Lhasa

Lhasa with its impressive cultural and religious heritage is one of the most mysterious cities in the world. Isolated for so long because of its remoteness and altitude, it is slowly opening up as transportation becomes more accessible. Ancient home to the Dalai Lama, Lhasa is filled with a spiritual energy not found in any other part of the world.

Day 1:Upon arrival, meet your local guide and transfer to the hotel.

Day 2: After breakfast at the hotel, meet your local guide and visit the central structure of Tibet, the Potala Palace. The palace was built in the 17th century by the Dalai Lama and is set on a hill overlooking the city. The palace is an architectural wonder with thousands of colorfully painted rooms, chapels with silk brocade banners, and religious statues. After the palace, we will visit Jokhang Temple. This temple is one of the main pilgrimage sites for Tibetan Buddhists. Approaching the temple, we will see some of these pilgrims lighting candles and lamps, and others carrying offerings of food into the temple where they go to worship. On our tour through the temple, we will see its numerous chapels wrapped in colorful banners and the large golden Buddhist symbols that cap the building. After lunch at a local restaurant, we finish our first full day in Tibet with a trip to the Barkhor Market. At the market, enjoy the stimulating sights, sounds and fragrances of Tibetan commerce. The market is full of herbs, spices, dried fruits and nuts from all over Asia; glittering brass, bronze & copper religious objects; hand-woven piled carpets; yak butter; hand-painted religious scrolls; bright prayer flags; and much more.

Day 3: Free day or optional day trek in the mountains around Lhasa.

Enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Himalayan foothills. Along the way, we will stop in a nomadic campground for Yak butter tea. The trek winds through the beautiful Shey Valley where the nomad camp is located. The trek includes transportation, water, lunch, tea, and a local nomad as a guide. Most of the trekking will be at altitudes above 12,000 feet so participants should be in good physical condition and acclimatized to the altitude.

Day 4: Day excursion by car to Namtso Lake. Namtso Lake is the highest saltwater lake in the world at 15,500 feet above sea level and the largest saltwater lake in Tibet. Its purity and solemnness are symbols of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. In Tibetan, Namtso means ‘Heavenly Lake’ and its five islands are used as spiritual retreats for pilgrims. Lunch is included today. In the evening return to Lhasa.

Gyangtse

Gyangtse is a hub for Tibetans on pilgrimage treks and has a large monastery in the town center. Gyangtse is a veritable tourist destination in its own right, but the real attraction is its setting in the stunning Tibetan landscape. Once outside of Lhasa, the main attraction is scenery and Gyangtse is set among the most beautiful mountains, lakes, and rivers in the world.

Day 5: After breakfast, begin the drive to Gyangtse. On the the way, stop to see Yamdrok Yumtso Lake and the Karola pass. As one of the three holy lakes in Tibet, Yamdrok Yumtso is said to be the female Guardian of Buddhism in Tibet. Every year, many devotional followers in Tibet and other places go there for pilgrimage. Karola Pass at 15,700 feet climbs between two lofty mountains, Nozing Khangsa 23,700 ft and Ralung 20,460 ft. After arriving in Gyangtse, have a guided tour of the Palkhor Monastery. The rest of the evening is at your leisure.

Shigatse

Shigatse is the second largest city in Tibet (pop. ~80,000). The city is popular as a stopover point for travelers going into Nepal but there are some worthy sites in the city as well. Shigatse’s major attraction is the Tashilhunpo Monastery which was founded in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama. Historically the seat of the Panchen Lama, the monastery holds a prominent place in Tibetan history. The other worthy attraction is the Samdrubtse Dzong which was used as a model for the construction of the Potala Palace in Lhasa.

Day 6: Today, drive 56 miles from Gyangtse to Shigatse. En-route visit the famous stupa – Gyantse Kumpum, which some say is the most stunning architectural wonder in Tibet. In the afternoon, visit Tashilumpo Monastery which sprawls on the slopes of Mount Niser, southwest of Shigatse. The monastery grounds cover an area of approximately 7.5 acres. There are many priceless and rare historical articles in the monastery.

Day 7: Drive back to Lhasa. Overnight in Lhasa.

Day 8: Service Ends