Welcome to the holy Tibet! Upon your arrival at Lhasa Airport, our guide will be waiting for you at the arrival hall and transfer you to your hotel for a good rest. The rest of the day is your free time at leisure. You could take a walk around the neighbors to adapt yourself to the high altitude of Lhasa. 

Tips: Lhasa gets an average elevation of about 3,600 meters above sea level. Unusually, a leisure walking may help you to easily acclimatize yourself to the high altitude and thin air. And considering the dramatic temperature difference between day and night, you need to wear layers in case of getting a cold. Please do not take a shower to avoid getting a cold.

Your essential Lhasa tour starts with a visit to the iconic Potala Palace erecting on the world’s rooftop. As the symbol of Tibet, it is the largest and best-preserved Tibetan palace masterpiece in China. You need to climb over 1,000 steps to reach the palace to absorb the exotic Tibetan-style architectural art, and touring inside, you would be dazzled by the abundant cultural relics and treasures displaying the prosperous history of Tibet, including pagodas, statues, murals, Thangka, scriptures and antiques like jades, porcelains and enamels.

Afterwards, continue your exploration to the Jokhang Temple, which is viewed as the spiritual center of Tibetan Buddhism. At any time of the day, there are a number of pilgrims from different places of Tibet to go on a pilgrimage to the temple, and you would stand in awe of their special way of worship by prostrating all the way.

Next, pay a visit to the adjacent Barkhor Street to explore the traditional residence of Lhasa locals and immerse in the authentic Tibetan folk customs by a circling walk around the Jokhang Temple. Meanwhile, with an array of restaurants and stores on offer, the Barkhor Street is also the most ideal place for you to taste the local cuisines and shop souvenir knickknacks. 

In the morning, the first site of today's Lhasa discovery goes to the enchanting Norbulingka that was used as a summer retreat of Dalai Lamas in the past. Reputed as an escape of Lhasa, it is a gorgeous Tibetan-style garden blessed with resplendent chambers and unusual plantations as well as countless relics and gems.

Then make your way to Drepung Monastery, one of the three most sacred monasteries of Gelugpa School of Tibetan Buddhism. It used to serve as the residential chambers for five generations of Dalai Lamas before the Potala Palace was built, and now it is the main site for the celebration of Shoton Festival by unveiling a giant Sakyamuni picture on a thangka. Like the locals, you could tour the monastery clockwise to pray for your well-being while inhaling the sacred ambience.

Afterwards, you will be led to visit the renowned Sera Monastery famous for the Buddhism debating scene in the afternoon. Sitting in groups under the tree shades in a courtyard, monks fiercely debate on Buddhist doctrines with exaggerated gestures to get in-depth insights into the interpretation of the Tibetan Buddhism creed.

At the end of the tour, you will be escorted back to your hotel.

Sera Monastery

Your wonderful Tibet tour draws to a close today. After checking out of the hotel, you will be transferred to the airport for your departure flight. Wish you a nice journey home. 

Tips: Lhasa Gonggar Airport operates domestic flights to Beijing and Shanghai where you could connect an international flight home. Meanwhile, if you look forward to exploring China further, there are also flights leading to Chengdu, Xian and Kunming.