Day 01
SATURDAY : Kathmandu (1300 m) to Lhasa Fly (3650
m) TUESDAY : Kathmandu (1300m) to Lhasa
(3650m) Fly
Morning transfer to the airport for the hour
long flight to Tibet. This spectacular flight,
on a China Southwest Airline, takes us right
across the main Himalayan range, and provides us
with magnificent mountain views. After landing
at Gonggar Airport and meeting our Tibetan
guide, it is a further 2-hour drive by
Landcruiser jeep to Lhasa.Lhasa, the holy city,
also the historic capital of Tibet, is situated
on the north bank of the Kyichu River. To the
north lies an impenetrable 5200m range and other
smaller hills lie within the Lhasa valley.
Day 02
WEDNESDAY : Day 02 Sightseeing tour to Lhasa
(3650m)
Sera Monastery: Sera Monastery is one of the
three largest monasteries of Gelugpa, sits at
the foothills of Tatipu and the next two are
Drepung Monastery and Ganden Monastery which
both have longer histories. Sera, in Tibetan,
means "Wild Rose Garden" since opulent wild rose
woods once grew around it. It was founded in
1419, the site occupies nearly 12 hectares,
comprising the Tsokchen (Great Hall), 3
tratsangs, and 30 khangstens. Sera Monastery is
one of the best-preserved monasteries in Tibet.
A few hundred monks now live here, while there
were over 5,000 during its heyday. A pleasant
outing is the one and a half-hour hike from the
monastery to Sera Utse, a Tsong Khapa hermitage
perched high on the Phurpa Chowk.
Jokhang Monastery :
Built some 1300 years ago, Jokhang is
probably Tibet's first religious institution.
This temple is considered as one of the holiest
shrines in Tibet. Pilgrims come from all over
the world to pay homage to this temple. Located
in the heart of Lhasa's colorful Tibetan
quarter, Jokhang is the spiritual center of
Tibet and also the heart of Lhasa. Multitudes of
Tibetans circle it while going round and round
the Bakhor, gaining spiritual merit in the
process. The temple was constructed in
celebration of the marriage of Tang princes Wen
Cheng and King Songtsen Gampo. There is a golden
statue of the Buddha Shakyamuni in the temple,
which was brought here by the first wife of
Songtsen Gampo.
Barkhor Bazaar :
The center of the old Lhasa, Barkhor is a
circular street, which is the oldest street in
Lhasa and remains very traditional. It is a
place where Tibetan culture, economy, religion
and arts assemble and a place to which a visit
must be paid. Barkhor is the road which pilgrims
tramped out around Jokhang Temple through
centuries.
Day 03
THURSDAY : Sightseeing tour to Lhasa (3650m) The Potala Palace : The
Potala Palace, winter palace of the Dalai Lama
since the17th century, symbolizes Tibetan
Buddhism and its central role in the traditional
administration of Tibet. It is built on the red
mountain in the center of the Lhasa valley at an
altitude of 3700 m, the Potala Palace is the
world-renowned symbol of Tibetan Buddhist
culture. The complex, comprising the White and
Red Palaces with their ancillary buildings. It
is the most complex monument ever built in
Tibet, designed to serve diverse functions. It
was where the Dalai Lama resided and where all
ceremonies of state were held. It was also the
seat of Tibet's government, and served as a
fortress in tumultuous times. Potala Palace
serves as a major destination for pilgrims. The
13-storey palace, which stands on the top of Mt.
Putup at about 117m has over 1000 rooms, and
contains riches, sacred images, and the
sumptuous golden tombs of the Dalai Lamas and is
a huge storehouse of Buddhist cultural art facts
Drepung Monastery :
Drepung Monastery, the largest and
richest monastery in Tibet, was founded in 1416
by a disciple of Tsong Khapa under the patronage
of a noble family and later enlarged by the
Fifth Dalai Lama. Drepung, which means rice heap
in Tibetan, lies 8 kilometers west of Mt. Gambo
Utse. The monastery covers a floor space of more
than 200 thousand square meters. At its peak, it
had a registration of more than 10,000 thousand
monks. Many high and learned lamas had studied
here.
Day 04 FRIDAY
: Sightseeing tour to Lhasa (3650m)
Ganden Monastery: The monastery lies 45
kilometers (28 miles) east of Lhasa. Lying at
the mountainside, it looks magnificent and
grand. Tsong Khapa, the founder of Gelugpa,
established it in 1409. A story says that when
Tsong Khapa and his disciples were selecting
construction site a crow pecked his hat suddenly
and dropped it on the mountainside. Then the
monastery was constructed there in accordance
with Buddha's wish. Ganden Monastery is the
first Gelugpa monastery in Tibet.Main structures
in the monastery consist of the Main Assembly
Hall (Tshomchen) and tantric colleges. The hall
has 108 pillars and occupies a floor space of
1,600 square meters, capable of holding 3,500
lamas. Maitreya and Tsong Khapa are enshrined
and worshiped in the hall.
Norbu Lingka : Situated
in the western suburbs of Lhasa, Norbulingka was
built in the middle of the 18th century during
the reign of the 7th Dalai Lama and served as
the Summer Palace of Dalai Lama where they
handle political affairs, practiced religious
activities and spent holidays. Traditionally the
Dalai Lamas would leave the Potala Palace every
spring and spend the summer in Norbulingka.The
word Norbulingka has its own meaning, here
Lingka in Tibetan means a beautiful place with
trees and lawns, and Norbu means treasure. In
addition to its beautiful environment,
Norbulingka boasts many palaces, pavilions,
various kinds of flowers as well as a lake and a
zoo. In the past, during the springtime a grand
procession of lamas would follow the Dalai Lama
to move into the park. Before 1959 common people
had no access to the palace In December 2001,
Norbulingka Park was entered into the World
Heritage List as a part of the historical
assemblage of Potala Palace.
Day 05 Lhasa
(3650m) to Kathmandu (1300m) Fly
In the morning after breakfast, transfer to
airport 02 hrs. Drive-Representative will assist
you. Flight Lhasa/Kathmandu lasts for an hour.
During the flight you will see the various
beauties likeYarlung Tsangpo River, Lake Yamdrok,
Mt. Kanchenjunga (8586m) and Mt. Makalu (8463m)
and Mt.Everest (8848m). It too depends upon the
weather.
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