- Day 1 Arrival at Lhasa Gongkar airport and transfer to Lhasa.(3650Mts/ 60Km ) Hotel on B.B
You will be warmly welcome by our Tibetan guide and driver and accompany you to the holy city of Lhasa along with the view of Bharmaputra, known as YarlungTsangpo in Tibetan and a giant stone carved Buddha with more than a thousand years history.
- Day 2 Visit Potala Palace, Jokang, Ramoche temple, Bharkor Bazar. Hotel on BB
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 Excursion to Dark Yerpa and Ganden monastery (4250m/60km) , back to Lhasa (140km) Hotel in Lhasa
Head towards Ganden "the paradise of the virtuous". En route, we visit Drakyerpa and its ancient meditation caves where Guru Rimpoche, Atisha, the Dalai Lama and especially the great King Tsongtsen Gampo stayed prior to the construction of the Jokang temple. Excursion to Dark Yepa is a superb discovery in the form of Kora which leads us to the different chapels and caves. We descend via the big stupa to the farming village of Tonga where we will meet our vehicle. Picnic, then continuation to Ganden, one of the first monastic universities of Tibet founded in 1409 by Tsong Khapa (founder of the Gelugpa school). It is sometimes also possible to attend philosophical debate, practiced by the monks in Ganden monastery according to the time and the day. We take the way back and make a stop in a small Tibetan Thangka factory. Here we admire the magnificent work realized by artists, from the mock-up to the final realization. End of the road to Lhasa that we join in the evening.
- Day 4 Lhasa: hiking from Pubjo monastery to Pabongka. Hotel on BB
Departure towards the promontory of Pubjo (Purbuchok) at 3950 m. Before reaching Purbuchok, we make a stop at the incense factory to discover how the Tibetan traditional medicinal incense is made of. Arrival at the Gelukpa monastery of Purbuchok, a very aesthetic and overlooking the entire Kyichu valley of Lhasa. Its history begins in the 9th century; Today 20 monks including 16 young students live here. We will continue our hiking by the wide mountain track that we descend on a hundred meters of uneven. At the junction we pass by the rocky trail and climb steeply up to the Keutsang hermitage. Keutsang hermitage was Built by the great abbot of Sera monastery in the 18th century, this monastery has a rich iconography as well as an incredible view of the whole Lhasa valley.
We then climb a small path to the hermitage of Rakata, founded in the 15th century by Tsong Kapa. From this place, we follow a magnificent balcony path that passes through Sera Utse and then the lost hermitage of Takten. Hooked into the rock, and test whose sin is heavier by judging how easy one can snick into the other side of the rock. You will have a fantastic view of the whole Lhasa city including the golden roof of the Potala Palace and Jokang temple.
Descent to the monastery of Tashi Chöling and end of the walk to the monastery of Pabonka which dates back to the 8th century, from the time of the great king Tsongsen Gampo. Return to Lhasa by car.
- Day 5 Lhasa: Hiking from Drepung monastery to Drepung Utse and back to Lhasa. Hotel on BB
After breakfast, a short van ride journey takes you to the monastery of Drépung, a real monastic city with its countless temples, shops, outbuildings. Drepung monastery was built in the 15th century by Jamyang Choje, one of the most famous disciple of Tsongkapa, the founder of the Gelukapa school. Drepung was the largest monastery and this monastic city once used to shelter up to 7700 monks and its Geshes (doctors of theology) were among the most learned and respected in Tibet.
We start our hiking and go up to the top of the monastery to take a trail and bump into a stone throne that served the Dalai Lama during the pilgrimage on the mountain. We will do around 3 hours hike and arrive at the Utse. Visit of the small monastery at Drpung Utse where 4 monks live year-round. You will have a fantastic view of the whole Kyichu valley and overlooking view of Drepung monastery. The monks are very welcome and friendly in Drepung Utse. They will offer us tea. We will take our picnic lunch in Drepung Utse and descend to Drepung monastery. Visit Nechun monastery on the way and return to Lhasa.
- Day 6 Lhasa: Sightseeing tour to Norbu Lingka and Sera monastery
Visit Norbu Lingka, the summer Palace of the Dalai Lama and different living rooms of the successive of the Dalai Lamas and beautiful wall painting that describes the life story of the Buddha, the founder of the Buddhist religion and the life story of the Tsongkapa , the founder of the Gelukpa school.
Afternoon, visit Sera monastsery which is the second largest monastery in the central Tibet, built in the 15th century by Jamchen Choje, a famous disciple of Tsongka. Sera monastery is very famous and interesting to see the monks philosophical debate. The main object of Sera monastery is the statue of the Buddha with the horse headed one.
- Day 7 Drive from Lhasa-Samye monastery-Tsetang. (3600Mts/ 160Km ) Hotel on B.B
You will start your tour at 8 am and drive along the Lhasa river where it joins the Bharmaputra river at Chushur bridge. Visit Samye monastery which is the first and oldest monastery of Tibet. If the time permits, you will hike to Hepori on a hillside near Samye monastery. Hepori hill is a sacred hill side with a very holy cave, blessed by Padmasamvawa in the 8th century and you will have a spectacular view of the entire Samye monastery and Samye village. After the Samye monastery sightseeing, you will have lunch in the monastery restaurant and then continue your journey to Tsetang. We will directly drive to Yumbu Lhakang which is 30Km outside of Tsetang town. Visit Yumbu Lhakang and Traduk temple on the way back.
- Day 8 Tsetang visit-Tibetan Kashmere factory-Yamdrok lake-Gyantse. (3950m, 110Km) Camp
After breakfast, we will visit the old neighborhood of Tsetang and a Tibetan woolen cloth weaving factory. In the olden days, there was a very well-known Tibetan woolen cloth called Tseter and it was used to make robs of the Tibetan high Lama including the Dalai Lama and Penchen Lama. It is a very good quality Tibetan Cashmere which is made according to the traditional Tseter which has over hundreds years of history. It is very much interesting to visit this factory and see how a perfect Tibetan cashmere is made of.
Then drive towards Gyangtse through 3 big mountain passes, Kampa La, Karo La, Simila respectively. Karola is the highest pass among them which is over 5000Mts with it's most beautiful glaciers, beautiful Yamdrok lake emerged as coral color from the top of Kampala pass. You will have your lunch at Nakartse country which is just between the Yamdrok lake and Karola glaciers.
- Day 9 Explore around Gyantse and Drive from Gyantse to Shigatse. (3900mts/ 90Km ) Hotel on B.B
Walk from your hotel to Palchoe monastery along the old town of Gyantse. Visit Palchoe monastery and Kubum Pagoda stupa. Palchoe monastery was founded in 14 th century by local Chieftain, Rebtan Kunsang for funeral of his mother's death and it was once a complex of 15 monasteries that brought together three different Tibetan Buddhist sects in the one compound. Nine of the monasteries were for Gelukpa Sect, Three were for Sakyapa Sect and the rest three were for Botonpa Sect which is one of the minor orders in Tibetan Buddhism. At the present day, the monastery is composed of one main assembly hall and some small chapels, inhabited by 70 monks. The Kubum Pagoda stupa was also built in 14th century by Rabten Kunsang. The Stupa is nine storey high and 75 chapels, dedicated to the murals and statues, describing the tantric Tibetan Buddhism. Visit a Tibetan carpet factory and experience how the Tibetan traditional carpet is weaved. You will visit how the process of a Tibetan carpet making and take photos when they are weaving a carpet. Continue your journey to Shigatse by passing one of the biggest farming lands in Tibet where people grow barley, wheat, different kinds of vegetables. Pm visit Tashi Lhunpo monastery and old market of Shigatse. Tashi Lhunpo monastery is the seat of the Penchen Lama, built in 15th century by the first Dalai Lama, called Gedun Drub. On the slops of Drolmari, situated to the west of the fortress of Shigatse Dzong. The monastery is composed of 3 big colleges such as Tsennyi college, Ngapa college,Tse Gonkang college and one big assembly hall with numerous chapels around. The main object of the monastery are the giant gilled copper statue of the Future Buddha Maitreya which is (26Meters) high, built in 1914, embodying loving kindness, contains 6,700 teals of gold and 150 metric tons of copper, and within it, an enormous juniper tree from Reting monastery functions as a life-supporting axis, Sok-Shing in Tibetan, The tomb sutpas of the successive Penchen Lamas, the tomb of the 4th, 10th and from those of 5th to the 9th together respectively. There are around 500 monks nowadays. Walking around the old market of Shigatse is another interesting thing to experience the Tibetan traditional market and from there you can find daily needs for the Tibetan people including vegetable, dried cheese, Yogurt, different kinds of jewelries, prayer flags, different kinds of Tibetan utensils, pots etc.
- Day 10 Drive from Shigatse to Lhasa (3650Mts/ 280KM ) Hotel on B.B
You will start your tour at around 9.30Am from your hotel and drive along the Bharmaputra river with a landscape of sandy hills, villages, and Rulak Yungdrung ling at the otherside of the river. You will have lunch in a small town called Nyenmo which is the border point between Shigatse and Lhasa . Free afternoon for shopping.
- Day 11 Visit Tibetan traditional medical college and a Tibetan professor doctor-Tibetan traditional medicinal massage-welfare dinner accompanied by a Tibetan professor from Tibetan university. Hotel
You will visit Tibetan medical college to get some knowledge of Tibetan traditional medicine, visit the famous Tibetan medicine Thangka which tell the circle of a patient’s body and the way how to give the treatment to a patient. Visit a Tibetan professor doctor and you can also check your pulls and the doctor will tell you about your common health. Evening will be arranged a farewell dinner, accompanied by a Tibetan professor from Tibetan university. You can share your trip experience with him and ask questions about Tibetan culture, religion etc that you have raised during your 13 days trip in Tibet.
- Day 12 Drive from Lhasa to Gongkar airport.(3600Mts/ 60Km ) End the trip