Ganden to Samye, 10 days

Day 1 Arrival and acclimatization

Highlights: No visiting today, better take rest in hotel.

Schedule:

Arrive at Lhasa train station or airport, your guide and driver will pick you up there in person with a warm Tibetan style welcome ceremony by presenting you Khata and afterwards transfer you to the hotel, suggest you stay at hotel to have good rest for better acclimatization.

Day 2 Sightseeing in Lhasa

Highlights: Potala Palace, Johkang Temple, Barkhor Street

Schedule:

In the morning, visit Lhasa's landmark-Potala Palace, in which myriad chapels, audience halls, Buddhist frescoes, Thangkas, combinations of Mandela, figures of the Buddha stored. In the afternoon, visit the Johkang Temple, the center of Tibetan Buddhism, built during Songtsen Gonpo's reign by princess Wencheng of the Tang dynasty, 647 A.D. After the Johkang Temple, we will start a circular pilgrim route along Barkhor Street where you can purchase traditional Tibetan and Nepalese artifacts, religious implements, antiques, books, music instrument, Thangkas, and etc.

Day 3 Sightseeing in Lhasa

Highlights: Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery

Schedule:

In the morning, drive to Drepung monastery which used to serve as the government center in Tibet until the fifth Dalai Lama moved to the famous Potala Palace. It is the biggest Buddhism College in Tibet and once homed to more than 10000 monks. In the afternoon, drive to visit Sera monastery which is famous for its scripture debate session among monks that starting every afternoon except Sunday.

Day 4 Lhasa / Ganden Monastery

Highlights: Ganden Monastery

Schedule:

An hour's drive out of Lhasa will take us to Ganden Monastery (3,800 m/12,467 ft), which was founded in 1409 by Je Tsongkapa, the founder of the Gelupka (Yellow Hat) sect. We'll visit the monastery and after lunch drive to Gyama Valley, we'll arrange yak and do trekking preparation there.

Day 5 Ganden / Hepu / Yama Do, trekking 5-6 hours, 17km

Highlights: Trekking views

Schedule:

The first day of trekking begins at the highest point on the Ganden Kora. From here, we walk along a saddle trail. After leaving this trail with wonderful views, then we will tranverse the west side of the ridge before passing through an ancient Hepu village. Later in the day pass through Ani Pagong, a narrow bottleneck in the trail and former site of a nunnery. You will end the day with an ascent towards Yama Do, where will set up camp.

Day 6 Yama Do / Tsotup Chu Valley, trekking 5-7 hours, 10km

Highlights: Trekking views

Schedule:

In the morning leave the valley and make our way through a steep gully rising form the stream bank. Finally, we climb over the Shug La (5250m) and begin our climb down through treacherous boulder fields. Later, we cross Tsotup Chu, a large stream winding through the valley floor. A comfortable camp will be set up in one of the many herder fields.

Day 7 Tsotup-chu Valley / Herders Camps, trekking 5 hours, 14km

Highlights: Trekking views

Schedule:

Today follow the Tsotup Chu down through its tributary and head towards the Chitu La pass (5100m). After ascending this rocky pass quickly descend down and find a beautiful place to camp in one of the fields surrounding the stream camping.

Day 8 Herders Camps / Nyango / Samye Monastery, 5-6 hours trekking

Highlights: Trekking views

Schedule:

The trail gets wider and easier as following it through scrub forests in the main valley. Beautiful streams and lush forests surrounded. However, the desert is close by. The next few hours are arguably the most delightful part of the entire trekking. More than 15 types of scrub trees, blooming rhododendrons, and vast meadow will amaze you every step of the way! After passing through this breathtaking landscape, we will be arriving at the first permanent village Changtang since Hepu. From Changtang walking another 1.5 hours to reach Nyangohere where you can take a tractor to Samye Monastery. Visit Samye Monastery in the afternoon.

Overnight at Samye Monastery guesthouse.

Day 9 Samye Monastery / Yumbulakang Palace & Trandruk Temple/ Tsedang

Highlights: Yumbulakang Palace & Trandruk Monastery

Schedule:

In the morning, we drive from Samye Monastery to Tsedang town, afternoon visit Yumbulakang Palace (first palace in Tibet) and Trandruk Temple (first temple in Tibet) near the town. Overnight at hotel in Tsedang.

 

Day 10 Tsedang / Airport departure