short flight to Tibet gives you a panorama of the snowy Himalayan ranges or the days of train ride over high plateau by crossing the mighty Thangu la ranges get you to Lhasa with beautiful sceneries along the route, at your arrival at the Gonggar airport or Lhasa Train Station.
You will be greeted by our Tibetan guide and driver and transfer to your hotel in Lhasa city, from the airport it is about 70km to Lhasa and it takes 1:30 hrs, from the train station it is only 25km and it takes about half an hour, check-in the hotel and meet with other travelers in the group. Take it easy for the rest of the day to acclimatize and alleviate the jet lag. Overnight in Lhasa, accommodation on your own.
(If your flight/train arrives different from our free shuttle bus, then please inform your trip advisor to send a private pick up with additional fee).
Today is your first day on the high plateau and some of you may have a little headache which is very common for travelers by the high altitude, so drinking enough water and mild activity on the first few days is important. In the morning our guide will meet you at the hotel and take an easy visit to Jokhang Temple in the center of the Old Lhasa city.
Jokhang temple is the most sacred temple in all over Tibet and it is always bustling with earnest local pilgrims. After you visit inside the temple you have time to walk around the Barkhor street which is the one of the most devotional circuit as well as crowded central market of Lhasa since from a long time, in the early days it is the most famous local market but now it is changed to tourist gift shopping center. In the afternoon we will visit the famous Potala Palace, the cardinal landmark of Tibet and the masterpiece of Tibetan architecture.
It was first built by 33rd King Songtsen Gangpo in the 7th century and later in 17th century rebuilt by 5th Dalai Lama, since then it was home to the Dalai Lama and his government. Continues acclimatize and alleviate jet lag rest of the day. Overnight in Lhasa, accommodation on your own.
Today we will visit Drepung Monastery in the morning, once the world’s largest monastery that housed for more than 10,000 monks, it was resident of the Dalai Lama prior to Potala Palace, destructions were taken place at different time but still you have lots of things to see, walking through numbers of narrow and twisted lane through the monks apartments is more like a typical village. The amazing day will be ended with a visit to the Sera Monastery.
It is built in the fifteenth century by the Jamchen Choji Sakya Yeshi who is a disciple of Tsongka pa, few different monastic colleges in Sera is home to several hundred monks from different part of Tibet, the famous Buddhist philosophical debates among the monks are happening every day in the afternoon except Sunday. Continues acclimatize and alleviate jet lag rest of the day. Overnight in Lhasa, accommodation on your own.
Gyantse Kubum stupa and Pelkhor Choede monastery.
We start drive toward southwest, through the zigzag road climb up the Kampa la pass (4700m), from there you will be amazed by the breathtaking glimpse of the holy Yamdrok lake with its turquoise color and snowcapped Mt.Nyenchen Khangsar in the distance, then continues drive along the lake for few kilometers get us to the lunch stop at Nagar Tse.
The rest of the day will be spent enjoying the many magnificent valleys and exquisite Tibetan villages that pass through; en route, we will stop at Karo La (5150m) to see the holy mount Nyenchen Kangsar glacier. Arrival at Gyantse, we visit Kumbum stupa and Palkhor Choede monastery, this magnificent multi-door structure is the largest stupa in Tibet, it is not only well known for its architecture but also its old sculptures and paintings all around its inner walls, late afternoon drive to Shigatse which is only 90km. Overnight in Shigatse.
Today we will visit the Tashi Lhunpo monastery in the morning, Tashi Lhunpo monastery was built by the 1st Dalai Lama – Gedun Drup in 1447 and later it became the seat of the Panchen Lama lineages, there you will see tombs of 7 passed Panchen Lamas lineages and it is a real pleasure to pass through the busy cobbled lanes twisting around the aged buildings that used as monks apartments. And then we will go for lunch together after the monastery and enjoy a short walk with our tour guide around the Shigatse markets. Today we have two possible arrangements based on the group size and transportation situation, you may drive back or take the express train back to Lhasa.
Our guide will arrange a taxi to the Shigatse train station which is only less than 15 minutes’ drive, then board the train at 17:30 and arrive at Lhasa at 20:32, and enjoy the 3-hour train ride on this recently opened train.
If you drive, then our driver will meet you and guide at the hotel and the drive back through the northern friendship highway would take around 6 hours from Shigatse to Lhasa. Soon after our arrival, our driver will transfer to our hotel in Lhasa. Overnight in Lhasa.
Note: (Please be prepare in mind for these above two possible options and we will try our best to make it as simple and convenient as possible).
Today our guide and driver will send you to the airport or train station and it is time to say you’re goodbye and depart to your next destination. End the trip officially.