6 Days Lhasa and Shigatse Highlights Tour
Tour Overview
Remote, peaceful, mysterious and breathtakingly beautiful, Tibet offers you the ultimate experience like no other in the world. On the holy plateau with thin air, there are sacred lakes with turquoise water, mighty snow-covered mountains, boundless grasslands, devout faith, unique and ancient culture, friendly people, and beautiful clear sky and white clouds unique to Tibet.
For those who have been long yearning for Tibetan Buddhism culture and incomparable natural beauty, this 6 days trip will take you into the majestic monasteries and pilgrimage sites to listen to the solemn chants and glimpse into devout pilgrims; and hike to many holy plateau lakes to embrace high altitude natural wonders of mountains, lakes and glaciers.
Highlights of this tour:
*Visit Potala Palace to uncover precious Buddhist artworks and stories of Dalai Lamas.*Immerse yourself in amazing Yamdroktso lake that reputed as the most breathtaking lake in Tibet.
*Visit the holy Namtso Lake – the highest lake in the world, and re-energized by the breathtaking heavenly views.
*Move to the grassland in northern Tibet which is the paradise for wildlife.
Day-by-day Itinerary
- Day 1: Arrival Lhasa
Welcome to Lhasa. Upon arrival, your guide and driver will welcome you at the airport and escort you to your hotel and help you check in. The rest of the day is free for you to take a rest and acclimate to the high altitude in Lhasa.
Accommodation: overnight in Lhasa
Potala Palace Travel Tips:
1. To reduce or avoid altitude sickness symptoms, on your first day in Lhasa, you are recommended to avoid strenuous exercises, not to take a bath to avoid catching cold, avoid alcohol, drink plenty of water and eat enough fruits, not to eat too much, and get enough rest.
2. Prepare some American ginseng or rhodiola, and conduct your doctor to see if you are a good candidate for a prescription of Diamox altitude sickness medication.
3. To take it easy and rest well is the key method to avoid altitude sickness.
4. If you do experience severe or worsening symptoms, please feel free to contact your guide or travel consultant, and go to the hospital for treatment in time.
- Day 2: Lhasa City Tour -Potala Palace Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street
Start today with a visit to Potala Palace. At an altitude of over 3700 meters (12139 feet), Potala Palace is the highlight of every Tibet trip. You will walk into the White Palace and Red Palace to explore the resplendent chambers with exquisite Thangkas, wall paintings, Buddha statues, and more Buddhist art works. Your professional guide will introduce you into the history of the palace, Tibet Buddhism and stories of Dalai Lamas.
Potala Palace Continue your exploration to the holy Jokhang Temple where a life-sized 12-year-old-like Shakyamuni statue is collected. It has stood as the spiritual heart of Tibetan Buddhism for over 1300 years and attracts hundreds of pilgrims from different places who come to worship Buddha everyday.
Jokhang Temple Come out of Jokhang Temple, follow your guide through crowds of pilgrims and visitors on Barkhor Street. You can buy exquisite souvenirs on the street, such as handicrafts, costumes, tea, prayer wheels and Tibetan incense.
Barkhor Street Accommodation: overnight in Lhasa
Travel Tips:
1. Visitors should respect the rules while visiting. Do not wear hats, sunglasses, revealing clothes, shorts, tank tops, and slippers.
2. Photography and taking videos are forbidden inside the Potala Palace.
3. Please be sure to carry your ID card, health code, and mask.
4. You’ll need to walk up many steps to reach the palace, please take it slowly.
5. Please take a coat due to the low temperature inside the palace (even in summer).
6. Guide’s explanation are not allowed inside the palace, so your guide will finish explaining its information before entering.
7. It’s difficult to find a lavatory inside the palace, please go to the lavatory before entering.
8. Please leave the palace ASAP after the visit, since visitors need to share a narrow wooden staircases to go up and down the palace, too many visitors are likely to cause safety hazards. Walk in order, and avoid to crowd.
- Day 3: Lhasa - Yamdrok Lake – Karola Glacier – Shigatse
The first site today is Yamdrok Lake (altitude of 4,441 meters), one of the three holiest lakes in Tibet. The turquoise water on sunny days, surrounding snowy mountains, fertile pastures dotted with Tibetan villages, herds of yaks and sheep combined to make it one of the most breathtaking lake in the world.
Yamdrok Lake Continue driving to the imposing Karola Glacier (altitude of 5400 meters) where you will be greeted by a spectacular white glacier stretching from the top of icy and perennially frozen peaks.
Karora Glacier Then take a little stop at the Manla Reservoir (altitude of over 4330 meters), an artificial lake embedded between the awe-inspiring mountains.
Accommodation: Overnight in Shigatse
- Day 4: Shigatse - Nimu - Yampachen Grassland in northern Tibet – Damxung County
Drive through Nimu Grassland to Damxung this morning. En route, enjoy a far view of Yampachen. a thermoelectric power plant is built here which is not only the first project of geothermal power in China but also the highest geothermal power station in the world. Then move to the open grassland in northern Tibet. Located among the Kunlun Mountains, Tanggula Mountains and Gangdise Mountains, it is a paradise for wildlife and boasts a cultural place with rich sedimentary layers.
Accommodation: Overnight in Damxung County
- Day 5: Damxung - Namtso Lake – Tsurphu Monastery– Lhasa
After breakfast, drive to Namtso Lake, one of Tibet's most sacred lakes. Sitting about 4,718 meters above the sea level, Namtso Lake is the highest lake in the world. It is the place where many visitors find themselves re-energized by the breathtaking heavenly views and tranquil peace.
Namtso Lake Then, head back to Lhasa. On the way, pass by the Tsurphu Monastery which serves as the seat of Karmapa, the leader of Karma Kagyu, the black hat school of Tibetan Buddhism.
Accommodation: Overnight in Lhasa
Tsurphu Monastery - Day 6: Lhasa Departure
Today you will have free time until your tour guide escorts you to the Lhasa train station or airport for departure. End of your Tibet trip.
