6 Days Travel to Sky Lake - Lhasa and Lake Namtso Small Group Tour

Day 1: Arrival in Lhasa

Upon arrival, your guide will greet you and take you to your hotel. Tourists may view the Yarlung Tsangpo River/ Bhamaputra river (the Longest and largest river in Tibet) and Lhasa river on their way to Lhasa.

You can take a rest and get acclimatized to high altitude. If you feel to go out, then you can go to the Potala Square, where you will enjoy the fountain with different colors and get amazing photos of the Potala and around.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 2: Lhasa Tour - Potala Place, Johkang Temple, Barkor Street (B, D)

Today's tour will first bring you to the Potala Palace, which is the winter palace of the Dalai lama. It was put to use since the 7th Century by the 33rd great king of Tibet. The most valuable collections of Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.

Then after lunch, tourists head to Jokhang temple, which was founded by the 33rd great king of Tibet in the 7th century. Inside you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve. Outside, you can see pilgrims making prostrating in front of Jokhang Temple. Around the temple is Barkhor street, where you can do kora (a religious circle of a building or mountain) with pilgrims and locals, and explore the old market.

Besides, We can taste Tibetan tea with locals in tea house; The welcome dinner will also be arranged accordingly;

Optional:
With time permitting, you may go with a tour guide to visit Tibetan handicraft art or Tibetan Traditional Medicine center. You can upgrade your service to enjoy Tibetan Culture Show in the evening (fr. 60USD)

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Day 3: Lhasa Tour - Drepung and Sera Monastery

In the morning, you are going to visit Drepung Monastery, which is one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet, founded in 1416 by Jamyang Choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s chief disciples. You can visit the biggest monastery kitchen inside the monastery and enjoy the Buddhist Sculpture Carving workshop near Drepung.  
 

In the afternoon, Tourists will visit Sera Monastery, which is another one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet. The hot attraction is the Monks debateat around 3 - 5 in the afternoon. Besides, you can tour the Tibetan religious scripture printing house; inside the monastery, you can see three sand Mandalas and colorful Rock Painting of Buddha.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Day 4: Lhasa to Namtso Lake, drive back to Dunxumg or to Yampachen (approx. 350km) (B)

In the morning, drive from Lhasa to Lake Namtso, one of the four holy lakes of Tibet and also the highest saline lake in the world. On the way, you can see snow-capped Nyenchen Thanglha Mountain Ranges and lots of nomads and their tent with grazing yak and sheep densely-populated on the flourishing grassland ( in summer). Besides, you can enjoy the view of Sky-Road Railway with a snow mountain background; while standing at the famous Lagenla Pass(5190m), you can view the stunning vista of holy Namtso Lake.
 

Then we can enjoy our time doing a leisurely trek around Tashi Dor Island and along the lakeshore. Drive back to Dumxung or Yampachen. (For environment protection, the Lakeshore guesthouses were close by the government.)

Stay overnight in Dumxung or Yampanchen Town.

Day 5: Yampachen to Lhasa (approx. 90-120km )

Drive to Yampachen and enjoy the natural hot spring bath in here. (Please prepare your swimming suit.) The famous Yampachen lies on the southern slope of the Nyenchen Tangula Mountains and is renowned for its geothermal scenery. Every year, Yampachen Hot Spring emits heat equal to that of 4.7 million tons of standard coal. 

Yampachen’s geothermal field is in a plateau basin with an area of 40 square km, giving tourists a chance to enjoy the outdoor natural hot spring spa. After having a full relax in the bath, we head back to Lhasa. On the way, we will visit Chimelong Nunnery(Phyirmil Lung Nunnery) and have a distant view of a sky burial site nearby.

Stay Overnight in Lhasa.

Cultural Tips: Sky burial is a funeral practice commonly seen in Tibet. The corpse will be disposed of and later devoured by vultures. In Tibetan Buddhism, sky burial is believed to represent their wishes to go to heaven. Only family members of the dead can attend the funeral.

Day 6: Depart from Lhasa(B)

The guide will transfer you to the airport or train station and help you get on board..