8 Days & 7 Nights Lhasa - Gyangtse - Shigatse Tour

Arrival at Lhasa, you will be met at Gongar airport and transferred to the hotel for some good rest and acclimation.

Lhasa is the capital of Tibet. Located at the foot of Mt. Gephel, Lhasa altitude is 3,490m and the air contains only 68% of oxygen compared to sea level.

Attraction: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkor Street 

Taking a visit to Lhasa, a trip to Potala Palace is a must as it is the largest monastery of its type in the world and the highest elevation palace of the world, which the altitude is up to 3700 meters. Then move to Jokhang Monastery, where monks receive their official training and education. The surrounding of Jokang Monastery is Barkhor Street. Walk along this street of eight corners which will afford us a window into Tibetan culture and an opportunity to buy colorful ethnic handicrafts rarely seen outside of Tibet.

Tips: When you enter into a temple or monastery in Tibet, please take off your hats at the entrance to show your respects and follow the clockwise direction for visiting. No smoking, do not touch the Buddha statues, turn the Buddhism scriptures or toll the bell.

The awe-inspiring Potala Palace, perched high above much of Lhasa, is the landmark of the city. The palace which consists of the Red Palace, the White Palace and some attached buildings was a complex of political and religious function. Now it is a huge treasure house for materials and articles of Tibetan history, religion, culture and arts.

Located at the center of the old Lhasa, Jokhang Temple is the spiritual center of Tibet. Built in 647 by Songtsen Gampo, it has a history of more than 1,300 years. The temple is the fine product of Han, Tibetan and Nepalese architecture techniques. Visitors will be treated to the sight of various exotic and sacred sculptures. 

Jokhang Temple also houses many invaluable cultural relics. Every year, the Great Prayer Festival is held here. 

Barkhor Street is a famous commercial and commodity-distributing center in Lhasa, consisting of more than 120 handicrafts shops and more than 200 stalls. It is a good choice that should never be missed by tourists coming to Lhasa, for you can buy anything 

Tibet-related, from sacks of incense, chunks of yak butter to monk outfits. Barkhor is the road that pilgrims tramped out around Jokhang Temple through centuries. When walking along Barkhor Street, you should move in the clockwise direction. 

Attraction: Namtso Lake and Nature Landscape

Set out in the early morning to Namtso Lake, driving through the northern plateau of Changtang Plain, over the 5150m high Nagenla mountain pass, you can get a far view of the lake. Hike about 1 hour around Namtso Lake.

Drive to Damxong Town and have lunch. On the way back to Lhasa, stop by Yangpachen hot spring, you can enjoy hot spring here if you wish, the cost is RMB98-RMB168/p.p at your own expense.

Attraction: Yamdrok Lake, Karola Glacier, Kumbum Monastery and Palko Pargoda

Today, you will drive to Shigatse in the morning. On the way, take a view for the beautiful Yamdrok Lake, and visit Palkhor Monastery and Kumbum Pagoda. Stay overnight at Shigatse.

Located 250km southwest of Lhasa at an altitude of 3,840 meters, Shigatse is the second largest city in Tibet, with a population of 80,000. It used to be the traditional capital of the area known as Hou- tsang on the Nepal border.

Yamdrok Lake is one of the three holiest lakes in Tibet. It is located 100 km southwest of Lhasa and surrounded by Mt. Kampala, Mt. Nyinchenkhasa, Mt. Chetungsu and Mt. Changsamlhamo. The holy lake is a pilgrimage site for Tibetans. Every summer, groups of pilgrims trek there to pray and receive blessings. Befitting its religious importance, the turquoise blue lake has indescribable scenic beauty, prompting the Tibetans to compare it with a fairyland in Heaven.

P.S. From November to March of the next year, water of Yamdrok Lake will freeze due to the weather condition.

Located 100km east of Shigatse, Palkhor Monastery is a monastery with the characteristics of Han, Tibetan and Nepali architecture. It enjoys a high status in Tibet Buddhism history because it houses three sects – Sakyapa, Kadampa and Gelugpa together. According to Tibetan calendar, Saka Dawa Festival will be held on April 15th to commemorate Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism. During the festival, about 500 Lamas chant sutras and the loyal pilgrims gather in the monastery to commemorate Sakyamuni.

Palkhor also features its Kumbum in Tibet. Deemed as the symbol of the monastery, the spectacular ‘stupa' consists of hundreds of chapels in layers, housing about a hundred thsoud images of various icons, in total there are about 33,000 statues. 

Attraction:Explore Landscape, passing through different passes

We'll leave Shigatse after getting your Alien's travel permit, and then drive to Lhatse. It is a small town where you can take lunch. 

After that, you will drive to Shegar and if the weather is clear enough then on the way down to shegar you will view the Mt, Everest in the distance. Stay over night at EBC Guesthouse / Tent.

Attraction: Rongbuk Monastery, Everest Base Camp view

After visiting base camp, tourists can tour Rongphu Monastery which is the highest monastery in the world (5000m) and belongs to Nyingma sect. After that, You will drive back to Shigatse and it's will take another 6 to 7 hours drive back to Shigatse, drive through Tingri to visit Saja Temple which is of great significance in both Chinese history and Tibetan Buddhism history, and it's called the second Dun Huang. 

Today, we will drive back to Lhasa on the friendship Highway. The whole distance is almost 280km and it takes 6 hours along the Yarlung Tsangpo River / Bhamaputra River (the Longest and largest river in Tibet). 

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