4 nights 5 days Lhasa Gantey Shigatse

Day 01: Fly to Gonggar airport drive to Lhasa: 3600 m

Transfer to Airport. An hour flight to Lhasa will enchant you with the spectacular, breathtaking view of the Himalayan Ranges. You will see most of the highest mountains on earth including Mt. Everest. Arrive in Gonggar airport and take a 1.5 hour drive to Lhasa along the banks of the river Kyi-chu that flows through to Lhasa. The drive will take you to the west of the city at Dongkar, and just west of Dongkar the Potala Palace will be visible from afar.  At 3600m, it is advisable to take the rest of the day in leisure in order to acclimatize. You can go around the hotel area for light walk and sightseeing.

Day 02: Lhasa – Visit Potala Palace, Norbulingka Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Market: 3600 m

This morning we visit the Potala Palace, winter palace of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, It is a 13th storied complex monument rising to a height of above 117m which houses 10,000 shrines and over 200,000 images and about 1000 rooms. Later visit Norbulingka Palace which is also called the “Jewel Park”, is a large open area about four kilometers to the west of Lhasa, and referred to as the summer palace of the Dalai Lama. Since the time of the Eight Dalai Lama, the park has been used as a summer palace, retreat and recreation area for the successive Dalai Lamas. In the afternoon we will take a tour of Jokhang Temple.  Jokhang a seventh-century geomantic temple at the heart of Lhasa is the most sacred temple of all Tibet. It is considered to be a Power Place in all Tibet. Queen Bhrikuti a Nepalese princess married to King Songtsen Gampo founded Jokhang Temple and in recognition of Queen Bhrikuti the main gate of the temple faces west towards Nepal.  The most impressive structure of the Jokhang Temple is the many chapels surrounding the temple.  Later you can walk and shop in the popular Bakhor Square (Bazaar) where Tibetan handicraft items, Buddhist artifacts, carpets, paintings etc. are all in sale for your delight.

Day 03: Drive to Gyantse 265 km 5 – 6 hrs (3950 m), visit Khumbum Stupa & Pelkhor Chorten then drive to Shigatse 95 km 2 hrs (3900 m)

Leaving Lhasa and a long drive of 265 km, taking about 5/6 hours including break for lunch at one of the villages’ en-route. We will drive over two spectacular high passes – the Kampa La at 4750m and Karo La at 5050m, over, and along the beautiful deep blue green Lake called Yamdrok Lake or Turquoise Lake. The landscape of the Tibetan Plateau is truly unusual and spectacular.  We will arrive in Gyantse an old Tibetan Town against a backdrop of magnificent 14th-15th century fortresses and temples.  Here we will visit Pelkhor Chode Temple, which served the Gelug Sakya and Buluk orders. Here the Kumbum Stupa is an architectural masterpiece built in the style of 108-sided Mandela. It is the most revered stupa in Tibet and houses 112 chapels of which only 23 are open to the public. After sighsteeig drive 2 hours, 95km straight drive to Shigatse the second largest town in Tibet. Shigatse was one of the first towns to be visited by westerners due to close distance with the Indian border.

Day 04: Visit Tashilimphu Monastery & Local Market then drive to Lhasa via Northern Route 285 km, 6 – 7 hrs (3600 m)

Morning visit Tashilhunpu Monastery. His Holiness the Panchen Lama (great scholar), the second highest spiritual figure in Tibet after His Holiness The Dalai Lama. The Fifth Dalai Lama built this artistic Palace. There are about 39 amazing chapels inside the Palace including the huge Maitreya Chapel coated with gold, its workmanship certainly impresses everyone, Tushita Chapel containing one thousand small statues of Tsongkhapa founder of Geluk order. Victory Chapel, which is concerted into a school for study and inside the chapel there is a huge gold image of Tsokapa and his two disciples and also the Tomb of the Tenth Panchen Lama just to name a few.  In the
afternoon, we will visit the local markets for shopping and local sightseeing then we continue our journey to Lhasa via northern route. This is the shortest road between Lhasa and Shigatse. Road offer spectacular view of Tibetan Plateau and drive along the famous river Yurlung Tsangpo.

Day 05: Transfer to Gonggar Airport, fly to onward destination

You will be driven to the airport in time to catch your flight to onward destination.