Central Tibet Tour (Central Tibet-Kyi Chu Valley)

Central Tibet Tour ! Central Tibet-Kyi Chu Valley !

 

Central Tibet TourDay 01: Flight Chengdu-Lhasa
In the early morning transfer to airport and fly to Tibet, upon arrival at Gonggar Airport, pick up and transfer to Lhasa(3650 m) with about 1 1/2 hours’ driving (100km), in the afternoon rest and acclimatize.

Day 02: Lhasa
In the morning visit Potala, which was originally constructed in 637 by Songtsen Gampo, the first king of the united Tibet, and later expanded and served as the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas as well as the religious-political nexus of traditional Tibet. In the afternoon visit Jokhang temple, the center of Tibetan Buddhism and the sacred land of Buddhist followers where innumerable pilgrims come for worship everyday. The temple, built in 647, is the earliest wood-and-masonry structure still existing in Tibet. Surrounding the Jokhang Temple is the bustling Barkhor Market place which is the religious and social focus of Lhasa.

Day 03: Lhasa
In the morning visit Drepung monastery, the sacred land of Gelugpa sect., which was created in 1416 and the second, third and fourth Dalai Lama once resided in. In the afternoon visit Sera monastery, which was created in 1419 and has always been an important Buddhist seminary. As roses are planted everywhere in the monastery, it is also called “the court of wild rose”. Today still 200 llamas live there.

Day 04: Lhasa-Yerpa Caves (Dazi country).Camping
It takes about two hours to drive to the caves of Yerpa, situated northeast of Lhasa. (King Songtsen Gampo and his two queens are said to have meditated here in the Peu Marsergyi Lhakhang, where they discovered “self-arising” symbols of Buddha-body, speech and mind. Later, Padmasambhava concealed many terma objects around Yerpa, including the celebrated ritual dagger of Sera.

Day 05: Yerpa – Taklung monastery (Linzhou country).Camping
Drive through Tibetan valleys and cross Chak La pass(5300 metres) before dropping sharply to Taklung (4080 metres) in the Pha-chu valley, about 120km from Lhasa. The Kagyu monastery Taklung was founded by Taklung Tangpa Tashipel(1142-1210) in 1180 on a location previously inhabited by the Kadampa lama Potowa.

Day 06: Taklung monastery – Reting monastery.Camping
The monastery(4100 metres) was constructed in 1056 by Dromtonpa, the foremost Tibetan student of the great Bengali Buddhist master Atisha.

Day 07: Renting – Terdrom Camping B/L/D

Day 08: Terdrom – Drigung monastery.Camping
Drigung is located some 72 kilometers north of Mozhu Gongkar.

Day 09: Drigung – Gandan monastery.Camping
Gandan was founded in 1409 by Tsongkapa, Gandan was the first and foremost Gelukpa monastery, constructed by Tsongkhapa himself.

Day 10: Gandan – Lhasa. Camping
Drive to Lhasa, then free time.

Day 11: Flight- Lhasa-Chengdu
In the early morning transfer to the airport and fly back to Chengdu.