the Potala palace / Gyantse / nature
|
TIBET 4 : KATHMANDU-LHASA OR
LHASA-KATHMANDU OVERLAND TOUR/ 8 DAYS |
the Potala palace / Gyantse / nature
| Day | Daily schedule | Overnight in |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transfer from Lhasa airport to hotel. Free day in Lhasa to acclimatize. Talk a leisurely stroll around the charming Barkhor area. | Lhasa |
| 2 | Visit the Potala palace in the morning and Jokhang and Ramoche temples in the afternoon. | Lhasa |
| 3 | Visit the Drepung and Sera monasteries. See the monks debating the Buddhist doctrine. | Lhasa |
| 4 | Drive from Lhasa to Gyantse. Visit the beautiful Pelkhor Monastery with its great Kumbum Stupa | Gyantse |
| 5 | From Gyantse to Shigatse. Visit the Tashilumpo monastery. | Shigatse |
| 6 | From Shigatse to Latse | Lhatse |
| 7 | From Latse to Nyalam | Nyalam |
| 8 | From Nyalam to Zhangmu border |
debating at Sera / Gyantse stupa
|
Included |
* English speaking guide * car / 4 x 4 jeep for above itinerary, depending on the area * accommodation * Tibet permit |
|---|---|
| Excluded |
* entrance fees * all meals * costs made due to land slides |
| Price |
Price for 2 persons: RMB 8600 p.p. /
Price for 4 persons: RMB 6400 p.p. Special group rates are available on
request. (Price will be higher during the Chinese holidays: 1-7 May
and 1-7 October.) Calculate exchange rate |
|
Best travel time |
April-November |
|
Remarks |
This tour can also be done from Kathmandu to Lhasa. Route passes the same towns, but in reverse. |
Itinerary:
Day 1: Pick up from Lhasa
airport, transfer to your 3 star hotel in the center of Lhasa, which is the
Barkhor area. This area is actually the "old" Lhasa, a charming bustling market
area full of Tibetan goods and souvenirs. Many Tibetans from all over Tibet come
to this area for shopping and for sight seeing, so you can see many different
kinds of people here, with stunning clothes and head dresses.
Day 2: Your
guide will take you to visit the Potala palace in the morning and Jokhang and
Ramoche temples in the afternoon.
Day 3: Car and guide to take you to
Drepung and Sera monasteries just outside of Lhasa. The Sera monastery is famous
for its daily debating, which attracts many people. It is so special to see the
passion with which the monks use the debating system to increase their knowledge
of Buddhism.
Day 4: Today we drive to Gyantse. The first thing you will see
when approaching Gyantse town is the impressive Dzong Fort on a hill. This fort
once housed the city government of Gyantse, now it is abandoned. We will visit
the Pelkor Chode, a Gelukpa buddhist monastery. Long ago this walled area
contained several monasteries from different buddhists sects. The most famous
structure inside this monastery is the fantastic Kumbum stupa, the largest stupa
in Tibet. The stupa was built in 1427, it has more than 10.000 murals.
Day 5:
Drive to Shigatse where we visit the famous Tashilumpo monastery, with its heavy
religious atmosphere. This monastery was founded in 1477 by the first Dalai
Lama. Inside this monastery we can see the largest copper Buddha figure in the
world, adorned with beautiful precious stones and jewels. The monastery is built
in Tibetan style, with elements of Han Chinese architecture.
Day 6: A scenic
drive where we cross the high Gyatchu La pass 5220m. We reach Latse, town on the
vast Tibetan plateau.
Day 7: Todays journey is really a spectacular one. We
have great views today: Jugal Himal, Mt. Shisapangma, Mt. Cho-Oyu and Mt.
Everest. We cross the Nyalam Pass 3800m and drive
through the deep valley of Bhote Koshi where
many waterfalls can be seen.
Day 8: We go downhill to the border of
China and Nepal at the Friendship bridge where you can finish the border
formalities. On the other side of the border, in Nepal, there are many Nepali cars and busses waiting to take you to Kathmandu.