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
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
We will first visit the less-known-by-tourists Drak Yerpa hermitage, about 16km northeast of Lhasa. Drak Yerpa is a Nyingma (Red Sect) monastery and one of the four major retreats in Tibet. It was built in the 7th century and has a history of 1,500 years. After passing through a rugged path to the temple, you can see the beautiful scenery in the distance. Compared to the Jokhang Temple and Sera Temple, which are full of incense, there're not so many tourists. Only devout Tibetans burn mulberry to worship here, and you can feel the tranquility brought by Tibetan Buddhism.
Ganden Monastery is located on Wangbozhi Mountain on the southern bank of Lhasa River, which is about 50km northeast of Lhasa. Ganden Monastery is the most special one of the top six Gelug monasteries in Tibet, as it's built by the founder of the Gelug sect - Tsongkhapa in 1409. It's quite worth seeing if this is your first time to travel in Tibet.
Stay overnight at the Camp Site
You will start your hiking trip in the morning, and yaks will take your luggage. Even so, this day is still quite hard for you. The trail gradually ascends, and you can slowly adapt to trekking at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters. Along the way, there are rugged rocks, blooming mountain flowers, and picturesque scenery. After passing through a meadow, you will reach Yama Do(4490m).
Stay overnight at the Camp Site
On the second day, the trek will be more strenuous than the previous day as you will ascend more than 800 meters. You will walk through boulders and rugged ground for about 4 hours to reach the Shugala Pass at an altitude of 5284m, which is the highest point of today's trekking. When you see mini stones piled up with piety, that's the mountain pass. Walking down the mountain pass, there is a brilliant river below, reflecting countless golden rays under the sunshine. Getting down to the bottom of the valley Tsotup-chu (4907m), there is a quiet and peaceful meadow, with grazing yaks. Here you may see a mountain lake in the distance, which is our campsite tonight.
Stay overnight at the camp in the valley
Yamado to Tsotupchu Valley
After a simple breakfast at the camp, you will trek along the valley and hike for about an hour to reach the Chitu-la Pass at an altitude of 5228 meters. Looking from a distance, a series of three mountain lakes look as white as milk. Shooting the three sacred lakes from the mountain pass is extremely beautiful. You will cross Chitu-la Pass, go across the lakes and go downhill on a continuous gravel trail. After the altitude decreases, the vegetation gradually becomes denser along the way, and you follow the river to the campground.
Stay overnight at the Camp Site
Tsotup to Herders' Camp
Today is the easiest day of trekking as the trail gradually widens. Trekking along the flat river valley, picturesque streams, shrubs and blooming rhododendrons in the forest as well as vast meadows will amaze you every step of the way! After trekking for about 4 hours, you will arrive at Changtang Village, and then take a tractor for about 1 hour to arrive at Longguo Village, where you will see the shining dome of Samye Monastery from a distance. Your hiking trip ends here.
In the afternoon, you will visit Samye Temple. Samye Temple was built in the 8th century AD during the Tubo Dynasty, as the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet. After visiting Samye Monastery, you will be driven back to Lhasa.
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.
