Lhasa Gateway – 5 Days / 4 Nights

Arriving in Lhasa, the ancient holy city of Tibet and Our Tibet travel guide and driver will be welcomed you at the railway station and transfer to the hotel. Rest in the afternoon. Overnight in Lhasa

After breakfast, drive to Potala Palace 10 minutes from your hotel. It is considered one of the great wonders of the world. It is held sacred by Tibetans as the former residence of successive Dalai Lamas, and is one of Tibet's most holy pilgrimage sites. The Potala Palace is divided into two sections, the White Palace (completed in 1653) and Red palace (completed 1694). It has more than one thousand rooms and is thirteen stories high. Afternoon, visit Jokang temple and Bharkor. The Jokang is Tibet’s most sacred temple, the main point of pilgrims from the entire Tibetan plateau. Located at the heart of the ancient town of Lhasa, it was built in the 7 th century by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo’s queen Bhrikuti. The temple is 3 stories high and it is constructed with enormous chapels including the most sacred statue of Budhha Shakyamuni, enshrined. Ancient Bharkor Street is the most sacred pilgrimage site in Lhasa and it is full of pilgrims from down till dusk. There are four huge prayer flags situated in Bhakor street which surrounds the Jokang, known respectively as Gadhen Dharchen in the northeast, Juyak Dharchen in the west, Kelsang Dharchen in the southwest and SharKyaring Dharchen in the southeast. The Bharkor street is the most active market in all Tibet and it is possible to purchase traditional Tibetan artifacts, religious implements, antiques, modern goods, books, music, clothing, spices, fresh meat and vegetable. Overnight in Lhasa. (B)

After breakfast, drive to Drepung monastery, 15 minutes from your hotel. It is the largest monastery in Tibet, built in the 15 th century. The monastery is beautifully located up in a hill at the distance of 7 Km from the old section of the city. The monastery has four main colleges with numerous small chapels and house chapels, known as Khangtsen in Tibetan. There are around six hundred monks nowadays. Afternoon, visit Sera and Norbu Lingka. Sera monastery was founded in around 15th century by Jamchen Choeje who is another famous disciple of Tsongka pa and it is the second largest monastery of Tibet. There are three big colleges with numerous chapels and house chapels. The most attraction to visit this monastery is to see the monks debating which hold from 3-5Pm everyday apart from Sunday. Norbu Lingka is the first summer Palace which was founded by the seventh Dalai Lama in 18 th century and the first Palace Kelsang Podrang was also constructed as the same name as the 7 th Dalai Lama, Kelsang Gyatso. The eight Dalai Lama Jampel Gyatso (1758-1804) did more initiated work on the Norbulingka, expending the gardens and digging a lake which can be found south of the new summer Palace. The thirteenth Dalai Lama (1876-1933) was responsible for the three Palaces in the north west corner of the park and the fourteen the Dalai Lama built the new summer Palace in 1956. Overnight in Lhasa. (B)

After breakfast, start your day visiting Ganden monastery through Lhasa to Nyingtri highway with a fantastic overlooking view of Tibetan traditional villages, surrounded by green fertile agricultural lad of Tibet and beautiful meadow hill side near Ganden monastery with many Yak. It will take you an hour to reach Ganden monastery by van. You will visit Ganden monastery which is the mother monastery of the Gelukpa sect and it is the most important Buddhist school in Tibet. The monastery is also one of the biggest monasteries in Tibet. After the sightseeing in Ganden monastery, you will do a short walking around monastery, known as monastery Kora in Tibetan. It takes you around two hours and enjoy a panoramic view of the Kyichu valley. Overnight in Lhasa. (B)

After breakfast, start your tour with a day trip to Yamdrok lake and drive through the Kyichu valley & Gampala pass with many zigzags. After driving two hours and half, you will reach the top of the Gampala pass and enjoy the spectacular view of Yamdrok holy lake and c (7191m). Yamdrok Lake is a freshwater lake in Tibet, it is one of the four largest sacred lakes in Tibet. It is over 72 km long. The lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and is fed by numerous small streams. it has more than eleven arms. Return to Lhasa, enjoy your time in a local traditonal tea house. Overnight in Lhasa. (B)

After breakfast, check out and transfer Lhasa Gongkar airport for your return journey. (B)