Mysterious Lhasa Tour Package

After breakfast, your guide and the driver will meet you at your hotel lobby. This morning, we’ll explore one of the “Three Great Monasteries in Lhasa”, the 500-year-old Drepung Monastery. As the largest monastery in Tibet, it was built in 1416 AD by the disciple of Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug school, and once housed over 10,000 monks in its heyday. The monastery also served as one of the main residences of the Dalai Lamas. From a distance, you can see its white buildings, layered upon each other, resembling a giant ‘White Serpent’, embedded in the mountainside. If you happen to visit during the Shoton Festival, generally in August, you’ll experience Drepung Monastery at its most vibrant, when a huge thangka of Shakyamuni Buddha will be unfurled on the back mountain, attracting many devotees and visitors. After the thangka display, you can also enjoy yogurt and watch Tibetan operas. Please note that Drepung Monastery has many steps, so wear comfortable walking shoes and walk slowly to avoid altitude sickness.

★ Watch an Impressive Tibetan Monk Debate on Buddhist Doctrines! 

In the afternoon, we’ll go to Sera Monastery, the last of the “Great Three” to be built. "Sera" means wild rose in Tibetan, and legend has it that wild roses once grew abundantly at the foot of the mountain. Sera Monastery is more like a "spiritual arena" for its daily, dramatic monk debates, and today we’ll watch the spectacle. Around 3:00 PM, the red-robed monks walk in groups to the debating ground amidst the pine trees. You can see some of them sitting in circles, while some stand and sometimes leap forward, with their hands clapping together, causing their prayer beads to flutter. Sometimes they even lean over to interrogate seated monks, creating a lively atmosphere. 

Please note: Photography is allowed at the debating ground, but with a silent shutter, to show respect for the spiritual practice. 

Sera Monastery is large, with a main hall and three monastic colleges, as well as many independent courtyards. Your guide will also lead you on a leisurely walking tour, and if time permits, you can even go to the back mountain for a panoramic view of Lhasa. Finish the tour, and your guide and the driver will escort you back to your hotel.
 
Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Tangka Hotel (4 stars) or Shangri-La Hotel (5 stars)

★ Explore the World's Highest Palace - Potala Palace! 

After breakfast, we’ll visit the beautiful Potala Palace rising into the sky, at an altitude of over 3,700 meters (12,139 ft.). We've scheduled the Potala Palace visit for the third day of your trip to allow your body to better acclimatize to the high altitude. Built in the 7th century, the Potala Palace, once the center of Tibet's traditional theocratic rule, is a magnificent complex composed of two main sections: the White Palace as the residence and political center of the Dalai Lamas, and the Red Palace, a religious heart, which houses Buddhist statues, stupas, and religious activities. Follow your guide on the classic Route 1 to closely admire exquisite Buddhist statues, thangkas, murals, scriptures, jade artifacts, and gold and silver utensils, among which the most famous is the stupa preserving the remains of the Fifth Dalai Lama, which uses approximately 3,700 kg of gold and is inlaid with over 15,000 diamonds, pearls, jade pieces, and coral stones. It also contains sandalwood, silk, gemstones, and extremely precious scriptures. 

► Visit tips:
1. Photography and videography are strictly prohibited inside all halls!
2. Climbing stairs at high altitudes can be strenuous; please walk slowly, and grab water and snacks to replenish your energy.
3. If you’d like to donate to the monastery, prepare some change in advance, as exchanging money at the entrance is not cost-effective.After leaving the Potala Palace, let’s walk to Dragon King Pool Park, aka Zongjiao Lukang Park, at the foot of the mountain behind the Potala Palace. Here, you can photograph the reflection of the Potala Palace and observe the authentic Tibetan folk dances, where Tibetans always dance in circles to celebrate.

Next, head for the heart of Lhasa, the Jokhang Temple. There is an old saying that goes “First came the Jokhang Temple, then came Lhasa City.” “Lhasa” means "the place where gods and Buddhas reside" in Tibetan, and the divinity is precisely endowed due to the Jokhang Temple. The temple was first built to preserve the precious life-size statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, part of the dowry of Princess Wencheng (623 - 680 AD), who traveled long from Chang’an (now Xi’an) to marry the then Tibet King. The statue of 12-year-old Buddha has also made the temple the final destination for many pilgrims to Lhasa. You’ll marvel at the exquisite architecture blending Tibetan, Chinese, Nepalese, and Indian styles, from the carved beasts on the eaves to the reliefs on the pillars, and the golden roof.

If the Jokhang Temple is the heart of Lhasa, then Barkhor Street outside the temple is the blood vessel that encircles the heart of faith. Walking along the street, you’ll be awestruck by the scene: no matter adults or children, in dusty clothes and with blackened foreheads, prostrate themselves with every step along the road lined with prayer flags and mani stones. This is also the city's commercial center, where you can easily seek Tibetan specialties such as carpets, woolen fabrics, and Tibetan knives, as well as goods from nearby India and Nepal. 

★ Special Treat:

Wrap up today’s itinerary in a century-old Tibetan teahouse to sample sweet tea and Tibetan noodles, experiencing the local social life. Locals sit around wooden tables drinking tea and chatting, and they’ll warmly invite you to share a table. Slow down here and experience the laid-back lifestyle of Lhasa. 

Finally, your guide will escort you back to your hotel. If you're interested, explore the Thangka shops near Barkhor Street on your own, or take photos of the magnificent Potala Palace at night before taking a taxi back to your hotel by yourself.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Tangka Hotel (4 stars) or Shangri-La Hotel (5 stars)

Today marks the end of your tour. Your guide will accompany you to the airport at the agreed time with a private transfer. Have a pleasant journey! If you would like to explore more highlights around Lhasa, such as the sacred alpine lakes of Namtso Lake and Yamdrok Lake, please contact your travel consultant to customize your itinerary!

► Recommended Activity: (at your own expense)
If your flight departs late today, consider browsing the Barkhor Market, a local souvenir paradise right along the famous Barkhor Street. The handicrafts here are more affordable, including a wide variety of Tibetan jewelry, such as dzi beads, amber, and turquoise, hand-painted and printed thangkas, traditional Tibetan clothing, fabrics, hats, scarves, saffron, and spices. Take care when purchasing valuable jewelry to distinguish fake items and synthetic materials. Additionally, authentic, hand-painted thangkas are significantly more expensive than printed versions, so keep this in mind when comparing prices!

Meals: Western buffet breakfast