- Day 1 Arrival at Lhasa airport and transfer to Lhasa.(3650Mts/ 60Km ) Hotel on B.B
You will be warmly welcomed by our Tibetan travel guide and driver and accompany you to the holy city of Lhasa along with the view of Bharmaputra, known as Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibetan and a giant stone carved Buddha with more than a thousand years history.
- Day 2 Sightseeing tour in Lhasa, Potala Palace, Jokang temple, Bharkor Bazar. Snow heaven Hotel on B.B ****
After breakfast, you will walk to the Potala Palace, the most monumental of structures in Tibet, is best admired from the outside. Slowly circumambulate the palace by following the pilgrims path around it, noting different aspects and moods of the sophisticated design from varying view point. The Potala Palace, the most complex monument ever built in Tibet, was designed to serve numerous diverse functions. First and foremost, it was the Palace of the successive of the Dalai Lamas. The Palace was divided into two main buildings, the white Palace which is mainly used for the leaving quarter of the Dalai Lama and the red Palace which is mainly used for the religious event. The most important object of the Potala Palace were the chapel of Phakpa Lhakang, filled to the brim with the priceless statues and the statue of Arya Lokeshvara and the tomb stupas of the successive of the Dalai Lamas, made of gold and silver, decorated by different kinds of precious stones. After the Potala Palace sightseeing, make clockwise Kora around the Potala Palace and enjoy Tibetan sweat tea and noodle with locals in a famous local Tibetan restaurant. Afternoon, visit Jokang temple, built by King Songtsan Gampo in the 7th century. The most important object of the Jokang temple is the statue of the Buddha Shakyamuni which has over 2500 years history. Pilgrims come from all the country to pay homage to the Jokang temple, Tibet's most sacred temple. Jokang temple is located in the very heart of Lhasa's colorful Tibetan quarter, Jokang is the focus of devotion day and night. Multitudes of Tibetans circle it while going round and round the Bharkor, gaining spiritual merit and generally having a wonderful time. This is not only the spiritual center of Tibet but also the heart of holy Lhasa city. Late afternoon, walk to Ramoche temple and visit. Ramoche temple was also built in the 7th century by Tibetan King Songtsan Gampo. There is a very sacred statue of Jowo Mikyo Dorjee, also has over 2500 years history.
- Day 3 Pabongka temple-Sera Wutse-Sera monastery. 4 hours hike Snow heaven Hotel on B.B****
After breakfast, you will start your tour by vehicle to Pabongka which is just 15 minutes’ drive from your hotel. Pabongka has more than thousand years history and it was the cave where the 33rd Tibetan King Songtsan Gamp took his meditation and it is also the place where the King Songtsan Gampo’s minister Sambota created the Tibetan alphabets and offered it to the king. Nowadays, it is a small temple with around 20 monks and you can still visit the King Songtsan Gampo’s cave. You will start your trek from Pabongka to Sera Wutse. Sera Wutse is the small temple where Tsongkapa, the founder of the yellow hat school used to take meditation prior to the construction of the Sera monastery. You will trek through the trail from Pabongka, enjoying a beautiful view of Pabongka, Sera monastery and the bird eye view of the whole Lhasa city and the Golden roof of the Potala Palace and Jokang temple. The hiking to Sera Wutse from Pabongka takes around 4 hours to reach the top, from the top, you will see the most beautiful panoramic view of the Potala Palace, Sera monastery the whole Lhasa city including the Jokang temple and it’s beautiful golden roof.
- Day 4 Drive from Lhasa-Dark Yepa hermitage-Ganden monastery (4300Mts/ 60KM )-Aku Tonpa nomad camp (4100m/ 1 hour drive ). Camp on full board
You will start your tour at around 9 am and drive to Dark Yepa hermitage on the northern side of Lhasa river at the distance of around 25km from Lhasa city. You will hike to Dark Yepa from the vehicle parking area and it takes you around one hour and half. From Dark Yepa, you will get a panoramic view of the whole Kyichu valley. Visit Dark Yepa cave and the small monastery which has more than 1300 years history, built by the 33rd Tibetan King Songtsan Gampo. Trek down through the narrow valley and continuously driving to Ganden monastery along the Lhasa river dominated by beautiful Tibetan villages and flocks of yaks grazing on side mountain of Ganden monastery. It will take you around two hours trekking which will help you to acclimatize to the high altitude and will help for your upcoming trekking. Continue driving to Aku Tonpa nomad camp which takes you around 1 hour to reach there.
- Day 5 Start trek from Aku Tonpa nomad camp to Tso Topchu valley 4-5 hrs Camp on full board
We start our trek at around 9 Am after the breakfast. You will start your trek at around 8.30Am. In 2 hrs past, reach the ruins of the old castle, continue further towards Tso Topchu valley, continue through the valley with beautiful landscape along the beautiful stream river for 2 more hours walking.
- Day 6 Trek from Tso Topchu valley to herders camp. 5 hrs Camp on full board
You will start your trek as usual and from the Tsotup Chu valley, follow a small tributary entering from the south-west. The route follows steeply upwards for 30 minutes until you reach a large basin. The terrain is not particularly difficult to reach Chitu-la pass ( 5100 m ) which is marked by several cairns . A short steep descent will bring you into a basin with three small lakes. The trail at many points is not clearly marked and goes past several seasonal camping sites before it reaches the valley floor.
- Day 7 Trek from Herders camp to Yamalung valley.5 hrs Camp on full board
Start the trek at around 8.30 Am. The trail is now wide and easy to follow and goes through forest of shrubs and rhododendrons for 3 hrs. The trail winds through a series of meadows before reaching Gen Do, a place with a ruined stone structure. The forest thins rapidly and reaches the first permanent village of Chantan ( 4020 m ) after leaving Hebu. In 30-40 mins , arrive at the turn off at Yamalung Valley . Yamalung Hermitage is another 1 hour steep climb from the valley floor. From Yamalung Valley we will meet our driver and drive to Samye monastery for around 2hrs. Take lunch in the monastery restaurant and then afternoon, visit Samye monastery which is the first monastery of Tibet and it is the mother monastery of Nyingmapa sect in Tibetan Buddhism.
- Day 8 Drive from Samye monastery to Tsetang .50Km Yalonghe Hotel on B.B
After the breakfast, we will visit Samye monastery. If you are not scared of waking up earlier, you can also go to see the monks chanting in the monastery assembly hall which is already held from 7Am. After the sightseeing of the monastery, we will drive along the Bharmaputra river and get to Tsetang in 2 hrs. Visit Yumbu Lhakang and Traduk temple in Tsetang
- Day 9 Drive from Tsetang to Lhasa Gongkar airport .160Km End the Tibet trip