There are almost too many monasteries to count throughout Tibet. Every monastery represents a school of Tibetan Buddhism and reveres a respective teacher or Lama associated with that school of thought and practice. Here we aim to include monasteries of particular significance in Tibet’s past and present from the different regions of Central, Kham, and Amdo.

Following is a list of Top 10 Most Important Monasteries in Tibet, including the spiritual center Jokhang Temple, ancestral temple of Gelug – Ganden Monastery, official seat of Panchen Lamas – Tashilhunpo Monastery, magnificent Palcho Monastery, etc.

(1.)Jokhang Temple – Religious center of Tibet
(2.)Ganden Monastery – Holy Monastery of Gelugpa
(3.)Drepung Monastery – Once the Largest Monastery
(4.)Sera Monastery – Famous for Tibetan Buddhism Debating
(5.)Tashilhunpo Monastery – Home of Panchen Lamas
(6.)Palcho Monastery – Synthesis of Tibetan Culture
(7.)Sakya Monastery – The Origin of Sakyapa Sect
(8.)Samye Monastery – The First Monastery in Tibet
(9.)Rongbuk Monastery – The highest monastery in the world
(10.)Reting Monastery – Seat of Reting Rinpoche

Jokhang Temple – Religious center of Tibet

Jokhang Temple (or Jokhang Monastery) is the spiritual center of Tibet and the holiest destination for all Tibetan pilgrims. It is is listed in the World Cultural Heritages with Potala Palace and Norbulingka. Situated at the heart of the old town of Lhasa and surrounded by Barkhor Street, this 4 storied building, built in the 7th century by Songtsan Gambo, with roofs covered with gilded bronze tiles, demonstrates a combination of the architectural style of Han, Tibetan, India and Nepal, as well as a Mandala world outlook of Buddhism. It was originally called the ‘Tsuklakang’ (Tsulag Khang) – ‘House of Religious Science’ or ‘House of Wisdom’ during the Bon period of Tibet, which is referred to geomancy, astrology, and divination of Bon. Today it is more commonly known as the Jokhang, which means the ‘House of the Buddha’. Visiting Jokhang Temple for a real discovery tour in the mysterious and sacred land, you can get close to the religious part of Tibet and experience the devotion of Tibetans.

Ganden Monastery – Holy Monastery of Gelugpa

Ganden Monastery is one of the earliest and largest Buddhist monasteries in Tibet. With over 600 years of history for building in 1409 by Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug Sect, it stands atop of the six famous temples of Gelugpa, and also known as one of the Three Great Temples, together with the Sera Monastery and the Drepung Monastery. In the meaning of happiness and contentedness in Tibetan, Ganden Monastery is the main dwelling of successive Gelug abbots and their tombs were built into pagodas for over 90 numbers. With an orderly architectural layout of standing Buddha halls, towering roofs, splendid stupas, Ganden Monastery is arranged well with vivid colors of black windows, white walls and the golden roofs, like a castle under the heaven. Besides, the kinds of architectural buildings and a large quantity of cultural relics and handicrafts are worth visiting. Along the winding twisty road up, you can appreciate the authentic holy land under the blue sky.

Drepung Monastery – Once the Largest Monastery

Drepung Monastery is one of the three great Gelukpa monasteries, along with Sera Monastery and Ganden Monastery. As the largest monastery of Tibet constructed in 1416, there was a totally 10,000 monks once lived here in the peak times, Drepung Monastery plays an important role in Tibet Buddhism. Located on the Gambo Utse Mountain, it has magnificent complex of white buildings dotted around the hillside. The Ganden Potrang, once the residence for Dalai Lamas (1-5th) before the 5th Dalai Lama built Potala Palace, is the most featured historical building here, which makes Drepung Monastery enjoys the highest status among Tibet monasteries. Besides, the famous Shoton Festival is first to celebrate here, also called Drepung Shoton Festival, given rise to extensive attention and influence among Tibetans. Enjoy your exploratory tour to the most popular monastery to discover the charm of devoted belief.

Sera Monastery – Famous for Tibetan Buddhism Debating

Sera Monastery as one of the three temples in Lhasa, together with Drepung Monastery and Ganden Monastery, is a representative of Gelug temples, located on the northern suburb of Lhasa. Built in 1419 by one of the Tsongkhapa’s disciples, it is a complex of structures with the Great Assembly Hall, the dwellings in the eastern side and three colleges in the western side. Setting against a backdrop of mountains, it makes for a good photographic experience by climbing the halfway mountain behind. Noted for its debate session, Sera Monastery stored many precious relics, arts, scriptures for monks to learn Buddhist knowledge. What’s more, the daily Buddhism debating is a truly spiritual “class” to practice and test their mastery of Buddhism. As the top highlight in Sera Monastery, the debate is open to public for tourists to enjoy the charm of Buddhism and find some enlightenment, which can’t be missed out.

Tashilhunpo Monastery – Home of Panchen Lamas

Tashilhunpo Monastery as one of the six Gelug monasteries is the seat of successive Panchen Lamas. Founded by the First Dalai Lama in 1447, it is an important monastery in Tibetan history and culture. Located at the foot of Drolmari, western side of Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet, it means “all fortune and happiness gathered here” or “heap of glory” in Tibetan. Covering an area of nearly 150,000 square meters, the monastery is the largest temple in Shigatse, which has about 57 halls and 3600 rooms. Among them, the Coqen Hall can hold 2000 people chanting at the same time. Featuring an interesting sprawling amalgam of traditional Tibetan monastic style, those halls, chapels and other structures are connected by precipitous steps and narrow cobblestone alleys. The interplay between the golden roofs and the white, red and black exterior walls creates a striking composition.

Palcho Monastery – Synthesis of Tibetan Culture

Palcho Monastery, also called Palkhor Monastery is a typical combined building with stupa and temple, and quite different from other Tibetan monasteries in more aspects. By housing three sects of Sakyapa, Kadampa and Gelugpa together, it has a hard-won lenient tolerance among the Tibetan sects to balance them well. Therefore, the design and layout of Palhor Monastery is a synthesis of the three sects to combine different structural Zhacangs (room for monks), enshrined deities and more integrated Tibetan Buddhist Culture.What’s more, the Myriad Buddha Stupa (or Palcho Kumbum) as a powerful Buddhist symbol and a calling card, making Palcho Monastery becomes more attractive and special.Whether you come for Tibetan architecture art or the deep Tibetan religious culture, Palcho Monastery with different Buddhist sculptures, religion murals, monastery architectures can give you more than just you want to explore.

Sakya Monastery – The Origin of Sakyapa Sect

Sakya Monastery is the principal monastery of the Sakyapa Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, located in Sakya County, about 160 kilometers southwest of Shigatse, on the road to Tingri in Tibet. Built in 1073 by Khon Khonchong Gyalpo, on the hill side with gray earth surrounded, it means the “Grey Soil” in Tibetan. Divided by river, this monastery is consists of the northern part (in the hillside) and the southern part (lies in the valley). Different from other monasteries in Lhasa, its wall painted in red, white and grey strips, which represent Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara and Vajrapani, as a special architecture to distinguish from other Buddhist schools, which is easily to find out from a distance. As the first temple of Sakyapa with over 900 years history, it kept many historical relics, including numerous stupas, Buddhist scriptures, magnificent surviving artwork, Tibetan Thangkas and more. Here, you can not only discover the history of the religion, but also explore a combination of cultures.

Samye Monastery – The First Monastery in Tibet

Samye Monastery was built in 762 when the great Tibetan emperor Trisong Detsen ruled Tibet. With the basic terms of Buddhism – Buddha, scriptures and monks, it is the first official Buddhist monastery in Tibet. For over 1,200 years of history, it is one of most influential monastery in Tibet. In this monastery, there was a famous debating about Buddhism between the ancient Indian Buddhism and Chinese Buddhism. Sitting on the north facing southward, and covers more than 25,000 square meters with a shape of a big oval, this monastery was built according to the description of universe in Buddhism scriptures. Being famous for its featured architectural structure which combines features of Tibetan, Chinese and Indian, Samye Monastery symbolizes the center of the universe for tourists to explore the ancient heart of Tibetan Buddhist world.

Rongbuk Monastery – The highest monastery in the world

Rongbuk Monastery is the highest temple in the world above sea level, with an altitude of about 4980 meters. Situated in the north side of Mt. Everest, it is a perfect site to view the highest Everest and stay overnight before head to the Everest Base Camp (EBC) with 8 km away. Endowing the ideal location, Rongbuk Monastery itself is also worth visit. As one of the Nyingmapa Sect monastery built in 1899, it houses both monks and nuns here, which is quite special and different from other temples. Only several buildings remains, Rongbuk is simply and has a sense of untouched beauty not only for its quietness, but also the experienced history as a temple to witness the first person to conquer the Mount Everest. Acted as a rest site for climbers once upon a time, now it also does a favor for tourists to visit around before get to EBC.

Reting Monastery – Seat of Reting Rinpoche

Reting Monastery is about 150 km from Lhasa. Reting Monastery, at an elevation of 4,150m, is the seat of the Reting Rinpoche: this lineage started in the eighteenth  century when the seventh Dalai Lama appointed his tutor as abbot of Reting. The monastery dates back to 1056. It was initially associated with Atisha but in its later years it had an important connection with the Gulugpa order and the Dalai Lamas. Reting Monastery is 25 km from the crossroads settlement of Phongdo, which has a ruined dzong and is overlooked by a mountain of near-perfect conical proportions. There are a handful of shops and restaurants here.

The current main assembly hall, or Tsogchen, is half its original size. Enter the hall to the right to get to the main inner shrine, the Utse (women not allowed). The central statue of Jampai Dorje is an unusual amalgam of the gods Jampelyang, Chana Dorje and Chenresig.

To the left is an ancient Thangka of Drolma that, accoeding to the resident monks, was brought here by Atisha himself. A wooden box beside the altar holds the giant molar of Sangye Wosong, the Buddha before Sakyamuni. To the left of the Utse is a rare mural of the fourteenth Dalai Lama. To the right of the entrance is a picture of the current Reting Rinpoche. In front of the entrance is a platform used for creating sand mandalas. Behind the Utse is a storeroom stuffed with Tantric drums and Buddha statues. As you leave the chapel look for a second hall to your right. The hall contains a gold chorten with the remains of the sixth Reting Rinpoche. Lining the back wall are statues of all 6 previous Reting Rinpoches. The metal box in the right cornr holds a giant Thangka, unveiled once a year.

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.

Lhasa is the capital city and center of the regional administration for the Tibet Autonomous Region. The city is located on the banks of the Kyi River in the south-central area of the Tibetan plateau. It is one of the largest tributaries of the Yarlung Zangbo River, also known as the Brahmaputra.  The city is at an altitude of 3,656 meters above sea level. It is the world’s highest capital city and the center of the Tibetan culture and religion. Every Tibetans in Kham and Amdo visit Lhasa once in a lifetime.

Traveling to Lhasa can be done at any time of the year, from April to February (Tibet is normally closed to international travelers in February and March for Losar, the Tibetan New Year). And when to go largely depends on your own personal tastes and what you want to do while you are there. Different seasons have different attractions in Tibet, even in the coldest month of January, travel to Lhasa is easily possible. It is not as cold as you may think. From April to the end of January, Lhasa is a city that is filled with life and spirituality, with the winter months being one of the best times to experience Tibetan Buddhism at its most devout.

Best Time to Go

Spring and autumn months are the best time to take a Tibet tour. Summer is also an ideal time to go if you don’t mind the occasional mild showers. The temperature is above 10 C during these months. These months are also the busiest time to travel. Though November and December are winter months, you can still travel and the views of Everest are best during these months.

Visit Lhasa in Spring

Spring months in Lhasa are late February to May. Spring is usually known as the windy season or dry season, because of the heavy winds during these months. There is little rain, lot of wind and snow only in mountainous regions. Daytime sees strong sunshine with strong radiation. It is advisable to use sunscreen lotions without fail. In spite of warm daytime temperature, there is quite a high temperature difference between day and night. The nights tend to get extremely cold. The pleasant climate starts to kick in May. This makes May the ideal month for family tours.

What to See

May is also one of the best months for photographers to capture the beauty of Lhasa. The famous Saga Dawa festival happens in the month of May. The months of Aril, May, and June are best for Everest Base Camp tours and uninhibited view of Mt Everest as there will not be rainy or foggy weather. But early spring is still too cold to visit Lake Namtso near Lhasa city for the lake is still frozen until late April.

What to Wear

Down jackets, long- sleeved shirts, cotton trousers and t-shirts, out-door jackets, warm clothing for the night, sunscreen lotions, sunglasses.

Visit Lhasa in Summer

Summer months of Lhasa are June, July, and August. The temperature during summer months range from warm to cool. These months also see mild showers during night times, so it is not really a hindrance for the tourists. Some days it showers in the afternoon but not for more than an hour. The oxygen content in the air is also higher compared to other seasons. The climate is overall mild with strong UV radiation due to the high altitude of the city. Make sure you use sunscreen lotions and caps to protect your skin. The temperature gets the hottest at noon. Although the temperature difference varies greatly between day and night, it is less compared to other seasons. Summer is when you see a lot of locals from China travelling to Tibet because of the holidays.

What to See

Due to the warm temperature, all the tourist spots are ideal to visit. Some of the must-visit spots are Jokhang Temple, Potala Palace, Barkhor Street, and Drepung Monastery. June is an ideal month to take a day-trip to Lake Namtso from Lhasa. You can visit the holy lakes to capture the magnificent sunrises and sunsets.

A lot of sports contests and outdoor market fairs take place in the grasslands in the months of July and August. July and August is also the best time to take the famous Tibet Train to Lhasa through the Qinghai-Tibet railway for the flowers are fully bloomed and the mountains are still covered in snow and all the scenery looks bright and fresh with active wildlife and nomadic activity. Festivals like Shoton Festival, Nagqu Horse Racing Festival, and Ganden Thangka festival fall during the summer months.

What to Wear

Long trousers, full hand cotton t-shirts, and hats to avoid sunburns. Sunscreen lotion or sun block is very important to protect your skin. Carry water proof jackets and pants as it occasionally showers at afternoons and nights. The nights are still cold so carry warm clothes for the night.

Visit Lhasa in Autumn  

September and October are the autumn months in Lhasa and autumn sees the maximum inflow of tourists, locals and foreigners alike. The leaves turn golden brown and the forests give off a golden glow. The weather is clear and cool, no heavy clouds blocking the view of mountain peaks during autumn. The mild sunlight and dry winds characterize most of the day. The nights are not as cold as winter or spring. The weather conditions during autumn are ideal for exploring in Tibet and the scenery is breathtaking. If you are planning to visit Lhasa in autumn, pre-book the tickets, hotel rooms, and everything else at least two-three months in advance. The overall prices of air tickets and hotels rooms are significantly high during autumn.

What to See

Autumn is ideal time to do just about everything and anything in Lhasa. Be it visiting the tourist attractions like Jokhang Temple, Potala Palace, Barkhor Street, Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery, holy lakes etc. or hiking tours, climbing tours, cycling tours, overland tours from Lhasa to other places in Tibet all are ideal to do during autumn. You can enjoy the clear views of the mountain peaks. Mid September to Mid October is also the advisable time to visit Everest Base Camp.

What to Wear

Plain t-shirts and jackets will be enough for travelling during day. As nights are still cold, wear thermal wear and warm clothing. If you are planning to the EBC trek or climbing the Everest bring appropriate clothing and other items. You can rent or buy them in Lhasa itself.

Visit Lhasa in Winter

One of the most common misconceptions tourists make about Lhasa is that, it is too cold to travel during winter and that it is inhabitable during winter. That is not the case at all. While winter is cold and there is a lot of snow, it is still warmer than many places in China. November- March is the winter months of Tibet and it is important to note that in February and March many attractions are closed off for tourism.

November is still a good time to travel to Lhasa as there is still some sunshine during the day, pretty warm around noon, but the nights get super cold. One of the advantages of travelling during winter is that it is off-season so the cost of tickets and accommodation is significantly less. You also don’t have to worry about the typical tourist crowd filling up the streets.

What to See

Tibet is at its most tranquil vibe during winter. Visit only nearby tourist attractions like Jokhang Temple, Potala Palace, Barkhor Street etc. You can enjoy local Tibetan festivals like Tibetan New Year and Tsongkhapa Butter Lamp Festival during this season. You will see Tibetans getting ready for their farming season and festivals, as winter is also the slack farming season. Winter shows a different side of Tibet that tourists don’t get to see during other seasons.

What to Wear

Thermal wear, gloves, socks, sweater, water proof jackets, moisturizer, and other clothing to keep yourself warm. Have both boots to walk on snow and comfortable shoes.

Route – Lhasa – Gyantse – Shigatse – Mt. Everest – Namtso – Lhasa

Overview

This is the Classic tour itinerary to visit Lhasa, Everest Base camp and the holy lake Namtso Lake. If you are not used to the high altitude, then this is one of the best itineraries that cover the all the Lhasa main tourist sites like Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor street, Drepung and sera monastery with Gyantse Kumbum and Shigatse Tashi Lhunpho Monastery.

Tourists can see much natural scenery like beautiful sacred lake Yamdrok tso and karo glacier with beautiful views of Mt. Everest, the highest mountain in the world from Everest Base Camp. Namtso Lake is  the second largest alpine saline lake in Tibet with an altitude of  4,718 meters above sea level. Its surrealistic beauty will take your breath away in no time.

Brief Itinerary

 Day-by-Day-Detailed Itinerary

Day 01: Arrival in Lhasa (3650m)
When you arrive in Lhasa either by train or flight, your guide will greet you and take you to your hotel. Tourists may view the Yarlung Tsangpo River/ Bhamaputra river (the Longest and largest river in Tibet) and Lhasa river on their way to Lhasa.

After arriving in Lhasa, you can take a rest and get acclimatized to high altitude. If you feel to go out, then you can go to the Potala Square, where you will enjoy the fountain with different colors and get amazing photos of the Potala and around.
Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 02: Lhasa Tour – Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street
Today’s tour will first bring you to the Potala Palace which is the winter palace of the Dalai lama. It was put to use since the 7th Century by the 33rd great king of Tibet. The most valuable collections of Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.

Then after lunch, tourists head to Jokhang temple which was founded by the 33rd great king of Tibet in the 7th century. Inside you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve. Outside, you can see pilgrims making prostrating in front of Jokhang Temple. Around the temple is Barkhor street, where you can do kora (a religious circle of a building or mountain) with pilgrims and locals, and explore the old market.

Besides, we can taste Tibetan tea with locals in tea house; The welcome dinner will also be arranged accordingly;
Stay overnight in Lhasa

 Day 03: Lhasa Tour – Drepung monastery, Sera monastery
In the morning ,you are going to visit Drepung monastery which is one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet, founded in 1416 by Jamyang choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. You can visit biggest monastery kitchen inside the monastery and enjoy Buddhist Sculpture Carving workshop near Drepung.

In the Afternoon, Tourists will visit Sera Monastery which is another one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet. The hot attraction is the Monks debate at around 3 – 5 in the afternoon. In addition, you can tour  the Tibetan religious scripture printing house; inside the monastery, you can see three sand Mandalas and colorful Rock Painting of Buddha.
Stay overnight in Lhasa

Day 04: Lhasa- Shigatse via Gyantse 360km
In the morning, drive from Lhasa to Shigatse .On the way, drive over the Gampala pass (4790 m), and you will have a glimpse of Yamdrok-tso (4400m) .The Lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and in the distance you can have spectacular views of Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar, (7191m) the highest mountain near Lhasa .

Later, we will pass and enjoy the Korola Glacier on the roadside; At Manak Dam Lake, you can hang pray flag at Simila Mountain Pass; Then, we will arrive in Gyantse, historically Tibet’s third largest city (after Lhasa and Shigatse).In Gyantse, we will visit the famous Pelkor Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum and enjoy the Far view of Gyangtse Fortress.

After one and a half driving, we arrive in Shigatse, which is the second largest city in Tibet. In Shigatse,  we may visit traditional Barley Mill and view the landscape of Barley Field (in summer).
Stay overnight in Shigatse

 Day 05: Shigatse (3900m) to Everest Base Camp(5200m)
In the morning, we will visit the home of Panchan Lama – Tashilunpo Monastery. Then, we’ll leave Shigatse after getting your Alien’s travel permit, and then drive to Lhatse, it is a small town where you can have lunch.

After that, we will pass Tsola Pass(4600M), and Gyatsola Pass(5248M). Shortly after we enter Mt. Everest National Nature Reserve, tourists can enjoy the panorama of Himalaya at Gawula Pass(5198m).Then we drive along the New zigzag road to Everest Base Camp(5200m). You can get closer to gazt at the Mt. Everest peak. The sunset of golden Everest peak if time and weather permits at the lodging area.
Stay overnight at tent or Rongbuk monastery guest house.

Day 06: EBC (5200m) and return to Shigatse (3900m)
In the morning, you can see the sunrise of Everest Peak if weather permits at the lodging area. Then we will visit the Rongbu Monastery – the unique highest monastery with nuns and monks living together. You can visit the Everest Base Camp monument and take the close-up shot of Mt. Everest. Finally, we will drive back to Shigatse.
Stay overnight in Shigatse.

Day 07: Shigatse (3900m) to Lhasa (3650m)
Today, we will drive back to Lhasa by following Yalong Valley. You can stand on the viewing platform and view the vast Yalong River bed. Finally the guide will transfer you back to your hotels in Lhasa.
Stay overnight in Lhasa

Day 08: Lhasa to Namtso Lake (250km, 5 hours)
In the morning, drive from Lhasa to Lake Namtso, one of the four holy lakes of Tibet and also the highest saline lake in the world. On the way, you can see snow-capped Nyenchen Thanglha Mountain Ranges and lots of nomads and their tent with grazing yak and sheep densely-populated on the flourishing grassland ( in summer) . Besides, you can enjoy the view of Sky-Road Railway with snow mountain background; while standing at the famous Lagenla Mountain Pass(5190m), you can view the stunning vista of holy Namtso Lake.

Then we can do leisure trek around Tashi Island and enjoy sunset of Namtso. At night, we you enjoy night view of the milky way at the lake shore.
Stay overnight at Namtso Tent Guest house

Day 09: Namtso Lake to Lhasa (250km, 5 hours )
Enjoy the clear morning at the lake shore, you can trek along the lake shore to Tashi Dor Island to explore the meditation caves. Drive to Dumxung to have lunch. In the afternoon, you may enjoy Yangpachen hot spring (Optional) and have both indoor and outdoor swimming pool filled with hot springs water. Finally, head back to Lhasa.
Stay overnight in Lhasa

Day 10: Depart from Lhasa
The guide will transfer you to the airport or train station and help you get on board.

Gyirong Port is located in Gyirong County, southwest corner of Tibet Autonomous Region. Gyirong County belongs to the south side of the middle part of the Himalayas, some 831km away from Lhasa, 175km away from Katmandu. In history, it was the largest land trading port between Tibet and Nepal, also an important transportation hub of the cultural and business exchange between China and Southern Asia countries. Gyirong Port witnessed many historical events: Princess Bhrikuti of Nepal traveled a long journey to marry Songtsen Gampo; the famous diplomat Wang Xuance in the Tang Dynasty made several foreign visits to India; Indian Buddhist master Padmasambhava (Lotus-Born) entered Tibet to spread Buddhism. They all passed through Gyirong.

In the 1970s, Chinese government ranked Gyirong Port as National Second Level Land Port, attached with departments of customs and commodity inspection. Later on, due to the prosperity of Zhangmu Port, all export and import business through Gyirong Port have almost stopped and the relative departments were revoked. In the past, Yadong port, Zhangmu port, and Burang port are three major ports and business hubs in Tibet. Before the usage of Gyirong Port, Zhangmu port was the only land port that opened all year around in Tibet and it forced almost 90% of Tibet’s border business. But limited by geographical reasons, Zhangmu port’s clearance capacity is relatively weak, restricting the foreign trade development in Tibet. In April 2015, Zhangmu port was badly damaged because of Nepal earthquake and was temporarily closed. In December 2015, China Gyirong-Nepal Rasuwa bilateral port was put into formal use. Gyirong port becomes the bridgehead of Tibet’s opening to the world and a significant commercial road linked to Nepal and other Southern Asia countries.

Starting from Katmandu, going northward for about 175km, passing through Gyirong Port, you will reach Gyirong Valley, which is regarded as the “back garden of the Mt. Everest”. To continue going northwest for about 700km, there is the holy mountain of Buddhism, Mount Kailash; eastward for about 400km, there is the Mt. Everest. On southwest, Gyirong borders the Nepali city Pokhara, which is the most famous tourism spot in Nepal and is reckoned by worldwide visitors as a “Paradise of hiking”.

Nowadays, asphalt road has been constructed and open to traffic between Lhasa and Gyirong Port. Trucks from Chinese inland cities could go to Gyirong via Shigatse through Qinghai–Tibet Railway and Lhasa– Shigatse Railway, then passing through Gyirong Port to reach Katmandu. With the continuous improvement of infrastructures, transportation factor will not limit the development of Gyirong Port any more. It is estimated that after the railway between Lhasa and Gyirong is finished, it will further promote the exchange between China and the Southern Asia Continent.

Gyirong has always been a transitional zone of culture and economic exchange between Tibet and Southern Asia countries. Thanks to the establishment of nature reserves and constructions of roads and railways, the small town Gyirong is not just a simple courier station of cultural and economic exchange in history, but will be a pluralistic and radioactive transportation hub and international port, which presents an enormous business opportunity. It can be said that, through exploration and development, Gyirong, never fading charms in the past, will definitely become a shining superstar on the borderline of China.

Gyirong Valley

Gyirong Valley is at the southern foot of the central Himalayas. It stretches from north to south for over 100 kilometers, beginning at the Gyirong County and going all the way down to Gyirong Port, the China-Nepal border. With ridgelines on its both sides as its boundaries, the valley is 300 to 2000 meters in width and covers an area of about 2500 square kilometers. Because connections between Gyirong and Lhasa are hindered by Mount Marrah (altitude: 5770m) at the north of the valley, Gyirong Valley has become a relatively closed area where few people live and visit in history.

The altitude of Gyirong Valley is 1700 meters in the south before it is raised to about 7000 meters in the north. The difference in altitude in the valley plus the warm wet airflows coming from the Indian Ocean hitting the south slope of the Himalayas form a unique vertical ecosystem combination: in the south there’re ditches and rivers, in the central area there’re forests and in the north there’re snow mountains and glaciers. In just about 100 kilometers there’re all together six major ecosystems, forming a unique vertical landscape system.

The Himalayas sprawls from east to west, blocking the south-coming warm wet airflow from the Indian Ocean and making the climates of the north and south slopes very different. The north of Gyirong is a cold semi-arid plateau-valley monsoon climatic region with an annual average temperature of 2℃, the warmest month temperature of 10-18℃, the coldest month temperature of -10℃ and an annual precipitation of around 300-600 millimeters. It has a semi-arid continental climate. On the other hand, the south of Gyirong has a subtropical mountain region monsoon climate with an annual temperature of 10-13℃, the warmest month temperature of over 18℃, an annual precipitation of around 1000 millimeters and an annual number of frost-free days at above 200. Its winters are short and rainy and it doesn’t have four distinct seasons—it’s like spring all year round with flowers blossoming and it’s always warm and wet.

Gyirong Valley is an important part of the Himalayas National Natural Reserve and is the biggest area with the most beautiful ecological environment and the biggest variety of ecological species in the reserve. Key protective plants and animals in the Himalayas Natural Reserve are widely distributed in the area and some species only inhabit in this area, which makes the area one of the most important regions in the reserve. Therefore, Gyirong Valley is also called as “the back garden of the Himalayas”. Forests of picea smithiana, taxus wallichiana and pinus palustris grow in the area and there’re also many valuable and rare animals here, such as assamese macaque, himalayan tahr, semnpithecus entellus, moschus leucogaster, lophura leucomelana, himalayan goral, selenarctos thibetanus and blood pheasant.

Geologists have found palaeotherium orictocoenosis mainly features as Gyirong three-toed horse fossils in the western Gyirong County. The orictocoenosis includes over ten mammals like Gyirong three-toed horse, Tibetan chilotherium and Gyirong Ochotona. This relic implies that in pliocene epoch (30 million years before) the altitude of West Himalayas was between 500 to 1000 meters and Mount Everest was around 3000 meters in altitude. Climate was warm and wet and the places had natural landscapes like forests and grasslands. Since then, the Gyirong basin has risen by about 2500 to 3000 meters.

Places to see in Gyirong

Nitsun in Gyirong

“Nitsun” means “seat” in Tibetan, “the holy place blessed by divinities”, which cannot be called haphazardly as a village’s name. The terrain of the village is more featured as a royal throne. It is said that when Atiśa was invited to Tibet, he came from India to Nepal firstly, then went to Gyirong through Rasog, and lived in Nitsun for one year, Atiśa was enlightened and assigned as the host of this area. The story goes like this, when Atiśa looking from the above, he had his eyes on Nitsun, which is exactly a paradise, instead of being a human society. Though this is just a legend, it also illuminates how fascinating the landscape here is.

Located in the towering peak in the north of Gyirong Town, the village is a perfect choice to appreciate snow mountain, morning clouds, sunset and local folk customs. The Z-shaped hilly road, from the fascine dam at the foot of Simla Hills, travels 11 turns consecutively, then leads straightly to the cloud-covered hilltop. Villagers had to pass along the path up and down every day, winding through valley and forest, before the road was built in 2008. Those footpaths were the best way to hike in the village. It took always two to three hours uphill, while going downhill is more easily, taking just an hour. The hilly road stretches to the mountaintop, where there is a flat land for more than 10 km2. Two primitive villages, scatter at the western and eastern sides of the land, boast blue-green or white-red steel sheet roof, very eye-catching and orderly in this area, which is harmonious with distant snow mountain and forests. The two village, named as East Nitsun and West Nitsun, or Shang Nitsun and Xia Nitsun, is home to 68 families, almost some 400 villagers.

There are green farmlands planting barley and wheat in the neighboring, and rough roads sinuate across the fields. Outside the lands are grassplots, dotted with blossoming wild flowers and fluttering bees and butterflies. The southwestern greensward of the flatland is the fairyland for children playing. It is a green pastoral world, a heaven of peace. Pastures interlaced between these villages and fields, interspersed idle flocks and herds. When enjoying the rural idyllic scenery, the pure and hospitable villagers are willing to generously treat you with buttered tea, pancakes, home-made yogurt and barley wine in their homes.

Nitsun is the best spot to enjoy natural landscapes including icy peaks, sunrise and sunset because of its elevated land and wide vision. From this position and view, the snow mountains and glaciers seem more splendid and charming. The snow-capped Mt. Qumugula stands before your very eyes clearly across the western valley, snowy ridges stretch for miles and stone peaks stand in stalwart figure. Under a blue sky, Goddess Peak puts her hands together and sits up facing to the south, vividly and perfectly. In front of the snow hills, the thick-ink-saturated brush of Tiebi Peak points to the sky and sprinkling freely. The Snow Mount Rawobanba, lying in the northwest, with uneven peaks and sharp blades, looks like a huge white-jade screen looming over immense forests and peaks. In the northern stripes of land between mountains, the Purog Kangri glacier spans two peaks like a great wall.

It is noted that in the southeast of Nitsun, there is a stretching snowy peak across Mount Laduo which straightly pointing into the sky. It is Annapurna peaks and Lattice Rooney Peak, which can be appreciated in Pokhara, an outstanding tourism city of Nepal. Annapurna peaks, or Kutang Peak, has an altitude of 8,091 meters, ranked as the tenth highest peak on the earth. It is regarded as the hardest snow mount to climb in the world. To conquer it, the mountaineering community have paid a heavy price. While on the south of the Annapurna snow-capped mountains, there is Geluni Peak, which is 6,977 meters above sea level. Its peak is divided into two parts, just like a fishtail, so it is also called Fish Tail Peak. As one of the national signs in Nepal, it remains a bouncing silver fish end in the skyline.

The various and rapidly changing clouds make these majestic and lofty glaciers more fascinating. Sometimes, slight clouds haunt over the shiny snow mountains, neither friendly nor aloof. The outstanding and stalwart snow hills are manifested by the gentle clouds, while the forceful mountain also sets the elegant and tender clouds off to an advantage. The sunshine not only spreads warmth and bright to the lofty plateau but also bring heavenly and beautiful scenery to Gyirong. In the morning, the genial sunshine warms up the floating clouds and edges a golden halo for the eastern glaciers. The sun is unwilling to go down in the evening at eight or nine. Twilights shine upon clouds, wreathing the mountains, and sunset tints the snow mountains in spectacular glamor.

Jifu Canyon in Gyirong

Jifu Canyon is located at two kilometers southwest of Gyirong Town. The canyon is formed under the effect of strata fracture and river erosion. It begins at the high land of Bangxing Village in Gyirong Town and ends at the mouth of Jifu Canyon at the low land. Fifteen kilometers in length, the canyon is over 300 meters deep at its deepest and 20 to 50 meters in width at average. Facing the Jifu Village from which the canyon gets its name, it has a most outstanding feature that it is situated on the edge of an open flat land, which means from a sightseeing pavilion built there tourists can overlook the whole canyon.

Rumble from the water deep down can be heard constantly at Jifu Canyon. A hanging bridge connects the east and west sides of the canyon with countless colorful prayer flags and hadas (pieces of silk used for greeting) suspended onto it, dancing in the wind. Designed by a Swiss engineer and built in 2006 under the guidance of the engineer and the help of international aid agencies, this Jifu hanging bridge is the main passageway between Jifu Village and the outside world. The bridge is 1.5 meters wide, 60 meters long and 250 meters above water. It is one of the best spots to view the Jifu canyon. Tourists can overlook the canyon on the bridge, seeing the roaring Gyirong Zangbu River as a blurry curve and feeling the wet cold wind that blows continuously and makes the experience more adventurous and exciting.

A winding paved road on the west of the hanging bridge leads to Jifu Village, a village that leans on the snow mountain and faces the canyon. Only dozens of residents live in the village. Strong yellow fruit trees hide their Tibetan-style stony houses in the greenness of trim vegetable plots and croplands developed in accordance with local geography. In Tibetan language, Jifu means departure. Legend has it that Monarch Songzain Gambo married Princess Bhrikuti from Nepal to promote peace in the two regions, and the Nepalese team to see the Princess off departed the Princess in this village with blessings and love. Therefore the village was named Jifu and this section of mountain road has become a famous one in Turfan-Nepali ancient path.

Pakba Monastery

Pakba Monastery, one of the monasteries built to guard border towns, was built by King Songtsan Gampo for Princess Bhrkuti from Nepal. Its architectural style is mainly in accordance with the format of Nepali temples. The monastery is located around 30 meters near to the eastern side of Gyirong Town government, with the altitude of 2,850 meters.

Pakba Monastery has a distinctive architectural style, whose overall shape is a storied stone pagoda with stairs spiraling up to the top in the middle of the tower. There are 4 floors altogether from the bottom up. Cornices have been built on each floor, which get smaller with the increase of height. Each floor has pot doors, little windows, overhanging eaves, rafters, flying angles and corrugated tiles, etc. From the ground to the top, the cornices on the first and second floors are set with brass-made angle modillions in the shape of flames, while on the third and fourth floors are leaned-out upturned eaves. On the top of the tower is a brass-made tower spire, which is connected by circular light, an upward moon, lotus canopy and pearl. The roof is covered with red copper. The porch has the same area as that of 4 columns, with a pair of round wood sculptured lions on both sides of the lintel, interlinking two chambers on each side. The Buddhist hall is square-shaped in plane, 3-room both in depth and in width, with 14 columns (10 square columns, 4 round columns). There are 5 Dharmapalas lions above the lintel of the hall, among which the image of the founder of Dgelugspa is painted; The image of the Calligraphy Master is painted on the first column in the southeast of the hall; A record of the monastery in Tibetan is also written on this column. On the south wall of the hall, windows are built for lighting at its east, middle and south sides. On the north wall, there was originally a sandalwood statue of the Buddha Sakyamuni in his 8-year-old height enshrined there for worship, and there were eight Buddha statues on the east and west walls. On the west side of the east wall, there was the clay sculpture of 13th Dalai Lama Terengganu, all of which are around 10 meters high; In the corner of the west wall enshrined the clay sculpture of Padmasambhava, about 8-10 meters high. Before the main worship, two golden and two silver butter lamps shall be provided, which are of 30-40 cm high, with brass-made butter barrels, etc.

The columns in the hall are wrapped in brocade, hanging with the divine flags of victory made of five-colored satin. In each closet of Buddhist Texts on east and west wall, there deposited a copy of Kanjur and Tengyur. However, the above mentioned dharma-vessels were destroyed during the “Cultural Revolution” which no longer exist now. Best of all, most of the frescoes have been well preserved, which are the monastery’s treasures with high historical and artistic values.

“Ri-Song-Gong-Bo” statues in Gyirong

“Ri-Song-Gong-Bo” statues (meaning the stature of three protectors) are carved on a huge rock behind Bangxing village. The rock is around 2.2 meters tall and 3.2 meters high. The stature is 1.5 meters high. It depicts a total of three deities: in the middle, there is Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (the Bodhisattva of compassion) ；on the left, Vajrapani Bodhisattva (the Bodhisattva of power); on the right, Manjushri Bodhisattva (Bodhisattva of wisdom). They are known as Three Protectors and together were called “Ri-Song-Gong-Bo”.

All three wear high jewelry crowns, have long ears that touch the shoulders, and wear earrings of interlined large circles. Most parts of the statures are naked, except for the “T” shaped wide band on their waists. They stand shoeless on the lotus seat. Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva wears a high crown in the shape of a Chinese character “山”. In the middle, there is a pagoda. Her right hand points to the ground whereas the left hand touches the decorative band on her left leg. Her hip leans slightly towards the right, creating an “S” shape in her body. There are bracelets on her left arm. Behind her head, there is a halo. On her left side, there is a blooming lotus whose stem is decorated with lotus seedpod and leaves. Below the stature there are two servants on both sides, all wearing lotus crown, large earrings, necklace and they are naked except for a “T” shape band on their waists. They have large breasts and slender waists. They each kneel on their side upon a lotus seat.

Vajrapani Bodhisattva has fire-shaped decorations on both arms. In the middle of the decoration, there is a stature. His right hand points to the ground, resting on a lotus seedpod with palms facing outside. She holds a lotus bud that is about to bloom. From the right hip to legs, there is a loose band on beside her thighs. He stands with two slightly parting feet.

Manjushri Bodhisattva wears one band from the left shoulder to the waist. From the right hip to the thigh, there is also a wide band beside the left thigh. His hands naturally rest beside him, with right palm facing outside, touching a pair of lotus seedpod. He stands with slightly parting feet. Above the stature, there are dense curving grasses and auspicious clouds.

“Ri-Song-Gong-Bo” stature is made by craftsman from Nepal in the mid 7th century. The carvings are exquisite and involve sophisticated techniques. The proportion of the statue’s body is well balanced. Even the wrinkles on the clothes are of the same depth. The lines are soft and smooth. The style is clearly influenced by South Asian culture. The “T” shaped band on the statues’ waists could be traced back to 2r century BC in the carvings of male and female Yakshas in India. The well-preserved “山” shaped high crown are valuable heritages from the ancient time.

Monument of the Mission to India in Tang Dynasty

“Monument of the Mission to India in Tang Dynasty” rock inscription was called as “Awaxiaying” by Gyirong local people, which means “father Chinese characters”. The rock inscription was engraved on a precipice, about 4.5km northward away from Zongga Town, Gyirong County, with the altitude of 4,130m. The precipice measures around 1.5m in width, 4m in length, and 8m above the earth. A cliff shelf juts out from above the precipice and Langre water channel sinuates around the foot of the cliff. The rock inscription, 1m in length and 0.9m in height, is carved in intaglio with Kai style calligraphy. All characters were carved in intaglio strokes and divided by square frames. Now only 24 lines exist for around 300 characters. The title was engraved in Lizhuan calligraphy, with each character covering about 100cm2. The seven Chinese character of “Monument of the Mission to India in Tang Dynasty” were written from right to left and the text was aligned vertically.

Research shows that this rock inscription could be traced back to AD 658 (period of Emperor Gaozong of Tang) and was left by a famous explorer and diplomat, Wang Xuance, and his team when they passing through Gyirong on their diplomatic journey to old India. It is the most archaic one among all alike rock inscriptions in Tibet, even 165 years earlier than the famous Tang and Tibetan League Monument (established in AD 823), which now exists in front of the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. Gyirong’s rock inscription tells all the hardships and dangers Tang government’s envoys have experienced on their way to Tianzhu (India), and they recorded their merits on this precipice at the early age of Tang Dynasty.

The inscription roughly means: The Great Tang Dynasty was powerful and prosperous. In the succession of Emperor Taizong’s tremendous contribution of uniting the nation, in June AD 658, Emperor Gaozong strived to spread its civilization to across the world. As a result, he sent an envoy, Left Imperial Guardian Wang Xuance, together with some talented young men who were carefully selected from respectable Chinese families to conduct a diplomatic mission to Tianzhu. They spent one year, climbing snow mountains and trudging cliff roads, finally passing through western Zhangzhung to go abroad to Tianzhu. In memorial of the arduous journey and the spectacular view of the border area, they left a few lines on the rock.

After the discovery of the rock inscription, The People’s Daily published an article in September 1992 titled “Tibet discovery: Monument of the Great Tang Mission to India”, which received a sensational response from both China and Overseas academia. Some experts said, “it is a very important substantial material that can be matched with the historical documents, a treasure of Chinese inscription art.” On 25 June 2015, the rock inscription of “Monument of the Mission to India in Tang Dynasty” was listed as Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level by State Council of China.

Wang Xuance was recorded as an outstanding diplomat in Tang Dynasty. During his lifetime, he served as an envoy abroad to India for several times (some documents recorded as 3 times, some 4) under the Tang Emperor’s demand. He is a significant figure who pushed the development of transportation and cultural exchange between Tang Empire and different states of Tianzhu to a higher level and even being equally as famous as the Great Master Xuanzang. Wang Xuance was born in Luoyang, Henan Province. From Zhenguan to Longsuo period of Tang Dynasty, he was assigned diplomatic missions to the Western Regions for several times. Considering the transportation condition at that time, it must be a challenging journey.

In AD 657, Wang Xuance went to India on a diplomatic mission for the third time. Fayuan Zhulin volume 16 recorded as: “In the second year of Xianqing period of Tang Dynasty, Wang Xuance and some other people was sent to deliver Buddha kasaya to the Western region countries under the Tang Emperor’s demand.” At this time, their major goal was to conduct a series of Buddhist activities. He visited the sacred Mahabodhi Temple again and met with the abbot Jielong. Fayuan Zhulin volume 39 recorded as: “On 27 September, the fifth year of Xianqing period of Tang Dynasty (AD 660), Wang Xuance came. The abbot Jielong of Mahabodhi Temple gave a banquet to Wang and other envoys from Tang. Till 1 October, the abbot and monks set a farewell banquet for all envoys.” Until the next year’s spring, they returned Chang’an.

On his way the third time to India via Tibet, Wang Xuance passed though now Gyirong County and left a valuable rock inscription “Monument of the Mission to India in Tang Dynasty” for future generations, which is a precious substantial material for the research of the history of transportation between China and India in Tang Dynasty. Even until now, scholars still not yet reach consensus about whether it is three or four times that Wang Xuance has been to India and the exact engraving time of the rock inscription. But it is unquestionable that Wang Xuance went to India on diplomatic missions for several times; he passed through Gyirong and left the world-famous rock inscription on Marra Mountains, 5km northward away from Zongga Town. These are all undeniable facts.

The Ruins of Gongtang Kingdom

The 11th century AD witnessed a division of Tibetan Kingdom. The descendants of Songtsen Gampo fled to Gyirong and then founded Gongtang Kingdom, whose Ruins are now in the southwest of Gyirong County. Back to that time, militaries of Tibetan Kingdom all separate to establish their own power and conflicts happened from time to time. People all lived in an abyss of misery due to fierce tribal hostilities. Gongtang Kingdom, foot on a border area, had to fight with forces of Tibet, at the same time; it must fend off the invasion of Nepal and India. The palace of Gongtang Dynasty, at the cost of three centuries building, is not so much a palace than the system of military defense. The Kingdom finally extended to a 23rd generation and ruled Gyirong for more than 600 years.

Among all the existing walls and turrets, the Chimaiqudan Tower, at the eastern corner of Gyirong County, is a relatively complete ruins. Chimaiqudan means “eliminate calamity and exempt disaster”.

The city walls were built by man hands. The peripheries of the foot of walls are based on the local natural stones, and the middle is filled with soil to form a base for about 1m high. Then the walls were built in layers with local loess mixed up with gravel. The thickness of each layer was up to 40-60cm, and that of the walls was over 2m, with some parts placed with planks. This building technique was popular from the countries of Central Asia to Central Plains of Tang Dynasty. Once the sticky soil, exposed to the strong sunlight on the plateau, drying and forming, it could be as hard as the cement of our age. Even one hit the walls with hard metal tools; there will just leave a few white dots. The walls all had loopholes to shoot and scout. The loopholes are shaped as wider in the inner part and become narrower to the outside, and of various types: trapezoid or square. Moreover, the embrasures between the floors were meticulously constructed and interlaced distributed, so that soldiers were able to form a tense firepower and defensive shields without a weakness place. The turrets spread as the shape of “日”. The doorway is wide enough for only one person to pass at a time. Standing high at the city gate, one could have a further view for 5km in every direction to control the whole city. If there was alert, the guards could give an alarm to the inner city, as well as organize an effective defense network, depends on enemies’ condition.

Gongtang Kingdom Palace Ruins now has four existing parts. The four corners have turrets; the middle segments are built with forts. Besides, there is an old temple named Dolma Lhakhang in the city. The incomplete barbican and the time-honored watchtower now are witnesses of history.

Pelkutso Lake in Tibet

From Tingri County, whether one is going southwest to Gyirong County or northwest to Mt.Kailash in Ali region, a piece of a tranquil blue lake will always be in sight for a long while, sometimes on the left or right, sometimes in the front. The lake is Pelkutso Lake (Lake Paiku). Located at the intersection of Gyirong County and Nyalam County, Pelkutso Lake is the largest lake in Chomolungma Nature Reserve. It is more than 300 km, sits at 4,590 m (15,070 ft.) above the sea level, and its watershed area is 2820 km2.

The north part of Pelkutso Lake is filled with saltwater while the south part is mainly freshwater, which is drinkable. The reason is that in the south, many streams fed by glaciers cascade into the lake. Pelkutso Lake is located in the ancient plateau in the South-Tibetan valley, which remains intact from other water systems. The fresh and clear water gives the lake a crystal blue color. On the shore, expanding meadows stretch all the way to the towering snow mountains afar. The lake is home to large groups of water birds, wild horses, kiangs, Tibetan antelopes, cranes and yellow and grey widgeons, all of which make the lake quite a scenic spot. In good weathers, the clear water could even show the reflection of Mt.Shishapangma, the only snow mountain more than 8000m high that is completely within Chinese territory.

Lying in the cradle formed by surrounding mountains, the pure blue Pelkutso Lake is sometimes as intoxicating as a dream. The tranquility of the lake is barely disturbed by ripples. With the azure sky mirrored by the water, the passing clouds sometimes look like flocks of sheep. The reflection of the sky beautifully overlaps with the reflection of the river, so much so that sometimes one cannot tell them apart. Although the lake is not as famous as Namtso or Lake Manasarovar, the magnificent Mt.Shishapangma nearby makes the gourd-shaped, auspicious lake the favorite spot for many.

Standing on the road beside Pelkutso Lake, one could see the towering Mt. Shishapangma shines the silver lights under the sun. Compared with many other highland lakes in Tibet, Pelkutso Lake looks indeed like a sapphire falling from heaven. Sitting on the open plateau, her tranquil blue and unworldly beauty are highlighted by the surroundings. Besides the magnificent Mt.Shishapangma, it looks rather like a drop of tear in the breast of the Himalayas, a tear of a lover. The lake is free of hustling, ostentatious prettiness. Besides sparse travelers and cars, the lake is accompanied by rare animals like kiangs, and black-neck cranes.

Overview

The Lhasa to Everest Base Camp Tour is one of the best tour which begins and ends in Lhasa. This tour will take us from the capital city to the popular monasteries, pristine lakes, glaciers, rivers, farming valleys and breathtaking scenic  mountain views. Ultimately, passing through the fascinating Himalayas, we will drive to Everest Base Camp, the floor of the highest mountain in the world, and the main highlight of our trip. The spectacular view of the glorious Mt. Everest is such a sight to see and feels as if it was one of the greatest achievements of our life.

This Lhasa to EBC tour covers the beautiful Tibetan cities and historical towns of Lhasa, Gyantse, Shigatse and Rongbuk. While there, we will visit the most popular landmarks like the Potala and Norbulingka palaces, the Tibet Traditional Hospital, Barkhor bazaar and Gyantse Dzong. We will also cross several passes and visit the beautiful turquoise-colored Yamdrok Tso Lake. Impressive Tibetan monasteries like Sera, Drepung, Jokhang temple, Khumbum stupa, Tashi Lhumpo, Sakya and Rongbuk are ours to admire. The Lhasa to Everest Base Camp tour, a distance covering around 800 km, offers you a complete tour and merges Tibet’s most famous and sacred sites into an ideal package.

At a Glance

Day 1: Arrival in Lhasa (3650m)

When you arrive in Lhasa either by train or flight, your guide will greet you and take you to your hotel. Tourists may view the Yarlung Tsangpo River/ Bhamaputra river (the Longest and largest river in Tibet) and Lhasa river on their way to Lhasa. After arriving in Lhasa, you can take a rest and get acclimatized to high altitude. If you feel to go out, then you can go to the Potala Square, where you will enjoy the fountain with different colors and get amazing photos of the Potala and around.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 2: Lhasa Tour – Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street (B)

Today’s tour will first bring you to the Potala Palace which is the winter palace of the Dalai lama. It was put to use since the 7th Century by the 33rd great king of Tibet. The most valuable collections of Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.

Then after lunch, tourists head to Jokhang temple which was founded by the 33rd great king of Tibet in the 7th century. Inside you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve. Outside, you can see pilgrims making prostrating in front of Jokhang Temple. Around the temple is Barkhor street, where you can do kora (a religious circle of a building or mountain) with pilgrims and locals, and explore the old market.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Included Meals: Breakfast

Day 3: Lhasa Tour – Drepung monastery, Sera Monastery

In the morning ,you are going to visit Drepung monastery which is one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet, founded in 1416 by Jamyang choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. You can visit biggest monastery kitchen inside the monastery and enjoy Buddhist Sculpture Carving workshop near Drepung.

In the Afternoon, Tourists will visit Sera Monastery which is another one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet. The hot attraction is the Monks debate at around 3 – 5 in the afternoon. In addition, you can tour  the Tibetan religious scripture printing house; inside the monastery, you can see three sand Mandalas and colorful Rock Painting of Buddha.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Included Meals: Breakfast

Day 4: Lhasa- Shigatse via Gyantse 360 km

In the morning, drive from Lhasa to Shigatse .On the way, drive over the Gampala pass (4790 m), and you will have a glimpse of Yamdrok-tso (4400m) .The Lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and in the distance you can have spectacular views of Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar, (7191m) the highest mountain near Lhasa .

Later, we will pass and enjoy the Korola Glacier on the roadside; At Manak Dam Lake, you can hang pray flag at Simila Mountain Pass; Then, we will arrive in Gyantse, historically Tibet’s third largest city (after Lhasa and Shigatse).In Gyantse, we will visit the famous Pelkor Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum and enjoy the Far view of Gyangtse Fortress. After one and a half driving, we arrive in Shigatse, which is the second largest city in Tibet. In Shigatse,  we may visit traditional Barley Mill and view the landscape of Barley Field (in summer). Stay overnight in Shigatse

Included Meals: Breakfast

Day 5: Shigatse (3900m) to Everest Base Camp(5200)

In the morning, we will visit the home of Panchan Lama – Tashilunpo Monastery. Then, we’ll leave Shigatse after getting your Alien’s travel permit, and then drive to Lhatse, it is a small town where you can have lunch.

After that, we will pass Tsola Pass(4600M), and Gyatsola Pass(5248M). Shortly after we enter Mt. Everest National Nature Reserve, tourists can enjoy the panorama of Himalaya at Gawula Pass(5198m).Then we drive along the New zigzag road to Everest Base Camp(5200m). You can get closer to gazt at the Mt. Everest peak. The sunset of golden Everest peak if time and weather permits at the lodging area. Stay overnight at Rongbuk monastery guest house.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Day 6: EBC (5200m) and return to Shigatse (3900m)

In the morning, you can see the sunrise of Everest Peak if weather permits at the lodging area. Then we will visit the Rongbu Monastery – the unique highest monastery with nuns and monks living together and later trek from lodging place to EBC (4kms, or take Eco bus). You can visit the Everest Base Camp and take the close-up shot of Mt. Everest. Finally, we will drive back to Shigatse. Stay overnight in Shigatse.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Day 7: Shigatse (3900m) to Lhasa (3650m)350km

Today, we will drive back to Lhasa by following Yalong Valley. You can stand on the viewing platform and view the vast Yalong River bed. Finally the guide will transfer you back to your hotels in Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Included Meals: Breakfast

Day 8: Depart from Lhasa

The guide will transfer you to the airport or train station and help you get on board.

Trip Overview

This mind-blowing 4 days private Lhasa City tour is the perfect way for a taste of Lhasa’s best in a short amount of time. During this tour, there are many “Wow” moments that set your heart racing and make your eyes widen, like the first time you go down into the bowels of the Potala, or walk amongst a sea of pilgrims around Barkhor Street, peer into the hidden life of chanting Tibetan Monks at Jokhang Temple, or take in a prayer meeting or some monk-debating at Sera and Drepung Monastery. It’s a journey where you scratch beneath the surface to get the real story, get to know the locals and experience more for less.

At a Glance

Detailed Itinerary

 Day 1: Arrive in Lhasa; get the first impression of Tibetan daily life

Welcome to the roof of the world! Your Tibet journey starts with a warm Tibetan style greeting from your local tour guide who will present you with Hada (traditional Tibetan scarves). Then be escorted to your hotel in Lhasa city at the comfort of your own private vehicle. For most of the way, you follow the Kyichu River, you could see Tibetan homes with their trapezoid shaped windows and fluttering prayer flags, and Tibetans walking beside the roads wearing their distinctive national costumes. Do have a comfort stop near Nietang Buddha where a giant statue of Buddha has been carved out of a stone cliff-face centuries ago. One of the first buildings you could see as you enter the city is the Potala Palace, sitting majestically on a hill dominating Lhasa. Stay at the hotel after arrival for adapting to the high attitude. It is helpful to take things easy for the first few days, and try to drink some water just and now. Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 2: Lhasa Highlights Tour – Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street

After breakfast, we go to the Potala Palace, is the center of the holy city Lhasa, which was put to use since the 7th Century by the 33rd great king of Tibet. You will spend one hour wondering around the inside of this magnificent building exploring the rooms previously used by the Dalai Lama and the many Buddhist icons within.

In the afternoon we go inside of the Jokhang Temple. The Jokhang, like most of the larger temple structures have numerous individual temples within it dedicated to specific enlightened beings, protectors, high lamas, or saints. Images, both sculpted and painted, are everywhere. Every inch of wall and ceiling is brightly painted with images of clouds, beings, mandalas, or decorative patterns. Colorful silk banners, three stories high, hang in various places. Color, pattern, and images crowd in around you. The central image inside the building is a 30-foot high gilded image of Maitreya Buddha.

Then stroll around the back alleys of the Barkhor area of Old Lhasa. The streets smelled of yak butter and incense while hordes of pilgrims shuffled along the main Kora (circumambulations) around Jokhang Temple. If someone just walked at a normal pace, one kora would take about 15-20 minutes. Stay overnight in Lhasa.

 Day 3: Visit Drepung and Sera Monastery

In the morning have a tour for Drepung Monastery, the ever largest monastery with more than 10 thousand monks, Buddhist debates often occur there. Seen from afar, its grand, white construction gives the monastery the appearance of a heap of rice. As such, it was given its name which, in the Tibetan language, means Monastery of Collecting-Rice. Learn about the lives of Tibetan monks there. The afternoon is spent touring Sera Monastery, have a little hike for the beautiful valley scenery nearby and picnic there, in the afternoon, visit Sera monastery, which was created in 1419 and has always been an important Buddhist seminary. As rose are planted everywhere in the monastery, it is also called “the court of wild rose”. Today still 200 lamas live in there. Catch the famous debate session of the monks before returning back to Lhasa. Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 4: Finish This Unforgettable Tour and Depart from Lhasa

Our guide will transfer you to the airport or train station and help you get on board.

Shalu to Nartang trek follows the ancient trade route between two great Buddhist monasteries, the Shalyu and the Nartang, while you trek through the route, you can feel the caravans laden with scriptures and treasures that once passed this way. The route passes through several villages as well as uninhabited dry canyons. It is also the shortest Tibet trekking route, just about 15 hours walking, you can divided into 2 or 3 days according to your personal physical condition. The optional walking season is from the beginning of April to the end of October.

At a Glance

Day	Program
01	Arrival-Lhasa(3650m)
02	Lhasa Tour – Potala Palace, Johkang Temple, and Barkhor Street
03	Lhasa Tour – Drepung and Sera Monastery
04	Lhasa／Gyantse／Shalu Monasgery, Camping
05	Shalu (3980m)/ Upper Lungsang(4060m), Trekking 5 -6 hours, 12km, Camp
06	Upper Lungsang/Ngor Monastery/Nartang Monastery/Shigatse, (trekking 5 -6 hours, 14km)
07	Shigatse/Lhasa, visit Tashilunpo monastery
08	Depart Lhasa -Transfer to airport for final departure

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival-Lhasa (3650m)

Transfer to Lhasa downtown after arriving in the Lhasa Gongar airport or the Lhasa train station. Have a rest in Lhasa to acclimatize the high altitude.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Day 2: Lhasa Tour – Potala Palace, Johkang Temple, and Barkhor Street

 Today’s tour will first bring you to the Potala Palace which is the winter palace of the Dalai lama. It was put to use since the 7th Century by the 33rd great king of Tibet. The most valuable collections of Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.

Then after lunch, tourists head to Jokhang temple which was founded by the 33rd great king of Tibet in the 7th century. Inside you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve. Outside, you can see pilgrims making prostrating in front of Jokhang Temple. Around the temple is Barkhor street, where you can do kora (a religious circle of a building or mountain) with pilgrims and locals, and explore the old market.

Besides, We can taste Tibetan tea with locals in tea house; The welcome dinner will also be arranged accordingly

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Included Meals (Breakfast and dinner)

Day 3: Lhasa Tour – Drepung and Sera Monastery

In the morning ,you are going to visit Drepung monastery which is one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet, founded in 1416 by Jamyang choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. You can visit biggest monastery kitchen inside the monastery and enjoy Buddhist Sculpture Carving workshop near Drepung.

In the Afternoon, Tourists will visit Sera Monastery which is another one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet. The hot attraction is the Monks debate at around 3 – 5 in the afternoon. In addition, you can tour  the Tibetan religious scripture printing house; inside the monastery, you can see three sand Mandalas and colorful Rock Painting of Buddha.

 Stay overnight in Lhasa

Included Meals (Breakfast)

Day 4: Lhasa／Gyantse／Shalu Monasgery, Camping

In the morning, drive from Lhasa to Shigatse .On the way, drive over the Gampala pass (4790 m), and you will have a glimpse of Yamdrok-tso (4400m) .The Lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and in the distance you can have spectacular views of Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar, (7191m) the highest mountain near Lhasa .

Later, we will pass and enjoy the Korola Glacier on the roadside; At Manak Dam Lake, you can hang pray flag at Simila Mountain Pass; Then, we will arrive in Gyantse, historically Tibet’s third largest city (after Lhasa and Shigatse).In Gyantse, we will visit the famous Pelkor Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum and enjoy the Far view of Gyangtse Fortress.

After one driving, we arrive in Shalu Monastery, Visit Shalu Monastery, the seat of Buton. Rinchendrub(1290-1346), who was the great master of the Tibetan translations of the Indian Buddhist. Near Shalu, is the beginning of our trekking tour. moving to the best camp site few kilomiters away from Shalu, we will have our first camping in here.

Included Meals (Breakfast and dinner)

Day 5: Shalu (3980m)/ upper Lungsang(4060m), Trekking 5 -6 hours, 12km, Camp

We start trekking after breakfast at the camp to Upper Lungsang which is 4060m above sea level. on the way, you will pass Ripu hermitage, flood plain, Phunup village, Showa-la pass. In this way, you will have experience the Tibetan farmer’s countryside life and see how local Tibetan in countryside practice their Buddhist life.

Stay overnight at upper Lungsang Camp

Included Meals (Breakfast. lunch and dinner)

Day 6: Upper Lungsang/Ngor Monastery/Nartang Monastery/Shigatse, (trekking 5 -6 hours, 14km)

Trek through the farming fields to the Ngor village. The Ngor monastery is renowned for its Sanskrit library and Newar-style (a tribe in Nepal) murals. There were once five assembly halls, 18 colleges and 400 monks. Cross the Char-la pass(4550m), there was once a trade link between Shalu and Sakya Monastery, but now has disappeared. Need to trek cross a steep slope of raw expanses of rock. Trek from Ngor to Nartang by passing several villages, saddles, and one electric utility. near the ending, we will drive to Shigatse City, which is the second biggest city of Tibet, also the seat of Pamcham Lama.

Stay overnight in Shigatse.

Included Meals (Breakfast and Lunch)

Day 7: Shigatse/Lhasa, visit Tashilunpo monastery

Drive back to Lhasa from Shigatse in 4 hours. On the way, visit the largest Monastery in west Tibet, the Tashilunpo monastery, as the last but famous historic sites for your Tibet tour. Tashilunpo monastery is one of the six great Gelukpa institutions and was founded in 1447 by a disciple of Tsongkapa, Genden drup who was the first dalai lama. Jamkhang Chenmo contains the world’s largest gilded copper image (26m high) of future god Jampa.

Drive along the Friendship Highway back to Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Included Meals (Breakfast)

Day 8: Depart Lhasa

Transfer to the Lhasa airport/Train station to end the service.

Included Meals (Breakfast)

Yamdrok Lake Tour-05 Days