In this one week touring in Tibet, you will visit all major Tibetan culture centers, namely, Lhasa – the heart of Tibetan culture, Gyangtse – the most popular trade center between Tibet and India in the past time, and Shigatse – the second largest city in Tibet. And you will learn the essence of Tibetan Buddhism, how it influences in their life as well as real lifestyle of Tibetan farmers. The most interesting thing is to experience the authentic New Year celebration, the most important annual festival of Tibet. During Losar Festival, tourists will visit locals’ family, eat traditional food such as “Gutu”, i.e. dough drops, join in their dancing and singing ceremony, and circle around religious sites.
What’s more, you will see the special geographical feature with brilliant natural sceneries such as beautiful lakes, majestic glaciers and so on. The highest elevation that you will challenge in this tour is Karola Pass (5,050m) where you see a massive glaciers just in several hundreds meters away.
The entire celebration is expected to last 15 days. As the Losar is celebrated in winter, when there will be no too many crowds. So, it’s a great chance to join in some events and you will have ample time to explore various aspects of New Year celebration, like praying in monastery, and circling religious route with your tour guide.
Day 1: Arrive Lhasa
Arrival to Lhasa airport or train station where you will be picked up by our local guide and driver then transfer you to hotel. Main highlights on the way to Lhasa, you will see the biggest river in Tibet called Yarlung Tsangpo or Barmaputra in Indian language, the unique architectural village houses of Tibetan farmers and the first glance of Potala Palace.
Free sightseeing or take rest in your room in late afternoon to acclimatize.Your guide will give you more detail advice on acclimatization.
Stay overnight in Lhasa.
Day 2: Lhasa
Sightseeing in Lhasa, Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkor Street
In the morning your guide and driver will meet you at hotel lobby and drive you to the Potala this majestic palace, the land mark of Tibet, the first construction ever built in Lhasa by the most well known and outstanding Tibetan king Tsongtsen Gambo in seventh century as his residence and central government official. And in seventeenth century the fifth Dalailama began to extend it into current style. It is listed into the UNESCO’s World Heritage in December 1994. More than three hours visiting outside and inside the palace, you will learn all detail history about the palace by your guide.
After marvelous visiting and climbing hundreds of stairs there, your driver will pick you up at the exit of Potala and transfer you to local restaurant near by Jokhang, you will feel bit exhausted and tired but no matter you can have good relax during the lunch time and ask for your guide to order a glass of Ginger Lemon Tea+honey that will give you more energy and feel fresh again.
After lunch break, your guide will lead you to Jokhang Temple and Barkor Street by walking to explore the culture center of Tibet, the heart of Tibetan Buddhism and the main destination of the pilgrims coming from all over the Tibetan territories and the Barkor Ancient Street with local bazaar and art workshops.
Stay overnight in Lhasa.
Day 3: Lhasa
Sightseeing in Lhasa, Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery
Today your guide will take you to Drepung Monastery once the world’s largest monastery with about 10,000 attending monks and the home of second till fifth Dalailama. The main attraction there will be a huge assembly hall that could accommodate more than 5,000 monks once in the previous time, if you are lucky, you will have a chance to see the monks’ prayer meeting inside the assembly hall and a huge kitchen that you will have ever seen where it provides thousands of monks daily meals and it still keeps in traditional style.
After having quick lunch not in that kitchen, drive to Sera the second largest monastery in Lhasa where you will enjoy to see a very exciting monks’ debate on Buddhist philosophy same mode practice of ancient Indian philosophers did thousand years ago, what more, you will visit sand mandalas the Buddhist Cosmology and printing house where they publish the sutras and mantras in very traditional way by stamping from wooden blocks, you can also buy small old type sutras blessed by monks.
Stay overnight in Lhasa.
Day 4: Lhasa /Yamdrok Lake /Karola Glacier /Palchoe Monastery /Gyangtse
Drive to Gyangtse(250 km) via Yamdrok Lake and Karola Glacier and Palchoe Monastery
Today you drive to Gyangtse one of the most well known towns in Tibet. It’s not so long drive but full of highlighted scenic spots on the way, such as Yamdrok Yumtso the turquoise color like lake is the third largest holy lake in Tibet, Karola Glacier of Mount Nochen Kangsang 7,300m which is a branch range of the Himalaya is just 400m away from you, by the mountain road the artificial lake of Manak dam is isolated from special geographical feature like in the moon will make your journey even more exciting.
In Gyangtse late afternoon, you will visit one of the oldest monastery called Palchoe and Kubum pagoda the largest pagoda in Tibet, what more you can explore further in Gyangtse old town.
Stay overnight in Gyangtse.
Day 5: Gyangtse – Shigatse (By Road) (93 Km / 1 hrs 50 min)
Gyangtse to Shigatse and visit Tibetan family and see the New Year Festival
In the morning hike up the Gyangtse Castle one of the oldest castle in Tibet, from there you will see whole panoramic view of Gyangtse old town and Palchoe monastery, then drive to Shigatse, on the way visit Tibetan villages to enjoy their annual New Year Festival. People are very friendly and welcome hospitality to you. With local villagers you can drink their homemade barley beer, singing and dancing with them in full afternoon to experience the real life style and culture.
Stay overnight in Shigatse.
Day 6: Shigatse – Lhasa (By Road) (273 Km / 4 hrs 34 min)
Visit Tashi Lhunpo Monastery then drive back to Lhasa.
Today you will visit Tashi Lhunpo the largest monastery in Tsang area of Tibet autonomous region which is also the home of successive Panchen Lamas. After about two hours visiting, drive back to Lhasa along the friendship way passing through Nyimo Canyon one of the deepest canyon of Yarlung Tsangpo river/ Barmaputra. Free sightseeing in Lhasa late afternoon.
Stay overnight in Lhasa.
Day 7: Depart Lhasa
Departure transfer to Lhasa airport for flight to onward destination.
| Place | Night (s) | 5* Hotels |
| Lhasa | 03 | Shangri La |
| Gyantse | 01 | Gyantse Hotel |
| Shigatse | 01 | Shigatse Qomo Langzong |
| Lhasa |
01 | Shangri La |
– Welcome with fresh flower garlands.
– Meet assist at the airport and hotels.
– 06 nights hotel accommodation.
– Daily breakfast and Dinners.
– Tibet travel permit.
– All transfers, sightseeing, excursions by private AC vehicle as per the program.
– Local English / French / German / Italian / Spanish / Chinese / Russian speaking guides during city tour, sightseeing and excursions.
– Entrance fees to the monuments as per the program.
– 01 Yoga class during the tour.
– All taxes.
– Tips
– International Air Fare
– Visa Fees
– Travel Insurance
– Personal expenses and drinks.
– Accommodation in good hotels.
– Check-in / out time is 12 noon at most of the hotels.
– Extension to other places is also possible with a minimal extra cost.
– Additional nights are available at each place with minimal supplement.
– A visa is required and must be obtained prior to your departure from your Country.
– If quoted hotel is not available, we will provide one of a similar category and standard.
– Small deviations in the tour program are sometimes necessary, depending on weather, road conditions, flight schedules and room availability.
– In case the government changes presently applicable taxes, increase in airlines prices, fuel surcharge our rates will need to be adjusted accordingly.
– In Asia, there is no relevance between the distance and time of travelling, as it depends upon the condition of the roads and congestion of the traffic.
– While every effort will be made to maintain the itinerary, in view of local strikes etc that are beyond our control all schedule and itineraries are subject to last moment changes.
– Clients must be fully insured, as the company cannot accept liability for loss or damage to client’s property, medical emergencies or any other loss suffered by them whilst on tour.
– In Case of issuing Domestic or International air tickets, SGV is not responsible for any refund if the flight is delayed or cancelled, as it is the responsibility of airline.