Classic Lhasa and Holy Lake Tour

Your Tibetan tour guide will meet you at the arrival hall of the airport, upon seeing you they will present a hata to welcome you. Together by private vehicle you will be escorted to the hotel. Have a good rest to get acclimated to the high altitude.

Barkhor Street

After breakfast, you will be taken by private vehicle to Potala Palace. Take your time to climb the many steps to Potala Palace, the highest of its kind worldwide. Try to count the stairs if you find that the high altitude is not bothering you. Potala Palace is a combination of the red palace and the white palace; the red mainly served as an important spot for religious ceremonies while the white served as a place to live and social spot for the Dalai Lama. After the Potala Palace visit, have a Tibetan or western or Chinese lunch on Barkhor Street. Feel free to shop at the many stands for little souvenirs as gifts to friends and families. After lunch and a break, walk towards Johkang Temple which is built in the embrace of Barkhor Street. The highlight that Johkang Temple has to offer is the life-size of 12-year old Sakyamuni. You will be transferred back to your hotel for a good rest at the end of the day.

Drepung Monastery

The full day tour starts by driving 20-30 minutes to Drepung Monastery, the biggest of its kind in the world and housing the most monks. Take a look at its kitchen which once produced food to feed more than 10,000 monks. During every Shoton Festival, the holy Ghyo-ku, unrolling of Buddhist Banner (Tangka) ceremony, takes place in Drepung Monastery. You will be taken by private vehicle back downtown for lunch at a local restaurant; head for Sera Monastery to visit its many Buddhist halls.More importantly, watch the dramatic debate among the monks. Words are not important but their facial expressions and movements are interesting to watch and you may want to guess what they are debating about. Check with your guide! Later on, you will visit the garden of treasures -Norbulingka. Norbulingka used to serve as the summer palace for Dalai Lamas, and hereyou can find many kinds of plants and flowers. Local Tibetan people useit as a public place for relaxation. Transfer back to the hotel and call it a day.

Yamdrok Yumtso Lake

You have a new challenge for today. You will head to Yamdrok Yumtso Lake, which is one of the three holy lakes in Tibet. 3 hours’eachway will allow you adequate time to enjoy plateau views.Right after driving through Kambala Pass, the narrow and shining Yamdrok Yumtso Lake lies in front of you. It is also one of the best spots to take photos of the narrow part of the Lake. You may take a photo with local Tibetans and their yaks and mastiffs for a small fee. A picnic lunch will be served by the Lake as there are no restaurants nearby. After taking enough photos from different angles, you will be escorted back to your hotel in Lhasa. Relax for the rest of the day on your own.

After breakfast, you will be met at hotel lobby and escorted to the airport for your next destination.