6 Days Lhasa and Shigatse Small Group Tour
Tour Overview
This 6-day Tibet join-in group tour offers you a deeper discovery of Tibet. If you are interested in Tibetan nature, culture, religion and history, but don’t want to bother...
Code of Tour: YCT0000003561
Length of Travel: 6 Day
Destinations of Tour: Lhasa, Gyangtse, Shigatse
Departure City: Lhasa
Price of Tour: Request
Type of Tour:
Features of Tour: Nature Culture History Minority Landscape
This 6-day Tibet join-in group tour offers you a deeper discovery of Tibet. If you are interested in Tibetan nature, culture, religion and history, but don’t want to bother to have an adventure, this is the TRIP designed for you. After the nice journey in Lhasa, you will turn to Shigatse via beautiful Yamdrok Lake, amazing Karola Glacier and historical Gyantse. All the attractions will give you a new impression of Tibet. What’s more, even on your way to destination is scattered with good view.
Highlights
- Soak up in peaceful and pilgrimage atmosphere in Lhasa city, especially in Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street;
- Enjoy stunning scenery of Yamdrok Lake and Karo-la Glacier;
- Explore the feature Palcho Monastery in Gyantse and the home of the Panchen – Tashilumpo Monastery in Shigatse.
Brief Itinerary
- Day 1 Arrive in Lhasa
- Day 2 Lhasa
- Day 3 Lhasa
- Day 4 Lhasa – Gyangtse – Shigatse
- Day 5 Shigatse – Lhasa
- Day 6 Lhasa Departure
Google Map
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Lhasa Arrival
Sightseeing and Activities:Lhasa Arrival, Lhasa city tour
Accommodation:Lhasa sight life Resort Hotel
Meals:none
You are warmly greeted to Tibet by hearing Tashi Delek at the Train station/airport from the local guide, and then be escorted to your reserved hotel in Lhasa. After arrival at your hotel, the rest of the day is free for you to explore the local area and acclimate yourself to the high altitude and weather of Lhasa.
In today(or tomorrow)’s evening, a welcome dinner will be held to meet other members of this group tour. Enjoy the party.
Tips of today: 1. Go for some walking to acclimate the high altitude but avoid strenuous activities; 2. You’d better not have bath; 3. Drink more water.
Day 2 Lhasa
Sightseeing and Activities:Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery
Accommodation:Lhasa sight life Resort Hotel
Meals:breakfast
After breakfast, your tour guide will pick you up in your hotel. Then drive about 30 minutes to visit the Drepung Monastery. This Gelug monastery has a history of more than 500 years. It used to be the largest monastery in the world with totally 10,000 monks there. Many precious stupas, sculptures, paintings, Thangka…are displayed in the hundreds of chapels. And the annual Shoton Festival is organized here.
In the afternoon, visit another famous monastery – Sera Monastery, where you will get the chance to experience “Buddhism Scriptures Debating” which makes Sera unique and famous. Enjoy the debates!
Tips of today: 1. Obey Buddhist manners and talk appropriately. 2. Feel free to ask tour guide questions about Buddhism or else.
Day 3 Lhasa
Sightseeing and Activities:Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street
Accommodation:Lhasa sight life Resort Hotel
Meals:breakfast
In the morning, the overwhelming Potala Palace is your first stop. As the symbol of Tibet, it was built in 641 AD and was the winter palace of Dalai Lama who is Tibet’s pope. Impressive Tibetan architecture, huge golden Buddha statues, red-robed lamas and devoted pilgrims all make it a must-visit.
In the afternoon, you’ll visit the Jokhang Temple, the spiritual center of Tibet. Every day, pilgrims from every corner of Tibet trek here from long distances to worship. Finally, walk the special circular pilgrimage route as local followers always do at Barkhor Street where you can buy Tibetan traditional or religious things as souvenir.
Tips of today: 1. Wear hat and sun glasses to prevent ultraviolet radiation, but remember to take off when visiting in the monasteries. 2. Usually taking photos is not allowed in chapels inside monastery. 3. Remember to bring your passport which is needed to showcase when check in Potala Palace.
Day 4 Lhasa – Gyangtse – Shigatse
Sightseeing and Activities:Nyangchu Valley, Kamba La Pass, Yamdrok Lake, Mt. Nojin Kangtsang, Karo-la Glacier, Palkor Monastery, Kubum Stupa
Accommodation:Shigatse
Meals:breakfast
Get up early, start your overland tour from Lhasa to Shigatse. After about 2 hours driving along Nyangchu Valley, crossing over the summit of Kamba La Pass(altitude: 4794m), you’ll get to the tranquil turquoise Yamdrok Lake. Stop and enjoy the stunning views. Yamdrok is one of the clearest lakes without any pollution in Tibet. The water is as clean as crystal, and the glimmering water will shock you in sunshine. Far in the distance you’ll spot the towering massif Mt. Noijin Kangtsang (altitude: 7191m). Leaving Yamdrok and driving forward, you can see the imposing Karo-la Glacier (5045m) along the highway.
Once arrival at Gyantse, feel hungry? Have a good lunch, then stroll to visit the Palkor Monastery. The highlight is the Kubum Stupa has a 35m-high chorten with its white layers trimmed with decorative stripes and its crown-like golden dome.
Leave Gyangtse, then drive about 2 hours to today’s final destination – Shigatse.
Day 5 Shigatse – Lhasa
Sightseeing and Activities:Tashilhunpo Monastery, Panchen Lamas, Future Buddha
Accommodation:Lhasa sight life Resort Hotel
Meals:breakfast
After breakfast, go to visit the Tashilhunpo Monastery, founded in 1447, is recorded hightest monastery in the Gelukpa tradition, and has been the official seat of sucessive Panchen Lamas for centuries, which makes it very popular with pilgrims. The monastery is an interesting sprawling amalgam of traditional Tibetan monastic style halls, chapels and other structures connected by precipitous steps and narrow cobblestone alleys. The interplay between Tashilumpo’s golden roofs and its white, red and black exterior walls creates a striking composition. Here you will see a giant statue of Future Buddha, the largest one of its kind on earth ( 26.2 meters high and 11.5 meters wide ), decorated with precious pearls, turquoises, corals and ambers.
In the afternoon, drive along the Nepal – China Highway back to Lhasa. Enjoy the stunning plateau views on route.
Day 6 Lhasa Departure
Sightseeing and Activities:Depart from Lhasa
Accommodation:None
Meals:breakfast
Today is free for you until your tour guide transfer you to the airport in time for your flight or drop you off at Lhasa train station.
Tips of today: 1. Please pack your luggage carefully, especially for small things like camera charger, power adaptor, mobile phone, phone charger, wallet and towel. 2. If your flight is arranged in the afternoon, please make sure you check out the hotel before 12pm.
Recommended Hotels
| City | 5 Star | 4 Star | 3 Star |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lhasa | Lhasa sight life Resort Hotel |
Quotations
| Group size(person) | 5 Star ($) | 4 Star ($) | 3 Star ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 |
Service Included:
– Tibet Entry Permit and Alien’s Travel Permit.
– Admission fee of all tourist sites in itinerary.
– Professional Tibetan English speaking tour guide.
– Travel Agency Service Charge.
– Transportation
– Tourist Accident/Casualty Insurance.
– Tourist Accident/Casualty Insurance.
– All accommodations
– 3-star or 4-star hotels sharing twin room with breakfast buffet in Lhasa and Shigatse.
– Welcome dinner.
Service Excluded:
– Single room supplement.
– China visa, all air tickets and train tickets to and from Tibet.
– Meals not listed in the itinerary (all lunches and dinners).
– Personal expenses such as laundry, drink, fax, telephone call, optional activities, etc.
– Gratuities, tips to guides, drivers, bellboys, etc.
– Excess Baggage Charges.
Travel Tips:
1. What Are the Features of Our Group Tours
Our Group Tours are budget tour packages with great service which have covered the most popular destinations in Tibet with reasonable trip lengths. Joining in our group tours, you will choose your travel dates from our fixed departures and travel in a small group with maximum members of 12 people.
2. Tibet Permits
There are several permits required to visit Tibet. Tibet Entry Permit, issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau, is the most important one which has to be obtained before your trip because you must have it to take your flight/train to Tibet. To get the permit, you have to book a Tibet tour with us, and send us your passport and Chinese visa about 20 days in advance, and then let us apply for the permit (all Tibet permits can only be applied by travel agency). If you travel to other prefectures like Shigatse, Nyingchi, Shannan, etc, you also have to obtain an Alien Travel Permit. If you travel to Mount Everest, you have to obtain a Border Permit. (Tibet Discovery, with office in Lhasa, has always kept up with the latest news on Tibet Permits. Traveling with us, all your permits are guaranteed as long as you are qualified to the requirements.)
3. Available Months to Visit Tibet
Generally speaking, you can travel to Shigatse all year around. But months from April to October are more recommended. If you want to extend your trip to other regions, such as Mount Everest, Namtso, Ngari, etc, you are suggested to visit during April to October. Other months are usually very cold, and possible have heavy snow.
4. High Altitude Sickness
The average altitude of Tibet is about 4000 meters above the sea level (Lhasa: 3700m; EBC: 5200m; Namtso: 4718m). You may suffer a bit from High Altitude Sickness in the beginning days of your Tibet trip if you haven’t had rich high plateau travel experience. But don’t worry too much, the high altitude can be acclimatized usually in 2~3 days. Our suggestion is to take a physical examination and get suggestions from your doctor, and also bring some medicines to prevent from High Altitude Sickness before your trip. While in Tibet, you should keep warm all the time, avoid strenuous activities, drink more water and eat more vegetables and carbohydrates. You’d better not take showers during the first two days after your arrival at Tibet. If you don’t feel well, get help from your tour guide or go to the hospital without any delay.
5. How to Go to Tibet
Basically you have two options – flight and train. Currently, you can take a flight to Lhasa from Beijing(4.5hrs), Xian(3.7hrs), Chengdu(2.5hrs), Chongqing(3hrs), Kuming(3hrs), etc. Among all these cities, Chengdu and Xian have more frequent flights to Lhasa. You can also fly to Lhasa from Kathmandu(1.5hrs) .
If you a train travel, you can take a train to from Beijing(40.5hrs), Xian(32hrs), Chengdu(43hrs), Shanghai(47hrs), Chongqing(42hrs), Lanzhou(25hrs), Xining(22hrs), Guangzhou(54hrs).
6. Packing and Wearing Ideas
Firstly you can’t forget your passport and Chinese Visa. A large backpack and a smaller one are recommended (the smaller one can be used for daily activities). Also bring the necessary medicine you need. Other stuffs like sunglasses, snow glasses, hats, lip balm, sun block are recommended.
As for wearing, you are suggested to dress in layers (both thin and thick jackets). Down jacket is necessary in Spring and Autumn. A pair of durable and comfortable shoes is necessary.
