6-Day Sensational Lhasa, Gyantse, and Shigatse Tour

6-Day Sensational Lhasa, Gyantse, and Shigatse Tour Highlights

Price Per Person

Lhasa, Gyantse, and Shigatse Tour Overview

It is a classic private tour with a knowledgeable English-speaking guide and experienced Tibetan driver. The tour includes three important and famous cities in Tibet: Lhasa, Gyantse, and Shigatse. It is also one of the best Tibet tours covering all main attractions in Tibet for those tourists who are not used to the high-altitude, such as Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street, Drepung and Sera Monastery, the Shigatse Tashi Lhunpho monastery etc.

Day 1 Arrival in Lhasa (No meals)

Upon your arrival in Lhasa Gongar International Airport or railway station, your local guide will meet you. Then, you will be transferred to your hotel in downtown Lhasa to check-in and rest. On the way to your hotel, you could appreciate the Yarlung Tsangpo River/Brahmaputra River which is the longest and largest river in Tibet.

After reaching your hotel in Lhasa, you can have a good rest. The first day in Tibet is quite important for tourists to get acclimatized to the high altitude, especially, for the newcomers to Tibet. If you feel everything is fine, you can go to the Potala Square for a visit, where you will enjoy the fountain with different colors and take some wonderful pictures for the first impressions of magnificent Tibet.

Hotel: Lhasa Gangjian Hotel or similar (sub-4 stars)

Day 2 Lhasa (B, L)

After your first night’s wonderful rest, you will start the tour with your experienced English-speaking guide. Today's tour includes the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, and Barkhor Street. Deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. the Potala Palace was the winter palace of the Dalai Lama and was built in the 7th-century AD. The most valuable artifacts in the Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas.

Afterward, you will be transferred to a local restaurant to enjoy your delicious lunch.

In the afternoon, you will go to the Jokhang Temple, which was founded by the 33rd great king of Tibet in the 7th-century. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. It is regarded as the most important pilgrimage destination for Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims. When you enter the temple, you can see the famous Statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve.

Next on the itinerary, is the famous Barkhor Street located nearby the temple. You can do kora (a religious circle of a building or mountain) with pilgrims and local people, or you can explore the old market. Moreover, you have the opportunity to sample Tibetan tea in a teahouse.

Hotel: Lhasa Gangjian Hotel or similar (sub-4 stars)

Day 3 Lhasa (B, L)

In the morning, you will be picked up by your guide and driver to visit the renowned Drepung Monastery, considered one of the “Great Three” Gelug monasteries in Tibet. It was founded in 1416 by Jamyang Choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s major disciples. In the Tibetan language, Drepung Monastery means "monastery of collecting rice". It was known for the high standards of its academic study. It contains the largest monastery kitchen in the country. You can visit the Buddhist Sculpture Carving Workshop amongst other interesting things, located close to Drepung.

Afterward, you will be transferred to a local restaurant to have your delicious lunch.

In the afternoon, you will pay a visit to Sera Monastery which is one of the three most important monasteries in Lhasa, the Holy City of Tibetan Buddhism. The long tradition of "Monk Scripture-Debating" is a unique and fascinating component of Sera Monastery. Every afternoon, this curious activity starts from approximately 15:00 to 17:00. It is definitely something that must be seen! Then, you will visit the Tibetan religious scripture printing house, situated inside the monastery. You will see three wonderful sand Mandalas and a colorful rock painting of Buddha.

Hotel: Lhasa Gangjian Hotel or similar (sub-4 stars)

Day 4 Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse by private vehicle 360km (B, L)

Today you will be driven around 360km from Lhasa to Shigatse via Gyantse. After driving over the Gampala Pass (at an elevation of 4790 m), you will have a glimpse of the exquisite Yamdroktso Lake (4400m). It is one of three holy lakes in Tibet, the other two being Namtse Lake and Lake Manasarovar. Yamdroktso Lake is surrounded by stunning snow-capped mountains and in the distance, you can have spectacular views of Mount Nyenchen Khangsar (7191m), which is the highest mountain close to Lhasa. After that, you will pass the world-famous Karola Glacier. After driving approximately 75km, you will reach Gyantse, where is the third largest city in Tibet. Upon arrival, you will enjoy your delicious lunch in a local restaurant.

After your lunch and a little bit of rest, you will pay a visit to the famous Pelkor Monastery, Gyantse Kumbum, and enjoy the distant view of the Gyangtse Fortress. The Pelkor Monastery is the most important monastery in the Nyangchu River Valley in Gyantse. The Gyantse Kumbum is a major landmark in Tibet. This unique six-storey structure contains dozens of tiny chapels on each floor.

Next on the tour, you will be driven to Shigatse, which is the second largest city in Tibet. There you will take a visit to a traditional Tibetan barley mill and take in the spectacular landscape of the surrounding barley field (in the summer).

Hotel: Shigatse Tashuchota Hotel or similar (4 stars)

Day 5 Shigatse - Lhasa by private vehicle (B, L)

After enjoying your breakfast, you will pay a visit to Tashilunpo Monastery, located at the foot of Tara’s Mountain and the home of Panchan Lama. The monastery includes the Maitreya Chapel, the Panchen Lama’s Palace, and the Kelsang Temple. It is one of the oldest, and largest Gelug sect monasteries in Tibet. Today’s delicious lunch is served in a local small restaurant en route.

In the afternoon, you will be driven back to Lhasa. On the way, you will catch a glimpse of the vast Yalong Riverbed while you stop at the viewing platform. When you arrive back in Lhasa at the hotel, enjoy the remainder of the evening to relax on your own.

Hotel: Lhasa Gangjian Hotel or similar (sub-4 stars)

Day 6 Depart from Lhasa (B)

At the appointed time, your guide will pick you up and transfer you to the airport or train station, thus ending your sensational Tibet tour.