Circuite trip to Reting and Drigung

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Overview

This is a circuit trip that explores the enchanting and relatively untouched valleys north of Lhasa. During our trip we visit Terdrom Nunnery (4325 m) and medicinal hot springs; Drigung Monastery, the head of the Drigung school of Kargyupa order of Tibetan Buddhism; Reting Monastery (4070 m), one of the important Gelukpa Monasteries; and our trip culminates in Lhasa after exploring Namtso, the Sky Lake.

Itinerary Day by Day

Day 1 Chengdu-Lhasa

Today's Highlights:

Airport Pickup; Rest at the hotel

Details:

After breakfast you will fly to Tibet. Arrive in Gonggar airport. Be greeted and offered a white scarf (called Kada) in a Tibet traditional way which brings you good luck. And then transfer 100 km away to Lhasa. Check in the hotel and take a rest for acclimatization of high altitude.

Day 2 Sightseeing in Lhasa

Today's Highlights:

Potala Palace; Jokhang Temple; Barkhor Street

Details:

In the whole morning, we will visit the famous Potala Palace, the winter palace of Dalai Lama. After that, we will start off with a walking tour of Jokhang Monastery and the bustling Barkhor Market. The Jokhang Monastery is the home of the statues of the revered Buddha, Shayamuni.

Day 3 Sightseeing in Lhasa

Today's Highlights:

Drepung Monastery; Sera Monastery

Details:

In the whole morning, we will visit the Drepung Monastery, Drepung once housed 10,000 monks. If we're lucky, we'll quickly ease into a dark columned hall to see and hear the lilting, booming chanting of the Sutras, or perhaps sit under a willow tree and watch as the monks engage in theatrical debate.

Afternoon we will visit Sera Monastery which is quite famous for monk's free debating.

Day 4 Lhasa-Gandan Monastery-Drigung

Today's Highlights:

Drigung Monastery; Gandan Monastery; Drigung Hotspring

Details:

Today we will drive to Drigung via Gandan Monastery, Drigung is known for its tradition of long retreat practice is also maybe the most important sky-burial site in all Tibet.

And tonight we will stay in the guesthouse near the hot spring where you can enjoy yourself in the hot spring.

Day 5 Drigung-Reting

Today's Highlights:

Reting Monastery

Details:

In the morning we will drive to Reting, once the seat of the most powerful regent in the 1930s, but now a quiet monastery set admist these unusual woods.

Day 6 Reting-Namtso Lake

Today's Highlights:

Namtso Lake

Details:

We will go further to the 'sky lake'-Namtso lake, the highest lake in the world! This scene is one of the most dramatic in Tibet and will give you a sense of the space that stretches out to the north.

Day 7 Namtso Lake-Lhasa

Today's Highlights:

Back to Lhasa; Yampachen

Details:

Today we will drive back to Lhasa, you will visit the beautiful landscape of grassland, flocks of yaks, sheep and goats, and snow-capped mountains. En route, we will visit Yampecheng, you can enjoy the grassland views here.

Day 8 Leave Lhasa

Today's Highlights:

Tour ends

Details:

Tour ends today, and you can take flight or train to your next destination. Hope you had a wonderful time in Tibet.

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