9 Days Lhasa Gyantse Shigatse Everest Namtso Group Tour

Our staff will greet you at Lhasa Airport/Railway Station to transfer you to the hotel. From Lhasa Airport to downtown Lhasa, it usually takes about one hour; from Lhasa Railway Station, about 20 minutes. After being transferred to the hotel, you will be free for the rest of the day to wander around the city on your own but try not to overtax yourself. Your good rest on the first day is crucial to acclimatize to the high altitude. Remember to drink lots of water, eat light, and avoid strenuous activities. As the capital city, Lhasa is the political, economic, cultural, communication and tourism center of Tibet with a history of over 1,300 years.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

After breakfast in the hotel, the tour guide will take you to Drepung Monastery, the biggest Tibetan monastery that housed more than 10,000 monks in the past. Drepung means Rice Heap in the Tibetan language. The entire monastery is large in scale and the white buildings cluster and cover the hillsides. It's the highest-ranking monastery in the Gelug Sect.

In the afternoon you will first visit the Tibet Museum. Here you can see life scenes, exquisite clothing, house architecture, and festival customs, etc. to explore the special and mysterious Tibetan customs. Then you will visit Norbulingka, which is a typical Tibetan-style royal garden, the summer resort of the Dalai Lama.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

• Meals: Breakfast

Today, you will go to the famous world heritage Potala Palace. It’s situated on the Red Hill of central Lhasa. Potala Palace is the highest ancient palace in the world, reaching 3,767.19m (12,359.55ft) at the topmost point. The most valuable collections of Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and the meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.

In the afternoon, take an easy visit to Jokhang Temple in the center of Lhasa old town. Jokhang Temple is the most sacred temple in Tibet and it is always bustling with earnest local pilgrims. After you visit the temple, you'll have time to walk around the Barkhor Street, which is one of the most devotional circuits as well as the crowded central market of Lhasa since the early days. As a symbol of Lhasa, it is also a must-see place for visitors.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

• Meals: Breakfast

From Lhasa to Gyantse is about 264km, you will pass by Khamba-la Pass (4,790m), where you will be amazed by the breathtaking glimpse of the holy Yamdrok Lake with its turquoise color and snow-capped Mt.Nyenchen Khangsar in the distance. About two hours away from Yamdrok Lake, there is Karola Glacier. It isn’t a big glacier, but the white glacier looks spectacular from the highway, and it is close enough (about 300 yards).

Arriving at Gyantse, you will visit Pelkor Chode Monastery. This magnificent multi-door structure is the largest stupa in Tibet, which is not only a stupa but also has old sculptures and paintings all around its inner walls. Then head to Shigatse via the fertile Nyangchu Valley, a wide agricultural plain where colorfully decorated yaks and horses are used by Tibetan farmers.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

• Meals: Breakfast

In the morning, you will leave Shigatse for Lhatse, a small town located 150 km from Shigatse, and you may have lunch in a local restaurant. After a short rest, you will go ahead to Tingri. You will pass Gyatsola Pass (5,248m), where you can hang prayer flags and spread Longda, letting the wind carry your blessings to heaven. In the late afternoon, you enter Mt. Everest National Nature Reserve. You can enjoy the panorama of the Himalayas at Gawula Pass (5,198m). Then you'll drive along the New Zigzag road to Everest Base Camp (5,200m) to stay overnight. If the weather is good, you can have a clear view of the sunset of Golden Everest Peak.

Stay overnight in Nomad Tent (Dorm Bed) / Guesthouse

• Meals: Breakfast

When you get up, you will see a striking view of luminous peaks highlighted by the sun and definitely, which is the best time to get some nice shots of the Everest sunrise. After that, we will go to the Rongbuk Monastery, which is the highest monastery in the world.

Then, you will drive back to Shigatse and enjoy the fabulous view along the way.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

In the morning, drive to visit the Tashilhunpo Monastery, which was founded by the First Dalai Lama in 1447. The monastery's structure was expanded by the Fourth and successive Panchen Lamas. Tashilhunpo has been the seat of the Panchen Lama since the Fourth Panchen Lama took charge of the monastery, and there are now nearly 800 lamas. After that, you’ll drive back to Lhasa along the expressway.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

• Meals: Breakfast

In the morning, we drive to the holy Namtso Lake. On the way to Namtso, you will have a far view of the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains. Enjoy the view of the vast grassland and spectacular natural scenery.

You'll arrive at Namtso Lake after passing NagelaPass (5,150m). When standing at the famous Nagela Pass, you can see the stunning view of the holy Namtso Lake. Being the second largest salt lake in China, Namtso covers a total area of more than 1900 square kilometers, the furthest depth being more than 33m. Namtso is also the highest-altitude salt lake in the world with an elevation of 4,718 meters. Besides, you can enjoy the view of the Sky-Road railway with snowy mountains background. In the late afternoon, you will drive back to Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

• Meals:Breakfast

Your tour ends today. Your guide and driver will drop you at Lhasa airport or railway station for your next stop.

• Meals:Breakfast