Dode Valley One Day Trekking Tour

This is the first day in Tibet. Your guide will greet you at Lhasa Gonggar Airport/Railway Station and transfer you to your hotel. It usually takes around 1 hour to drive from Lhasa Airport to downtown Lhasa and takes about 20 minutes from Lhasa Railway Station. Tourists could have a look at the Yarlung Tsangpo River, the largest and longest river in Tibet on their way to the hotel. After check-in, you can have a good rest first. And if you feel like going out, you can wander around the city. But just remember that don't take too much stuff, try to go with a light pack. Meanwhile, drink some more water, and do not move strenuously. It’s really useful to get acclimatized to the high altitude.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

After breakfast, our tour guide will first take you to visit Drepung Monastery which is the world's largest monastery that used to house over 10,000 monks. After lunch, you will continue to visit the Sera Monastery, which is reputed as the most beautiful Tibetan monastery in Lhasa. The most attractive activity at Sera Monastery is to watch the Buddhist Scriptures debating held in the courtyard between 15:00 - 17:00.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

On your third day, you will be feeling much more acclimatized to Lhasa’s high elevation. It is an excellent idea to spend the day exploring the Potala Palace, which is the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. The superb collections of Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and the meditation cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet. It is best to explore the inside of the Potala in the morning for 2-3 hours. Afterward, you can walk the pilgrimage route around the Potala Palace.

In the afternoon, you will head to the Jokhang Temple, which is well known as the center of Tibetan Buddhism, and features Buddhist prayer wheels, reclining deer, and golden sutra streamers. Also, you can see a great many pilgrims praying in front of the temple and doing kora with local pilgrims.

After visiting the Jokhang Temple, you can stroll in the old alleys of Barkhor Street, where you may drink sweet tea, chat with locals to experience real life in Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Dode Valley, just 7 kilometers from the city, is a good choice for hiking in the suburbs of Lhasa. You can walk up the stream, listen to the sound of running water, watch the green trees and grasses sprout on both sides of the stream, and enjoy the fresh air here. Those with physical strength can continue to climb up the mountain. There is a lake called Yicuo Lake at the top of the mountain, and the scenery is very beautiful. However, it should be noted that the altitude of Yicuo Lake is relatively high, about 5,100 meters. You need to climb for 3 hours to get there. Please act according to your capacities.

If you don't want to climb too high, you can have the Linka(outdoor Picnic in Tibetan) by the stream when you are tired. There are many tents set up by the villagers. After coming down, you can visit the hospitable Tibetan family to experience their traditional lives.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Your tour ends today. Our guide and driver will collect you from your hotel to transfer to Lhasa Airport/Railway Station for your next destination.