6-Day Lhasa and Shigatse Tour

Tour Route: Lhasa-Yamdrotso Lake-Gyantse-Shigatse

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Route Highlights:

Join us on a cultural journey to explore two of Tibet’s major cities! In just six days, we will take you to the natural scenery of Tibet and experience the charm of Lhasa and Shigatse!

Journey Features

We will take you to explore the dynamic cultures of Lhasa, Gyantse, and Shigatse, the two major cities in Tibet. You will see the magnificent Potala Palace and Temples; the serene Yamdrok Lake and the Karola Glacier; the farmland of Gyantse, where you will see the prosperous agriculture on the snow-covered plateau; the most magnificent temple in Tibet, Tashilhunpo Temple in Shigatse; the residence of the Tibetan Panchen Living Buddha; and local markets. During this journey, experience the spiritual essence of the Tibetan people and the splendor of the natural world.

Itinerary Details

6 days lhasa and shigatse tour itinerary

Itinerary Overview
D1 Arrive in Lhasa

D2 Lhasa City Sightseeing
D3 Lhasa City Sightseeing
D4 Lhasa – Yamdrotso Lake – Gyantse – Shigatse

D5 Shigatse-Lhasa
D6 Lhasa Departure

Submission and Free Consultation

Day 01 Arrive in Lhasa

Airport/Train Station Pickup, Check-in at the Hotel

Welcome to Tibet! When you arrive at the airport, our friendly driver and guide will greet you and give you a traditional Tibetan white scarf called a “Khata.” You will then be driven to a hotel in central Lhasa, which is about 70 kilometers away. To help you adjust to the high altitude (3,650 meters), we suggest resting after you check into your hotel.

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Day 02 Lhasa City Tour

Visit Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery Debating

Today, you will visit two different monasteries in Lhasa: Sera and Drepung. Both offer unique insights into Tibetan Buddhism. You will observe how monks study by visiting their halls, colleges, and kitchen, and witness their lively debates. Sera Monastery is famous for its animated discussions, where monks use expressive body language and even dance while discussing Buddhist teachings. Your tour in Tibet will start in the evening with a welcome dinner at a typical Tibetan restaurant.

Breakfast /Welcome Dinner

Day 03 Lhasa City Tour

Visit Potala Palace and Johkang Temple

Let’s explore the treasures of Lhasa, including the Potala Palace, once home to the Dalai Lama and the highest palace in the world. The Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street, the center of Tibetan faith, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The Potala Palace, a former political and religious hub of Tibet, towers over Lhasa’s red hills. You can visit prayer rooms, a tomb stupa, and the Dalai Lama’s old political hall by climbing 365 steps to the main building. Here, you’ll find amazing murals and beautiful Buddha statues that showcase the splendor of ancient Tibet.

The Jokhang Temple, Tibet’s holiest site, is revered for its 12-year-old statue of Shakyamuni and attracts lifelong pilgrims. You can walk along Barkor Street with the pilgrims and experience the city’s spirit. A guide will also take you to a nearby Tibetan teahouse to learn about local culture.

Breakfast

Day 04 Lhasa-Gyatse-Shigatse

Yamdrotso Lake, Karola Glacier

Traveling to Shigatse will take approximately 7 to 8 hours by car, covering a distance of 340 kilometers. Along the way, you’ll encounter the breathtaking Yamdrok Lake and the impressive Karola Glacier. Enjoy a scenic 20-kilometer drive as you navigate the lake’s winding shoreline. We’ll stop at a lakeside village where you can wander through the local farmers’ homes, explore the area, and savor a delightful farmhouse meal.

After lunch, we’ll drive for about an hour to reach the Karola Glacier, one of the most stunning glaciers in Tibet. Its massive glacier tongue extends right to the roadside, resembling a frozen waterfall that hangs overhead. Following our visit to the Karola Glacier, we’ll continue past Lake Manla and through the historic town of Gyantse before arriving in Shigatse, Tibet’s second-largest city.

Breakfast/Farm house Lunch. Night stay in Lhasa

Day 05 Shigatse- Lhasa

Tashilunpo Monastery, Shigatse Samdroptse Market, Brahmaputra Grand Canyon

You will visit the Tashilhunpo Monastery, the largest monastery in western Tibet. This impressive and grand residence of the Panchen Lamas features stupas dedicated to them, stunning Buddhist murals, and boasts the world’s largest gilded copper statue of Maitreya Buddha. Your guide will accompany you on a kora (circumambulation) around the monastery, enhancing your exploration of the grounds. You’ll walk along the hillside with locals, reaching the highest vantage point for breathtaking views of Shigatse and Tashilhunpo Monastery.

After touring the monastery, your guide will take you to the distinctive Shigatse Samdroptse Old Market, where you can browse a variety of traditional items such as jewelry, clothing, and accessories from different regions of Shigatse. Later, as we head back to Lhasa, we will travel through the valley of the Yarlung Tsangpo River. (Depending on the situation, the tour operator may arrange for the group to return to Lhasa by train.)

Breakfast

Day 06 Depart from Lhasa

Airport/Train Station drop off

Today marks the end of your trip in Tibet, and we’ll help you get to the train or airport. Thank you for choosing to explore Tibet with us.

Dates and Prices

Available Date Price Booking
Sep.01, 2024 from $842 Book Now
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Oct.01, 2024 from $891 Book Now
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Available Date Price Booking
Nov.03, 2024 from $765 Book Now
Nov.10, 2024 from $765 Book Now
Nov.17, 2024 from $765 Book Now
Nov.24, 2024 from $765 Book Now
Available Date Price Booking
Dec.01, 2024 from $765 Book Now
Dec.08, 2024 from $765 Book Now
Dec.15, 2024 from $765 Book Now
Dec.22, 2024 from $765 Book Now
Dec.29, 2024 from $765 Book Now

Prices

Service Included:

  • Tibet Travel Permit application service and mailing service within China.
  • Entrance tickets to the listed attractions and activities.
  • Accommodations are in three-star hotels with breakfast throughout the journey.
  • Comfortable and safe tourist vehicle.
  • Excellent Tibetan English-speaking guide.
  • Farm house lunch and welcome dinner.
  • Travel accident insurance and high-altitude sickness insurance.
  • Shuutle service between the airport/train station and Lhasa city.
  • Exquisite Tibetan gifts and travel maps.
  • On-board medical oxygen supply for travel in high-altitude areas.

Service Excluded:

  • International and domestic transportation to and from Tibet.
  • Single room supply for solo travelers who require a single room.
  • Some meal expenses are not included in the tour (the guide will assist in arranging and recommending meals; you are responsible for the cost).

Group Tour

Every year, a large number of Indian pilgrims travel to Tibet to spend time at Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar, as the mountain is considered a sacred site for Hindus from India. Nonetheless, Indian pilgrims must follow a very different application process for a Tibet permit than do visitors from other foreign countries. The Department of Public Security of the Tibet Autonomous Region, the Armed Police Tibet Frontier Corps, the Tibet Military Region, and the Foreign Affairs Office of the Tibet Autonomous Region must all work together to verify and award pilgrimage permits for Indians.

You can contact us for consultancy, and we will be happy to assist you in customizing your Tibet visit.

According to the relevant regulations of the Tourism Bureau, foreigners are currently unable to travel independently.
 
Foreigners can only go to Tibet through travel agencies in advance to apply for Tibet Travel Permits, and follow a group of foreign tourists.
 
It can also be customized according to the requirements of tourists, accompanied by tour guides, professional drivers, and regular tour buses.
 
You can also apply for a Chinese temporary driver’s license through a travel agency and travel with a dedicated self-driving team.

Our tour groups for foreign guests are 100% pure sightseeing tours without any shopping stops or optional activities. Visitors can confidently join our tours for a superior travel experience.


Compared to many domestic shopping tours, our tour fees may be relatively higher, but that’s because we specialize in high-quality, pure sightseeing tours.

A group is not more than 12 peoples, Ali area group is not more than 15 peoples, in the peak season from May to October, our basic number of each group is about 10 peoples, the off-season from November to March of the next year, the number of team between 5 to 8 peoples.

As a necessary document for foreign tourists to enter Tibet, Tibet Travel Permits is required to be presented when taking the plane or train into Tibet. If you do not have it, it will mean that you will not be able to board the train and plane entering Tibet.
 
In addition, when encountering checkpoints during tourism in Tibet, tourists will also be checked whether they have a valid TTP. In order to facilitate management and prevent loss, usually after the arrival of tourists in Lhasa, the tour guide will collect TTP for inspection when needed.

The main tour routes as follows:
A1 Lhasa 4-day itinerary is more suitable for tourist with tight time
A4 Lhasa Yamdrok Lake 5-day itinerary is more suitable for business travelers
D1 Lhasa-Gyantse-Shigatse 6 days, Lhasa plus the classic itinerary of Shigatse in Tibet
D2 Lhasa-Gyantse-Shigatse-Namtso for 8 days, the essence of the regular route is basically covered
B1 Lhasa-Gyantse-Shigatse-Mount Everest 8 days, a must-see attraction in Tibet, Everest Base Camp
B2 Lhasa-Shigatse-Everest-Namtso 10 days, including the comprehensive itinerary of Mount Everest
G Lhasa-Shigatse-Everest-Ali 15 days, a must-have itinerary for Kailash to the mountains

We can offer the customized itineraries that can be individually arranged and designed to meet the needs of each tourist.

Our group tours do not include meals, and most hotels offer free breakfast.
 
Because our group members come from all over the world and have different tastes, it is difficult to arrange a meal.
 
The tour guide will take you to the restaurant, everyone can order their own food, Sichuan cuisine, Nepalese food, Tibetan food.

All our group prices do not include the major transportation costs (air and train tickets).

As visitors arrive in Lhasa on designated departure dates and from various cities, there is a significant price difference in air and train tickets. Therefore, travelers arrange their own transportation, but if necessary, travel agencies can assist with ticket purchases.

The following documents need to be prepared for travel to Tibet:
 
1.Passport: Please make sure that your passport is valid for more than six months.
 
2.Chinese visa
 
3. Tibet travel permits (TTP): Tibet travel permits is a necessary document for taking trains and planes to Tibet. Please note that the TTP cannot be applied for individually, and you need to apply for it through a qualified local travel agency in Tibet. It generally takes 10-14 working days. In order not to delay your travel, it is recommended to book your travel in advance and submit the required materials to apply for TTP.

In our foreign group tours, there are no recommended optional activities or shopping stops throughout the tour!
 
Here are some of the things you should pay by yourself when you join our tour group as follows:
1. Meals during the journey, costing approximately between 30-80 per meal.
2. Transportation costs for round-trip journeys, including airplane or train tickets to and from Tibet.
3. Tips for drivers and guides, to be given based on the quality of service.
4. Personal expenses during the trip and shopping, etc.

Spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October) are the best seasons to visit Tibet. Although spring comes later in Tibet, beginning in early April, it lasts until the end of May. Similarly, autumn is only two months, from September to October. In these two seasons, Tibet is more sunny, warm and pleasant weather. Travel to Tibet at this time, you can enjoy the pleasant climate.

1. If you have Tibetan friends, even if the relationship is very good, you should not casually touch the shoulder and touch the top when meeting.
 
2. When addressing someone, it is taboo to call him by his name, you can add “la” after the address, which is equivalent to “Mr.” or “Ms.”.
 
3. When entering the house or tent, do not step on the threshold.
 
4. Enter the room and follow the male left and female right when taking a seat.
 
5. Go to the Tibetan home, the housewife or children to pour butter tea, but the guests can not pick up their own drink, have to wait for the host to hold in front of you before the past drink. Please show your respect to the host by not drinking all the tea in the cup when you leave.
 
6. If you enter a Tibetan home or a temple, you should sit cross-legged, not straight legs, feet facing people, not looking around.
 
7. Refrain from speaking unlucky words or cursing people with foul language in Tibetan homes.
 
8. Tibetans avoid spitting (possibly unconsciously) and slapping behind others.
 
9. During the journey, if you want to photograph pilgrims or residents, please ask the other person’s opinion first.
 
10. It is not allowed to step over the knives, fan straps, horse REINS and saddles of Tibetans at will.
 
11. You must not step over or step on the clothes of the Tibetan people, you must not put your own clothes on their clothes, and you must not step over people.
 
12. Tibetans taboo outsiders through children to inquire about their parents at home.
 
13. In Tibet, children and adults are not allowed to touch their heads, only living Buddhas can touch them.
 
14. Never whistle at night, as locals believe it attracts ghosts and nocturnal spirits.
 
15. Dress appropriately, especially in religious places, and avoid too-short shorts and skirts.
 
16. If a hospitable Tibetan host offers Hada to you, you should bow down and accept.
 
17. Do not be surprised if you see a Tibetan smiling and sticking out his tongue at you; it is a sign of humility and respect, not ridicule. You can also politely smile back at them.
 
18. During the trip, do not buy any wild animal fur, wild Tibetan antelope horn, wild yak skull, etc., in Tibet. This is tantamount to supporting the rampant poaching of wild animals in Tibet. If you are caught with these items when you leave Tibet, you are likely to face great trouble.
 
19. If you travel to Tibet during the Tibetan calendar festival, you need to know that on the first day of the Tibetan calendar, sweeping the floor is taboo, you cannot eat food with stuffing, you are not allowed to swear, quarrel, and you are not allowed to say “empty”, “no”, “illness”, “pain”, “death”, “kill”, “poor”, “don’t”, “unlucky” and other unlucky words.

Warm Hint

  • Before submitting an application for the Tibet Entry Permit into Tibet, please confirm that your passport is valid for at least 6 months.
  • When entering Tibet from Kathmandu, the Chinese visa must be processed in Kathmandu; please do not process it in your home country beforehand. If a tourist previously held a long-term valid Chinese visa, when applying for a Chinese visa in Kathmandu, the old visa will be replaced by a 30-day valid group travel visa.
  • Tibet can only utilize the RMB. If you require RMB, you can swap it for US dollars in your area or withdraw money from an ATM.
  • Be healthy and prevent colds before traveling to Tibet.
  • When traveling to Tibet, both the airport and the train station will check the Tibet Entry Permit. Please keep the original safe, and do not write or draw on it.
  • Before traveling to Tibet, please ensure that you obtain your Tibet Entry Permit and verify your identity.
  • It is not suggested that pregnant women or people with severe hypertension, heart problems, or asthma travel to Tibet.
  • If you are concerned about excessive altitude sickness after visiting Tibet, take a suitable dosage of Rhodiola oral solution or pills before entering Tibet.
  • When traveling in Tibet, you must remain with the group throughout the entire trip and cannot leave at any time.
  • Please pack vitamins and stock medicine in your luggage.
  • When traveling on the plateau, stay hydrated, exercise slowly, eat more fruits, and take vitamins.
  • When first approaching the plateau, avoid smoking and drinking until the body is properly accustomed to the surroundings.

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