The best of Tibet with Yamdrok Lake Camping Tour-07 Days

The amazing trip starts from the holy city Lhasa by appreciating its prominent historical and religious sites like mystical Potala Palace, sacred Jokahng temple, sprawling Sera and Drepung monastery, your arrival to the holy city will be greeted by the lovely blue sky and impressive glimpse of gigantic Potala palace perched on the red hill, while during a couple of days acclimation and jet-lag alleviation, you will deeply be overwhelmed by visiting numbers of world heritages and supernatural temples, bustling street around the Jokhang temple is one of the most devotional streets known as Bakhor, it will also extend the way to Gyantse and Shigatse in the west, experience the distinct culture of western(Tsang) Tibet, by driving along the stunning turquoise color lake Yamdrok and blooming Nyenchen Kangsar glacier under the sunny plateau climate, you will never waste even a  single minute by discovering new experiences and wonders on the way to Gyantse and Shigatse. The highlight of this customizable tour is overnight camping at the stunning Yamdrok lake, enjoy the peaceful campsite and have a wonderful sunrise and sunset at this crystal blue lake.

Brief Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival in Lhasa (3680m)
Day 2 Lhasa (Bakhor street, Johkang Temple, Potala Palace)
Day 3 Lhasa (Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery)
Day 4 Lhasa-Palde Village (3950m), 150km/3hrs (Yamdrok Lake, Samding Monastery Camping)
Day 5 Palde-Gyangtse-Shigatse (3900m), 200km/5hrs Karola Glacier, Kumbum Stupa
Day 6 Shigatse-Lhasa (3680m), 280km/6hrs (Tashi Lhunpo Monastery)
Day 7 Depart from Tibet

Detailed Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 01-Arrival in Lhasa either by air or train.

A short flight to Tibet gives you a panorama of the snowy Himalayan ranges or the days of train ride over the high plateau by crossing the mighty Thangu la ranges will get you to Lhasa with beautiful sceneries along the route. On your arrival at the Gonggar airport or Lhasa Train Station, you will be greeted by our Tibetan guide and driver who will drive you to your hotel in Lhasa city. The airport is about 60km away from Lhasa which will take less than an hour through the recently built highway and from the train station it is only 25km and it takes about half an hour, then you can check in the hotel and take some rest for the rest of the day to acclimatize and alleviate the jet lag. Then you can spend the night in Lhasa.

Day 02-Lhasa ( Visit Jokhang temple and bustling Bakhor Street and Sera Monastery.)

Today is your first day on the high plateau and some of you may have a little headache which is very common for travelers by the high altitude, so drinking enough water and mild activity on the first few days is recommendable. In the morning our guide will meet you at the hotel and take a short visit to Jokhang Temple in the center of the Old Lhasa city. Jokhang temple is one of the most sacred temples in all over Tibet and it is always bustling with earnest local pilgrims since from the early days. After that, you have time to walk around the Bakhor street which is the one of the most devotional circuit as well as crowded central market of Lhasa, during the old days it was the most famous local market but now it is changed to tourist gift shopping center. The amazing day will end with a visit to the Sera Monastery, it was built in the fifteenth century by the Jamchen choji Sakya Yeshi who was the  disciple of Tsongka pa, few different monastic colleges in Sera is home to several hundred monks from different part of Tibet, the famous Buddhist philosophical debates among the monks are happening every day in the afternoon except Sunday. Continues acclimatize and alleviate jet lag rest of the day. Overnight in Lhasa.

Day 03-Lhasa ( Visit Potala palace and Drepung Monastery)

Today we will visit the famous Potala Palace, the cardinal landmark of Tibet and the masterpiece of Tibetan architecture, it was first built by 33rd King Songtsen Gangpo in the 7th century and later in the 17th century ,it was rebuilt by the 5th Dalai Lama, since then it was the  home to the Dalai Lama and his government. Walking through the long stairs is quite challenging but it is worthwhile to leave your footsteps in the spiritual palace of God of compassion which listed in the world heritage in 1994. In the afternoon, we will visit the Drepung monastery, once the world’s largest monastery that housed for more than 10,000 monks, it was resident of the Dalai Lama prior to Potala Palace, but several destructions were taken place in different time but still you have lots of things to see by walking through numbers of narrow and twisted lane through the monks apartments is thrilling. Then you can continue to acclimatize and alleviate jet lag for the rest of the day. Overnight in Lhasa.

Day 04- Lhasa (3600m) – Palde village (3950m), 150km, 4 hours drive. ( Visit Palde nunnery, typical Tibetan village)

Today we start to drive toward the southwest, through the zigzag road, you will climb up the Kampa la pass (4700m), from there you will be amazed by the breathtaking glimpse of the holy Yamdrok lake with its turquoise color and snow-capped Mt.Nyenchen Khangsar in the distance. After driving continouly along the lake for a few kilometers you will reach the campsite, an open area next to the lake and adjacent to the Palde village. Then you can walk around the village and visit Palde nunnery in the village which will be a totally different village experience. After that, you can start your camping with our guide and driver at the Yamdrok lake.

Day 05-Palde Village- Gyantse (3900m) – Shigatse(3900m), 350 km, 7hrs. ( Visit Yamdrok lake, Mt.Nyechen Kangsar glacier, Gyantse Kubum Stupa and Pelkhor Choede monastery)

Early in the morning, you have a chance to see the village people circumambulating around the nunnery and burning incense at a sacred spot on a ridge behind the village. Then we drive to Gyantse after breakfast, rest of the day will be spent enjoying the many magnificent valleys and exquisite Tibetan villages we pass through, en route we will stop at Karo la (5150m) to see the holy mount Nyenchen Kangsar glacier. Arrival at Gyantse visits Kumbum stupa and Palkhor Choede monastery. This magnificent multi-door structure is the largest stupa in Tibet, it is not only well known for its architecture but also its old sculptures and paintings all around its inner walls, late afternoon drive to Shigatse which is only 90km. Overnight in Shigatse.

Day 06-Shigatse – Lhasa, 280km, 4/5 hrs.

Today we will drive back to Lhasa along the northern friendship highway, the road cuts through numbers of villages and we will stop at Nyimo local home-based incense factory, that region is well known for their incense production since centuries ago, they use primitive water operated tools to process incense materials and each incense sticks are hand made, you may see locals making it on the spot, then you will arrive in Lhasa in the afternoon and you will have plenty of time to explore around the Bakhor to buy some gifts for your families and friends at home. Overnight in Lhasa.

Day 07. Lhasa Airport/Train station send off.

Today our guide and driver will send you to the airport or train station. It is time to say your farewells and depart to your next destination.