Short Tibet Tour

Trip Duration 5 Days
Trip Grade Moderate

About Short Tibet Tour

This short Tibet tour offers 5-day tour of the capital city of Tibet. You will fly in to Lhasa from Kathmandu and on the 5th day morning, you will fly back or may continue your journey to the mainland China as well. So, this tour is also called a 5-day Tibet tour both way by flights. Compared to 4-day Tibet (Lhasa city tour), the 5-day tour offer one more day to explore 2 more lovely sites of Lhasa like Norbulinka (summer palace of Dalai Lama built in 1956 & Tibetan Medicine Centre

(where you could experience how Tibetan herbal medicines are made and treated with the patients based on their anicent practices. Norbulinka in Tibetan denotes a holy garden. It is a beautiful garden where there is the Palace. The special feature of this 5- day Tibet tour is that it offers an option in the fourth day afternoon. Either you can choose to visit Tibetan Medicine Centre (Tibetan healing centre) or a half day countryside drive out of Lhasa.

Trip Highlights

Scenic drive from the airport to Lhasa with a visit to Drolma Lakhang on the way
On the way to Lhasa from the airport, stop to view the beautiful hillock carved with the impressive image of Lord Buddha (Shakya Muni Buddha)
Half day visit to the majestic Potala Palace with 13 floors, 1,000 rooms and 10,000 steps where one can enjoy the photo session wearing the Tibetan costumes on its top floor with the impressive view of the Lhasa city on its back drop.
The monks of different ages in their saffron colored robes in every corner of the monastery and Lhasa city,
Half day visit to the Drepung Monastery located to the north west of Lhasa city on the foothill
Half day visit to Jokhang Temple (central Buddhist cathedral) in the middle of the Lhasa city at Barkhor Bazaar
Evening exploration of the Barkhor Bazaar (downtown bazaar) with the hustles and bustles featuring the locals and people from around Tibet in their ethnic costumes,
Eating out in the Barkhor Bazaar is enjoyable with choices of restaurants and food varieties.
Half day visit to Sera Monastery, another equally fabulous the second biggest monastic centre where one can witness live debate among the competing monks from the various monasteries of Tibet every afternoon.
Half day visit to the beautiful garden palace of Dalai Lama called Norbulinka with modern amenities.
Half day memorable visit to Tibetan Medicine Centre at Barkhor Bazaar where you can witness how the locals are treated with traditional Tibetan herbal medicines with healing techniques or take a half day countryside drive out of Lhasa exposing you with the typical life style of the Tibetan people

Itinerary

1
Day 01: KATHMANDU (1,300M) - LHASA (3,650M)

Morning transfer to airport - Fly to Lhasa by a trans-Himalayan flight (1 hr) with a high chance of enjoying the panoramic view of the mighty Himalaya with a close up view Mt Everest (8,848 m) and other adjoining peaks. Welcome and assistance by our Tibetan guide at the Gongaar airport - Transfer to Lhasa (45 min) through the new tunnel with a visit to Drolma Lakhang and check in to your hotel. Full rest for acclimatisation.
2
Day 02: IN LHASA

AM: Visit Potala Palace.
It is one of the most famous architectural works of Tibet and stands on the top of the Red Hill in Lhasa. The term Potala comes from Sanskrit. In the 7th century, it was built for meditational purpose. It was the Dalai Lama’s winter palace. Its white part used to be for the administrative purpose and the red part for the religious purpose.

PM: Visit Jokhang Temple & Barkhor Bazaar
Jokhang Temple
Jokhang Temple is situated at the centre of the old part of Lhasa called Barkhor. It was built in the mid-7th century and was later extended by the successive rulers. It is a four storied temple with splendid golden roofs. It has a combination of architecture of Tang Dynasty & Nepalese Buddhist temples.

Barkhor Bazaar:
It is a bazaar complex just outside and around Jokhang Temple. It is the main Tibetan bazaar which has been able to sustain Tibetan culture & heritage until today. This bazaar is good for shopping and eating out and also mixing with the local Tibetan people.
3
Day 03: IN LHASA

AM: Visit Drepung Monastery.
It is situated five km away to the western suburb of Lhasa city at the foot of Mt Ganpoi Uze. It was founded in 1416 by Jamyang Choje, a disciple of Tsongkhapa, the founder of Gelugpa sect in Tibet. The monastery occupying 250,000 square metre with a one time 7,700 monks is the biggest one in Tibet. It maintains plentiful of historical relics, Buddhist scriptures, arts and crafts.

PM: Visit Sera Monastery.
Sera is one of the Gelugpa’s six great monasteries in Tibet. It was founded in 1419. The complex today, a veritable monastic city, occupies a site of nearly 12 hectre. Sera, like Ganden & Drepung, was a vital center of religious activity that drew students from the far corners of TIBET. In its heyday, it boasted over 5000 monks and novices. In fact, Sera is one of the best preserved monasteries in Tibet. Debating monks are the worth seeing sight organized everyday in the afternoon in the garden of Sera Monastery.
4
Day 04: IN LHASA

AM: Visit Norbulinka
Norbu Lingka, jewel park, is one of the most relaxing & pleasant parts of Lhasa. The site is a large, 40 hectre enclave on the outskirts of town, full of trees, ponds, gardens, palaces and pavilions. It was started by the 7th Dalai Lama, but its new form dates back to 1956. Norbu Lingka is taken as the summer palace of Dalai Lama and the Potala Place as winter palace.

PM: Visit Tibetan Medicine Centre or Countryside Drive
It is located in the nearby area of Barkhor Bazaar. Century old Tibetan medicines based on herbs and local stuff are prepared here. Side by side, patients are also treated by the Tibetan doctors. It is worth exploring.

Countryside drive out of Lhasa can be undertaken in place of the visit to the Tibetan Medicine Centre depending upon your choice. The half a day drive gives you an idea about the beautiful landscape of the Tibetan plateau and typical lifestyle of the people.
5
Day 05: LHASA - KATHMANDU

Free until your guide picks you up for the transfer to Lhasa airport and fly back to Kathmandu or to your onward destination.

Cost Includes

NOTE: THE COST GIVEN IN THE PRICE TAG IS BASED ON 3 STAR HTL ON 2 PERSONS MINIMUM BASIS,

ACCOMODATION IN GOOD TWINSHARING ROOM IN THE RESPECTIVE HTL IN LHASA (5 star or 3 star or budget categories) AS PER YOUR CHOICE,
MEAL PLAN ON BED AND BREAKFAST BASIS,
ALL TRANSPORT IN TIBET BY A GOOD NON-A/C VAN/MINI-BUS WITH HEATING AS PER GROUP SIZE,
SIGHTSEEING WITH A GOOD ENGLISH SPEAKING TIBETAN GUIDE AS PER ITINERARY,
TIBET TRAVEL PERMIT FEE,
ENTRANCE FEES TO MONASTERIES & MONUMENTS,
NECESSARY AIRPORT/HOTEL/AIRPORT TRANSFERS.

Cost Excludes:

TIBET VISA FEE: US$ 69 NET PER PERSON (extra payable)
AIRFARE KTM/LXA/KTM: US$ 490+197 (extra payable: subject to change as per airlines)
NEPAL RE-ENTRY VISA FEE,
ALL INSURANCE,
PHOTOGRAPHY FEES IN MONASTERIES,
EXTRA COST DUE TO NATURAL AND POLITICAL CAUSES SUCH AS LANDSLIDES, SNOW, STRIKES, ETC.,
ALL EXPENSES OF PERSONAL NATURE SUCH AS DRINKS, LAUNDRY, TIPS, ETC.

FOR THE GROUP COST ABOVE 2 PERSONS, PLEASE SEE THE COST DETAILS AS FOLLOWS.

LOW SEASON COST: JAN, FEB, APR, MAY, JUN & OCT, NOV, DEC - 2018
IN US$/NET PER PERSON

No. of pax	3 STAR HTL	BUDGET HTL
01 pax	$ 1180	$ 1050
02 – 03 pax	$ 675	$ 615
04 – 06 pax	$ 510	$ 450
Single supplement	$ 140	$ 80

HIGH SEASON COST: JUL, AUG & SEP – 2018

IN US$/NET PER PERSON

No. of pax	3 STAR HTL	BUDGET HTL
01 pax	$ 1280	$ 1130
02 – 03 pax	$ 715	$ 665
04 – 06 pax	$ 550	$500
Single supplement	$ 160	$ 100

IMPORTANT

1. Higher the number of participants in the group, the cost will be lower.

2. Tibet visa fees vary from nationality to nationality. Please check with us.

3. All inclusives and exclusives will be as mentioned above.

HOTELS WE ENVISAGE TO PROVIDE IN TIBET AS FOLLOWS.

UNDER 3 STAR HTL BASIS,,

***HTL KYICHU OR OR SIMILAR IN LHASA (centrally located)

UNDER BUDGET HTL BASIS,

HTL FLORA OR SIMILAR IN LHASA. (centrally located)

Useful info

There are better hotels in Lhasa like 5 star deluxe (St Regis Lhasa Resort or Hotel Shangri-la), 4 star deluxe (4 Point by Sheraton), 5 star Hotel Xing Ding or Brahmaputra)(normal). However, there are no better hotels other the 3 star hotels outside Lhasa, except in Tsedang, where there is a good 4 star hotel called Tsedang Hotel. Please make a choice, we will forward you better hotels special rates upon hearing from you.

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