Holy city Lhasa ! Namtso lake and Tsetang Tour

Holy city Lhasa ! Namtso lake and Tsetang Tour

 

Namtso Lake Tour

Day 01: Arrival in Chengdu
Arrival in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, pick up and transfer to hotel and then free time. 

Day 02: Flight Chengdu - Lhasa
In early morning transfer to the airport and fly to Lhasa (3650 m), and after arrival at the Gonggar airport drive directly to Lhasa. In the afternoon a rest at a hotel to acclimatize to the new environment is essential because of the sudden ascent from 500m above sea level to an altitude of over 3,650 meters. 

Day 03: 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. The crowds of pilgrims, innumerable magnificent murals, Buddhist statues, scriptures and rare treasures altogether create a dense religious and art atmosphere that impresses every visitor. In the afternoon visit Jokhang monastery, 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. Walk on the Barkhor street surrounding Jokhang, a big free market with its prolific stalls for selling local specialties. 

Day 04: 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 05:Lhasa - Namtso
Drive to the holy Lake Namtso and hike there. 

Day 06: Namtso - Tsedang
Drive to Tsedang, on the way visit Mindrolling monastery. 

Day 07: Tsedang - Samye - Tsedang
In the morning, drive along and then cross over the Yarlung Tsangpo River by small ferry to visit the magnificent Samye monastery built in the late 8th century. It is the first monastery in Tibet that possessed the three essences of a Buddhist monastery: Buddha, Scripture and Monk. The original building is no longer intact due to destruction caused by wars and natural disasters, but the monastery has been rebuilt each time and still remains the symbol of Tibet's national identity. The grand building complex was structured in the model of the boundless universe regulated by Buddhist scripture. Its main building is a three-story tower with an interior influenced by Tibetan, Han and Indian styles. In the afternoon you drive to Yarlung valley to visit Yumbulagang, a reconstruction of Tibet's oldest palace originally established on this site by the founder of the Yarlung dynasty - Nyatri Tsenpo during the 1st century BC. 

 

Day 08: Flight Lhasa-Chengdu
In the early morning transfer to the airport and fly back to Chengdu. Then connecting flights. End of our services.