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Day1 Lhasa Airport Pickup
In the morning we will transfer you from your Chengdu hotel to the airport for your flight to Lhasa. Your tour guide will greet you upon your arrival at Lhasa airport to transfer you to your hotel, where you will have the rest of the day to relax and acclimatize to the high altitude.
Travel tips:
Because Tibet lies at such a high altitude, it is important to remember to take everything slowly to minimize the symptoms of altitude sickness. Drink plenty of water and get plenty of sleep that first night – you should feel fine by the next day. However, if you feel extreme discomfort, please notify your tour guide immediately.
Accommodation：Overnight at Lhasa 3-Star hotel
Day2 Lhasa City Sightseeing - Potala Palace - Jokhang Temple - Barkhor Street
After breakfast at the hotel, we will visit the incredible Potala Palace – the highest palace in the world. As we climb to the entrance gate, you will have a spectacular view over all of Lhasa. After exploring the numerous interesting chapels and learning about the traditional culture and history of the palace and the city, we will move on to the spiritually significant Jokhang Temple, one of the most important temples in Tibetan Buddhism. To see the “real” Lhasa, we’ll stroll through Barkhor Street with its thriving local market where you can pick up some local Tibetan, Nepalese and Indian handicrafts and souvenirs.
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 take place at the entrance to the palace. Explosives, flammables, knives, lighters and even water bottles are not allowed inside the Potala Palace.
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 take place at the entrance to the palace. Explosives, flammables, knives, lighters and even water bottles are not allowed inside the Potala Palace.
Accommodation：Overnight at Lhasa 3-Star hotel
Day3 Lhasa City Sightseeing - Sera Monastery – Drepung Monastery
Today features visits to 2 of the most important monasteries in Tibetan Buddhism – the Drepung and Sera Monasteries. Drepung Monastery is located on the hillside west of Lhasa – at one time the world’s largest monastery with about 10,000 monks living there. A pleasant walk up the hill leads to the solemn ambience inside the monastery’s many halls and chapels. After Drepung, we will move on to the Sera Monastery. The main highlight of the Sera Monastery is watching the crowd of monks debating inside the shady courtyard behind the main temple. Every day except Sunday, hundreds of red-robed monks assemble in small groups and practice their debating skills – a very impressive sight to behold as the monks are very animated in their debates on the various attributes of Buddhist scriptures.
Accommodation：Overnight at Lhasa 3-Star hotel
Day4 Lhasa - Yamdrok Lake – Karola Glacier – Gyantse (Kumbum Monastery) – Shigatse
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 before continuing along the southern Friendship Highway to Gyantse, where you will be able to see the famous Gyantse Kumbum, one of the most stunning architectural wonders in Tibet. Late in the afternoon we will continue on to Shigatse, the location of the Tashilunpo Monastery.
Accommodation：Overnight at Shigatse 3-Star hotel
Day5 Shigatse – Tingri – Rongphu Monastery – Everest Base Camp
After breakfast we’ll set out towards the peak of the world – Mount Everest. Departing from Shigatse and traveling via Lhatse and Tingri, 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:
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.
Travel Tip:
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：Overnight at Guest house or Tent
Day6 Everest Base Camp - Shishapangma Protection Zone – Pelkhu-tso - Saga
Today we will drive the old Tingri Road to Saga County, with views of Mount Everest and Mount Shishapangma (elevation 8012 meters), which was the last of the world’s 8000-meter peaks to be climbed. The road conditions get rougher from the old Tingri Road as it runs parallel to the to the Himalayan mountain ranges and the Nepalese sides known as the Anapurna Ranges. The main road passes through the desolate plains of Digur Tang, with its enormous sand dunes contrasting with the neighboring snow peaks of Shishapangma and Langtang to the south. As we leave the Bum-chu basin, we will descend into the relatively lower elevations of the Pelkhu-tso (elevation 4600 meters), a cobalt blue lake. After checking out the lake, we’ll drive the additional 69 kilometers on to Saga County and spend the night in the small town of Saga.
Accommodation：Overnight at Saga hotel
Day7 Saga – Zhongba – Payang – Darchen - Mt. Kailash - Lake Manasarovar – Lhanag-tso
On this 7th day we will drive to Drongpa County, which was founded around the bountiful resources of the Brahmaputra River. We will make a stop in a small village along the main road that consists of only a few basic guesthouses, restaurants and a small monastery known as “Old Drongpa”. Scattered around the monastery you will be able to observe a pile of yak heads that are carved with “sutras” and “mantras”. New Drongpa is another small town with a few shops, hotels and restaurants located about 25 kilometers from Old Drongpa monastery. We will continue on to the Baryang Township (elevation 4750 meters) and drive around Lake Manasarovar before reaching our final destination for the day, Darchen, where we will spend the night.
Accommodation：Overnight at local Guest House
Day8 Spend a day around Manasarovar lake
With this more relaxing option you can spend a full day on the lakeshore exploring the natural beauty and wildlife of Lake Manasarovar. In the summer, flocks of swans gather on the lake, giving a sense of grace and life to the area as they feed to prepare for the long winter months ahead. Many Tibetan and Hindu Buddhists can also be found around the lake as they make a religious trek along the lakeshore. With the snow-capped mountains and wonderfully blue skies in the background, the swans on the lake and the beauty of the lake itself attract tourists and photography enthusiasts from all over the world. It is a truly beautiful place in which to relax and spend the day just enjoying the wonders of nature.
Accommodation：Overnight at local Guest House
Day9 Darchen – Tsada (300 kilometers, 6-hour drive time)
Fresh from our day of relaxing and exploring Lake Manasarovar, we'll continue on to Tsada and the unique natural beauty of Tsada Tulin.
Accommodation：Overnight at local Guest House
Day10 Tsada – Guge Kingdom – Darchen (350 kilometers)
After breakfast, we will visit the ruins of the ancient Guge Kingdom and the Torling Monastery. Located in the Ngar Region of Tibet, the ruins of the Guge Kingdom were once an imperial estate that fell into disrepair after the civil war revolt and the invasion of the 8 Allied Forces of foreign countries that destroyed the once prosperous state. Luckily the legendary kingdom has not been totally lost as much can still be learned from what remains of it. After our visit there, we will continue on with more scenic driving to Darchen where we will spend the night.
Accommodation：
Day11 Darchen – Saga (500 kilometers, 7-hour drive time)
Today we will drive through the windswept territory of rural Tibet, passing through numerous small villages as well as camps of yak and sheepherders on our way back to Saga. With all of the beautiful scenery surrounding us, we will have plenty of opportunities to stop and take photos if you like.
Today we will drive through the windswept territory of rural Tibet, passing through numerous small villages as well as camps of yak and sheepherders on our way back to Saga. With all of the beautiful scenery surrounding us, we will have plenty of opportunities to stop and take photos if you like.
Accommodation：Overnight at Saga hotel
Day12 Saga – Shigatse (500 kilometers, 7-hour drive time)
More spectacular scenery awaits us as we continue on our leisurely drive back to Shigatse where we will spend the night.
Accommodation：Overnight at Shigatse 3-Star hotel
Day13 Shigatse - Tashilunpo Monastery – Namtso
We will get an early start today to visit the Tashilunpo Monastery, which was founded in 1447 by the 1st Dalai Lama. After visiting this ancient monastery, one of the most important sites in Tibetan Buddhism, we will take the 80-kilometer drive back to Lhasa along the northern Friendship Highway. This route will take us through Daktuka across the bridge over the Bramaputra River and along the valley in the north to Namtso Lake. During today’s journey we will pass through many typical Tibetan villages with their traditional houses and peaceful environments. We will also cross the Shuege-la Pass (elevation 5300 meters), arriving at beautiful Namtso Lake in the afternoon with time to hike around the Tahi Do peninsula.
Accommodation：Overnight at Namtso Lake Tent guest house
Day14 Namtso – Lhasa (250 kilometers, 5-hour drive time)
We will arise early to view the magnificent sunrise over this holy sky lake before we begin the drive back to Lhasa. On our return journey we will pass the famous Yampanchen Hot Spring. If you are interested, we can make an optional stop here although the cost for visiting the hot spring is not included in the cost of the usual tour itinerary. You will have some free time this evening in Lhasa.
Accommodation：Overnight at Lhasa 3-Star hotel
Day15 Transfer to Lhasa Airport – Depart Lhasa
our day will be free until we pick you up to take you on the 30-minute drive to the Lhasa airport for your departing flight.
Accommodation：