Sakya Monastery, Shigatse

Day 01Arrival in Lhasa

Our guide will meet you outside the baggage claim area at Lhasa Airport, which is located 3,650 meters above sea level, and then transfer you to the hotel in downtown Lhasa. The rest of the day is left for you to acclimatize to the high altitude. 

Meals: No meals
Accommodation: Gang-gyan Lhasa Hotel

Day 02Lhasa

The morning excursion will take you to explore Tibet Museum and the Carpet Factory. Tibet Museum is the first modern museum in Lhasa which looks the Potala Palace to the north. Completed and opened in October of 1999, it is mainly composed of the exhibition area and the house of cultural treasures. By touring the Carpet Factory, you could learn how the carpets with bright colors, soft surface and strong Tibetan flavor are manually waved. After lunch, you will go ahead to visit the Sera Monastery and the Norbulingka Park. Built from 1419 to 1434, the Sera Monastery is one of the three greatest monasteries in Lhasa. It collects a large quantity of precious cultural relics and crafts, such as sutras, Buddha statues, scent cloth and murals. The most attractive activity here is the sutra-debating among lamas. The Norbulingka Park is a peaceful garden embodying the ethnical, religious features of the Tibetan people as well as the Tibetan traditional architectural style. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Golden roof of the Potala Palace, Lhasa

Day 03Lhasa

The tour today will begin with an exciting visit to the magnificent Potala Palace, which was initially built by the ruler of Tubo kingdom (nowadays Tibet) Songtsen Gampo for his wife, Princess Wencheng from central plain of China in 641. It is also a truly art museum of Tibetan history and culture. Then, you will enjoy the lunch. Afterwards, proceed to visit the Jokhang Temple, the thriving bazaar of the Barkhor Street and the Tibetan Traditional Medicine Hospital. Lying in the center of Lhasa, the Jokhang Temple is considered as a nice place for visitors to know about the Tibetan Buddhism. Paved by hand-polished stones, the Barkhor Street has been a symbol of Lhasa City due to its Buddhism background which shows the original look of Lhasa. In its thriving bazaar, you could find many Tibetan handicrafts and souvenirs. In the Tibetan Traditional Medicine Hospital, you could get some basic knowledge about the Tibetan medicine, which rivals traditional Chinese medicine.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Tibetan people

Day 04Lhasa - Shigatse

Today, you will be transferred to Shigatse. On the way, visit the Yamdrok Yumtso Lake, one of the three largest holy lakes in Tibet. Yamdrok Yumtso means jasper in Tibetan language. It is named so because the water is very clear and in the color of blue for reflecting the sky. Upon arrival in Shigatse, check in at the hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Shigatse Hotel

Day 05Shigatse - Lhatse - Saga

The tour will be extended to Saga via Lhatse along Brahmaputra River. You will have a short stop at Lhatse which is one of the best counties of Shigatse. Tonight, you will stay at Saga in a tent or a local guest house. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Tent or Local Guest House

Day 06Saga - Paryang

You will head to Paryang today. Along the way, you could enjoy the snow covered mountain peaks and the typical plateau scenery and landscape. 

Meals: Chinese breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Tent or Local Guest House

Ruins of Guge Kingdom, Tsada

Day 07Paryang - Manasarovar Lake - Tarchen

The tour today will focus on another famous holy lake of Tibet, the Manasarovara Lake, which is over 200 kilometers away from Paryang. Meaning 'Invincible Jade Lake' in Tibetan, this is a lake with compassion, tranquility and bliss. Every summer to autumn, many pilgrims bathe in the lake and take water back as a gift for their relatives and friends. The Manasarovara Lake is also the clearest lake in China which boasts charming natural scenery. Afterwards, you will head for Tarchen and stay over night there, which is located at the foot of the majestic sacred Mt. Kailash. 

Meals: Chinese breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Tent or Local Guest House

Day 08Tarchen - Mt. Kailash

An exciting trek around the sacred Mt. Kailash will begin your tour today and you will circle around the mountain in the following three days to appreciate its beautiful scenery, explore its historical sites and experience the Buddhism culture in depth. In Tibetan culture, a circle around the Mt. Kailash can atone for all the sins committed throughout one's lifetime. Kailash means 'Treasure or Saint of Snow Mountain' in Tibetan, which originates from the year-round snow on the mountain peak and the historical religious background. From its appearance, the mountain is very pointed and looks like a pyramid piercing the sky. 

Meals: Chinese breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Tent or Local Guest House

Day 09Mt. Kailash

You will continue the trek around Mt. Kailash today. 

Meals: Chinese breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Tent or Local Guest House

Ruins of Guge Kingdom, Tsada

Day 10Mt. Kailash - Tarchen

The trek around Mt. Kailash will come to the end today. 

Meals: Chinese breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Tent or Local Guest House

Day 11Tarchen - Tsada

As the trek around Mt. Kailash ends, we will transfer you to Tsada and stay overnight there.

Meals: Chinese breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Tent or Local Guest House

Day 12Tsada

Today's tour will cover the Tsada Earth Forest, the Ruins of Guge Kingdom and the Tholing Monastery. The Earth Forest is the most famous natural scenery in Tsada, which is a special landscape shaped from the wind erosion of the dried lake. Here, you could see many differently mannered and postured 'trees' scattering randomly. The Ruins of Guge Kingdom is located in a small earth mountain. This 300-meter high mountain was covered by the yellowish constructions and caves, where you could find some special statues and murals. The Tholing Monastery incorporates the craftwork of the architecture and Buddhist statues of neighboring India, Nepal and Ladakh (the present area of Kashmir), which includes halls, monks' residences and pagodas, among which the most worth seeing are Jiasha Hall, Red Hall, White Hall and the 108 Pagodas. 

Meals: Chinese breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Tent or Local Guest House

Day 13Tsada - Seng Ge Tsangpo

Today you will be driven to Shiquanhe and check in the hotel upon arrival. 

Meals: Chinese breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Shiquanhe Hotel

Day 14Seng Ge Tsangpo - Palgon Lake - Seng Ge Tsangpoanhe

The excursion today will take you to the Palgon Lake and the Bird Island. The Palgon Lake is a holy lake from the aspect of religion and a world renowned rift valley lake. The Bird Island in the lake is especially famous for the inhabited precious birds. You could find many bird nests and bird eggs on the island, which are not allowed to take away. After the sightseeing tour, you will go back to Shiquanhe and stay overnight there. 

Meals: Chinese breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Shiquanhe Hotel

Tholing Monastery, Tsada

Day 15Seng Ge Tsangpo - Gertse

Today, you will depart to Gertse. To consume the time, you could watch the wild animals running and playing around on this vast highland during the journey. 

Meals: Chinese breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Tent or Local Guest House

Day 16Gertse - Tsochen - 22 Highway Maintenance Squad

The journey will extend to 22 highway maintenance squad via Tsochen and you will stay overnight there. 

Meals: Chinese breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Tent

Day 1722 Highway Maintenance Squad - Lhatse - Shigatse

You will travel back to Shigatse today. Upon arrival, check in at the downtown 3-star Shigatse Hotel.

Meals: Chinese breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Shigatse Hotel

Day 18Shigatse

Today, you will pay a visit to the Tashilunpo Monastery and the New Palace of Panchen. Tashilunpo Monastery is one of the six largest monasteries of Gelugpa (or Yellow Hat Sect) in Tibet and the seat of the Panchen Lama since the Fourth Panchen Lama took charge in the monastery. You could appreciate the grand palace, gigantic statues as well as the characteristic murals in the monastery. The New Palace of Panchen was built by the Tenth Panchen in 1954 as a summer palace. It is splendid and elegant and collects many Tibetan historical relics and artworks. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Day 19Shigatse - Lhasa

Today, our guide and driver will transfer you back to Lhasa. Stay at the hotel in downtown Lhasa. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Gang-gyan Lhasa Hotel

Day 20Departure from Lhasa

Your tour ends today as our guide and driver transfer you to the airport. Wish you a pleasant journey!

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

• ◆ 2012 Price
• ◆ 2011 Price

Based on per person and in U.S. dollars, valid from Mar. 1st, 2012 to Feb. 28th, 2013

Season Group Size		2-5 travelers	6-9 travelers	10 travelers & above
Year Round	Double Occupancy	$5099	$4439	$3759
	Single Occupancy	$5739	$5089	$4409

Note: This tour does not apply to our Early Bird Promotion.

Based on per person and in U.S. dollars, valid from Mar. 1st, 2011 to Feb. 29th, 2012

Season Group Size		2-5 travelers	6-9 travelers	10 travelers & above
Year Round	Double Occupancy	$4749	$4319	$3939
	Single Occupancy	$5299	$4879	$4499

Note: This tour does not apply to our Early Bird Promotion.

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For our quotation inclusions & exclusions, booking and cancellation terms, please read Terms and Conditions.