Yamdrok Lake Tour covers the most highlighted attractions of Lhasa City as well as the breathtaking lake view. After your landmarks-exploring in Lhasa, it would be wonderful to visit one of the most beautiful lakes of Tibet. Among the three sacred lakes of Tibet, Yamdrok Lake is much easier to get. Looking from the summit of Kamlala, you will get a stunning lake view of Yamdrok-Tso which shapes like a coiling scorpion. Just come to discover this pearl inset in the high plateau.

Highlights of this tour

• Be awed by the magnificent architecture, Buddhist statues, delicate murals and other precious collections cherished in Potala Palace;
• Visit the famous monasteries and watch the monks debating scriptures with intense words and exaggerated gestures in Sera Monastery;
• Discover the superb scenery of one of the sacred lakes – Yamdrok Lake.

At a Glance – Yamdrok Lake

After arrival at your hotel, the rest of the day is free for you to explore the local areas and acclimatize yourself to the air, temperature and high altitude of Lhasa.Welcome to the roof of the world! You will be picked up by local tour guide at the airport hall or train station, and then be escorted to your hotel in Lhasa city in a private vehicle.

Day 2 In Lhasa

Start today’s Lhasa exploration with an exciting visit to the landmark – Potala Palace which is regarded as one of the most beautiful architectural building in the world. You will climb up the palace along the zigzag stone paths with white-and-red walls to the top of the palace where you can not only appreciate the exotic Tibetan-style architecture, but also get a great view of Lhasa’s urban areas, then walk into the inner space of Potala Palace to explore the stately chapels and learn about the history of the palace.

Continuing your exploration, you will then get to Jokhang Temple which is considered as the spiritual heart of Tibetan Buddhism. Each day, there are thousands of pilgrims coming from different places in Tibet to the temple to worship to the Buddha. This temple is also known as the “house of Buddha” because it keeps the precious Jowo Rinpoche, the life-sized (5 foot/1.5m) image of the Shakyamuni at the age of 12. The last site for today’s exploration is the famous Barkhor Street. It is a circular and wide street encircling the Jokhang Temple. The local people like to walk on the street for several circles usually in the late afternoon as a daily tradition of pilgrimage. The street also has many shops selling a wide variety of traditional Tibetan goods, religious items and handcrafts.

Day 3 In Lhasa

After breakfast, you will firstly go to visit the beautiful Norbulingka which used to be the former summer palace of Dalai Lamas in the ancient time, and now is a public park. It is famous for its Potrang, the private palaces of former Dalai lamas with grandiose Tibetan architecture style. Next, drive several kilometers to the western outskirts of Lhasa to visit Drepung Monastery. Drepung, in Tibetan, means “prosperity”. Since its establishment, Drepung Monastery has always been one of the most important Buddhist monasteries in Tibet. In its heyday, there were more than 10,000 monks lived and studied in the monastery. Throughout its history, many important and famous Tibetan leaders used to study here, especially the Dalai Lamas. So Drepung Monastery is also respectfully known as the “Mother School of Dalai Lamas”.

In the afternoon, you will be taken to another famous monastery in Lhasa – Sera Monastery. It is famous for the spectacular “Buddhism Debating”. As a daily routine, the monks gather in a courtyard, and debate on the Buddhist doctrines with supplemented gestures, which is thought to be helpful to facilitates better comprehension of the Buddhist philosophy to attain higher levels of study. After enjoying the “Buddhism Debating”, you will be transferred back to the city. The rest time is your own free time to rest.

Day 4 Lhasa -Yamdrok Lake

After breakfast, leave Lhasa city, and drive to Yamdrok Lake, about 105km away from the holy city. Enjoy the bright stunning landscape of Ngachu Valley in the morning sunlight. Pass over the Kamba La Pass(altitude: 5,030m), you will get to the famous holy lake Yamdrok.

As the largest fresh lake in the northern of the Himalaya Mountains, Yamdrok Lake spreads about 675 square meters from south to north. Regard as the turquoise earrings scattered of Goddess among Tibetan, you can easily find its beauty but never reveal its full sight. Only looked at map or from upper height, Yamdork with a shape of eardrop lay in the mountains side. Meanwhile, viewed from different moment in the same angle, she will present you extremely rich colors with various kinds of blue, like a dreamland. View from a distance, you can have a wider sight to find local animals wandering through the fertile lakeshores, and some small Tibetan villages inhabiting in the valleys close to Yamdrok Lake.

After the sightseeing at Yamdrok, drive back to Lhasa. You will stop by at the place where is about 20km to Lhasa to take a short visit to the Nyethang Buddha which is conveniently located along the road, approximately 20km from Lhasa. Built in more than 700 years ago, the Nietang Buddha is the largest and highest stone Buddha in Tibet, and was colorfully painted by deep colors of golden, red, blue and black. West not far from the Buddha is the Nyethang Monastery where the famous ancient Indian Buddhist master Atisha meditated and taught Buddhism.

Day 5 Depart  Lhasa 

Today is free for you until your tour guide transfer you to the airport in time for your flight or drop you off at Lhasa train station.