Compare Lhasa City Essential Group Tour by Great Tibet Tour

Day 1: Arrival in Lhasa (3680m)

When you arrive in Lhasa, our staff will pick you up at Lhasa Airport/ Railway and transfer you to the hotel. From the airport, it takes about 1.5 hours. From the train station, it only takes 20 minutes. Afterward, it's best to relax and take it easy on the first day to get acclimatized to high altitude and alleviate the jet lag. You might go to the local market and wander around the city on your own but try not to overtax yourself.

Stay overnight in Lhasa, 3 Star / 4 star

Day 2: Lhasa Sightseeing

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Attraction: Drepung Monastery  Sera Monastery

Today is your first day of sightseeing on the high plateau, so our guide will meet you at the hotel. Enjoy your easy travel by visiting Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery.

In the morning, the first station is the Drepung Monastery, which is the largest of all Tibetan monasteries that housed for more than 10,000 monks. It was the residence of the Dalai Lamas until the Great Fifth Dalai Lama constructed the Potala. It was known for the high standards of its academic study, and was called the Nalanda of Tibet. And then you also can visit the biggest monastery kitchen in the monastery and enjoy Buddhist sculpture carving workshop near Drepung.

Then after lunch, you will head to the Sera Monastery, which is another one of the ‘Great Three’ Gelug monasteries. It is famous for the Buddhism activities of "Monks Debate" for around 3 to 5 PM in the afternoon. Also, inside the monastery, the three sand Mandalas and colorful Rock Painting of Buddha is the hot attractions.

Stay overnight in Lhasa, 3 Star / 4 star

Drepung Monastery is also a Buddhist education base. It is the best place to learn and impart the Buddhism. Sera Monastery is one of three famous monasteries in the city.

Day 3: Lhasa Sightseeing

Meals: Breakfast

Attraction: Potala Palace  Jokhang Temple  Barkhor Street

On your third day, you will be feeling much more acclimatized to Lhasa’s high elevation. It is an excellent idea to spend the day exploring the Potala Palace, which is the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. The most valuable collections of Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and meditation cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet. It is best to explore the inside of the Potala in the morning for 2-3 hours. Afterward, you will walk the pilgrimage route around the Potala.

In the afternoon, you will head to the Jokhang Temple, which is well known as the center of the Tibetan Buddhism, features Buddhist prayer wheels, reclining deer, golden sutra streamers. Also, you can see a great many of pilgrims praying in front of the temple and do kora with local pilgrims.

After visiting the Jokhang Temple, you will stroll in the old alleys of Barkhor street where you can drink the sweet tea, chat with locals and even bargain with the street vendors to understand the real life in Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa, 3 Star / 4 star

The original Potala Palace was built by the King Songtsan Gampo for his bride in 637 AD, and it was rebuilt by the fifth Dalai Lama.Reconstructed in Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties for several times, Jokhang Temple has four stories and covers an area of about 25,000 square meters now.

Day 4: Lhasa Departure

Meals: Breakfast

Your 4-day Lhasa City Essential Group Tour ends today. After breakfasts, you will be free for the morning. Our staff will collect you at your hotel to transfer to Lhasa Airport/Railway Station.