Lhasa Tsetang Lhamo Latso Tour

Welcome to Lhasa! Our local Tibetan guide and driver will wait for you at Lhasa Airport/Railway Station by holding your name sign. You will be greeted with a warm Tashidelek (meaning hello with blessing), and be presented with a white Hada (traditional Tibetan ceremonial by presenting you a white scarf). Then transfer you to your hotel in Lhasa City. On the way, you can enjoy the stunning views along the Yarlung Tsangpo River. After checking in at your hotel, the rest of the day is free for you to have a good rest and acclimatize to the high altitude at the top of the world. If you physically feel good, you can visit the Potala Palace Square, a far view the Yaowang Mountain and take a panoramic view of the Potala Palace. Remember to drink lots of water, eat light and have high carbohydrate food, which will be helpful to you to adapt to the high altitude better.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

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, you will pay a visit to Sera Monastery, which is one of the "great three" Gelug monasteries of Tibet. Monks debate from 3 pm to 5 pm. If the debate is not your type, you can also enjoy the three sand Mandalas and colorful rock paintings of Buddha. The sight here is splendid because you can see wild roses around. That's why people also call it "the Court of Wild Rose."

Stay overnight in Lhasa

In the morning, your guide will meet you in the hotel lobby 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 is a museum and a 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 which is 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 is also a must-see place for visitors.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Heading from Lhasa to Tsetang along the Yarlung Tsang River, we will first visit Trandruk Monastery, one of the earliest Buddhist monasteries in Tibet, which was founded at the same time as the Jokhang Monastery. In order to build Trandruk Monastery here, Songtsen Gampo had first to take the form of a hawk in order to overcome a local dragon, a miracle that is commemorated in the monastery’s name.

Then we continue to visit Yumbulagang Palace, with a history of more than 2100 years, the first palace for the Tibetan King Nyatri Tsanpo. The entire building is shaped like a castle, towering high on the top of the mountain.

Stay overnight in Tsetang

Today you will drive to Chökorgye Monastery first, which is on the way to Lhamo Latso. People here believe that Chökorgye Monastery is in the shape of an eight-petal lotus, with the image of a wheel of Dharma appearing in the sky, which implies a wonderful land of good fortune. This monastery was built in 1509 by the second Dalai Lama Gentun Gatso and enlarged by the fifth Dalai Lama. Now you can only see the ruin, but its former glory can still be seen from the broken walls.

The Lhamo Latso Lake is the most legendary lake in Tibet, which means the goddess's soul lake in Tibetan. It is said that one can see his past and present life on the lake surface, at about 5000 meters above sea level. Looking down from the top of the mountain, the Lake looks like a gourd. Although Lhamo Latso Lake is not big, it has a special status in the reincarnation system of Tibetan Buddhism. In autumn and spring, the lake will freeze for about 7 months. In summer, the lake sometimes shows her peaceful appearance, sometimes rises waves without any breeze.

Stay overnight in Gyatsa county

Head back from Gyatsa county to Lhasa today via Tsetang, Yarlung Tsangpo River, and Kyi-chu River.

En route, we will visit Samye Monastery. This monastery is surrounded by barren mountains and dramatic sand dunes. As Tibet’s first monastery and the place where Buddhism was established, Samye Monastery is also of major historical and religious importance.

Stay overnight in Lhasa