Lhasa and Namtso Lake Tour

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.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 2: Lhasa Tour – Potala Place, Johkang Temple, Barkor 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.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Day 3: Lhasa Tour – Drepung and Sera Monastery (B)

In the morning ,you are going to visit Drepung monastery which is one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet, founded in 1416 by Jamyang choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. Ganden palace used to be Dalai lama’s palace in the Drepung before he moved to the Potala palace.

In the Afternoon, Tourists will visit Sera Monastery which is another one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet, founded in 1419 by Jamchen Chojey, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. The hot attraction is the Monks debate at around 3 – 5 in the afternoon.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 4: Lhasa – Ganden Monastery – Tidrum Nunnery (B)

 In the morning, drive about 60 km eastwards to visit the Ganden Monastery which is one of the “Great Three” Gelugpa monastery, founded by the Great Tsongkhapa in 1409. Tourists can trek Lingkor(circle) around the monastery and see the crack of rock which was magically made by Great Tsongkapa and his meditation cave with the spectacular bird’s-eye view of Lhasa valley.

In the afternoon, drive to Tidrum, 110km northeast of Lhasa. It has a great location in a narrow gorge at the confluence of two streams. You can have the famous medical hot-springs there and visit Tidrum Nunnery nearby.

Stay overnight in Tidrum Hot Spring (Dorm bed).

Day 5: Tidrum – Drigung Til Monastery – Reting Monastery (B)

Today firstly drive to Drigung Til Monastery which stands at an elevation of 4,150 metres. You will get a stunning view of the Drigung Valley. Drigung Til Monastery is the leading monastery of the Drigungp, a school of the Kagyupa order. Up to the hill of Drigung Til, there is the holiest sky-burial site in Lhasa region. Please note that watching Sky-burial ceremony is forbidden.

Then drive to Reting monastery,the seat of the Reting rinpoche, which later become an important Gelugpa monastery located in the cypress forest area with great landscape.

Stay overnight in guest house.

Day 6: Reting – Namtso Lake (B)

Today, we continue to drive to Namtso Lake and all the way you can see Nyenchen Thanglha snow mountain ranges and lots of nomads tent with grazing yak and sheep densely-populated along the mountain side.

Namtso Lake is the Heavenly lake which is one of the four holy lakes of Tibet and also the highest salt lake. You can do a very relax trekking around the lake side and Tashi Island. To spend a night at lake shore is a fantastic plan to see the stars.

Stay overnight in a Guest House.

Day 7: Namtso – Yangpachen hotspring – Lhasa (B)

Enjoy the clear morning at the lake shore, you can trek along the lake shore to Tashi Dor Island to explore the meditation caves. Drive to Dumxung to have lunch.

In the afternoon, you may enjoy Yangpachen hot spring(Optional) which has both indoor and outdoor swimming pool filled with hot springs water. The hotspring itself is the highest swimming pool in the world. Then drive back to Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 8: Departure from Lhasa (B)

 The guide will transfer you to the airport or train station and help you get on board.