Tibet Experience In-depth

As you arrive in Lhasa, our guide in Lhasa will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to the hotel. For the rest of the day, we prefer not to arrange any guided tour and you are suggested stay at the hotel to acclimatize yourself to the high attitude.

Visit the world-famous Potala Palace, which is the Dalai Lama's Winter Palace, and which is also the theocracy dominant center of Tibet in the past. From the Fifth Dalai Lama, this was also the place to hold the important religion and political ceremonies; meanwhile, it is also the place to consecrate the Dalai Lamas' tope from generation to generation.  Then visit the Sera Monastery, which is famous for sutra-debating of lamas, and you may also visit the scriptures written in gold powder, scroll paintings, a tapestry portrait of Jamchen Chojey, and thangkas throughout Sera. In the afternoon, visit the Jokhang Temple first. It is a must-see attraction in Tibet with a status of Sakyamuni which was made by Sakyamuni himself when he was 12 years old being taken to Tibet by Princess Wencheng in Tang Dynasty. Being the spiritual center of Tibet, the temple is richly decorated with Tibetan features. It is where tourists can go to get a real taste of Tibetan culture. Then go out of the temple and your guide will show you the Barkhor Street, a flourishing local bazaar surrounding the Jokhang Temple. A visit to the Tibetan Traditional Hospital will give you an expression on how traditional leechcraft worked for local Tibetans in the past. (B+L)

Drive to Shigatse directly after breakfast. Visit the Tashilhunpo Monastery, the seat of the Panchen Lama since the Fourth Panchen Lama took charge in the monastery, and there are now nearly 800 lamas. Besides the grand palace and gigantic statues, the Tashilhunpo Monastery also treasures characteristic wall paintings. Because of the variety of shapes, resplendent colors and exquisite painting, the murals are considered to be another masterpiece of Buddhist art. Then have a visit to the New Palace of Panchen, the summer resort of Banchan Lama. Tonight you will stay at the local best Shigatse Hotel. (B+L)

Today will be the last day you will spend in Tibet. Due to the limited flight schedule, we will only arrange a visit to the Tibet Family if time permits, where you may learn more about the Tibetan people's life. Then you guide will transfer you to the airport and help you with the airport check-in procedure, your Tibet exploration comes to an end here. (B)