Tibet Tours

This tour is perfect as an add-on to other tours inside of China. You can add Lhasa and Tibet into your tour itinerary - combine it with a tour of Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, a Yangtze River cruise or any other cities to make the most of your China trip!

Day 1: Arrival in Lhasa
The tour starts with your arrival in Lhasa (we can arrange for your transportation to Lhasa from whatever city you may be in inside of China, either by air or rail) with your English-speaking tour guide picking you up from the airport or train station to transfer you to the Brahmaputra Grand Hotel, where you will have the opportunity to rest up from your trip to Lhasa and become acclimatized to the higher elevation of Tibet. 
Day 2: Potala Palace - Jokhang Temple - Barkhor Street
Your first day of sightseeing begins with the most iconic structure in all of Tibet - the Potala Palace. Massive in proportion, it will take at least two hours to visit the rooms, halls and chapels that are accessible to visitors. After visiting the Potala Palace, you will have the opportunity to visit the most revered religious site in Tibet, the Jokhang Temple. Located about 2 kilometers east of the Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple is an active temple bustling with worshippers. With its mysterious air and exotic location, visiting the Jokhang is an incredible experience for any traveler. The quadrangle of streets surrounding the Jokhang Temple is known as the Barkhor, part of Lhasa’s most interesting pilgrimage circuit. This area of the Old Town is not only the spiritual heart of Lhasa but also the main commercial district for the people of Tibet. Breakfast is included this day.
Day 3: Drepung Monastery - Sera Monastery - Norbulingka Gardens
The Drepung Monastery is located about 8 kilometers west of central Lhasa. It was once the largest monastery in the world with around 10,000 monks living and worshiping there. The white buildings stacked up along the hillside are beautiful themselves, but they monastery also offers a fantastic view from the rooftops of the entire city of Lhasa as well as the beautiful Himalayan mountains in the distance. After your visit to Drepung, about 5 kilometers north you will find the Sera Monastery, a more serene scene surrounded by many small temples. Finally, your tour day will conclude with a visit to the Norbulingka Gardens, the largest manmade gardens in Tibet and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. First built in the middle of the 18th century, these beautiful gardens were originally used for holding public affairs and religious activities. Breakfast is included this day.
Day 4: Departure from Lhasa - Train to to Beijing
Your tour guide will help you check out of your hotel and make sure that you make it to the train station on time for your soft-sleeper berth on the 2-day train trip to Beijing. (We can substitute a flight to Beijing or any other city at an additional cost.)

Cost: Please contact us for an up-to-date price quotation. 
Includes: Foreign visitor traveler permit, Jeep/van for tour transportation, king-sized bed accommodations in Brahmaputra Grand Hotel, your personal English-speaking tour guide, entrance fees to those sites mentioned in the itinerary, breakfasts as listed in the itinerary, soft-sleeper train ticket to Beijing.
Not included: Meals not mentioned, personal expenses, customary tips for tour guide and driver.

Central Tibet has a mild and pleasant climate that makes it an attractive tour destination any time of the year. This travel route offers the best of Tibet, including snow-capped mountains and sacred lakes, spectacular monasteries and palaces, and visits to ancient unchanged villages with the friendly and hospitable Tibetan people. Road conditions and accommodations have improved dramatically in the past few years which has made this the most popular route for visitors to Tibet. These tours leave from Shanghai but we can arrange your departure from Beijing as well for an additional cost. Important Note: The Potala Palace is limited by the government to no more than 800 people per day - your tour schedule may need to be changed to make sure that you will be able to visit the Potala Palace during your time in Lhasa.
Day 1: Shanghai to Lhasa
Morning flight from Shanghai to Lhasa, where your English-speaking tour guide will greet you at the Lhasa Gonggar Airport for the 1-hour drive into the city of Lhasa itself. Along the way, you will have the opportunity to see the Nie Tang Buddha, which has been carved in stone into the side of a mountain. Upon arrival in Lhasa, your tour guide will help you check into your hotel, where you will have time to rest and acclimatize to the higher elevation.
Day 2: Lhasa - Potala Palace - Jokhang Temple - Barkhor Street/Lhasa Old Town
Your first day of sightseeing begins with the most iconic structure in all of Tibet - the Potala Palace. Massive in proportion, it will take at least two hours to visit the rooms, halls and chapels that are accessible to visitors. After visiting the Potala Palace, you will have the opportunity to visit the most revered religious site in Tibet, the Jokhang Temple. Located about 2 kilometers east of the Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple is an active temple bustling with worshippers. With its mysterious air and exotic location, visiting the Jokhang is an incredible experience for any traveler. The quadrangle of streets surrounding the Jokhang Temple is known as the Barkhor, part of Lhasa’s most interesting pilgrimage circuit. This area of the Old Town is not only the spiritual heart of Lhasa but also the main commercial district for the people of Tibet. (Breakfast is included this day.)
Day 3: Lhasa - Namtso Lake - Lhasa
This morning features a drive to the incredibly beautiful Namtso Lake, which is located about 240 kilometers from Lhasa. Lying on the vast Qiangtang Plain, Namtso Lake is fed by waters from thawed snow from the gigantic Nyaigen Tanglha mountain range that towers over the lake to the south. The pristine mountain snow that runs into the lake makes the water a miraculous shade of turquoise blue, which reflect the magnificent views of the nearby mountains. The rest of the area surrounding the lake are wide open spaces, dotted with the tents of the local nomad herders, making this a place of unparalleled beauty and an ideal location for photographers and travelers alike. After this breathtaking visit, return to your hotel in Lhasa to stay overnight. (Breakfast is included this day.)
Day 4: Lhasa - Yamdroktso Lake - Shigatse Old Town
Yamdroktso is one of Tibet’s three holy lakes, located 110 kilometers outside of Lhasa at an elevation of 4,441 meters. The drive to get there is filled with incredible beauty, climbing over the snow pass at Kambala (elevation 5,030 meters) to see the dazzling lake laid out several hundred meters below the road. The massive Mt. Nojin Kangtsan can be viewed in the distance. After visiting Yamdroktso, journey on to the Old Town of Shigatse, which is great for walking around and absorbing the Tibetan architecture and culture. (Breakfast is included this day.)
Day 5: Shigatse - Tashilhunpo Monastery - Lhasa
This morning, as your adventure continues, you will start off with a visit to the Tashilhunpo Monastery, of which you will catch your first glimpse from miles away with the golden tops of the monastery glittering under the strong Tibetan sun. The majestic outside of the monastery is matched in elegance by the religious tranquility and solemn ambiance of the inside. After your visit to Tashilhunpo, enjoy the scenery as the sun sets on the trip back to Lhasa. (Breakfast is included this day.)
Day 6: Departure from Lhasa
Your tour guide will help you check out of your hotel in time for your departing flight from Lhasa.

Cost: Please contact us for an up-to-date price quotation. 
Includes: Foreign visitor traveler permit, Jeep/van for tour transportation, king-sized bed accommodations in 3-star hotels, your personal English-speaking tour guide, entrance fees to those sites mentioned in the itinerary, breakfasts as listed in the itinerary, round-trip airfare between Shanghai and Lhasa. Not included: Meals not mentioned, personal expenses, customary tips for tour guide and driver.