8 Days Tibet Tour to Lhasa, Shigatse & Damxung

Welcome to Lhasa! It can be said that Lhasa is a city with both human and natural landscapes. Lhasa is the capital of China's Tibet Autonomous Region and the political, economic, cultural and religious center of Tibet; it is also the holy land of Tibetan Buddhism. Lhasa is located in the middle of the Tibetan Plateau and the north of the Himalayas, with an altitude of 3650 meters. After arriving in Lhasa, local tour guide will welcome you at the airport/train station, then transfer the guests to the hotel. Acclimatize the high altitude in the hotel.

Lhasa enjoys sunny weather throughout the year with little rainfall. There is no severe cold in winter and no intense heat in summer, making the climate pleasant. The annual sunshine time is more than 3000 hours, leading to its nickname "Sunshine City". The tour will begin with a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage site, Potala Palace, which also serves as the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. Situated at 12,139 feet above sea level, this 13-story high building contains over 1,000 rooms, statues, stupas, murals, and artifacts. Potala Palace is located on the Maburi mountain in the northwest of Lhasa city and is built in a palace castle style. Originally constructed by Zanpu Songzanganbu of the Tubo Dynasty to marry Princess Wencheng, Potala Palace is an outstanding example of Tibetan and ancient Chinese architecture. The palace is home to about 200 cultural relics, including letters of patent, seals, gifts, documents, classics, palm leaf scriptures, Buddha statues, Thangka, and magic tools. This presents a unique opportunity to explore traditional Chinese and religious culture and gain spiritual strength in this holy land.

Next, we will visit Jokhang Temple, another UNESCO World Heritage site and a spiritual center for Buddhists in Tibet. Located in the center of the old urban area of Lhasa, this Tibetan Buddhist temple was built by Tibetan king Songzanganbu over 1300 years ago. Jokhang Temple holds a supreme position in Tibetan Buddhism and is renowned for its brilliant architecture during the Tubo Period.

Adjacent to the temple is Bakhor Street, which is filled with pilgrims and street vendors selling traditional Tibetan items such as prayer wheels and jewelry. It is the most famous commodity street in Lhasa, offering a strong local and national flavor. Visitors can spend a long time exploring Bakhor Street and purchase souvenirs.

In the morning, we will visit Drepung Monastery, which was one of the "three great" Gelug monasteries of Tibet and was founded in 1416. Drepung Monastery is one of the six temples of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism and is considered the largest monastery in the world. Before liberation, there were as many as 10000 monks here.

The monastery has a tight architectural structure, with connected temples and stacked buildings. Each building unit is divided into three horizontal levels: the courtyard, the Sutra hall, and the Buddha Hall. This forms a pattern of rising layer by layer from the gate to the Buddha Hall, emphasizing and highlighting the noble status of the Buddha Hall. The large-scale, magnificent, and solemn Cuoqin Hall is arranged in a disorderly manner and serves as the main building of Drepung Monastery. Ganden Palace was used as the Dalai Lama’s palace in Drepung before moving to the Potala Palace.

In the afternoon, we will visit Sera Monastery, another one of the "three great" Gelug monasteries of Tibet, which was founded in 1419. The highlight of the visit is the Monks' debate, which takes place around 3-5 in the afternoon. Many people come to watch the debate, so arriving earlier will help secure a good seat. Additionally, older murals are preserved in many large halls of Sera Monastery. It is recommended for tourists to bring a flashlight or headlight for better appreciation. The temple preserves tens of thousands of Vajra Buddha statues, some of which are made locally, and a few are brought from the mainland or India. The entire Sera Monastery can be seen in the northeast of the Buddha platform, and every year, the Sutra ceremony is held here at the Sho Dun Festival.

Remember the following details: Drive from Lhasa to Gyantse. Along the way, you'll pass the beautiful Gampala Pass (4790 m) and catch a glimpse of YamdrokTso Lake (4400m), surrounded by snow-capped mountains. The lake holds great significance for Tibetans and is known as "Turquoise Earrings scattered by goddess". At the Gangbala mountain pass, you can get a panoramic view of the lake, which appears in different shades of rich blue, reflecting the sunlight. The lake's water comes from the snow in the Tanggula Mountains, presenting various shades of blue as it reflects light. Not far from Gangbala Snow Mountain, there's a section of road where you can take a leisurely walk by the lake. 

After this, continue driving west to Gyantse. Gyantse is a historically and culturally significant town in China that's now becoming a popular tourist destination. Here, you can visit the renowned Pelkor Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum. Gyantse Kumbum holds a special place in the history of Tibetan Buddhism for bringing together different sects such as Sakya, Gelu, and Budun. It's known for its unique architectural style, sculptures, paintings, and its combination of pagodas and temples. It is also considered the king of towers in Tibet. The temple is admired for its architectural ingenuity and its tolerance of all Buddhist sects in Tibet.

After a drive of about one and a half hours, you'll reach Shigatse, which is the second largest city in Tibet.

Today, we will be exploring the Tashilunpo Monastery of the Gelug Sect, which is the seat of the Panchen Lama and was built in 1447. Covering an area of 150,000 square meters, the monastery is surrounded by palace walls that meander along the mountain for over 3,000 meters. Inside the monastery, there are 57 scripture halls and 3,600 houses. The entire monastery is built along the mountain slope, with temples connected in a balanced and harmonious manner. Inside the monastery, you will find a giant gilded statue of Maitreya Buddha, which is the largest in the world, as well as the tomb of all the Panchen Lamas, containing jewels and gold.

In the afternoon, we will drive back to Lhasa, which will take about 6 hours. On the way back, we can enjoy the scenic view of the Brahmaputra River, which is the longest plateau river in China and one of the largest rivers in the world.

Drive from Lhasa to Lake Namtso. On the way, clients will see Nyenchen Thanglha (snow mountain ranges) and lots of nomads with yak and sheep grazing nearby. Namtso Lake is the "Heavenly Lake" which is one of the four holy lakes of Tibet and also the highest salt lake. Namtso Lake was selected as the third place in the "China's Five Most Beautiful Lakes" by China National Geographic's "Beauty China" pageant. You can do a very relaxing trek around the lakeside and the Tashi Island. Many travelers will spend the night on the lake together to see the beautiful sunset and sunrise here. And the starry night in Namtso brings you a lot of wonderful memories too. Overnight you will stay at Damxung. 

After breakfast, we will first visit Chimelong Nunnery (Phyirmil Lung Nunnery). Roam over the peaceful small nunnery and get an idea of different Buddhist studies in Tibet, you may also spot a sky burial site (Tibet funeral site) in the distance.

Then, we can go to Tsurphu Monastery, the seat of the Karmapa branch of the Kagyupa order of Tibetan Buddhism. There are a large number of rare cultural relics in the Monastery. The monument of Jiangpu Temple, now located in the main hall of Tsurphu Monastery, is about two and a half meters high and about half a meter wide. The ancient Tibetan texts on it are of great historical value for the study of politics, economy and religion in the Tubo period. Here, you can learn more about the ‘Black Hats’, the Karma Kagyupa school of Tibetan Buddhism. In the summertime (June to September), we can also go for a ‘Linka outing’ (Tibetan-style picnic) in the small village at the foot of the hill of Tsurphu Monastery.

Finally, we will drive back to Lhasa.

Transfer clients to the airport or train station. Wish you have a pleasant journey home!