10 Days Damxung to Namtso Trek Tour

Highlights: Welcome to Lhasa! Today upon your Lhasa arrival, you will be greeted by your Tibetan guide and escorted to hotel. Rest of the day you will have a good rest to acclimatize the high altitude. 

Tips: 

The altitude in Lhasa is about 3,650m above sea level. Take time out to relax and acclimate to the high altitude after arrival at your hotel. We recommend that you avoid strenuous activity for the first few days. It is advisable that you not take showers. For first time visitors, it is common to have different degrees of high altitude sickness symptom. Drink more water, have fresh fruit and plenty of rest will help to prevent the sickness. Have a good rest tonight, and get ready for tomorrow’s journey. 

Elevation: 3500m 

Highlights: Today you will visit the famous Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street 

Potala Palace: Which is known as the cardinal landmark of Tibet and the residence of the Dalai Lama lineages. Stands 13 stories high and owes over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and 200,000 statues, the Potala Palace formed a small world in it. 

Jokhang Temple: Listed on UNESCO's World Heritage list in 2000 as part of the Potala Palace,Jokhang Temple is the ultimate pilgrimage destination for Tibetan Pilgrims. The temple is a four-storey timber complex with a golden top, with the combination of  Tang Dynasty, Tibetan and Nepal architectural styles. Every day, pilgrims come from every corner of Tibet worship here, make it a perfect site for photograpers.

Barkhor Street: As the oldest street in Lhasa, Barkhor Street is considered as the center of the old city, and a perfect place to lear Tibetan culture, economy, religion, and arts. The street is full of handicarfts, such as ornaments, knives, tangka,  religious musical instruments, gold and silver ware, masks and a lot more. If you intend to buy some souvenirs for friends or famiy, Barkhor Street will be an ideal place.

Tips: 

1) Some visitors might feel a bit hard to breath when climbing the Potala Palace, so please climb slowly. 

2) Some places are not allowed to take photos, please kindly inquire your guide for details. 

3) When shopping around Barkor Street, you can compare and bargain for the unique souvenirs 

4) During the summer time, the musical fountain show at the Potala Plalace Square is 19:30—22:00PM. 

5) Please bring water, a hat, sun cream, and sun glasses for today’s tour as you will be at outside for a long day. 

Elevation: 3500m 

Highlights: Today you will visit Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery and enjoy the debate. 

Drepung Monastery: Located 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) from the western suburb of Lhasa, Drepung Monastery is known as the most important monastery of Gelugpa in Tibetan Buddhism. It is considered one of the 'Three Great Monasteries' (the other two are the Ganden Monastery and the Sera Monastery. Seen from afar, its grand, white construction gives the appearance of a heap of rice. As such, it was given the name 'Drepung‘, which, in the Tibetan language, means 'Collecting Rice.. 

Sera Monastery: Which is located in the northern suburb of Lhasa City. The monastery was named Sera which means wild rose in the Tibetan language, because the hill behind it was covered with wild roses in bloom when the monastery was built. From of Mon ~ Fri, every afternoon, you ll be able to see monks debating at Sera Monastery.

Tips: 

1) Today's road condition is good. The tour involves some easy walking and climbing

2) Please bring water, a hat, sun cream, and sun glasses for today’s tour as you will be at outside for a long day. 

Distance: 240km    Drive: 6hrs   Elevation: 3900m   

Highlights: Today you will start early in the morning for the drive to Reting Monastery, camp near the monastery and enjoy the clean and clear sky in Tibet. 

Reting Monastery: The monastery is 240km away from Lhasa, was the first monastery of Gedang Sect of Tibetan Buddhism but belong to Gelug Sect now. There are 30000 cypress trees around Reting Monastery, which were planted 1000 years old. Reting Monastery was founded by Atisha's chief disciple Dromtönpa in 1056 in the Reting Tsampo Valley north of Lhasa as the seat of the Kadampa lineage. He brought some of Atisha's relics with him. It was the first major monastery of the Sarma revival.

Highlights: In the morning drive on rugged road to reach Damxung (4130 m) by the Qinghai-Tibet Highway. Our trek begins from here. Today we will only have a short trek and goes up through a beautiful meadow. We will also visit a monastery en route. 

Highlights: Today we pass through glaciated valley and reach a herder's camp where we camp for the night.

Highlights: We cross Kong La from where you have spectacular views of Namtso Lake and the Nyenchen Thangla ranges. Descend to a broad basin and hike along green meadows.

Highlights: Hike along green meadows and pass through several nomad camps and their herds of animals. We hike along green meadows and pass through several nomad camps and their herds of animals. We have lunch by the lake. We then follow the jeep trail all the way to Tashi Dorje hermitage. Later we will come to Namtso for overnight. 

Namtso Lake: Located 250km aways from Lhasa, sitting at 4,718 meters above sea level, Namtso Lake is the highest lake in the world and one of the 3 holy lakes in Tibet and one of the 5 most beautiful lakes in China. The Namtso Lake is highly adored by the local Tibetans, during the Tibetan year of sheep, pilgrims from far away come to walk around the lake for pilgrimage, which ttakes over ten days to complete. With the lake surface assuming sky blue, the lake and the sky seem to form a perfect picture, makes visitors feel themselves are strolling in a fairy land.  

Distance: 250km    Drive: 6hrs    Elevation: 4700m   

Highlights: In the morning walk around the peninsula to explore the meditation caves. After enjoy the clear morning by the lake, and snap the amazing view of sunrise, drive back to Lhasa.

Highlights: Today our guide will send you to train station or airport for your next destination. Your lifetime Tibet tour is completed now.