9 days of Tibet tour.

3 days to visit Lhasa includes

Jokhang Temple

Potala Palace

Norbu Lingkha

Sera Monastery

Drepung Monastery

Bakor street

Local tea house

1 day to visit Gyangtse & Shigatse

2 days to visit Mt Everest

1 day to return Shigatse

1 day to return Lhasa

Last day leaving Lhasa

 

This is a 9-day trip to visit Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR). This trip takes you to see Lhasa, the holiest city of Tibet, some of the historical sites, and the world highest mountain Mt Everest. Wonder through the busy street of Bakor. hunt for local street food. 

You can also combine this trip with other parts of Tibetan regions in Qinghai, Gansu, and Sichuan and possibly with THE SILK ROAD.

[1]

Lhasa

Lhasa has an elevation of about 3,600 m (11,800 ft) and lies in the centre of the Tibetan Plateau with the surrounding mountains rising to 5,500 m (18,000 ft). The air only contains 68 per cent of the oxygen compared to sea level. Lhasa literally translates to "place of gods or the holy land" it has been the capital of Tibet since the 6th century. By the mid 7th century, Songtsen Gampo became the leader of the Tibetan Empire that had risen to power in the Brahmaputra River (locally known as the Yarlung Tsangpo River) Valley. After conquering the kingdom of Zhangzhung in the west, he moved the capital from the Chingwa Taktsé Castle in the region of Yarlong), to Rasa (Lhasa) wherein 637 he raised the first structures on the site of what is now the Potala Palace on Mount Marpori (Red Mountain).

 

[2]

Jokhang Temple

The Jokhang is also known as the Jokhang Monastery is a Buddhist temple in Barkhor Square in Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet. Tibetans, in general, consider this temple as the most sacred and important temple in Tibet.  The temple's architectural style is a mixture of Indian vihara design, Tibetan and Nepalese design. The Jokhang was founded during the reign of King Songtsen Gampo in 652.  According to tradition, the temple was built for the king's two brides: Princess Wencheng of the Chinese Tang dynasty and Princess Bhrikuti of Nepal. 

 

[3]

The Potala Palace

The Potala Palace. The site on which the Potala Palace rises is built over a palace erected by Songtsen Gampo on the Red Hill. The Potala contains two chapels on its northwest corner that conserve parts of the original building. Lozang Gyatso, the Great Fifth Dalai Lama, started the construction of the modern Potala Palace in 1645 after one of his spiritual advisers, Konchog Chophel (died 1646), pointed out that the site was ideal as a seat of government, situated as it is between Drepung and Sera monasteries and the old city of Lhasa. The external structure was built in 3 years, while the interior, together with its furnishings, took 45 years to complete.  

 

[4]

Norbu Lingka

Norbu Lingka (Treasure Garden) Palace is situated on the west side of Lhasa, a short distance to the southwest of Potala Palace. Norbulingka covers an area of around 36 hectares (89 acres) and is considered to be the largest man-made garden in Tibet. Norbulingka park is considered the premier park of all such horticultural parks in similar ethnic settings in Tibet. During the summer and autumn months, the parks in Tibet, including the Norbu Lingka, become hubs of entertainment with dancing, singing, music, and festivities for Lhasa Tibetans.

 

 [5]

Sera Monastery

Sera Monastery is located on the northern outskirts of Lhasa, The original Sera Monastery is a complex of structures founded in 1419 by Jamchen Chojey Sakya Yeshe of Zel Gungtang (1355–1435), a disciple of Je Tsongkhapa. Prior to establishing this monastery, Tsongkhapa, assisted by his disciples, had set up hermitages at higher elevations above eras Utsé Hermitage. Geographical location is at the base of Pubuchok mountain, also known as Tatipu Hill, located in the northern suburb of Lhasa City, which forms the watershed of the basins formed by Kyi Chi and Penpo Chu rivers Sera has three colleges known as Sera Je, the largest college in Sera complex,  Sera May is the oldest college built. It was established in 1419. And Ngapa Drastang is the smallest of the three colleges that were set up in the complex. It was a three-storied building originally built in 1419 by Jetsun Kunkhen Lodroe Rinchen Senge. It was refurbished in the 18th century by Lhazang Khan. 

 

 [6]

Mt Everst (Jomo Langma)

The world hight peak.  8,848.86 m (29,031.7 ft). 

 

 [7]

On route to visit Mt Everest (Jomo Langma)

A classical journey to reach the holiest place - Lhasa, the centre of Tibet's hearts and minds, where Tibetans and many people of the world call it a spiritual home. From Lhasa, the road northbound takes you to the Palkhor Chorten (Pagoda of thousand-eyes) of Gyangtse, the second-largest city Shigatse, en route to the rugged terrain of Mt Everest. 
 

Itinerary

Day 01
Arrival in Lhasa (Tib: ལྷ་ས། Chin: La Sa) either by train or flight, will be received and transferred to the hotel

Day 02 
Guided tour to Drepung in the morning, visit Sera monastery and the summer palace ( Norbulinka ) in the afternoon

Day 03
Guided tour to Potala Palace in the morning, afternoon the old town and Jokhang temple, Barkhor market.

Day 04
Drive from Lhasa to Gyangtse（Tib:རྒྱལ་རྩེ།  Chin: Jiang Zi） -  Shigatse （Tib: གཞིས་ཀ་རྩེ། Chin: Ri Ga Ze)  / 370kms / 8 hrs

Little early departure from Lhasa to Gyangtse, en route we will visit the Yamdrok lake, a scenic stop at Norjing Gangsang glacier, arrival in Gyangtse, touring the Palchor Chode monastery including the Kumbum, late afternoon continue our driving through the Nying Chu river valley, passing a lot of local Tibetan villages, we will visit local families as well, arrival in Shigatse in the evening, hotel stay ( 3800m )

Day 05
Shigatse - Shekar (Tib:དིང་རི།  Chin: Ding Ri ) / 240kms / 5hrs

Spend the morning touring Tashi Lunpo monastery (the main seat of Panchen Lama ) and the local traditional market, afternoon leave Shigatse, continue our overland trip on the friend-ship highway to Shekar with stops and route, hotel stay in, hotel stay in Shekar ( 4300m ), hotel stay

Day 06
Shekar - Rombuk / 90kms / 3hrs

Early departure, drive to Rombuk, crossing Gyawu la pass where we have a sun-rising panoramic view of the greatest part of the Himalaya, continue the overland trip to Romuk, afternoon excursion to of Rombuk monastery and view of Mt. Everest, spend most part of this day in Rombuk, overnight at Rombuk monastery guest house or tented guest house ( 5000m )

Day 07
Rombuk - Kyirong (Tib:སྐྱིད་གྲོང་། Chin:Ji Long) - Raso/ 370kms / 7hrs

After breakfast, we enjoy the sun-rising over Mt. Everest, further excursion and enjoy the scenery, the late morning we leave Everest, head to Old Tingri, where we can have a lunch break and then continue our scenic drive with Mt Cho O Yu view, drive pass by local villages, view of Mt. Shisha Pangma ( 8012m ) and Paiku Tso lake to Kyirong, Overnight at Kyirong hotel

Day 08
Kyirong / Kathmandu 145kms / 8-10hrs

After breakfast at the hotel, we continue our drive down the valley to Raso where we clear the immigration and cross the border into Nepal, you will be received by a Nepali driver and clear Nepali immigration and then continue driving to Kathmandu, Arrival in Kathmandu (end of the tour ).