8 days Lhasa Shigatse and Namtso Tour

Upon arrival at Lhasa train station or airport, you will be picked up and transfer to hotel in Lhasa downtown. Rest and acclimatize for the high altitude for the rest of the day. Overnight at 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. Jokhang temple is the most scared shrine in Tibet which was built in 7th century and located at the heart of old town in Lhasa, the circuit around it called Barkhor street, which is a good place to purchase souvenirs. Potala Palace is the worldwide known cardinal landmark of Tibet. The massive structure itself contains a small world within it. Mostly it is renowned as residence of the Dalai Lama lineages. Both of them are the focal points of pilgrims from entire Tibetan world, multitudinous pilgrims are circumambulating and prostrating in their strong faith. The rest of the day is for you slowly explore Lhasa old town with or without your guide. Overnight at Lhasa.

Today you will visit Drepung Monastery in the morning and Sera Monastery in the afternoon. Both Drepung and Sera monasteries are Gelugpa (yellow hat) sect monastic colleges. Drepung Monastery was the seat of the Government prior to Potala. It was once the world's largest monastery with 10,000 monks hailing from monasteries all over Tibet. Sera monastery is famous for its practice of debating Buddhism and philosophy, the clapping sound and the aggressive expression of the monks -all are well worth seeing. Overnight at Lhasa.

Morning drive to cross Kambala Pass which is 4794m high. Kambala Pass provides you the first sight of the holy lake - Yamdrok tso. 

Then drive down to the bank of Yamdrok tso Lake, it takes about half an hour driving along the beautiful river bank to the nearest town - Nangartse, normally groups will have their lunch here. After lunch, continue on Southern Friendship Highway towards west, enjoy the spectacular views of the snow capped mountains, valleys and grasslands with the groups of nomads. Arrival at Gyantse in the afternoon, In Gyantse, visit the famous stupa - Gyantse Kumpum, which is the most stunning architectural wonder in Tibet. Overnight at Gyantse.

Morning after breakfast at hotel, climb up to Gyantse Dzong, an old fort where you will enjoy a great view of the old Gyantse Town. Hand-made carpets in Gyantse are the best one in Tibet, we highly suggest you to include a hand-made carpet factory or workshop to see how the carpets are woven.

Late morning drive about 1.5 hours to Shigatse, the second largest town in Tibet. Upon you arrival in Shigatse, you will visit Tashilunpo Monastery, which is one of six great Gelugpa monasteries in Tibetan area and is the seat of the Panchen Lama lineage. The monastery is also famed for its Grand Hall, which houses the opulent tomb of the fourth Panchen Lama. Around the monastery is the Kora path, which is a leads to a great hike behind the monastery and provides a great view of the whole city of Shigatse. 

Afterwards take a walk to the free market in old part of Shgatse city. Compared with Barkhor Area in Lhasa, the souvenirs in this market tend to be much cheaper. Walk around here and see if there are anything you want to buy. 
Overnight at Shigatse.

Early in the morning, drive 80 km back towards Lhasa via the Northern Friendship Highway to Dazhuka. From there, cross the bridge over the Brahmaputra River and head through the valley northward to Namtso Lake. Along the way, you will pass many typical Tibetan villages set in peaceful environments. Cross the Shuege-la Pass, soaring over 5,300 meters high. In the afternoon, arrive at Namtso and take the sightseeing bus to the Tashi Do peninsula. Enjoy a leisurely hike around Tashi Dor and the Namtso lakeshore. Climb to the top of the hill on Tashi Dor for a panoramic view of Namtso Lake, where the circular lake resembles a boundless blue sea surrounded by snow-capped mountains. If the weather permits, witness the stunning sunset at Namtso Lake. Afterwards, return to Damxung County for an overnight, the nearest town to Namtso Lake.

In the morning, start your journey back to Lhasa, enjoying the stunning, vast northern grasslands and the Nyenchen Tanglha mountain ranges. Along the way, you'll encounter happy nomadic families dwelling in cozy yak wool tents on the grassy pastures. During the summer months, with your guide's assistance, stop to visit one of the nomadic families in their black tent. Made from yak hair, these tents are designed to retain heat and resist rain, perfectly suiting the plateau's variable climate. You'll be invited to enter their tent, meet their sheep and yaks, and share butter or sweet tea with them to gain insight into the Tibetan plateau nomadic lifestyle.

In the afternoon, enjoy some free time to explore Lhasa on your own and take the opportunity to shop for souvenirs on Barkhor Street for your friends and family. Overnight in Lhasa.

After breakfast, your guide and driver will see you off at Lhasa train station or airport, end the trip with WindhorseTour.