Immerse Yourself in Tibetan Culture with a Monastic Experience
Highlights
- Historical sights in Lhasa
- Ganden Monastery
- Drake Yerpa meditation caves
- Samye Monastery and Yumbu Lagang
- Chimphu Nunnery
- Yarlung Valley
- Gyangtse cultural town
- Peckor Choede Monastery
- Tashi Lhunpo Monastery
- Sakya Monastery
- Everest Base Camp
- Yarlung Tsangpo River
What’s Included
- Tibet travel permit
- Accommodation with breakfasts
- Pick-up & drop-off
- A welcome dinner
- Transportation ( Tourist vehicle)
- Entrance fee
- Professional Tibetan tour guide
- 2bottles of mineral water/day (1liter)
- Oxygen cylinders
- First aid & kit
What’s Excluded
- Meal (lunch and dinner)
- Travel insurance
- Any domestic & international train/flight fare
- Personal expenses
- Guide gratuity
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive at Lhasa
Welcome to the spiritual heart of Tibet! Upon arrival in Lhasa, you’ll be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel. Take the evening to relax and acclimatize to the altitude.
Overnight: Banak Shol Hotel
Day 2: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple & Barkhor Street
Visit the majestic Potala Palace, exploring its chapels, golden chortens, and ancient murals. In the afternoon, visit Jokhang Temple, Tibet’s holiest site, and walk the lively Barkhor Street, where you can shop for Tibetan crafts.
Overnight: Lhasa
Day 3: Monastery Tour & Spiritual Sites around Lhasa
Explore Drepung Monastery, once home to 10,000 monks and the former administrative center of the Dalai Lama. After lunch, visit Sera Monastery, famous for its lively monk debates.
Overnight: Lhasa
Day 4: Ganden Monastery & Norbulingka
Drive 48 km to Ganden Monastery, the first and most important Gelugpa monastery. Return to Lhasa to visit Norbulingka, the summer palace of the Dalai Lamas.
Overnight: Lhasa
Day 5: Drak Yerpa Monastery & Meditation Caves
Drive to Drak Yerpa, an ancient retreat site with over 80 meditation caves. Enjoy stunning views of Lhasa valley before returning to the city for free time.
Overnight: Lhasa
Day 6: Yumbu Lagang, Tradruk Monastery & Samye Monastery
Visit Yumbu Lagang, Tibet’s first palace, and Tradruk Monastery, home to a rare pearl thangka. Cross the Yarlung Tsangpo River to visit Samye Monastery, Tibet’s first monastery built in the 8th century.
Overnight: Monastery Hotel, Samye
Day 7: Chimpu Nunnery & Trekking
Drive to Chimpu Nunnery, a spiritual site with stunning views over the Yarlung Valley. Hike uphill for two hours to explore Guru Rinpoche’s meditation caves.
Overnight: Samye
Day 8: Yamdrok Lake & Karola Glacier – Drive to Gyantse
Depart for Gyantse, stopping at Yamdrok Lake, a sacred turquoise lake at Kampala Pass (3975m). Continue to Karola Glacier (4960m) before reaching Gyantse.
Overnight: Gyantse
Day 9: Gyantse to Shigatse – Tashilhunpo & Narthang Monasteries
Visit Kumbum Stupa in Gyantse, then drive to Shigatse to explore Tashilhunpo Monastery, seat of the Panchen Lama. Visit Narthang Monastery, famous for its ancient scripture printing.
Overnight: Lhatse
Day 10: Sakya Monastery – Drive to Rongbuk Monastery
Explore Sakya Monastery, home to valuable Buddhist scriptures and relics. Then, drive to Rongbuk Monastery, the world’s highest monastery, near Everest Base Camp (EBC).
Overnight: Rongbuk Monastery Hotel
Day 11: Everest Base Camp (EBC) – Return to Shigatse
Enjoy enough time at the Everest Base Camp (5150m) for breathtaking views of Mount Everest. After exploration, drive back to Shigatse.
Overnight: Shigatse
Day 12: Drive Back to Lhasa
Enjoy a scenic drive along the Yarlung Tsangpo River, returning to Lhasa for a relaxing evening.
Overnight: Lhasa
Day 13: Departure from Lhasa
Transfer to the airport or train station for your onward journey. Tashi Delek! Tibet cultural travel ends here.