Lhasa Tibetan New Year (Losar) Tour (2027)

Welcome to Lhasa! Upon arrival, your local guide and driver will meet you at the airport or railway station and transfer you to your hotel. At an altitude of 3,650 m (11,975 ft), today is reserved for acclimatization. Take it easy, stay hydrated, and enjoy a relaxing afternoon in Lhasa.

Today is designed as an easy sightseeing day while you continue acclimatizing. Visit Drepung Monastery, once the world’s largest monastery and home to more than 10,000 monks at its peak. Continue to Sera Monastery, where you’ll witness the famous monastic debate sessions (3-5pm), a centuries-old tradition that remains one of Tibet’s most fascinating cultural experiences.

This relaxed day offers an excellent introduction to Tibetan Buddhism before the New Year celebrations begin.

Walking tour (no vehicle required).

Visit the magnificent Potala Palace, the former winter residence of the Dalai Lamas and the unmistakable symbol of Tibet. Continue to Jokhang Temple, the spiritual heart of Tibetan Buddhism, where pilgrims from across the plateau come to pray throughout the day.

Afterwards, join local pilgrims along the Barkhor, the centuries-old pilgrimage circuit surrounding Jokhang Temple. As Losar approaches, the streets become increasingly festive with prayer flags, incense, traditional shops, and local families preparing for the New Year. Continue to nearby Chongsaikang Market, Lhasa’s traditional market, where Tibetans shop for festive foods, prayer offerings, decorations, and new clothing ahead of Losar.

Start early this morning for the 2-hour drive to Tsurphu Monastery, the traditional seat of the Karmapa lineage, to experience the spectacular Cham Dance Festival. Performed only during important religious occasions, these sacred masked dances symbolize the removal of negative energy and the welcoming of a prosperous new year.

After returning to Lhasa, enjoy a relaxing walk through Lalu Wetlands National Nature Reserve, one of the world’s highest urban wetlands and an important winter habitat for migratory birds.

In the evening, you might head to Potala Palace Square to join local residents celebrating Losar Eve, when colorful fireworks illuminate the Potala Palace and families gather to welcome the arrival of the Tibetan New Year.

Walking tour (no vehicle required).

Today is Losar, the first day of the Tibetan New Year. Since celebrations take place throughout the city and vary during the day, there is no fixed sightseeing schedule. Your guide will tailor today’s experience according to the festival events and local celebrations.

Depending on the day’s program, you may begin by watching a traditional Tibetan Opera performance at Norbulingka, the former summer residence of the Dalai Lamas. Throughout the day, experience the festive atmosphere around Jokhang Temple, walk with pilgrims along the Barkhor, visit Potala Palace Square, and witness local families celebrating one of Tibet’s most important holidays in traditional dress.

Travel about 2 hours to the brilliant turquoise waters of Yamdrok Lake, one of Tibet’s three sacred lakes. Stop at Gampala Pass for sweeping panoramic views before continuing along the lakeshore to Rituo Monastery, a small temple perched on a peninsula extending into the lake.

Around midday, visit a local Tibetan family to experience their Losar celebrations. Share a traditional homemade New Year lunch, learn about Tibetan customs and family traditions, and enjoy genuine local hospitality during this special festival.

Return to Lhasa in the late afternoon, enjoying one final view of Yamdrok Lake before heading back to the city.

Enjoy a relaxed morning before your guide and driver transfer you to the airport or railway station and assist with your departure.