9 Days Lhasa Tsedang Shigatse Cultural Tour

When you arrive in Lhasa either by train or flight, your guide will greet you and take you to your hotel .An route to viewing the Yarlung Tsangpo River/ Bhamaputra river (the Longest and largest river in Tibet) and Lhasa river.

After arrive in lhasa, you can take rest and acclimatize. If you feel to go out, then you can go to the Potala square, where you will enjoy the fountain with different colour and get amazing photos of the Potala and around.

Accommodation: Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Today's tour will first bring you to the Potala Palace, the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. It has been used since the 7th Century by the 33rd great king of Tibet. The most valuable collection is the gilded burial stupas of past Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.

After you take lunch and then head to Jokhang temple which was founded by the 33rd great king of Tibet in the 7th century, in order to promote the Buddhist religion. Inside you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve, perhaps the single most venerated object in Tibet Buddhism. Around the temple Barkhor street where you can do kora (circling the Barkhor street) with pilgrims and locals and buy the souvenirs.

Accommodation: Stay overnight in Lhasa.

In the morning, you are going to visit Drepung monastery which was one of the “three greet” Gelug monasteries of Tibet and was founded in 1416 by Jamyang choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. Ganden palace is used as Dalai lama’s palace in the Drepung before moving to the Potala palace.

Afternoon, Sera Monastery---It was one of the “three great” Gelug monasteries of Tibet and was founded in 1419 by Jamchen Chojey, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. The Most attraction is the Monks debate at around 3 - 5 in the afternoon.

Accommodation: Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Today, you will have a 290 km driving along the Yarlung Tsang (Brahmaputra River), the Sand Mountain, the high mountain meadow, and the wide rivers accompany you heading to Samye Monastery. The Samye Monastery is the Tibet’s first Buddhist monastery, built in 8 century in Tibet and it is the first monastery of its kind which houses three Buddhist jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

Then we drive to Tsedang, the capital of Shannan Prefecture, located in Yarlung Valley.

Accommodation: Stay overnight in Tsedang.

Tsedang is reputed to be "the cradle of Tibetan Civilization"". In the morning, tourists can visit Yumbu Lhakhang, the first imperial palace built on the rocky hill for the first Tibetan king and you could have a nice view of the whole valley from there.

Then tourists head to visit Trandruk which has a history of 1,300 years, one of the oldest monasteries one couldn’t afford to miss.

Accommodation: Stay overnight in Tsedang.

Today, we have to drive to Gyantse. On the way, the group will pass over the Gampala pass (4790 m), and tourists will have a glimpse of Yamdrok-tso (4400m) . The Lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountain and in the distance you have spectacular views of Holy Mount Nojin Khangsar, (7191m) the highest mountain near Lhasa.

We head westward along the lake and drive towards Gyantse. Gyantse was historically Tibet's third largest city (after Lhasa and Shigatse). .

Accommodation: Stay overnight in Gyantse.

In Gyantse, we will visit the famous Pelkor Monastery(also known as Gyantse Kumbum). The Kumbum has nine floors and each tier has unique chapels. It is considered the largest stupa in Tibet.

In the afternoon we drive to Shigatse, which is the second largest city in Tibet. You can go to see Local Tibetan Market.

Accommodation: Stay the night in Shigatse.

In the morning, tourists will visit Tashilunpo monastery of Gelug Sect, the seat of the Panchen Lama built in 1447. The monastery houses a giant statue of the Maitreya Buddha, the biggest gilded statue of Maitreya (Buddha of the future) in world and a tomb of all the Panchen Lama containing masses of jewels and gold.

In the afternoon, we will drive back to Lhasa on the friendship Highway. The distance between these two places is almost 280 km and it takes 6 hours along the Yarlung Tsangpo River / Bhamaputra River (the Longest and largest river in Tibet).

Accommodation: Stay overnight in Lhasa.

You will be accompanied with tour guide to airport/train station by private car, see good-bye and end the trip.

Accommodation: