Day 2 Lhasa(altitude 3,700m, BL)
Since we have just made a sudden ascent from lowland to an altitude of over 3,700 meters (12,139 ft), today’s itinerary is not so tight. Visit Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, and Norbulingka. Stay in the same.
Drepung is about 8km west of central Lhasa, once world's largest monastery with about 10,000 monks. This day's sightseeing begins with these white monastic buildings piled up on the hillside. Walking up to the hill is a pleasant thing, an easy break from the solemn ambience inside the halls and chapels. At the plat roof of hillside, you can have very good views of the whole Lhasa city and the distant mountains.
Sera Monastery sits at the foot of the mountains. One of the three main Gelupka monasteries in Lhasa, Sera is an important spiritual center for Buddhist monks. If we are lucky enough, we could watch the Lamas in their traditional theological exercise of lively debating.
Norbulinka (the summer palace of dalai lamas):"Norbu Linka" means beautiful gardens. This garden covers an area of 36 hectares and it is the annual vacation home for the 7th to the 14th Dalai Lama, who would move here from the Potala Palace to this summer palace and spend most of their summer here.
Day 3Lhasa(BLD)
We will visit the Potala Palace, landmark of Lhasa and spiritual symbol of Tibet - you will join many pilgrims on your way to the top of a hill where this 13-storey architectural wonder is perched upon. The approach to the Potala is not easy, and requires climbing many steep steps, so we take it slowly and allow ourselves to leisurely enjoy the Palace and its surroundings. We enjoy strolling through its winding corridors and peaking in some of its thousand rooms, and can only imagine what life here was once like. In the afternoon, we visit the Jokhang Temple, the spiritual center of Lhasa. As we make the inner circuit around the courtyard, spinning numerous prayer wheels as we go, we are swept up in the energy of the devout. From the rooftop, we get stunning views of the Potala, and the snow capped peaks off in the distance. Around the Temple runs the Barkhor, a holy circuit which pilgrims undertake and a bustling commercial market. The rest of the time is left free for you to venture around Bakhor market, where you will feel you are right at the heart of Tibet. Stay in the same.
Day 4Lhasa/Gyantse/Shigatse (BLD, altitude 3900m)
Drive from Lhasa to Gyangtse (3,950 m or 12,956 feet) vs Yamdrok Tso Lake (4408 m),one of Tibet’s three holy lakes and located 110km outside of Lhasa. It takes three and a half hour to Yamdrok Tso Lake, most of the time we are driving on the mountain road, winding and bumpy. Far in the distance is the huge massif of Mt. Nojin Kangtsang (7191m). At arrival at Gyantse visit the Pelkor Chode monastery and its associated Kumbum (three dimension mandala) temple. Gyantse is a relaxed town offering a splendid sight of the Kumbum Stupa situated at its Northern edge. Housed within the compound of a rather barren looking Pelkor Chode Monastery, Kumbun consists of 8 levels and a total of 75 chapels with wonderful murals revered by art scholars around the world. Drive back to Shigatse. It would be a long day for about 10 hours. Stay in Shigatse Hotel or similar
Note: Originally, the itinerary on our website is driving directly from Lhasa to Gyangtse. Presently the road from Lhasa to Gyangtse vs Yamdrok Tso Lake is under construction, we have to take the new road vs Shigatse to Gyangtse.
Day 5Shigatse/Lhasa (BLD)
Today we will visit Shigase---the second largest city in Tibet. We will have enough time t explore the Tashilhumo Monastery, the seat of Panchen Lama built in 1447. The monastery houses a giant statue of the Maitreya Buddha and a tomb of the 4th Panchen Lama containing masses of jewels and gold. Then drive back to Lhasa. Tibetan dinner with dancing and singing. Stay in 3-star hotel.
Day 6-8 Lhasa/Beijing(B)
Transfer to the railway station for the train T28(08:00-3rd 08:00 )back to Beijing. The end of the tour.
Tour price
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Tour Class Your Group Size
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1 person
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2-5 persons
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6-9 persons
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Single room supplement
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Deluxe Class
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$1730
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$1580
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$1760
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$1886
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Tour Notice
1.It Very important: As no travel service is allowed to make reservation of the soft and hard sleeper train ticket to and out of Lhasa for tourist group in advance and the rail way station only start to sale the train ticket to the independent tourists 10 days before the departure date, though we will try our best we couldn’t promise to get the train ticket for any guests who intend to go in and out of Lhasa by train. In case there is no required ticket available or not enough, CSH’s only liability is to help the guests to buy the air ticket or other train ticket available with the agreement of the guests. The guests are supposed to pay any possible cost owing to that, including but not limited to the difference between air and train ticket, the extra night hotel cost if needed, the meal, etc.
2.During the peak season(Olympics,Horse-racing Festival, July and Aug.), it could be very crowded to visit Potala Palace. We reserve the right to alternate the visiting order of the scenic spots.In case there is no ticket for Potala Palace, the cost of the entrance ticket(RMB100/pax) would be return to you.
3.The entrance tickets to scenic spots are based present price. We reserve the right to revise the price without notice if the tickets price rise up .
4.Foreigners, Taiwanese(except Hongkong and Macao) people need TTP (Tibet travel permit). We need all the participants’ send to us the photo copy of two pages of their passport at least ONE month before the departure time: one with picture, the other with visa to China. Please send this to us through e-mail: assistant@cnadventure.com. See here for example.
5.We couldn’t get the Tibet Travel Permit for Journalists, government officers, religion members. Please don’t accept the reservation from the guest with those occupation.
6.The transportation fee is very high in Tibet. Our quotation excluded the extra luggage truck for the group. Please only pack the necessity with you.
7.When you sign up for the tour to Tibet, you acknowledge that there are risks involved in travel in high altitude and confirm that you are fully aware of and accept these risks. It is customer's responsibility to determine whether the tour he/she choose is suited to his/her physical condition. Customers are responsible for the cost of any medicines or medical care or transportation they may require during the trip for any reason. Please make sure you have adequate personal medical insurance to meet any medical emergency which might arise. In some cases, if you need medical care during the tour, you may be required to pay for it at the time it is rendered and seek reimbursement from your insurer after you return home. Please check with your medical insurer for details. In the event of a medical emergency, we will make every effort to assist you in obtaining necessary care. Also, please tell us in writing if you suffer from any allergies or other physical conditions which might affect you during the tour(if you hasn’t tell us in writing before going, you are supposed to be healthy enough to take the tour). Finally, please check with your doctor to find out what inoculation may be recommended for the areas you will be visiting. It is your responsibility to obtain all necessary inoculations. We reserve the right to decline to accept any person as a member of the tour, or to decline to retain any person, if such person's physical condition, mental well-being or behavior interferes with the operation of the tour. There will be no refund in such cases.
8.Tourist insurance is a must before going, please provide us the confirmation of insurance company when sign up.
8.The part of the area we will visit has not been well developed like Beijing and Shanghai. While it is good to enjoy the well protected nature view and experience unique primitive Tibetan customs, we should prepare for that even the four star hotel is not so good and the food is not so delicate and various in the small town.