Grand Ngari Northern Route Tour

Your guide and driver will wait for you at Lhasa Gongar Airport holding your name board. After pick up, transfer to Tsetang for the night. The first day's well-rest is crucial to acclimatize to high altitude. Remember to drink lots of water, eat light, and not shower if you can help it.

Stay overnight in Tsetang

Tsetang is the fourth-largest city in Tibet and the capital of the huge Shannan (Lhoka) prefecture. Samye Monastery is designed according to the mandala of Tantra. It was built around the middle of the 8th century AD, during the Songtsan Gampo period, also the most magnificent building in the Tubo Kingdom. Samye Monastery is the first monastery in the history of Tibetan Buddhism with Triratna "Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha" .

Stay overnight in Tsetang

Visit the major sights of Yarlung Valley in Tsetang today, of which is considered the cradle of Tibetan civilization. Trandruk Monastery is situated on the southern slope of the Mt. Gangpo Ri about two kilometers from the Tsetang Town. So far, it has a history of about 1,300 years. Yumbulagang also called "palace of mother and son", is counted as the first building in Tibet, with a history of over 2,000 years. Standing on the top of the tower house, you can enjoy the splendid panoramic view of the valley, and dream of the ancient legends of this palace. Finally, we'll go to the Chongye Valley to have a look at the burial mounds. Whilst the valley is sometimes referred to as the 'Graveyard of Imperial Kings', these burial mounds contain not only the remains of Tibetan kings, but also those of their wives and officials.

Stay overnight in Tsetang

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Drive from Tsetang to Nyingtri via Nang Xian along Yarlung Tsangpo River Valley for about 8 hours or so. You will visit Lamaling Temple, which is located in Bujiu Township, Nyingtri Prefecture, and belongs to the Red Sect. The temple is the most important Tibetan Buddhist temple in Nyingchi County. Lamaling Temple is surrounded by mountains and rivers and has beautiful scenery.

Stay overnight in Nyingtri

You will visit Lulang Forest first. Lulang is not only a forest but also grassland and a pasture. There is dense vegetation, diverse species and prosperous wildflowers. In each season, it shows a different landscape.

For today's ride from Nyingtri to Bomi, you will pass Serkhym-la (4,582m), and you will have a good view of Namche Barwa (7,756m) and Gyala Pelri (7,151m) from a distance.

Stay overnight in Bomi

After breakfast, we will leave Bomi, surrounded by forests and snow-capped mountains, and head along the Parung Zangbo (also Parlung Tsangpo) canyon. Travel through the world's third-largest canyon, with colorful forests, snow-capped mountains, glaciers, etc. Enjoy the visual feast!

On the way you will visit Midui Glacier, which is known as the most beautiful glacier in China. Midui Glacier shines with snow all year round, and the scenery is breathtaking and charming. It is a rare natural wonder.
Next, you will enjoy the spectacular sight of Laigu Glacier, one of the three largest marine glaciers in the world. Laigu Glacier is quiet and majestic, with a faint blue glimmer on the ice surface. Step into the glacier, you will get a glimpse of the dreamy blue ice.

In the afternoon, you arrive in Ranwu Town and visit Ranwu Lake. Ranwu Lake is famous for its tranquility and blue water. The deep blue water is like a tear falling from the sky.

Stay overnight by Ranwu Lake

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Drive back to Nyingtri today. En route, visit the gorgeous tiny rural village of Tashigang. Tashigang Village is located on the alpine pasture of Lulang Town, with pastoral scenery all the way. Here you can see snow-capped mountains, glaciers, forests, villages, and rivers, a natural picture.

Stay overnight in Nyingtri

A hard ride today from Nyingri to Lhasa for about 8 hours or so, en route, visit the beautiful Draksumtso Lake. Draksum-tso Lake is a sacred lake of the Nyingma (Red) sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Continue ahead until you reach the Mila Mountain Tunnel. Mila Mountain is the last high mountain on 318 national Sichuan-Tibet Highway before entering Lhasa, with an altitude of 5,013 meters. In the afternoon, you will arrive in Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Head north from Lhasa along the National Highway No. 109. En route, visit Yampachen and Tsurphu Monastery. Yampachen is rich in geothermal energy and is known for its hot spring baths. People enjoy the blue sky and white clouds when taking a bath in a therapeutic hot spring. Tsurphu Monastery is the main monastery of Karma Kargyu. And the remarkable system of Tibetan Buddhism reincarnation originated from there.

Then tour further along to stay the night at Damxung, where the only 3-star-rated hotel is available near Namtso Lake. 

Stay overnight in Damxung

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Drive from Damxung to Namtso Lake first. Being the second largest salt lake in China, Namtso covers a total area of more than 1,900 square kilometers, the furthest depth being more than 33m. Namtso is also the highest-altitude salt lake in the world with an elevation of 4,718 meters.

Then continue driving to Baingoin for the night. Baingoin, a small county north of Namtso Lake is usually visited by foreigners.

Stay overnight in Baingoin

Drive from Baingoin to Nyima to enjoy the solitude and the rural sights of Tibet. 

Stay overnight Nyima

Drive the remote section of Tibet from Nyima to Gertse, en route, visit Dungtso.

Stay overnight in Gertse

It's an 6hr-drive from Gertse to Gegye. The initial landscape is a dreamy blur of lake and sky, cut by salt rings and brooding mountains of rust, mustard, turmeric and green barley. 

Stay overnight in Gegye

Drive from Gegye to Ali. Ali, also known as Shiquanhe, is the capital of Ngari prefecture, where you be able to clean up with hot shower and have a decent meal. 

Stay overnight in Ali

From Ali to Zanda is a scenic ride that takes about 6 hours or so, passing Laling-la (5,330m). Zanda is a one-street town that has been built alongside Thöling Monastery. Tholing Monastery is the oldest monastery (or gompa) in the Ngari Prefecture of western Tibet. In the Tibetan language 'Tholing' means "hovering in the sky forever" and is reflected by the location of the monastery at an elevation of 12,400 feet (3,800 m).

Zada Clay Forest is a unique scenery of Ngari Prefecture. It's famous for the shape that looks like a forest from a distance. And during the sunset, the earth forest under the sunset glow features the most enchanting scenery.

Stay overnight in Zanda

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Tsaparang is about 18km west of Zanda (4,000m), in the valley of Langchen Tsangpo. Tsaparang is a famous kingdom in the history of Tibet and created a very glorious history in the Ngari region, as well as a splendid culture in the "second propagation of Buddhism". It was not only the continuation of the Tubo lineage but it's also believed to have inherited the legacy of the Xiangxiong Kingdom in ancient times. Remote location, magical clay forest land and splendid civilization have made these ruins become an important part of western Tibet tourism. After sightseeing, drive to Darchen (4,600m).

Stay overnight in Darchen

Darchen is the starting point of Mt. Kailash Kora for pilgrims. You will take an eco-bus ride (about 15 min, 7km) from Darchen to Prayer Flag Square (Serlung Chu Valley), the trailhead of Mt. Kailash Kora. Start your hiking at the terminal of the bus, walk through the Two-legged Stupa adorned by colorful prayer flags, and keep hiking to Qugu Temple about 2.6km away. You can see prostrating Tibetan pilgrims and enjoy the grand Serlung Valley with the spear-shaped summit of Mt. Kailash in the background. After enjoying sweet tea at tents around Qugu Temple, you can circumambulate Guqu Temple before heading back to Darchen.

If you don't want to hike at all, you can take the shuttle bus here today to sightseeing Mt.Kailash instead.

Stay overnight in Darchen

Head from Darchen to the sapphire-blue holy Lake Manasarovar, which is about 1 hour or so. Lake Manasarovar, one of the three holy lakes in Tibet, is said that Manasarovar Lake is the holiest one. The sacred water can wash away the troubles and obstacles in the soul. You may take a leisurely kora around the Manasarovar, meditate beside the tranquil lake, or even take a holy dip, etc. 

Stay overnight at the lakeside

Today, you will spend a lot of time on the way, but the landscape along the way is worth seeing. From Manasanovar to Mayum-la (5,220m) via Hor Qu, approximately 90km before Mayum-la (5,220m), Mt.Kailash gradually fades away behind you as you cross from Ngari prefectures to Shigatse.

Hor Qu to Paryang, 223km. This is a pleasant 4 hours driving along the spine of the Himalayas, passing through the yellow steppe, with craggy, snowcapped peaks looming to the north when the weather is clear. There is a tricky section of sandy road 12km east of Paryang, but all the major river crossings now have bridges.

Paryang to Zhongba, 101km, About 23km driving from Paryang, you drop past spectacular dunes and crest a 4,780m pass; Driving 17km further, you can see another section of dunes. Photos taken along this route can often get steppe, streams, desert dunes and snow-capped mountains in the same shot.

Zhongba to Saga, 145km, there are several ruined monasteries along this stretch. After a long journey today, you will finally arrive at the destination.

Stay overnight in Saga

Drive from Saga to Everest Base Camp (5,200m), en route you will visit the highest monastery in the world, Rongbuk Monastery. It is the highest monastery in the world. Owing to its unique location, Rongbuk is aptly regarded as the gateway to Mount Everest. You can see the glorious Everest sunset if the weather is good.

Stay overnight at Everest Base Camp

You can get up early and enjoy the stunning sunrise of Everest Peak if the weather is good. After sightseeing, drive to Lhatse for the night. Lhatse is pretty much a one-street town, at an elevation of 3,950m.

Stay overnight in Lhatse

Head from Lhatse to Shigatse today, and a detour to visit Sakya Monastery, which is about 25km off the southern Friendship Highway, accessed via a good dirt road through a petty farming valley. Sakya Monastery is the main monastery of Sakyapa. The walls around this monastery were mainly gray, but the top part of the walls was painted in red and white stripes. That’s why Sakyapa is also called Variegated Buddhism.

As one of the famous monasteries in Shigatse, Narthang Monastery belongs to the Yellow sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Although the area of Narthang Monastery is small, the history of this monastery is long. In this monastery, you can find some cherished and outstanding Buddhist documents and works. Therefore, it is also crowned as “The Library of Tibet”.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

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In the morning, you will visit Tashilhunpo Monastery first. It's the home of Panchen Lama, founded by the 1st Dalai Lama in 1447 and is a historic and culturally important monastery in Shigatse. It's located on the central hill of the city, the full name in Tibetan of the monastery means "all fortune and happiness gathered here" or "heap of glory".

Then you will pay a visit to Shalu Monastery, one of the large ancestral temples of Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet. In the concrete, Shalu Monastery is the only monastery in Tibet that combines Tibetan and Chinese styles in its design. The green-tiled Chinese style, clearly visible as you approach, is one of Shalu Monastery’s most easily recognizable features.

Later, traveling from Shigatse to Gyantse will lead you through the fertile Nyangchu Valley, a wide agricultural plain where colorfully decorated yaks and horses are used by Tibetan farmers to till the land.

Stay overnight in Gyantse

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Lying on a historic trade route between India and Tibet, Gyantse (3,980m) has long been a crucial link for traders journeying to the Himalayan plateau, with its small-town charm and laid-back atmosphere.  You'll visit the main monastery here - Pelkor Chode Monastery, famous for its exquisite architecture and intact murals and statues.

Gyantze Dzong is the center of Gyantse Town and it’s the highest building in the town. Different from other Buddhist sites in Tibet, Gyantse Dzong is famous for patriots.

Stay overnight in Gyantse

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From Gyantse to Lhasa is about a half-day drive, en route, you will pass by Karola Glacier on the roadside. It is about 300m from the main highway. Then you will admire Yamdrok Lake, one of the three holy lakes in Tibet. Standing at the lakeside, you can see its blue water shimmering with charming light, as well as the snow-capped holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar(7,191m) in the distance.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

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Today’s first attraction is Drepung Monastery. Drepung means "piles of rice" in Tibetan, which symbolizes prosperity. It's the world's largest monastery that housed more than 10,000 monks in the past. Also, It's the highest-ranking monastery in the Gelug Sect. After lunch, you will continue to visit Sera Monastery, the most beautiful Tibetan monastery in Lhasa. The Buddhist scripture debating is the highlight of Sera Monastery.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

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In the morning our guide will meet you at the hotel and first take you to visit the famous Potala Palace, the cardinal landmark of Tibet and the masterpiece of Tibetan architecture. It was first built by the 33rd King - Songtsen Gangpo in the 7th century and rebuilt later by the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century. Now it's a museum and world heritage site. 

In the afternoon, we will go to visit Jokhang Temple in the center of the Lhasa old town. Jokhang Temple is the most sacred temple in Tibet and it is always bustling with earnest local pilgrims since the early days. After that, you will take a walk around the Barkhor Street - one of the most devotional circuits as well as a crowded central market of Lhasa. Barkhor Street is a very ancient round street surrounding the Jokhang Temple and the locals are always proud of it. As a symbol of Lhasa, it‘s also a must-see place for visitors.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

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In the morning, you are heading to Drak Yerpa, the most famous meditation retreat near Lhasa. It's a monastery embedded in the cliff wall. Drak Yerpa is described as the "life tree" or spiritual axis of Lhasa. The site had strong spiritual power, having been visited by almost all great Tibetan masters. You can feel the power of the meditation caves here.

In the afternoon, we will call at Norbulingka, which is a typical Tibetan-style royal garden, the summer resort of the Dalai Lama. There are a lot of towering trees, exotic flowers and plants in the Garden, as well as many collections of cultural relics, Buddha statues, pagodas, thangkas, murals, etc. They are all very precious treasures.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

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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.