Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Lhasa
After arriving at Lhasa Airport or Railway Station, you'll be picked up and driven to your hotel. From the airport it's roughly an hour's drive, while the railway station is about 20 minutes away. Once you settle in, spend the rest of the day taking things easy. The altitude here is significant, so drinking plenty of water and eating light meals matters more than usual. Skip anything physically demanding today and let your body adjust to the elevation.
- Start point
- Lhasa Gonggar Airport (LXA) ལྷ་ས་གོང་དཀར་རྫོང་, Shannan Shi, Tibet Autonomous Region 850700, China (Free pick-up from Lhasa Gonggar Airport to the hotel at 9:30 am, 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm on the first day, 09:30 - 16:00)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Dekang Hotel), Hotel (Thangka Hotel)
Optional Activities
- Wander around Lhasa city on your own
- Day 2
Drepung Monastery and Tibet Museum
Following breakfast, your guide heads out with you to Drepung Monastery, which was once the largest in Tibet with over 10,000 monks living there. The name translates to 'Rice Heap' in Tibetan, and you'll see why when you look at the white buildings scattered across the hillside. It's the most important monastery in the Gelug sect. Later in the afternoon, the Tibet Museum shows you traditional Tibetan life, clothing, architecture, and how festivals are celebrated. From there you'll go to Norbulingka, a Tibetan-style royal garden that served as a summer retreat for the Dalai Lama.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Dekang Hotel), Hotel (Thangka Hotel)
Included Activities
- Visit Drepung Monastery
- Visit Tibet Museum
- Visit Norbulingka
Landmarks Drepung Monastery Tibet Museum Norbulingka 
- Day 3
Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple
Start the day at Potala Palace, Tibet's most recognizable landmark and a masterpiece of Tibetan architecture. This winter palace of past Dalai Lamas was constructed in the 7th century and contains gilded burial stupas and meditation caves inside. After lunch and a break at a local restaurant, you'll head to Jokhang Temple in the old town. It's the most sacred temple in Tibet and you'll find devoted local pilgrims there throughout the day. Finish by walking around Barkhor Street, an ancient pilgrimage route and market that circles the temple and represents the heart of Lhasa.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Dekang Hotel), Hotel (Thangka Hotel)
Included Activities
- Visit Potala Palace
- Visit Jokhang Temple
- Walk around Barkhor Street
Landmarks Potala Palace Jokhang Temple Barkhor Street 
- Day 4
Ganden Monastery and Drak Yerpa Hermitage
This day takes you outside the city to Ganden Monastery, sitting at 3800m elevation about 50km northeast on Wangbozhi Mountain. Tsongkhapa founded this monastery back in 1409, and he also started the entire Gelug sect. Along the way you'll stop at Drak Yerpa hermitage, which is less crowded than other temples in the area and holds ancient temples and meditation caves with over 1,000 years of history behind them. A moderate hike brings you through the area with views of distant scenery. Unlike the busier Jokhang and Sera temples, Drak Yerpa feels quiet and peaceful, where Tibetan devotees burn mulberry offerings.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Dekang Hotel), Hotel (Thangka Hotel)
Included Activities
- Visit Ganden Monastery
- Visit Drak Yerpa hermitage
Landmarks Ganden Monastery Drak Yerpa - Day 5
Departure from Lhasa
Your time in Lhasa comes to an end today. Your guide and driver will take you to Lhasa Gonggar Airport or Lhasa Railway Station so you can head to your next destination.
- End point
- Lhasa Gonggar Airport (LXA) ལྷ་ས་གོང་དཀར་རྫོང་, Shannan Shi, Tibet Autonomous Region 850700, China (Free drop-off from the hotel to Lhasa Gonggar Airport at 8:30 am, 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm on the last day, 08:30 - 14:30)
- Meals
- Breakfast
