5 Days Short Visit to Lhasa in Winter by Air


Overview

There are several flights every day from Kathmandu to Lhasa, which only takes you around 2 hours. Located at the roof of the world, Tibet is neighbor of Nepal. This 5-day short visit to Lhasa , the capital city of tibet, will give you a chance to have an unusual journey of Tibet Buddhism in Winter by Air. Tourists can tour Potala Palace and four of the most important monasteries and travel around and mingle with locals. Besides, as winter is the “off season” of Tibet travel, it is also a great opportunity to feel the calmness of this holy and mysterious land. There are less tourists offering a less noisy sightseeing chance to pay a good visit to all the attractions without being disturbed. You can enjoy yourself in lhasa leisurely and keep far away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

What’s more, all the travel documents including Tibet Visa and Travel Permit will be perfectly arranged by Tibet Vista before your departure to Lhasa. A short visit to Lhasa in winter by air trip offers a unique and enchanting experience in the heart of the Tibetan Plateau. Upon arrival at Lhasa Gonggar Airport, travelers are greeted by crisp, mountainous air and breathtaking landscapes. Despite the colder temperatures, winter unveils Lhasa’s charm with a serene atmosphere and fewer crowds. The city’s main attraction is the iconic Potala Palace, a majestic UNESCO World Heritage site, where visitors can explore the splendid Tibetan architecture and immerse themselves in the rich history and spirituality of Tibet.

Day to Day Itinerary

Day 1: Fly from Kathmandu to Lhasa

When you arrive in Lhasa by flight, your guide will also greet you and take you to your hotel. An route to viewing the Yarlung Tsangpo River/ Bhamaputra river (the Longest and largest river in Tibet) and Lhasa river.

After arrive in lhasa, you can take rest and acclimatize. If you feel to go out, then you can go to the Potala square, where you will enjoy the fountain with different color and get amazing photos of the Potala and around.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 2: Lhasa tour – Potala Place, Johkang Temple and Barkor Street (B)

Today’s tour will first bring you to the Potala Palace, the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. It has been used since the 7th Century by the 33rd great king of Tibet. The most valuable collections are the gilded burial stupas of past Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.

After you take lunch and then head to Jokhang temple which was founded by the 33rd great king of Tibet in the 7th century, in order to promote the Buddhist religion. Inside you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve, perhaps the single most venerated object in Tibet Buddhism. Around the temple Barkhor street where you can do kora (circling the Barkhor street) with pilgrims and locals and buy the souvenirs.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

potala palace The large square before Jokhang Temple

Day 3: Lhasa Tour – NorbuLingkha Palace, Tibet Museum and Sera Monastery (B)

In the morning, we visit some representative monasteries and palaces in Tibet. NorbuLingkha Palace, the summer palace of Dalai Lama, is a representative of Tibetan garden with pavilions and ponds. And there are many rare and valuable treasures in NorbuLingkha.

Then you will visit the Tibet Museum nearby Norbulingka Palace, where one can have a basic understanding of Tibetan people, history of cultural development, Tibetan life style and so on.

In the afternoon, you will visit Sera monastery, one of three magnificent monasteries in Tibet. The highlight of this Buddhist school is daily routine monk debate at 4pm. They debate the issues of Buddhism with body language, which is one of the classic events of Tibetan Buddhism.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

nobulinkaMonk Debate is a highlight of Sera Monastery

Day 4: Lhasa Tour – Ganden Monastery and Trek around (B)

Today drive to the Ganden Monastery. It is about 60 kilometers east of Lhasa and is one of the “Great Three” Gelugpa monasteries of Tibet, founded by the Great Tsongkhapa in 1409.The main sight is Serdung, which contains the tomb of Tsongkhapa. Ganden monastery is situated on the Wangpori mountain with an elevation of 3800m above sea level.

It is very interesting to trek Lingkor(circle) around the monastery and you can also see the Great Tsongkapa’s meditation cave and many religious figure statues and the beautiful view of Lhasa valley.

In the afternoon, drive back to the Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

ganden monastery Ganden Monastery, one of the Great Three Gelugpa Monasteries of Tibet

Day 5: Departure from Lhasa (B)

Your guide and driver will be ready and waiting at your hotel lobby to get you to the airport on time.

End the tour.

Included:

  • Tibet travel permit and all other necessary also  permits to Tibet;
  • All entrance ticket fees for all tourist sites also listed in the itinerary;
  • Personal knowledgeable English-speaking Tibetan local tour guide;
  • Personal comfortable, clean and safe vehicle with reliable Tibetan local driver; vehicle ranging from 4WD land cruiser to minibus depending on your group size;
  • All lodging listed in the itinerary; it’s your decision about the accommodation class: luxury 5-star international hotel, comfortable 4-star hotel, economic 3-star hotel or budget hostel, guesthouse or tent. Please tell us your accommodation preference when submitting the enquiry; we will arrange the best-value hotels for you.
  • Domestic flight/train tickets listed in the itinerary;
  • All meals listed in the above itinerary;
  • Tourist accident/casualty insurance;
  • First aid kit;

Excluded:

  • International flight to and out of China;
  • Chinese visa (Note: we could help you with the Chinese visa application, like providing the invitation letter, presenting the hotel or domestic flight reservation copies, etc that you may need. )
  • Domestic flight/train not listed in the itinerary. (We can provide you the domestic flight/train ticket booking service at the BEST discount price; please contact us our travel experts for the details.)
  • Meals not specified in the itinerary; usually it costs about USD3-15 per person for one meal in TAR (Tibet Autonomous Region).
  • Tips and gratitude to tour guide and driver;
  • Personal expenses, like laundry, phone call, snacks, soft drinks (please do the best to avoid the alcoholic beverages during your Tibet trip), optional tour activities, etc.