The Lhasa-Shigatse group tour begins with sightseeing tours in and around Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet. During the tour, we will visit the Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple, and the Drepung and Sera monasteries. After exploring Lhasa, we will embark on an overland journey through captivating landscapes that extend beyond the Lhasa Valley. The breathtaking Yamdrok Lake and the Karo La Glacier, located outside the valley, are among the scenic highlights.
On our way to the final destination, Shigatse, which serves as the capital seat of Tsang province in Tibet and houses the largest Buddhist monastery of Tashi Lhunpo, we will also make sure to visit two must-see sights: the Pelkhor Chode Monastery and the Kubum Chorten in Gyantse.
Furthermore, this tour offers you the opportunity to experience the traditional lifestyle of the local Tibetans up close. We will arrange visits to typical farmers’ villages or nomad tents, allowing you ample time to immerse yourself in the experience of dining at local Tibetan restaurants and enjoying afternoon or morning tea at local tea shops. Additionally, a visit to a Tibetan traditional handicraft centre is included in the tour, where you can witness and learn about the extraordinary range of authentic Tibetan traditional and contemporary crafts and arts.
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Lhasa Gongkar Airport (Google Map)
Your 6 Days Lhasa Shigatse Group Tour starting from today and drive for about an hour from the airport to Lhasa. If you enter Lhasa by train, it’s only 2o minutes to the hotel.
Upon arrival at the Lhasa Gongkar airport / Lhasa train station, our client warmly welcomes our Tibetan local tour guide and the traditional Tibetan white scarf.
After check-in at the hotel, the guide will be briefing the tour itineraries for the next few days. We recommend you relax in the hotel to acclimatise to the high altitude for the rest of the day.
We will begin our visit from Jokhang Temple, one of the most sacred temples in Tibet built in the 7th century by the 33rd king of Tibet – Songtsen Gampo.
“Jokhang” means the temple of the Buddha builds 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, we will visit the Sera Monastery, one of three great monasteries of Gelugpa school will attend the monks’ debating session, which is quite popular in Sera.
Today we visit the stunning Potala Palace – the landmark of Lhasa and Norbulingka Palaces. Potala is the winter palace that was built in the 17th century by the fifth Dalai Lama. Provides amazing views of the entire city and houses the private quarters of the Dalai Lama, numerous grand state rooms and chapels.
In the afternoon, we will visit the Norbulingka Palace, the summer palace of the Dalai Lama, 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 till the Lhasa Airport and we cross Kampa-la Pass [4797m] and then Karo-la Pass [5050m], where Mt. Nyanchen Khangsar [7206m] glacier lies near the road.
In the middle, we enjoy the unreal turquoise waters of holy lake Yamdrok-Yumtso. Also, we admire the majestic Gyantse Dzong (fortress) overlooking the valley. Finally, we arrive at Gyantse town to visit the considered best Tibetan art paintings in Kumbum Stupa inside Pelkor Chode Monastery.
Then we drive North-West to reach the second largest city in Tibet Autonomous Region – Shigatse. At there, we visit Tashilhunpo Monastery, 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 having an incredible panorama view of the valley and impressive Dzong (fortress).
After breakfast we will visit the Tashi Lhunpo, to witness the largest gilded statue of Future Buddha in Tibet – indeed a historic and culturally important Buddhist monastery. Then dive back to Lhasa along with Brahmaputra river through 318 national highway.
Our 6 Days Lhasa Shigatse Group Tour officially ends today.
Have a safe journey after that
