Day 1:Your tour guide will welcome you, either at the airport or at the train station. The distance from the airport to Lhasa is about 70km, approximately 1:30 hrs. drive. The distance from the train station is only 25km, about 30 minutes’ drive. After that, he will provide you with some necessary instructions about your tour arrangements in Lhasa.
We will accommodate you at the Three Starts hotel or you own choice of hotel.

Day 2: Today is your first day on the high plateau and some of you may have a headache. This is very common for all travelers because of the high altitude, so drink enough water and avoid strenuous activity during this first few days to help you adjust to it.
In the morning our guide will pick you up from your hotel and take you on a visit to the Jokhang Temple which is the center of the holy city of Lhasa. Jokhang temple is one of the most sacred temples in Tibet and has always been bustled with earnest local pilgrims. After that, you will have time to walk around the Bakhor Street, one of the most devotional circuit as well as the most crowded central market in Lhasa. In the old days, it was the most famous local market but nowadays it has evolved into a very touristic gift shopping center. You will be impressed by the crowds of local pilgrims doing prostration in front of the temple, especially during the winter months.
In the afternoon you will visit the Potala Palace, the cardinal landmark of Tibet and the masterpiece of Tibetan architecture. It was built by 33rd King Songtsen Gangpo in the 7th century and, later in the 17th century, rebuilt by the 5th Dalai Lama. Since then, it served as the home to the Dalai Lama and his government. Walking though the long steps is quite challenging, but it is worthwhile to leave your footprints in the spiritual palace on God’s compassion, listed in the world heritage.
We will accommodate you at the Three Starts hotel or your own choice of hotel.

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Day 3: This morning we will visit Drepung and Sera Monasteries Deprung monastery is one of the world’s largest monasteries, housing more than 10,000 monks. It was the residence of the Dalai Lama prior to moving to the Potala Palace. Destruction has taken place at different times, but you can still fully enjoy it. You can walk through numbers of narrow and twisted lanes of monks’ apartments, which are more like a typical village.
This amazing day will end with a visit to the Sera Monastery. It was built in the 15th century by the Jamchen choji Sakya Yeshi who was a disciple of Tsongka pa. The monastic colleges in Sera house several hundred monks from different parts of Tibet. The famous Buddhist philosophical debates among the monks takes place every afternoon except on Sundays. Continue acclimatizing to the new altitude and alleviating your jet lag the rest of the day.
We will accommodate you at the Three Starts hotel or another hotel of your choice.

Day 4:  In the morning, we’ll drive for about an hour and a half to Ganden Monastery, located to the east and about 70 km from Lhasa.
Ganden monastery was founded in 1409 by Tsongkhapa, who was the revered reformer of the Gelugpa order, the monastery was the first Gelugpa monastery and it has been the main seat of this major Buddhist order ever since. If you are running out of time in Lhasa, Ganden monastery is probably your best choice to visit. You will climb the Ngarong Lhaka, south of Ganden, where you’ll enjoy superb views over strands of the braided Kyi-chu Valley. Along the way and there are usually large numbers of pilgrim offering prayers flag, rubbing holy rocks and prostrating themselves along the path.
Then, we will hike, about 4 hours, from Ganden to Drushi village, offering you a great experience to Tibetan village life. The Drushi village has a rich history of more than 700 years, dating back to when Tsongkapa founded Ganden monastery. This beautiful village provides an opportunity to immerse yourself in Tibetan culture, as well as to enjoy a variety of activities such as trekking and horse-back riding. You could also enjoy a visit to a farmer’s house and taste home-made barley beer, butter tea and other local treats to experience the life of a Tibetan family.
We’ll end the day taking you back to the hotel in Lhasa.

Day 5:End of tour. Your tour guide will arrange transportation to either the Gongkar airport or the Libu train station in Lhasa