Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Flight to Lhasa. You will be escorted from your hotel to the airport for your flight to Lhasa. On arrival you will be met by your Tibet guide and transferred to your hotel. Since Lhasa is situated at about 3700 meters above sea level it is important to remain well-hydrated and to take it easy. We will find somewhere comfortable to sit and drink throughout the afternoon. In the late afternoon we will head into the Jokhang Temple at the heart of Lhasa. This is a busy time with many pilgrims making their evening rounds. This journey begins in Chengdu. If you need advice or assistance getting to Chengdu then please contact us. Meals: lunch, dinner. Day 2: Potala Palace Views. Today we visit the iconic Potala Palace. Traditionally the seat of the Dalai Lama this monastery cum fortress is one of the most widely-recognized structures in the world and needs little introduction. Afterwards we head off on an excursion to the Lalu Wetland Reserve, located behind the Potala Palace. This area of bogs and marshes plays an important ecological role in a landscape that is generally noted for its extreme dryness. The wetlands are home to a wide range of species including Black-necked Cranes. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Day 3: The "Joyful" Monastery. Today we drive out to Ganden Monastery which rivals Lhasa's Sera and Drepung as a university monastery. Ganden is the Tibetan name for the paradise of the "Buddha of the Future" upon whose arrival all worldly suffering would end. This is therefore often translated as "Joyful". We will visit the golden tomb of Tsongkhapa, the monastery's founder, the chapel where he taught and the grand Assembly Hall. Those who wish may walk the hour long Lingkhor, Ganden's pilgrimage route. Meals: breakfast, Lunch, dinner. Day 4: Home visit and Debating Monks. Today we stay around Lhasa. In the morning we will visit a local family and stay for lunch. Although this is a paid arrangement it would still be nice if you brought gifts from home. In the afternoon we head up the hillside to Sera Monastery to watch a strange spectacle. The monks here spend their early afternoon debating theology in the open air. Nothing strange about that: other than the way that they slap their hands together when challenging a colleague with a scriptural question. Meals: breakfast, Lunch, dinner. Day 5: Fly out of Lhasa. We transfer to Lhasa airport for your flight. You will be transferred back to your hotel in Chengdu on arrival. The rest of the day is free. Please note: The standard extension ends in Chengdu tomorrow. If you want to continue to Nepal then you can choose to fly on to Kathmandu instead. There are only two flights each week: on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Meals: breakfast. Day 6: Journey's end. This journey ends after breakfast. Check-out is usually 12:00 (noon). Notes: Prices:
Also see tour packages in: Asia Tibet Local Culture Cultural Journey Email it to a friend: Click here to email this vacation to a friend |
Outside US, please use a number below and enter the extension "20718" when prompted: Note: If unavailable, leave a voicemail for the supplier to call you back.
|
|||||||||||||||||||

