Lhasa City Tour Itinerary

  • Day 1 Flight KATHMANDU - LHASA

     We will pick you up at your hotel and arrange transportation to the airport in Kathmandu.

    This flight over the Himalayas from Kathmandu to Lhasa is truly unforgettable. During the spectacular flight we see a number of 8000 people in Nepal including Mount Everest, Lhotse, Cho Oyu and Makalu.

    After arrival at Gonggar Airport in Tibet transport to hotel in Lhasa.

    The drive from the airport to Lhasa takes about 1.5 hours, including driving along the Tsangpo. The Tsangpo rises in Tibet near the holy mountain Mount Kailash. When entering India, the name Tsangpo changes to Bhramaputra.

    From far away we see the characteristic Potala, the former winter palace of the Dalai Lama, rising on the horizon.

    We use the rest of the day to acclimatize, Lhasa is 3,650 meters and we feel that all too well.

    • Meals: Breakfast
    • Accommodation: Hotel
    • Place: Lhasa
    • Altitude: 3656m
  • Day 2 LHASA - SERA MONASTERY, JOKHANG & BARKER

    We visit some of the most beautiful places in the still enchanting Lhasa; the Sera monastery, the Jokhang temple and the Barkhor square.

    The Sera monastery dates from the 15 th century (1419). Just like Drepung, Sera belongs to the yellow cap sect (Gelugpa). In the past the monastery was known for its tantric education. Nowadays, daily debates are held here by the monks present. The monks are discussing in a loud tone in the "debate garden" about Buddhism and faith. To reinforce their arguments, they clap their hands hard and sometimes stomp on the ground. In the past a few thousand monks lived in both Sera and Drepung, now a few hundred live again.

    Beautiful rock paintings can be admired around the Sera monastery.

    The 7 th century Jokhang temple is the spiritual heart of Lhasa, it is the most sacred place of Tibet. In the Jokhang is a beautiful statue of Sakyamuni that is lit by candles from yak butter. Pilgrims and believers shuffle past the sacred statue in the temple and make offerings of yak butter. From the roof of the temple you have a beautiful view of the city and of course the Potala rising high above the city.

    The Barkhor square, near Jokhang, is the Medieval center of the city of Lhasa. Here it seems as if time has stood still for a long time. Pilgrims from Tibet, Nepal and India walk their sacred laps praying here. The lively Barkhor Bazaar with countless shops and market stalls winds its way through the old center of Lhasa.

    Buddhists and pilgrims walk their holy rounds (kora) around the Jokhang and the Barkhor Bazaar. These koras are always walked with the clock hands and are a lively spectacle.

    • Meals: Breakfast
    • Accommodation: Hotel
    • Place: Barker
  • Day 3 LHASA - POTALA PALACE, DREPUNG MONASTERY and NORBULINKA

    The world famous Potala Palace is the former winter seat of the Dalai Lama and is of course a must for everyone to visit. The Potala is a really huge building of thirteen floors and a height of 117 meters. In total, the building consists of more than a thousand rooms. Many of the rooms are closed but some of the private rooms and meditation rooms are open to the public.

    From the roof of the Potala you have a beautiful view over Lhasa.

    The Drepung Monastery is just outside of Lhasa. In ancient times, before the Chinese invasion, the monastery founded in 1416 was home to many thousands of monks. Now there are only around 200 left. Drepung was built on the Gambo Utse mountain and was once one of the richest and largest monasteries in the world. The white monastery buildings are piled up, as it were, against the slope. The complex consists of beautiful temples and there are many beautiful statues to admire.

    On this day you will also visit the old summer palace of the Dalai Lama, the Norbulinka . Just as for the Potala, the Dalai Lama stayed here until his flight from the Chinese in 1959 for the Norbulinka. Especially the throne room is beautiful. The Norbulinka was built in 1755 by the 7th Dalai Lama.

    • Meals: Breakfast
    • Accommodation: Hotel
    • Place: NORBULINKA
    • Altitude: 3656m
  • Day 4 GANDEN MONASTERY

    Today there is an excursion to the Ganden monastery on the program. Ganden is almost 60 kilometers from Lhasa and the buildings of the monastery are built against the mountainside. The monastery was founded in 1409 and was almost completely destroyed during the cultural revolution, but much has since been restored. Ganden is known as the birthplace of the Gelugpa sect.

    After viewing the monastery we start the kora (circular walk) around the complex where we climb to the higher mountain. Given the height, the monastery itself is already over 4300m, it is a tiring journey, but when we reach the top, all efforts are quickly forgotten. Between waving prayer flags, the view of the Kyichu valley, the river in the valley and the surrounding snow peaks is magnificent.

    • Meals: Breakfast
    • Accommodation: Hotel
    • Place: Lhasa
    • Altitude: 3656m
  • Day 5 LHASA - KATHMANDU
    After an early breakfast transfer to Gonggar Airport for the return flight to Kathmandu.
    • Meals: Breakfast
    • Accommodation: Hotel
    • Place: Kathmandu
    • Altitude: 1330m