Lhasa, which means ‘the land of the gods’ is the heart and soul of Tibet. It is a city of wonders, the capital of Tibet and an autonomous region of China. For centuries this holy city has attracted travellers from all over the world with its beautiful scenery, cultural heritage and its mysticism.
A pilgrimage connecting two religious monasteries via pristine lakes, remote mountain passes, beautiful alpine forests and meadows, the Ganden- Samye trek is the most popular trek in Tibet as you get to see old traditional palaces and ancient monasteries all along the way.
Upon arrival at the Gonggar Airport in Lhasa, over the tallest mountains in the world, you will be received and dropped to the hotel as booked by our representative. For the rest of the day we get time to acclimatize to Lhasa’s high altitude and time to prepare for the upcoming visits and treks.
Overnight at Hotel [B/-/-]
We will visit the following places in Lhasa:
Potala Palace: Political and religious centre of Tibet, Potala palace is one of the most beautiful monuments in Tibet. With 1000 rooms and 13 stories to explore, this is probably the most popular tourist attraction in Tibet. Elegantly decorated with hundreds of Thangka paintings, frescoes and images created hundreds of years ago the Potala palace is a perfect example of how ancient monuments should be preserved.
Jokhang Temple: Jokhang temple which was constructed back in 7th century attracts hundreds of tourists every year. This temple has a very huge Sakyamuni Buddha statue and is considered the holiest place in Tibet.
Norbulingka Palace: Constructed by the 7th Dalai Lama, Norbulingka Palace is not actually just one palace. This is a huge garden with numerous palaces built by many Dalai lamas in different period of time.Along with these places we will be visiting the Barkhor market with is probably the busiest place in Lhasa and offers anything you want to buy. Here you can pick up some Tibetan souvenir for you and some gifts for your loved ones.
Overnight at Hotel [B/-/-]
Sera and Drepung Monasteries: Sera and Drepung Monasteries were founded in 1419 which are actually numerous white temples and Buddhist buildings in the foot of a rocky hill. Back in its days, Drepung monastery used to have 8,000 monks to teach traditions of Vajrayana, Mahayana, and Sutrayana, the three vehicles of Tibetan Buddhism.
Overnight at Hotel [B/-/-]
Trek time: 3-4 hours approx.
Drive time: 1.5 hours approx. (50.5 km)
Today we will drive from Lhasa to Ganden up through Wangpori. Here at Ganden we will visit the beautiful Ganden monastery which is built on a cliff in a natural amphitheatre and start our trek to The Hebu valley. South across the valley is a steep drainage leading to the first pass crossing Shogarla, which is hidden from this point behind a ridge. The route to Samye descends steadily for 2 hours to Hebu on a well-defined trail, traversing along ridges. We will camp here at the Hebu valley.
Overnight at Camp [B/L/D]
Trekking time: 3-4 hours approx.
After breakfast in Hebu valley, today we will trek from Hebu valley to Shogarla pass. The trail forms along the base of the ridge and enters valley leading to Shogarla. Many campsites can be found in the meadows located 1 hour or more up the valley and towards the herder camp. You can take picturesque photos of the Tibetan plateaus in the sunset. We call it a day and camp here.
Overnight at Camp [B/L/D]
Today we will head from Shogarla towards Gambala passing a couple of lakes. South of the Gambala the trail plunges into a gorge, crisscrossing the stream that flows down from it. After the day’s trek we will rest at the river side and camp there for the night. You can have fun at the river side with some bonfire and drinks in the evening.
Overnight at Camp [B/L/D]
Trekking time: 6-7 hours approx.
This day we will trek from the river side of Gambala to Molong. The trail is now wider and easy to follow. We walk through the thickening scrub forest for one hour where you will come across another stream. The next three hours of the trail is among the most delightful parts of the entire trek. During the spring season, you may come across blooming rhododendrons and fragrant junipers. About an hour of steep climbing from a bridge near the stream, you will reach the Yamalung hermitage where Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated and received empowerment.
Later we can descend back to the bridge where we will camp for the night.
Overnight at Camp [B/L/D]
Today is the last day of our trek from Molong to Samye. The trail is much wider by now and we will walk for another 3.5 hours. We will pass through the Nyango village with its substantially built stone houses. On reaching Samye we will visit the Samye monastery which happens to be one of the most popular monasteries and one the 6 biggest monasteries in Tibet. The same day after Samye monastery visit we will drive from Samye to Tsedang and rest at the hotel.
Overnight at Hotel [B/-/-]
After breakfast, we will have time to explore Tsedang and visit Yambulakhang Palace and Tandruk monastery in the city. Again we will spend the night in Tsedang.
Overnight at Hotel [B/-/-]
On the last day of our tour we will drive to the Gonggar Airport according to the flight time for your onward journey.
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Trip Ends
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| Destination | Tibet |
| Trip Duration | 10 Days |
| Arrival In | Lhasa |
| Departure From | Lhasa |
| Meals | Bed & breakfast basis, Full Board basis while camping |
| Best Season | February – May/ September – November |
| Activity | Tour |
| Grade | Easy |
| Includes | • All necessary arrival/departure transfers |
| • Meet assistance at the airport | |
| • 3 nights’ hotel accommodation in Lhasa in a twin sharing basis on bed and breakfast basis | |
| • 2 nights’ hotel accommodation in Tsedang in a twin sharing basis on bed and breakfast basis | |
| • 4 nights’ in camp tent on full board basis | |
| • Sightseeing tour and all surface transfers in Tibet will be provided as per the itinerary with English speaking Tibetan guide by private vehicle | |
| • Tibet Travel Permit | |
| • All entrance and monuments fees as indicated in the program | |
| Excludes | • Chinese Visa Fee [Will be quoted separately and subject to change if revised] |
| • International airfare [Will be quoted separately and subject to change if revised] | |
| • Meals which are not mentioned in the above program | |
| • Refreshments, bottled drinks | |
| • Tipping | |
| • Insurance and rescue of any form | |
| • Cost arising out of flight cancellation/road blockades/landslides/riots and events beyond our control | |
| • Expenses of personal nature and any other expenses not mentioned in the above cost | |
| • Photography charges in the monasteries and monuments | |
| • Any other services and items which are not mentioned in the above cost inclusion |
