Day 01: Fly from Kathmandu to the Gonggar airport
of Lhasa (90 kilometers from the main city). This afternoon
remains free for acclimatization. You stay overnight
at hotel in Lhasa.
Early morning you are transferred to the airport to
board the plane for the flight over the Himalaya to
Lhasa. If the weather is clear, there are wonderful
views of Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Makalu, Kanchenjunga
and other peaks en route. On arrival at Gonggar airport
(which is 90 kilometers from Lhasa), you meet your
vehicle and drive east along the broad Yarlung Tsangpo
valley to Tsedang (3400m.). After checking into your
hotel, you drive south to see the reputed oldest building
in Tibet, the Yumbu Lakhang, a beautiful castle-like
dwelling and monastery, dramatically perched on a spur
looking out over the fertile valley below. If time
permits,you may be able to visit a small monastery
close to Tsedang, or an interesting carpet factory
where you can see the whole process of carpet making.
Day 02-03: On these days you will visit Potala Palace,
Norbulinka Palace, Jorkhang, surrounding of Barkhor
Street, Drepung and Sera Monasteries. You stay overnight
at hotel in Lhasa.
One of the highlights is the visit to the symbol of
Tibet; the Potala Palace set high on Red Hill, the
winter home of the Dalai Lama until 1959. The most
sacred temple in Lhasa is the Lokhang, where people
come from all over Tibet to visit and pray in this
spiritual heart of the country. It was used as a military
kitchen during the Cultural Revolution but has now
been beautifully restored, with many priceless thangkas
and statues adorning the chapels, and magnificent gilded
roofs.
Another great treasure is the Norbulingka – the
old summer palace of the Dalai Lama.
Now you visit Jorkhang temple, the center of the Tibetan
Buddhism and the sacred land of Buddhist followers
where innumerable pilgrims come for worship everyday.
The temple, built in 647, is the earliest wood-and-masonry
structure still existing in Tibet. Surrounding the
Jorkhang Temple is the bustling Barkhor Street which
is the religious and social focus of Lhasa. Around
the Barkhor there are numerous stalls selling all sorts
of handicrafts: brightly colored boots and fur-lined
hats, silver and turquoise jewelry, rosaries, prayer
flags and charms, as well as beautiful Tibetan carpets
and all manners of ordinary household ware.
Next you visit Sera monastery, which was created in
1419, has always been an important Buddhist seminary.
As rose are planted everywhere in the monastery, it
is also called “the court of wild rose”.
Today still 200 lamas live in there. On the other hand,
Drepung Monastery, is the world’s largest monastery
with about 10,000 monks
Day 04: Full day excursion to Namtso Lake, so called
the “Sky Lake”, same day drive back to
Lhasa and visit Yangpacheng Hot Spring en route. Stay
overnight in Lhasa.
Day 05: Morning drive to Gyantse, visit Drolma Lhakang,
Yamdrok Lake, Samding Monastery en route. Stay overnight
at hotel in Gyantse.
Day 06: Visit Kumbum and Pelku Chode, drive to Shigatse,
visit Shalu Monastery en route, if time permits, visit
Gangjian Carpet Factory in Shigatse. Stay overnight
at hotel in Shigatse
Day 07: In the morning you visit Tashilunbo Monastery
and free market. In the evening you drive back to Lhasa
via northern road. Stay overnight at hotel in Lhasa.
Day 08: Transfer to Gonggar airport
and fly to Kathmandu, tour ends!
