Sacred Tibet Tours

Our 5 days private Tibet tour offers you a chance to explore the remarkable capital city of Tibet, Lhasa and trace back to the earliest Tibetan Buddhism culture in Tsetang, capital of the Shannan Prefecture.

Upon your arrival at Lhasa Kongga Airport at an altitude of 3,650 meters (11,975 ft.), our guide will greet you with a warm smiling face, holding a sign with your name on it. Then we will transfer you to Tsetang and check in at the hotel in about 1.5 hours.

Tsetang, settled at the southern bank of the meandering Yarlung Tsangbo River, is 87 km (54 mi) east of the airport and 191 km (119 mi) southeast of Lhasa. We would like to suggest you have a good rest at the hotel for the remaining day to acclimate to the high altitude in case of acute mountain sickness.

After breakfast, our guide will pick you up at the hotel and transfer you to visit the Yumbu Lakang, which is the first palace in Tibet, with a history of 2,100 years. It became famous since Songtsan Gambo of the Tubo Kingdom (629-846) and Princess Wencheng used it as their summer residence. Later, it was reconstructed as a monastery during the reign of the 5th Dalai Lama. Situated at the towering peak, the monastery is not large, but the high position offers a great panoramic view of the Yalong Valley and its pastoral scenery. The next stop is the Trandruk Monastery, and the first Buddha hall was built there during the reign of Songtsan Gambo. The most unmissable highlight of the monastery is the precious Pearl Thangka.

Afterward, we will transfer you to Lhasa. En route, we will visit the Samye Monastery, which is considered the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet’s history. It was built in 762 AD, actually later than Trandruk Monastery and some famous temples in Lhasa. However, this is the first temple in Tibet including the ‘Three Treasures’ of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. This is also a perfect building that combines Tibetan, Chinese and Indian architectural styles. At the end of the day, we will arrive in Lhasa and check in at the hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast; Lunch

In the morning, our guide will meet you at your hotel lobby. Today’s Lhasa visit starts from the Drepung Monastery, which is 5 km (3 mi) westward from the city and it is one of the three great monasteries of Tibet. This largest monastery in Tibet features layers of white buildings and this is also the place where the Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Dalai Lama held their enthronement ceremonies.

After lunch, we will continue our visit to the Sera Monastery where there is an opportunity to witness the most famous and lively monk debate sessions. The debating is mainly about Buddhist philosophy and it is a good way to learn and examine what they have studied. The debate is generally held every afternoon except for Sundays. You can see a large group of monks debating with abundant emotions and imposing gestures. This is undoubtedly a very unique experience to have a glimpse of Tibetan Buddhist culture.

Then we will visit the nearby Norbulingka Park, a masterpiece of Tibetan art. It used to be the traditional summer dwelling of the successive Dalai Lamas and later was converted into the largest man-made garden in Tibet. When the trip is completed, we will transfer you back to the hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast; Lunch

Today, our guide will pick you up at your hotel in the morning and accompany you to the magnificent Potala Palace, the most iconic sight in Tibet. It served as the chief residence of the Dalai Lama but is now a museum and the largest architectural complex in the Tibet area. You will be guided to enjoy its spectacular white-red architecture as well as the rich collection of Buddha pagodas, statues, murals, thangkas, and scriptures.

In the afternoon, we will go ahead to visit the Jokhang Temple, which is the most sacred and important temple in Tibet for the locals. In the spiritual heart of Tibet, you will witness the most impressive scenes as thousands of devout Tibetan pilgrims kowtow reverently for a long time around the temple, and the flagstones laid on the ground are even polished and shiny. No fatigue and pain can be found on their faces but only with happiness and joy, full of piety. You will be amazed at the purity and strength of the belief. Besides the old Tibetan temple, statues and exquisite mural paintings, the surrounding Barkhor Street is also worth your lingering, where you can find a lot of interesting goods like bronze Buddha statues, prayer wheels, butter lamps, prayer flags, delicious street food, Thangka paintings, and some handicrafts from India, Nepal, Myanmar, and Kashmir. At last, we will pay a visit to the Nunnery in Lhasa and there are still many women Buddhists practicing here.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast; Lunch

Your 5 days Tsetang Lhasa tour is completed today. A comfortable transfer will take you to the airport according to your return flight schedule. Our guide will bid farewell to you and wish you a nice trip!

Meals: Western buffet breakfast