Suggested Itinerary
Itinerary
Day 1: Fly in Lhasa
Beijing departure: Beijing -- Lhasa by air about 09:15--15:05.
Shanghai departure: Shanghai -- Lhasa by air 08:10--15:00.
Other locales departure: Tell us your city of China and we book air tickets for you, or you do it on your own.
Take the morning direct flight to the holy city of Lhasa, the home of the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple（Dazhao Si）, Sera Monastery, and the Barkhor. Located at 3700 meters above sea level, Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world. You will have free time in the afternoon and at night to adjust to the altitude, after checking into the hotel.
Day 2: Lhasa
In the morning we will visit the Potala Palace, the symbolic landmark of Lhasa, and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994. As the winter residence of the successive Dalai Lamas, the Potala formerly served as the center of local Tibetan theocratic rule, hosting major religious and political ceremonies since the reign of Dalai Lama V (1617-1682). It also houses the relics of those eight past Dalai Lamas. Dominating the Lhasa skyline, the Potala is the highest building within the city. We will climb to the top of the Palace, from which you will be able to see the entire layout of the city.
After lunch, we will then visit the Jokhang Temple, another UNESCO site, and the spiritual center and the holiest shrine of Tibet, the destination of thousands of Tibetan pilgrims from all over the plateau every year. The Jokhang was built in the seventh century by Songtsen Gampo, the King who unified the Tibetan Plateau, and his two wives: the Tang Princess Wencheng and the Nepalese Princess Bhrikuti. It houses the statue of Jowo - Sakyamuni at 12 years of age - which Princess Wencheng brought from Chang'an 1,300 years ago. We will also go to Sera monastery, one of the three major monasteries of the Gelugpa (Yellow) sect of Tibetan Buddhism in Lhasa (the other two are Ganden and Drepung). You will witness monks carrying out philosophical debate in the courtyard.
Day 3: Samye / Tsetang
On the third day we will travel to the Tsetang, the capital of the Lhoka (Shannan) district, which is considered the cradle of Tibetan civilization. There you will visit the many “firsts” of Tibet: first field, first village, first monastery, and first palace. Two hours' drive from Lhasa is Samye Monastery, the first monastery in Tibet. The magnificient and unique Central Hall is three stories high. The first floor is in Tibetan architectural style, the second in Han Chinese style and the third in Indian style.
After lunch, we will visit Yumbulagang, the first palace in Tibetan history. Magnificently perched on top of a hill, it overlooks the first field and first village of Tibet. You can either hike up to the palace entrance, or go up on a yak or horse. It was said that the palace was built in the second century B.C. by the first Tibetan king Nyatri Tsanpo, who descended from heaven, accordingly to legend.
Day 4: Tsetang / Yamdrok Yutso Lake / Lhasa
We will drive to visit dazzling Yamdrok Yutso (4441m), one of the three biggest lakes in Tibet. We will have lunch by the lake. In clear weather, the lake is a fabulous shade of deep turquoise. We will also stop by a village that makes Tibetan incense. Then we will return to Lhasa.
Day 5: Lhasa / Fly out
We will visit Tibet Museum in the morning. The museum houses a rich collection of cultural relics including handwritten Tibetan classics, colorful thangka paintings, musical and ritual instruments, and unique handicrafts and pottery. You will then be free to take a stroll along the Barkhor. Barkhor means "intermediate circuit" in Tibetan. At the center of old Lhasa, the Barkhor is the middle circumambulation pathway for pilgrims around the Jokhang. The other two circumambulation pathways are the Nangkor (“inner circuit”) inside the Jokhang and the Lingkor (“the outer circuit”) around the old city. Buddhist pilgrims from all over the Tibetan plateau walk or progress by body-lengths prostrations along the Barkhor clockwise every day deep into the night. This sacred pilgrim path is also a marketplace where shaggy nomads, traders, robed monks and chanting pilgrims join together. Clustered shops and stalls sell printed scriptures, prayer flags and other religious vessels, jewelry, Tibetan knives, ancient coins and more. After lunch, we will drive to the airport and take the afternoon direct flight to Beijing / Shanghai.
Lhasa - Beijing CA4111 16:05 - 21:35
Lhasa - Shanghai MU2336 15:50 - 22:10
Notice: We need to arrange the Tibet entry permits at least 15 days in advance. Please make your plans and book your trip early. To settle the entry permit to Tibet, we need from you a photocopy of your passport and Chinese visa, or your China residence permit with a letter from your place of work as proof of employment.
