This 6-dayLhasa scenic tour is suitable for those who do have not much time to travel to Tibet. The journey will start from Lhasa. In Lhasa, you will visit some of the most famous sites including the landmarks of Tibet – The Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Drepung Monastery, and Sera Monastery.
Beyond Lhasa city, you will drive to Shigatse via Gyantse. This route is one of the most interesting parts and the most famous Lhasa scenic tour.
On the way, you will see the Yamdrok Lake, which is supposed to be one of the four holy lakes in Tibet. The lake is sometimes called turquoise lake because of its deep blue colour.
At Shigatse, you will visit the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, the spiritual seat for the successive Panchen Lamas.
Lhasa Gongkar Airport (Google Map)
Upon arrival at the Lhasa Gongkar airport / Lhasa train station, you will be warmly welcomed by our Tibetan local tour guide and the driver with the traditional Tibetan white scarf.
Your 6-day Lhasa scenic tour starts from today. Driving for about an hour from the airport to Lhasa and half an hour from the train station to the hotel.
After check-in at the hotel, the guide will be briefing the tour itineraries for the next day. Then it’s your own free time to rest for acclimatising the altitude.
We will begin our Lhasa scenic tour visit from Jokhang Temple, one of the most sacred temples in Tibet which was built in the 7th century by the 33rd king of Tibet – Songtsen Gampo.
“Jokhang” means the temple of the Buddha built for the enshrinement of the Shakyamuni image, which is believed to be inexistent before the lifetime of Shakyamuni. After visiting the temple you can explore the surrounding Barkhor street and spend time walking around the Temple following pilgrims from all over the Tibetan plateau.
In the afternoon will visit Sera Monastery, one of three great monasteries of Gelugpa school and attend the debating session of the monks which is quite popular in Sera.
Today we are going to visit the stunning Potala Palace – the landmark of Lhasa. Potala is the winter palace for the successive Dalai Lamas. The palace was built in the 17th century by the fifth Dalai Lama. That’s the main tourist attraction which is impossible to miss.
In the afternoon, we are going to visit the Norbu Lingka Palace. This palace is the summer palace of the Dalai Lama which was built in the 18th century by the seventh Dalai Lama.
Today is the scenic drive with breathtaking high passes and the holy lake. Driving along the Lhasa River to the Lhasa Airport we cross Kampa-la Pass [4797m] and then Karo-la Pass [5050m], where Mt. Noijin Kangsang [7206m] glacier lies near the road.
In the middle, we enjoy the unreal turquoise waters of the holy lake Yamdrok-Yumtso. Finally, we arrive at Gyantse town, where we visit the considered best Tibetan art paintings in Kumbum Stupa inside Pelkor Chode Monastery. Also, we admire the majestic Gyantse Dzong (fortress) overlooking the valley.
Then we drive northwest to reach the second largest city in Tibet Autonomous Region – Shigatse. There we visit Tashilhunpo Monastery. The monastery was built in the 15th century by the first Dalai Lama. Nowadays is the spiritual seat for the successive Panchen Lamas. We recommend doing Kora around Tashilhunpo Monastery if times allow.
Today, we drive back to Lhasa through the G318 Friendship Highway along the Yarlung Tsangpo River (Brahmaputra). It takes about 5 hours to Lhasa.
After arrival in Lhasa, you will have a half-day free time for shopping and exploring around the Lhasa city.
Our Lhasa scenic tour officially ends today.
Have a safe journey after that
