Tashilhunpo Festival, also known as Buddha Exhibition Festival in Tashilhunpo Monastery enjoys high popularity among local Tibetans and tourists. The festival lasts for three days in the middle of the fifth lunar Tibetan month. Events reach its climax with the unveiling of a huge four-storey-tall thangka (religious painting) on a tower behind the monastery.
The itinerary centers around the Lhasa city and its surrounding scenic spots and tourists head to Tashilhunpo Monastery where you can participate various religious events that can only be seen during the big festival.
Day 1: Arrive in Lhasa
Upon your arrival at Lhasa airport or train station, you will be greeted by your Tibetan guide and escorted to your hotel in Lhasa. If you take the train to Lhasa, normally you will arrive in the late afternoon or evening, 20 minutes drive will take you to your hotel in Lhasa city.
Check in at hotel, and get acclimatized the high altitude.
Stay overnight in Lhasa.
Day 2: Lhasa Tour – Potala Place, Johkang Temple, Barkor Street
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
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 – Gyantse – Shigatse (360 km)
We will leave Lhasa for Yamdrok Lake through Gambala Pass (4780m) after breakfast. Yamdrok Lake is one of the three most famous holy lakes in Tibet. It covers an area of 638 square kilometers with an altitude of 4441 meters. The landscapes of mountains and lakes here tops in southern Tibet.
Then we will set out for Shigatse, via Karo-la Glacier and make a visit to Palkhor Monastery in Gyantse on the way to Shigatse, which is the biggest city in Tsang and Tibet’s second largest city.
Stay overnight in Shigatse.
Day 5: One Day Tour for Tashilunpo Festival
We will make a visit to Tashilhunpo Monastery and experience the Buddha Exhibition Festival in the morning. The Buddha Exhibition in Tashilhunpo Monastery has a history of more than 500 years and is different from Buddha exhibitions in other monasteries. The Buddha Exhibitions in Tashilhunpo and Drepung are most famous and solemn ceremonies in Tibet.
The Buddha Exhibition Festival of Tashilhunpo Monastery lasts from May 14 to May 16 in Tibetan Calendar. Thousands of Buddhism followers would come here to show their respects to the Buddha and tourists can watch the grand Buddha Thangka unfolding which lasts for two days and many pilgrims would do the religious circling around the gigantic Buddha and Tashilunpo monastery.
In the afternoon, we will tour to the local market to experience the daily life of the local people. Then we will tour to the new palace of Panchen Lamas. Both of them are near the Tashilhunpo.
Stay overnight in Shigats.
Day 6: Shigatse – Samye – Tsedang
We will drive to Tsedang after breakfast along the Sino-Nepal Highway. We can appreciate the particular natural landscapes of Yarlung Zangbo River Valley and take ferry to corss Yarlungzongpo River to visit Samye Monastery on the way. The Samye Monastery is the first temple to be built in Tibet and the first complete with the three Buddhist jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. With these unique features, this splendid temple has become an attraction for visitors from near and far.
Stay overnight in Tsedang.
Day 7: Tsedang Tour – Yambulakhang Palace and Tadruk Monastery
Tsedang is known as the capital of the ancient Yarlung Kingdom. Today, we drive 7kms to visit Yambulakhang Palace, the first building of Tibet which is built in 2nd century for Tibetan Kings. It is situated on a summit of a small hill on the east bank of the Yarlung River.
Then drive to see the tombs of Tibetan Kings. We also pay a visit to Tradruk Monastery in the afternoon.
Stay overnight in Tsedang.
Day 8: Departure from Tsedang
Transfer to Lhasa airport (90km, 2 hrs) for your flight to onward destination.
| Place | Night (s) | 5* Hotels |
| Lhasa | 03 | Shangri La |
| Shigatse | 02 | Shigatse Qomo Langzong |
| Tsedang | 02 | Tse Dang Hotel |
– Welcome with fresh flower garlands.
– Meet assist at the airport and hotels.
– 07 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.