Forbidden Cities Tour - Journey to Lhasa

Forbidden Cities Tour - Journey to Lhasa

Tibet's natural beauty is equally awe-inspiring, with snow-capped mountains, crystal-clear lakes, and vast grasslands. The Tibetan people, known for their warm hospitality and vibrant culture, add to the charm of the region. This great 5 day trip to Tibet gives you time to explore the ancient and holy city of Lhasa as well as visit key cultural and spiritual sites of the surrounding area.  

Walk the ancient halls of the majestic Potala Palace in Lhasa, the spiritual heart of Tibet, which towers over the city and stands as a symbol of Tibetan Buddhism. Visit the most revered religious structure in Tibet - Jokhang Temple, that bustles with pilgrims and worshippers. Lose yourself in the ancient streets and pilgrimage circuit of Barkhor Street in the Old Town, surrounding the Jokhang Temple. Travel to Drepung Monastery, a solemn glory of white chapels and halls on the hillside with wide ranging views of Lhasa and the distant mountains. Journey on to serene Sera monastery, home to the serious business of debating the Buddhist scriptures. This is a great introduction to Tibet.

Itinerary

• Day 1

  Arrive Lhasa (3650m)

  From your start point of either Kathmandu in Nepal or Chengdu or Beijing in China, you'll be picked up at your hotel for the transfer drive to the airport. Today your journey to Lhasa starts with the scenic flight and (if flying from Nepal), over the majestic Himalayan range with spectacular views of Everest (8848m), Makalu (8463m) and the surrounding peaks. On arrival to Gongkar Airport  you'll be met by our local representative for the drive to Lhasa, approximately 2 hours. The rest of your day is at leisure to rest and relax. It's important to take it easy the first few days of any trip to Tibet, to allow time for your body to acclimatise and adjust to the high altitude. Your itinerary is based on taking this into account and when exploring by yourself, we advise not to do anything overly strenuous. Overnight at your hotel in Lhasa. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

  Please note it is important today and the next couple of days to take things easy and not rush around, to get plenty of rest and drink plenty of water to allow your body to acclimatise. If you feel well and want to explore and take a gentle walk locally that’s fine but we don’t plan anything on this first day in order to allow you to rest and acclimatise first.

• Day 2

  Guided sightseeing - Sera Monastery, Jokhang Temple and Bharkor Bazaar

  After your breakfast,  you'll be met by your Tibetan guide to begin a day of sightseeing. We begin by visiting Sera Monastery, one of the most important and oldest monasteries in Tibet and also a school for Tibetan Buddhism. 

  
  

  Along with Drepung and Ganden Monasteries, Sera Monastery is one of the great Gelugpa monasteries. There is currently some ongoing building work but it's still well worth visiting. At serene Sera Monastery, your tour includes visiting the key halls and chapels and you'll also be able to see the wonderful collection of ancient murals and statues as well as scriptures written in gold powder, wonderful scroll paintings, tapestries and thangkas that can be seen throughout.  Depending on when you visit, you may also be able to enjoy watching the monks animatedly debating the Buddhist scriptures.
  

  
  

  After visiting Sera Monastery, this afternoon we'll visit Jokhang Temple, the spiritual heart of Lhasa. Explore the medieval passages, halls and stairways. See the flickering of butter lamps, ancient gold statues and murals. Join the medieval bustle of pilgrims, worshippers, performers and traders in and around Jokhang Temple, this most revered religious structure in Tibet. Follow the pilgrimage circuit along the ancient streets of the old town around Barkhor Bazaar, a fascinating area which is both a market and sacred pilgrimage site. Here you'll see everyone from market traders to monks and pilgrims, artists, nomads and more, in a wonderful microcosm of Tibet. After time to enjoy here, the rest of your day and evening is at leisure to rest and relax and explore locally. Overnight at your hotel in Lhasa. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. 

• Day 3

  Visit Potala Palace and Drepung Monastery

  This morning, after breakfast, you'll be met by your guide for your morning visit and tour of Potala Palace. Explore the vast halls and chapels of impressive Potala Palace, former home of the Dali Lamas and an awe inspiring landmark that dominates the skyline over Lhasa. Potala Palace is a huge fortress like structure and major landmark of Lhasa. Originally built during 640 AD, its an inspiring, iconic building consisting of 13 storied palaces with around 1000 rooms. After your tour here, this afternoon we'll head to Drepung Monastery, the largest in Tibet.

  Enjoy the solemnity of holy Drepung Monastery, once the largest monastery in the world and now the largest and richest monastery in Tibet, founded in 1416 and a place of study for many of the most learned lamas.
  

  After your tour of Drepung Monastery,  your evening is at leisure to rest and relax. Overnight at your hotel in Lhasa. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

  
  

• Day 4

  Visit Norbulingka Palace and the Tibetan Medical Institute

  Today we start with a guided tour of Norbulingka Palace, the beautiful former summer retreat of the Dalai Lamas. In Tibetan the name means ‘beautiful gardens’ and Norbulingka was once the summer palace home for the 7th to the 14th Dalai Lama. Today we'll also visit the Tibetan Medical Institute, the centre for the treatment, training, research and production of Tibetan medicine and an interesting place to learn about. This afternoon is at leisure to explore locally and perhaps do some last minute local shopping as well as exploring before you depart tomorrow. Overnight at your hotel in Lhasa. Breakfast lunch and dinner included.

• Day 5

  Depart Lhasa

  After an early breakfast, you'll be picked up for the transfer drive of around 2 hours back to Gongkar Airport and the scenic flight over majestic Himalayan mountain peaks and landscapes to Kathmandu or (if travelling via China), to Chengdu or Beijing. You'll be met on arrival by our local representatives. Depending on your itinerary you'll either be transferred to your hotel or will be able to connect with your next flight for your departure home or onwards to your next destination. Breakfast included.

  Please note, breakfast only is included today. Accommodation, transfers and other services in Nepal or China (depending on your itinerary) are available on request and we'll be happy to provide options and details to fit with your travel plans.