Lhasa Gyantse Shigatse 6 Days Join-in Small Group Tour

Our staff will greet you at Lhasa Airport/Railway to transfer you to hotel. From Lhasa Airport to downtown Lhasa, usually takes abt 1.5hrs; from Lhasa Railway Station, abt 20mins. After transferred to hotel, the rest of the day you will be free to wander around the city on your own but try not to overtax yourself. The first day’s well-rest is crucial to acclimatize high altitude. Remember to drink lots of water, eat light, and not to shower if you can help it.

Also a welcome dinner will be held tonight(or tomorrow night) to introduce you to the whole bang that you are gonna travel with. We have customers from all over the world. Shall be fun to meet people from different countries, cultures and backgrounds.     

Today you will visit totally 2 attractions in Lhasa suburb. In the morning, we will arrange you to see Drepung Monastery or Drak Yerpa. Exactly which one of these two will be decided by our operate team. In the afternoon, we will visit Sera Monastery; You will stay long hour on sightseeing today under the fierce sun of Tibet, do arm yourself with sunglasses/ hat/ sunscreen.

• Drepung Monastery was built in 1416 and is the largest monastery of the Gelug Sect. It covers an area of 250,000 square meters.
• Drak Yerpa is a place that has deep meanings in the Tibetan spiritual culture. There is a saying goes like this: "Lhasa is the shrine of Tibet, Drak Yerpa is the shrine of Lhasa. Not seeing Drak Yerpa in Lhasa is just like making a dress without the collar." The entrance to the Yerpa Valley is about 16 km northeast of Lhasa on the northern bank of the Kyichu River. From there, it is another 10 km to the famous ancient meditation caves.
• Sera Monastery is located in the northern suburb of Lhasa City. The monastery was named Sera which means wild rose in the Tibetan language, because the hill behind it was covered with wild roses in bloom when the monastery was built. From of Mon~ Fri, every afternoon, you ll be able to see monks debating at Sera Monastery.

This morning, visit Potala Palace. It is more than 3,700 meters above sea level and it is the highest palace in the world! At the top the palace called golden roofs, you can have a bird-eye view of the whole of Lhasa. In the distance there are undulating mountain ranges, the beautiful Lhasa River, tracts of fields, tree-shaded villages and the glistening Jokhang Temple.

Afternoon, visit Jokhang Temple, it is the first built during the period of Sontsan Gambo in the 7th century, features Buddhist prayer wheels, reclining deer, golden sutra streamers. You'll find that many Pilgrims pray before the monastery.

The circuit around it called Barkhor Street, a famous local handmade crafts market, which is a good place to purchase souvenirs.

Today you will visit Yamdrok Lake, Pelkor Chöde Monastery with Gyantse Kumbum.

• Yamdrok Lake: dazzling Yamdro-tso(elev 4441m) is normally first seen from the summit of the Kamba-la(4700m). The lake lies several hundred meters below the road, and in clear weather is fabulous shade of deep turquoise. Far in the distance is the huge massif of Mt. Nojin Kangtsang(7191m).En route we will drive pass by Mt Nojin Kangsang and its Karola Glacier.
• Pelkor Chöde Monastery with Gyantse Kumbum: the sprawling compound in the far north of town houses Pelkor Chöde Monastery and the monumental Gyantse Kumbum, a chörten filled with fine paintings and statues. Both are deservedly top of the list on most travellers’ must-sees. Palkhor lies at the foot of Dzong Hill. It is well-known for its Kumbum, which has 108 chapels in its four floors. The multi-storied Kumbum Stupa was crowned with a golden dome and umbrella, surrounded with more chapels filled with unique religious statues and murals. lies about 230 kilometers south of Lhasa and 100 kilometers east of the Shigatse Prefecture, at the foot of Dzong Hill. It is well-known for its Kumbum, which has 108 chapels in its four floors. The multi-storied Kumbum Stupa was crowned with a golden dome and umbrella, surrounded with more chapels filled with unique religious statues and murals.

Visit Tashilunpo Monastery in the morning. It is one of the Six Big Monasteries of Gelugpa (or Yellow Hat Sect) in Tibet. Also called the Heap of Glory, the monastery is located at the foot of Drolmari (Tara's Mountain), Shigatse. Founded by the First Dailai Lama in 1447, the monastery's structure was expanded by the Fourth and successive Panchen Lamas. It covers an area of nearly 300,000 square meters.

The main structures found in the monastery are Maitreya Chapel, Panchen Lama's Palace and Kelsang Temple. Tashilhunpo is the seat of Panchen Lama since the Fourth Panchen Lama took charge in the monastery, and there are now nearly 800 lamas.

After breakfasts, you will be free for the morning. Our staff will collect you at your hotel around noon to transfer to Lhasa Airport. For Lhasa Railway, we will arrange free individual transport.