Upon reaching the airport, our amiable Tibetan guide will extend cordial greetings and present you with a Hada, the customary Tibetan ceremonial scarf.

You will then be transported to Lhasa, where you will rest for the day and prepare for the tour.

Overnight at Lhasa.

Today, we will visit Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will also visit Barkhor Square market. Potala Palace, the winter home of the Dalai Lama, is a 13-floor building with more than 1000 rooms, several statues, artifacts, murals, and stupas.

Later, we will visit the Jokhang Temple, named Jo for Jowo Buddha and Khang for Chapel. It was built in 642 by the first King of Tibet, Songtsen Gampo, to place the image of Akshobhya Buddha, the gift of a Nepalese wife, Bhirkuti. Later, the temple was known for the gift, a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, by the King’s second Chinese wife.

We will stroll around the Barkhor market that encircles the Jokhang Temple. Pilgrims usually do the kora(circumambulate) of Jokhang temple in a clockwise direction. Also, you can buy gifts to take home, as numerous artifacts and cultural items like Buddha relics are available in this market.

Overnight at Lhasa.

After breakfast, our guide will take you to two great Gelug monasteries in Tibet, Drepung and Sera Monastery.

Drepung Monastery is one of Tibet’s “great three” Gelug Monasteries. It was established by Jamyang Choge Tashi Palden in 1416. Before the Fifth Dalai Lama constructed the Potala Palace, this monastery served as Tibet’s political hub and the residence of the Dalai Lamas.

Later, we will visit the Sera Monastery, built in 1419 by Tsongkapa. This monastery’s most significant architectural features are the 3 Buddhist colleges, 29 monk dormitories, and Coqen Assembly Hall. If you visit between Monday and Friday, you can witness Monks debate in the monastery’s courtyard. Also, watching the 9-meter statue of Maitreya, constructed in 1419, is one of this monastery’s fascinating features.

In the evening, we will visit the Norbulingka Palace, also known as the “Jewel Park.”, built by the 7th Dalai Lama and the Summer Palace of the Dalai Lama.

Overnight at Lhasa.

After breakfast, we will follow the Friendship Highway to Gyantse. After crossing Kamba La Pass(4794m), we will witness the tranquil, turquoise-toned Yamdrok Lake. Yamdrok-tso Lake is one of Tibet’s holiest, cleanest, and most unpolluted lakes. As our journey continues west, we will encounter Karo La Pass(5045m). We will reach the town named Nangartse, where we will have lunch. After lunch, we will drive for hours, and in the afternoon, we will reach Gyantse.

Gyantse is the third largest historical city of Tibet, where we will visit the famous Khumbum Stupa and Pelkhor Chode. Khumbum is home to a massive 35-meter-tall gold-domed stupa and homes with many chapels and frescoes depicting Tibetan Buddhism. In Tibetan, the Khumbum signifies 100,000 pictures.

Then we will visit the Pelkhor Chode monastery, situated in the Nyangchu river valley. Although the monastery has several distinct buildings, its 108 chapels spread across multiple stories and its historic Dzong, or fort, make it the most well-known. The monastery’s architecture blends Tibetan, Han, and Nepalese styles.

Overnight at Gyantse.

After breakfast, we will leave for Shalu. Here, we will visit the Shalu Monastery, the residence of a notable Tibetan translator expert in Tibetan translations of Indian Buddhist texts named Buton Rinchen. This monastery has an architecture that is a combination of both Han and Tibetan styles.

During this trek, we will be camping for the first time in a spot a few kilometers from Shalu. Once our visit to Shalu monastery is finished, we will hike to the camping spot. This campsite will be the first campsite on this trek, and the site is just a few kilometers away.

Camping at Shalu.

Today, we will have breakfast in the camp, then start our trek to Upper Lungsang(4060m). This trek takes about 5-6 hours of walk.

The path goes through Showa-La Pass, Ripu Hermitage, and Phunup Village. The day provides an overview of a typical Tibetan family’s rural lifestyle. We will camp today here.

Camping at Upper Lungsang.

Today is the third day of our camping trek, which will be a little challenging. You will pass through abandoned farmlands, gravel ways, and gorges to reach the small water reservoir(4190m). You have to walk about 45 minutes to the Char-La Pass(4550m), the highest pass on this trek. From this pass, the stunning view of Ngor Monastery is visible, and we must walk for about an hour to reach it.

Once you reach the Ngor Monastery, which is well known for its painting in Newar style and also known for the Sanskrit Library, we will set up the camp. There are currently just 25 monks, down from 400 at one point, and five assembly rooms and eighteen colleges.

Camping at Ngor Monastery.

Today’s trek to Nartang Monastery is the easiest one. Before arriving, you will pass several valleys, tiny Tibetan settlements, and saddles. You must also cross a small creek and an electric utility line. Nartnag monastery, built in 1153, is one of the fourth great monasteries of Tsang. Originally, Nartang was well-known for its monastic discipline and scriptural instruction.

Once you reach Nartang monastery, you will visit the monastery, and later, we will drive to Shigatse, the second biggest city in Tibet.

Overnight at Shigatse.

After breakfast, we will move towards the Kyirong Border. We will enjoy scenic views of mountains, forests, and streams on the way.

Once you reach the Kyirong border, the guide will complete certain formalities, and then you will be driven to Syabrubesi, where you will rest for the day. In the evening, you can stroll around the streets of Syabrubesi.

Overnight at Syabrubesi.

You will have a decent breakfast, and then we will drive back to Kathmandu. Within a few hours, we will reach Kathmandu and drop you off at your hotel.

You can rest the remaining day or stroll around markets like Ason and New Road to shop for something beautiful to return to your home.