TIBET – TSEDANG &LHASA – 6 DAYS

Detail Itinerary:

Day 01: Fly to Gongkar Airport and drive to Tsedang (3510m/11512ft), 125km, 2hrs:

Your Tibetan guide will be waiting to welcome you at Gongkar Airport. After immigration formalities, you will drive for around 2hrs to reach the third largest city of Tibet, Tsedang. After checking in at your hotel, you are advised to take rest, drink plenty of fluids and most importantly let your body get used toTibet high altitude. During afternoon you can go around the hotel area for light walk and sightseeing. O/N at Hotel in Tsedang (BB)

Day 02: Sightseeing of Samye Monastery, Yambulakang & Chimpu Cave:

After breakfast you will be briefed about the program and entertain last minute questions. Your guide will take you on tour to visit Yambulakang, Samye Monastery & Chimpu Cave respectively.

Yumbulakhang Monastery: Meaning 'the palace on the leg of a female deer', located on the east bank of the Yarlong River southeast of Tsedang Town. It is located further 6 km up the Yarlung Valley a small road winds up to the left and takes you to what is regarded as the site of the oldest building in Tibet. Yumbulagang is believed by Tibetans to have originally built by the first king of the Yarlung Dynasty Nyatri Tsenpo. This tall, dignified building rises erect on the spur of the hill, commanding view of the entire valley, Scholars believe that this building that stood on this site until the mid-sixties probably dated back to the seventh or eighth century may have been built by either Songtsen Gampo or Trisong Detsen. Tibetan murals suggest that it found its final form during the time of the Fifth Dalai Lama.

Samye Monastery: This Monastery is the First Buddhist Monastery to be built in Tibet, probably founded during the 770s under the patronage if King Trisong Detsen, with the work being directed by Padmasambhava and Shantarakshita, the two Indian masters the king had invited to Tibet to help consolidate the Buddhist faith. The monastery was designed on the plan of the Odantapuri temple in present day Bihar, Bihar and mirrored the basic structure of the universe. As described in Buddhist cosmology. The central temple represents Mt. Sumeru the mythical mountain at the centre of the cosmos. Around it are four temples called “ling” which represent the four continents (ling) situated in the vast ocean to the north, south, east, and west of Sumeru. To the right and left of each of these temples are two smaller temples called “ling-tren,” representing the subcontinents (ling-tren) of the Buddhist universe.

Chimpu Cave: It is situated in the hill above the Samye Monastery.which is a beautiful 2 hour hike and once up you will have great views over the surroundings. It's here where the soothing whispering of the wind sparks a spiritual atmosphere into this historical important place where Tantric Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhawa) gave teaching to his 25 disciples and received great wisdom. The Chimpu Cave is the place from where Tibetan Buddhism started to spread. Many Monks & Yogi still meditate for months and some even for years in the caves of Chimpu.Visiting Samye Monastry and the Chimpu cave is excellent opportunity for you to learn about of Buddhism through Tibet. Leaving a donation to the cave and monastery is appreciated; the money is used to feed the monks that are in meditation. 

Note: Offer "Lungta" and prayers flag (printed prayers for the peace and good health/happiness) together with your Tibetan Guide. Offering Lungta in high passes and temple is believed to bring good fortune and long life in Tibetan culture.

After you will drive to Hotel. O/N at Hotel in Tsedang (BB)

Day 03: Drive to Lhasa (3600m/11811ft) 180 km, 3hrs:

After breakfast you will drive for about 2 hrs to reach Lhasa. O/N at Hotel in Lhasa (BB).

Day 04: Sightseeing Tour of Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Market & Sera Monastery:

After breakfast you will be briefed about the day’s program. Then your guide will take you on a tour to Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Market & Sera Monastery respectively.

Jokhang Temple: This temple is a seventh-century geomantic temple at the heart of Lhasa is the most sacred temple of all Tibet. It is considered to be a Power Place in all Tibet. Queen Bhrikuti, a Nepalese princess married to King Songtsen Gampo founded Jokhang Temple and in recognition of Queen Bhrikuti the main gate of the temple faces west towards Nepal.  The most impressive structure of the Jokhang Temple is the many chapels surrounding the temple.

Barkhor Market (Bazaar): The most popular Barkhor Market (Bazaar) is a square where Tibetan handicraft items, Buddhist artifacts, carpets, paintings etc. are all in sale for your delight. At the end of the day your guide will escort you back to your hotel. Lhasa offers variety of Restaurant for both Lunch and Dinners.

Sera Monastery: This monastery is approx. 5km drive away from Lhasa. Sera Monastery was founded in 1419. It sits in the prettiest and most charming atmosphere at the base of Mount Purbuchok. Sera Monastery used to be an important center for learning where in the past approx. 5,000 to 6,000 monks resided. Currently about 550 monks are supposed to be living there. The important structures inside the monastery include Coqen Hall, (the main assembly hall), three Zhacangs (Buddhist colleges) and twenty-nine Khangtsens (monk dormitories).The most intriguing feature here is the nine-meter image of Maitraya which was erected in 1419; here one can also witness the practicing of debate among the monks, who pitch their knowledge against each other. 

After detail visit you will drive to hotel. O/N at Hotel in Lhasa (BB)

Day 05: Sightseeing Tour of Potala Palace & Drepung Monastery:

After breakfast you will be briefed about the day’s program. Then your guide will take you on a tour to majestic Potala palace & Drepung Monastery respectively.

Potala Palace: This Palace is also known as the “winter palace”. The imposing structure of the palace dominates the landscape of Lhasa. It is a 13th storied complex monument rising to a height of above 117m which houses 10,000 shrines and over 200,000 images and about 1000 rooms.As you are guided through the ancient chambers of the palace, you get to see Tibetan art at its best. The Potala Palace has a vast array of intricate Tibetan murals and beautiful statues. You will also get to view the tombs of the eight Dalai Lamas. Due to traffic, only one hour is allowed to visit Potala Palace.

Drepung Monastery: This Monastery is 8 km west of Lhasa. One of the three great Gelukpa Monasteries near Lhasa, the other two being Sera and Ganden. Until the occupation it served like its two sister monasteries as centre for learning and monastic training to which monks from all over Tibet would come to spend as long as 15 years methodically studying and debating the meaning of the Buddhist scriptures. For centuries it existed as a small monastic township housing thousands of fully ordained monks and other functionaries. It was founded in 1416 by Jam yang Chöje Tahsi Palden, a disciple of Tsong Khapa.

After sightseeing you will drive to hotel. O/N at Hotel in Lhasa (BB)

Day 06: Tour Concludes (3600m/11811ft) 90 km, 2hrs:

After breakfast, you will drive towards the airport & your guide will give you a final departure transfer for your next destination.  Tour Concludes.