Tibet Tours: Gandan to Samye Monastery Trekking

from only $1760

Hiking from Ganden Monastery to Samye Monastery is one of the most popular routes in Tibet. This tour takes in lakes, beautiful alpine forests and meadows, as well as two centers of Tibetan religious culture

 

 

 

day by day itinerary:

Day 1
Place & Transport: Arrive in Lhasa, Flight not included
Today's Activities: Airport to Hotel Transfer (Lhasa)

on arrival at the gonggar airport, be met and transferred to your hotel in lhasa. free at leisure to acclimatize yourself to the high latitude for the rest of the day.

 

Day 2

Place & Transport: Lhasa
Today's Activities: Barkhor Street, Jokhang Temple, Potala Palace
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch at Kechu Hotel

- the potala palace: perched upon the marpo ri hill, 130 meters above the lhasa valley, it is the greatest monumental structure in Tibet.

we kindly suggest you take taxi to the top of the palace which costs about 10 and then walk down after your visiting.

- the jokhang temple: the jokhang is the most celebrated temple in Tibet. because the temple is not controlled by a particular sect of Tibetan buddhism it attracts adherents of all the sects as well as followers of bon-po, Tibet's indigenous religion.

- barkhor street: the barkhor is the oldest street in lhasa as well as the center of old lhasa and remains very traditional. it is a place where Tibetan culture, economy, religion and arts are assembled.

 

Day 3

Place & Transport: Lhasa
Today's Activities: Drepung Monastery, Norbulingka, Sera Monastery
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch at Steak House Restaurant

- Sera Monastery (3 hours) :Tashilhunpo Monastery was founded in 1447 by Gyalwa Gendun Drup (1st Dalai Lama) and is a historically and culturally important monastery. Its name means “heap of glory” or “all fortune and happiness gathered here”. Painted in red and white, the buildings in the kloster stand closely together in terraced rows, offering a grand and majestic view. Tashilunpo Kloster represents the Tibetan super architecture art in the Last Tibetan spirit.

- Drepung Monastery (3 hours) :Drepung Monastery lies in west of Lhasa under Mt. Gambo Utse, clustered round by the black mountain, its white grand buildings shining under the sunlight. Built in 1416, it is considered as one of the largest monasteries in the six principle monasteries of Gelu Sect in China. Drepung Monastery used to be the living palace of Dalai Lamas before the reconstruction of Potala palace (after the 5th Dalai Lamas was bestowed by Qing emperor Qianlong).

- Norbulingka (2.5 hours) :Norbulingka means "Jeweled Garden". Constructed as a summer palace for the Dalai Lama, it later served the whole government administration. It was built by the 7th Dalai Lama and served both administrative and religious purposes.

 

Day 4

Place & Transport: Lhasa
Today's Activities: Gandan Monastery, Ganden Monastery to Ani Pangong valliage trkking
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch, Chinese Dinner

- Gandan Monastery (3.5 hours): The monastery has extremely delicate and fine murals and sculptures. It also keeps an armor decorated with gems, which was worn by Emperor Qianlong and was bestowed to the monastery as an offering to Tsong Khapa.

- Ganden Monastery to Ani Pangong valliage trkking (2 hours): In the morning we drive about 90 minutes from Lhasa to visit the Ganden Monastery. After sightseeing, we'll continue an hour to the village of Dupshi. One hour of moderate hiking transports us to Ani Pangong — the site of a former nunnery. Total hike: Three miles, two hours.

 

Day 5

Place & Transport: Lhasa
Today's Activities: Yama Do to Tsotup Chu Valley trekking
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch, Chinese Dinner

- Yama Do to Tsotup Chu Valley trekking (4 hours): Two hours of steep hiking leads us along to Shug-La Pass where we make the final steep ascent to the rare air of 17,220 feet! The route continues across Shug-La Pass following a cairn–lined trail. We descend gradually, reaching the valley in ninety minutes from the pass. We cross the Tsotup Chu, a long stream winding along the valley floor. Nomad herders with their yaks, goat and sheep dot the landscape. Tonight camp is near a stream crossing. Total hike: Six miles (4-5 hours).

 

Day 6
Place & Transport: Lhasa
Today's Activities: Tsotup Chu Valley to Chitu-La Pass trekking
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch, Chinese Dinner

- Tsotup Chu Valley to Chitu-La Pass trekking (5 hours): From the Tsotup Chu Valley, we follow along a small tributary entering from the southwest. Our path rises steeply for 30 minutes, finally reaching the mouth of a large basin. The terrain ahead is not particularly difficult as we reach Chitu-La Pass (16,728 feet), marked by several large cairns. A short steep descent leads us into a basin holding three small lakes. Our trail is not always clearly marked and passes seasonal campsites before finally reaching the valley floor and our well–deserved camp. Total hike: Nine miles, about five hours.

 

Day 7
Place & Transport: Lhasa
Today's Activities: Tsotup Chu Herder's Valliage to Yamalung Valley
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch, Chinese Dinner

- Tsotup Chu Herder's Valliage to Yamalung Valley (6 hours): Our trail is now wide and easy to follow — meandering through forest of shrubs and rhododendrons for three hours. We amble through a series of meadows before reaching Gen Do, a stone structure in ruins. The forest thins rapidly and we reach the first permanent village of Chantan (13,776 feet) after leaving Hebu. In 30-40 minutes we arrive at the trail fork for Yamalung Valley. The Yamalung Hermitage is another one hour steep climb from the valley floor. Total hike: Nine miles, about five – six hours.

Day 8
Place & Transport: Lhasa to Tsetang
Today's Activities: Our guide and driver will escort you from Lhasa to Tsetang, Samye Monastery
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch, Chinese Dinner

- Samye Monastery (3.5 hours): Samye Monastery is one of the oldest Tibetan Monasteries. It was built a little later than Jokhang and the main monastery built during the first flourishing period of Tibetan Buddhism which is of great significance in the development of Tibetan culture. The monastery was once ruined by Lang Darma (Lang Darma was an ancient Tibetan King who banned Buddhism and destroyed Buddhist temples). It has been damaged throughout repeated wars and remains the present scope, which should be well cherished. Located at the foot of Mt. Hepo Ri, on the north bank of the Yarlung Tsangpo River of Zharang County, Samye Monastery is about 38 kilometers from Tsedang. It’s one of the main scenic spots of the state-level scenic area – the Yarlung River Scenic Area.

 

Day 9
Place & Transport: Tsetang to Lhasa
Today's Activities: Yumbulagang Palace, Our guide and driver will escort you from Tsetang to Lhasa
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch

- Yumbulagang Palace (2 hours): The Guge Kingdom was founded in about the 10th century by a descendant of King Glang Darma and played an important role in the second renascence in Tibet. A lot of sculpture works and mural paintings were unearthed and many of them are preserved in good condition, although they are hundreds of years old.The ruins of Guge Kingdom are located on a mountain in Zhabran Village, which is 18 km west of the county town of Zhada.

 

Day 10
Place & Transport: Depart Lhasa, Flight not included
Today's Activities: Hotel to airport Transfer (Lhasa)
Meals: Breakfast

 

tour price:

Your Group Size	tourist class	Single room supplement
1 person	$2,944
2-5 persons	$ 1,760	$276
6-9 persons	$ 1,382	$276
hotels in this tour	Lhasa	shangbala hotel

 

 

 

 

 

Special Notes:
1. trains running on this line are all specially designed and equipped for the unique plateau conditions. trains are all equipped with fixed-pane windows to maintain the oxygen level, which is kept at least 23 percent higher than that outside the train, and each seat is equipped with an oxygen pipe. each passenger is allowed to carry a bottle of oxygen up to two liters in volume.
2. since the opening of the qinghai-Tibet railway on july 1th, train tickets into Tibet are in huge demand. we recommend you that: fly into Tibet and return by a train. advantages: 1. train tickets out of Tibet are easier to obtain. 2. you still have the chance to see the stunningly beautiful sceneries along that highland track