Thanks for choosing our 5 days private Tibet tour! On this tour, you will explore Tibet’s capital Lhasa and the ancient town Tsetang, a little-known yet monumental gem where the Tibetan culture originated. Please make sure you’ve been physically well-prepared to stay at around 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) above sea level for a few days.

Upon your arrival at Lhasa Kongga Airport, our guide will greet you with a sign reading your name. Hop on a 1.5-hour private car ride to Tsetang at the southern bank of the meandering Yarlung Tsangbo River, and check in at the hotel upon arrival. We would like to suggest you have a good rest at the hotel for the remaining day to acclimate to the high altitude in case of acute mountain sickness.

► Tips for Coping with Mountain Sickness:
If you are used to living in plain regions, there is an up to 75% chance that you may experience Acute Mountain Sickness in Tibet. Common symptoms are like those of a bad hangover, with headache and shortness of breath being the most typical. To prevent or relieve it, please avoid alcohol and caffeine one day before departure or during your trip, drink more water, eat easy-to-digest carbohydrates and take a good rest, just to name a few most practical ways. If necessary, you may need to consult your care physician beforehand. Of course, if you encounter any problems on landing, we are always there to serve.

After breakfast, our guide will pick you up at the hotel and transfer you to the Yumbu Lakang, the “first palace of Tibet” established 2,100 years ago. It became famous since King Songtsen Gampo of the Tubo Kingdom (629-846) and Princess Wencheng used it as their summer residence. Later, it was reconstructed as a monastery during the reign of the 5th Dalai Lama. We will zigzag up a hill for the visit. For its high location, you could savor a great panorama of the Yalong Valley and its pastoral scenery; while on the prayer flags-embellished hill on the east side, discover a panorama of the monastery itself. The next stop is the Trandruk Monastery, where Tibet’s first Buddha hall, built during the reign of the king, awaits you to explore. Also take a peek at the luxury Pearl Thangka - Thangka is a painting native to Tibetan Buddhism - with lines all filled by pearls, the biggest treasure and draw of the monastery.

Afterwards, we will transfer you to Lhasa. En route, visit the Samye Monastery. Built a little later than Trandrunk, it is considered the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet’s history, as it’s the first to integrate the Three Treasures of Buddhism: the Buddha (the Teacher), the Dharma (the Teachings), and the Sangha (the Community). This is also a perfect building complex to show you how Tibetan, Chinese and Indian architectures can blend with each other. At the end of the day, we will arrive in Lhasa and check in at the hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast; Lunch

In the morning, our guide will meet you at your hotel lobby. Today’s Lhasa visit starts from the 600-year-old Drepung Monastery, dedicated to the Gelug sect and the biggest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the world, which is half an hour’s ride westward from the city. Drepung means “heap of rice”, and you will see why as we stand beneath its structures cascading on a hill with walls all in white. This place holds an unbeatable significance, since it’s where the Second to Fifth Dalai Lamas held their enthronement ceremonies, worked and lived. If today falls on the 30th day of the sixth month of the Tibetan calendar, you will capture the unfolding of the grand Buddha Thangka, following which is the lively Shoton Festival, the festival of yogurt.

After lunch, we will continue our visit to the Sera Monastery. While with a smaller scale and built later than Drepung, Sera is as famous, not only for being another main Grelug monastery, but for its role in carrying forward Tibetan Buddhist culture. This is where the most famous and heated lama debating take place, and we will take you to witness the intriguing scene. The debating is mainly about Buddhist philosophy and it is a good way for lamas to learn and examine what they have studied. Even if you don’t understand local language, how the lamas clasp their hands and shout to grill the defender sides can still be stunning - it’s interesting to know that every questioner would pray to Bodhisattva of Wisdom every time before they start a session. Please make sure today is not Sunday for your tour if you are especially into this, as it’s a day off for lamas.

Then we will visit the nearby Norbulingka Park, a masterpiece of Tibetan garden art and the summer dwelling of successive Dalai Lamas in the past. Have a break from the religious stuff and revel in a landscape where the mirror-like pond reflects Tibet’s iconic blue sky and surrounding architecture. When the trip is completed, we will transfer you back to the hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast; Lunch

Today, our guide will pick you up at your hotel in the morning and accompany you to the world-famous Potala Palace. Potala, “the abode of Guanyin or Bodhisattva of Compassion” in Sanskrit, sees tens of thousands of Tibetan Buddhist followers every year travelling from afar to make a pilgrimage to it. It was the icon of politics and religious authority of Tibet and served as the chief residence of Dalai Lamas. Now it is a museum for us to marvel at its magnificent castle-like architectural complex, unravel myths wrapping it, as well as enjoy the rich collection of Buddha pagodas, statues, thangkas, and scriptures. Our guide will ensure you look into every highlight with inside scoop.

In the afternoon, visit the Jokhang Temple. This is the most sacred temple in the heart of Tibetan Buddhists, as the life-size Buddha statue that depicts Sakyamuni at the age of 12 is enshrined here. We will pass by waves upon waves of pilgrims, including the disabled and the deprived, prostrating along the way until they reach the Buddha. The flagstones laid on the ground have even been polished, but you will find there is no fatigue but only happiness on their faces. Inside, explore butter candle-lit rooms to visit Buddha statues and exquisite mural paintings. We of course won’t skip the surrounding Barkhor Street, the busiest commercial center for locals established by King Songtsen Gampo. There is something for everyone: bronze Buddha statues, prayer wheels, butter lamps, prayer flags; delicious street food like Butter Tea and Tsampa, roasted barley flour; Thangka paintings; and some handicrafts from India, Nepal, Myanmar, and Kashmir. At last, top your tour off with a visit to the only Nunnery in downtown Lhasa. It’s said the site used to be where the king prayed for the well-being of his people.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast; Lunch

► Dinner Suggestion (at your own expense): Try Yak Meat!
Yaks, long-haired cattle unique to the Himalaya region, are considered treasures by Tibetan people. Their skin is used on clothing, their strength for carrying loads, and their meat as part of staple food... They are just cherished and loved as godsends for those people to survive. Why not try yak yourself to get a taste of this aspect of Tibet culture? As today’s trip ends at the Barkhor Street, you are recommended to eat at the restaurant Sangjilamu Tibetan Dish which is located here. It receives rave reviews for dishes made by yak meat. Can’t miss their yak meat pie. Perhaps order a hot pot and sample instant-boiled sliced raw yak meat to discover its most original taste. The environment is clean with a Tibetan-style décor and you can see that the colorful ceiling was inspired by prayer flags. As your meal finishes, you will be presented with a Hada, a silk scarf symbolizing auspiciousness in Tibetan customs.
Average cost per person: CNY 80 / USD 11
Address: Pedestrian Street, Yutuo Road, Chengguan District 

Your 5 days Tsetang Lhasa tour is completed today. Our guide will escort you on a comfortable transfer to the airport according to your return flight schedule. Farewell and wish you a nice trip home! During this trip, you might’ve caught a glimpse of Tibet’s natural beauties, and if you want to go for an in-depth exploration, just contact us to extend your stay and let us take you to witness its sacred lakes and mountains!

Meals: Western buffet breakfast