We will leave Chongqing for Lhasa at 19:55 by T222 or leave Chengdu for Lhasa at 20:59 by T22.
We can enjoy the natural landscape of Sichuan Basin and Loess Plateau.
We will arrive in Lhasa in the afternoon. Our local guide will pick you up at the railway station and present you a Hada (presenting Hada is a special ceremony of Tibetan for greeting their guests). Then we will set out for the Holy City – Lhasa which is 3658 meters above the sea level. You could take a rest and adapt yourself to the plateau environment after we arrived at our hotel.
We will visit the highest ancient castle style architectural complex above the sea level – Potala Palace (1hour). It was the residence of the Tibetan Dalai Lamas, as well as the political, educational and religious center of Tibet. It was built in the 7th century during the reign of Songtsen Gampo. Potala Palace is composed of the White Palace and the Red Palace.
In the afternoon, we will pay a visit to the Jokhang Temple which was widely accepted as the spiritual center of Tibet. The precious Statue of 12-year Sakyamuni (the founder of Buddhism) brought to Tibet by Princess of Chinese Tang Dynasty and the statues of some eminent Buddhists are enshrined in the monastery. There are also exquisite murals which present the history and culture of Tibet collected in the monastery. Then we will take a ramble at Barkhor Street which around the Jokhang Temple. There we could experience the traditional culture and daily life of Tibetan.
We will leave Lhasa for Yamdrok Lake through Gambarak Mountain Pass (4780 meters above the sea level) after breakfast. Yamdrok Lake is one of the three holy lakes in Tibet. It covers an area of 638 square kilometers with an altitude of 4441 meters. The landscapes of mountains and lakes here tops in southern Tibet. Then we will make a visit to Palkhor Monastery in Gyantse via Karo-la Glacier and Manla Reservoir.
We will make a visit to Tashilhunpo Monastery after breakfast and then back to Lhasa along the national road of China and Nepal. We can appreciate the particular natural landscapes of Yarlung Zangbo River Valley on our way. Then we will make our way to the cradle of Tibetan civilization – Tsedang via Qushui County.
We will make a visit to Yungbo Lakhang – the first palace of Tibet which could be dated back to 2100 years ago after we arrived in Tsedang. It is said that Yungbo Lakhang was constructed for the first Tibetan king – Nyatri Tsenpo by the followers of Bon in second century B.C. Yungbo Lakhang acted as the palaces of the Tibetan kings till 7th century. The 33rd Tibetan king – Songtsen Gampo united Tibet and moved his capital to Lhasa. Yungbu Lakhang became the summer palace of Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng of Chinese Tang Dynasty.
Then we will tour to Trandruk Monastery - the first Buddhism monastery in the history of Tibet. It was built in 641 during the reign of Songtsen Gampo. It collected a lot of precious cultural relics, including the Pearl Thangka, Sakyamuni Thangka, and the Statue of 8-year Padmasambhava. We will tour to Tombs of the Tibetan Kings. Tombs of the Tibetan Kings refer to the tombs of the 29th to 40th kings of Tubo Kingdom, as well as their queens and ministers.
We will transfer you to the airport after breakfast.