Best Lhasa Group Tour

This morning, the guide will accompany you on a half-hour drive to Drepung Monastery, the world’s largest Tibetan Buddhist temple. Row upon row of white buildings spread on three sides by mountains, looking like a huge pile of rice, so it was named Drepung, which means ‘collecting rice’ in Tibetan. As you step into it, what comes into view first will be the magnificent halls, with red, white, or yellow walls and golden roofs, shining brightly in the sun. Inside the distinctive halls, it is full of resplendent Buddha statues, each texture of which reveals the dedication and piety of the artisans. There are also exquisite murals, colorful yet solemn, as if they could lead you into a Buddhist world beyond reality. Those lifelike Thangka paintings show more incisively and vividly the charm of this religious art, leaving you reluctant to leave. After the visit, have lunch at your own expense in one of the nearby eateries, and our guide will be glad to offer you some suggestions.

In the afternoon, let’s head to Sera Monastery, which, together with Drepung Monastery and Gandan Monastery, is known as the “Three Great Monasteries’ of Lhasa. It is interesting to know that there are two sources of this grand temple’s name: one is that a violent hailstorm once occurred during its construction, and the other is that it was built on a field of wild roses, and both of these two things are pronounced ‘Sera’ in Tibetan language. Expect to feast your eyes on diverse Buddha statues, murals, scriptures, and embroidered prayer flags in the main buildings here, including the Cuoqin Hall (Great Assembly Hall) and three Zhacangs (colleges). We won’t let you miss the most famous lamas debating on Buddhist doctrines either, held from 15:00 to 17:00 from Monday to Saturday, which is the most vibrant moment here. Holding sutras and exchanging words, monks argue with exaggerated movements and rich body language, such as high-fiving and pulling Buddhist beads, demonstrating strong appeal.

Before transferring you back to the hotel, we have prepared a welcome dinner at a local famous restaurant for you, allowing you to taste the authentic Tibetan delicacies.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Welcome dinner
Accommodation: Xinding Hotel Lhasa (4 stars) or similar

After Breakfast, let’s embark on a pilgrimage to the UNESCO-listed Potala Palace, the world’s most intact, largest, and highest ancient palace complex. It is not only the thousand-plus-year-old sacred mecca founded by Songtsen Gampo, the most well-known Tibetan king who founded the Tubo Regime in the 7th century, but also the background image of the RMB 50 banknote. It mainly consists of the Red Palace in the center, which is used for holding religious activities, and the White Palace for the governance and daily life of Dalai Lamas, on both sides. As you visit, you may find that the exterior walls of the Palace still look as white as new after more than 1,000 years of vicissitudes. That is because they are painted once a year as the Tibetan New Year approaches. Surprisingly, the paint is added with yak milk and sugar brought by the local Tibetans from their homes, so the walls are said to be sweet. Get ready to marvel at the largest stupa, which is luxuriously made of 3,721 kilograms of gold and inlaid with 18,888 natural gemstones. Also admire the oldest building here, the Fawang Cave, where you may learn the historical stories of Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng from our guide while looking at their statues. After that, revel in the local folk activities in the Zongjiao Lukang Park at the foot of the Palace.

Afterward, set off for the Jokhang Temple, which is hailed as ‘the heart of Tibetan Buddhism’. It was built to enshrine the life-sized statue of Sakyamuni at the age of 8 that was brought from Nepal, but it has been transferred to the nearby Ramoche Temple and replaced by the 12-year-old statue brought by Princess Wencheng from Chang’an (now Xi’an) in the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). Here, you can see curling incense smoke, flickering butter lamps in the darkness, and devout worshippers prostrating themselves towards the Buddha from time to time. Then take another stroll along the Barkhor Street, a bustling pedestrian street that surrounds the temple. Here, the chants of pilgrims and the haggling sounds among tourists and vendors combine into a strange melody, embodying a harmonious existence of ancient religious beliefs and modern commercial civilization. A dazzling array of Thangka, Tibetan costumes, and handcrafted ornaments are displayed on both sides of the street. Next, follow your guide’s step into a sweet tea house, savor the rich aroma of the specialty tea and the sweetness of Tibetans’ daily life, and experience their hospitality and the local social culture.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Tea break
Accommodation: Xinding Hotel Lhasa (4 stars) or similar

This 4-day Tibet group tour to Lhasa comes to an end today, and our guide will escort you from the hotel to Lhasa Gonggar Airport or train station and see you off. Hope you had a great time with us and look forward to serving you again.

► Note:
It takes about 1 hour to arrive at the airport, and you need to get there two hours earlier before your flight. Please note that our airport drop-off service is scheduled at 06:30, 08:00, and 12:00, and if you prefer to have a private transfer to avoid the longtime waiting, please contact us in advance.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast