Lhasa Winter Tour with Yamdrok Lake & Drak Yerpa

Upon your arrival at Lhasa airport or train station, your Tibetan guide and driver will meet you for the transfer to your hotel in Lhasa’s old town. The journey from the airport is approximately 68 km and takes around 1.5 hours, whereas from the train station it’s about 15 km and a 20-minute drive. Take a good rest to acclimatize to the high altitude. Overnight stay will be in Lhasa.

Today is your first day of sightseeing on the high plateau, so we have purposely arranged only to visit Jokhang temple and Potala Palace. 

The Jokhang Temple, Tibet’s most sacred shrine, was built in the 7th century and is located in the heart of Lhasa’s old town. The temple is typically bustling with local pilgrims and those from other parts of Tibet during winter. The circuit around it, known as Barkhor Street, is one of the most devout circuits and the central market in Lhasa city, an ideal place to buy souvenirs.
Afternoon visit the magnificent Potala Palace, a cardinal landmark globally recognized as a symbol of Tibet. This historic site served as the former seat of the Tibetan government and the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas. The Potala Palace comprises the rooftop White Palace, the Dalai Lama’s living quarters, and the central Red Palace, used for religious functions. The Palace now serves as a museum and was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.
Afterwards enjoy a cup of sweet tea with locals in the sweet tea house.

Today you will be arranged to visit two important Gelupa (Yellow hat) monasteires in Lhasa – Drepung and Sera.
Drepung monastery was was founded in 1416, it was the seat of Dalai Lama until the 5th Dalai Lama built the Potala Palace. Drepung monastery is located on the outskirts of Lhasa, it was once the world largest monastery that houses more than 10,000 monks in Tibetan history; it is also known for its annual Shoton festival in August, a large Thangka is revealed on the nearby mountains.
In the afternoon visit Sera monastery, founded in 1419 by a disciple of Tsongkhapa named Sakya Yeshe, it was one of the biggest monasteries in Central Tibet grew to have about 5,000monks. Sera monastery is famous for its monks debates which takes places every afternoon 3:00pm except Sunday. It is said that debates create a deeper knowledge of the Buddhist philosophy and will allow the monks to reach a higher level of understanding of the Buddhism. 

Morning drive up to Kampala pass[4794m], you will have a glimpse of Yamdrok-tso and spectacular views of Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar in the distance, the turquoise coloured Lake Yamdrok Yutso is one of the three holy lakes in Tibet. Descend to the bank of Yamdrok Tso Lake and drive to Samding monastery along the lake shores. Samding monastery is on a ridge that separates the northern arm of the lake from Dumo-tso, it provides excellent view of the Dumo plain and the mountains to the south. If you are pretty fit, then you can consider to hike from Nangartse county to Samding, which should take about 1-2 hours. 

On the way back, we will arrange you to visit one of the local Tibetan families, and you will get an opportunity to see their customs and how they live, and you will be invited to have butter tea or sweet tea by the hospitable host. Overnight at Lhasa.

After breakfast, drive about 35 kilometers northeast of Lhasa, taking roughly one hour to reach Drak Yerpa, one of the most sacred meditation sites in Tibet. Begin your hike from the parking area, following a winding stone path that leads up the hillside past ancient meditation caves and small temples built into the cliffs.

The view from the foot of the mountain is stunning, with steep cliffs and colorful prayer flags fluttering in the wind. Drak Yerpa’s history dates back to the 7th century, when King Songtsen Gampo established its first chapels. Over time, many great masters such as Guru Padmasambhava, Yeshe Tsogyal, and Atisha came here to meditate, making it a revered site for both pilgrims and monks.

As you explore, step into quiet caves adorned with Buddhist statues and murals, and observe pilgrims offering yak butter lamps or gently touching the sacred rocks for blessings. Enjoy the peaceful mountain atmosphere and sweeping views of the valley before returning to Lhasa in the afternoon. The rest of the day is for your last minute shopping in Lhasa. 

Overnight in Lhasa.

Your guide and driver will see you off at the airport or train station, end the trip.