5 Days Buddhist Festival Tour in Lhasa & Ganden Monastery

Arrival to Lhasa airport or train station where you will be picked up by our local guide and driver then transfer you to hotel. Main highlights on the way to Lhasa, you will see the biggest river in Tibet called Yarlung Tsangpo or Barmaputra in Indian language, the unique architectural village houses of Tibetan farmers and the first glance of Potala Palace.

Free sightseeing or take rest in your room in late afternoon to acclimatize. Your guide will give you more detail advice on acclimatization.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Note: If your Arrival is by train, then you don’t have the chance to see the river view and Tibetan village houses because the train station is next to the city.

In the morning your guide and driver will meet you at hotel lobby and drive you to the Potala this majestic palace, the land mark of Tibet, the first construction ever built in Lhasa by the most well known and outstanding Tibetan king Tsongtsen Gambo in seventh century as his residence and central government official. And in seventeenth century the fifth Dalailama began to extend it into current style. It is listed into the UNESCO’s World Heritage in December 1994.

More than three hours visiting outside and inside the palace, you will learn all detail history about the palace by your guide. After marvelous visiting and climbing hundreds of stairs there, your driver will pick you up at the exit of Potala and transfer you to local restaurant near by Jokhang, you will feel bit exhausted and tired but no matter you can have good relax during the lunch time and ask for your guide to order a glass of Ginger Lemon Tea+honey that will give you more energy and feel fresh again.

After lunch break, your guide will lead you to Jokhang Temple and Barkor Street by walking to explore the culture center of Tibet, the heart of Tibetan Buddhism and the main destination of the pilgrims coming from all over the Tibetan territories and the Barkor Ancient Street with local bazaar and art workshops.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Today your guide will take you to Norbulinka/Summer residence of the Dalailamas, the main attraction there is its unique architectural design, wood carves and wall of paintings that tells the general history of Tibet and ancient civilization. You will also visit the successive Dalailamas’ personal residence, guest interview room as well as meeting rooms. It’s very peaceful and very nice atmosphere there.

After visiting Norbulinka, drive to Chukpori which is not far from Norbulinka, there you will see incredible paintings carved on the rocks more than thousands of images and mani stones, you can ask for carving your own mantra or name on a small piece of stone if you like it as a memory.

After having quick lunch, drive to Sera the second largest monastery in Lhasa where you will enjoy to see a very exciting monks’ debate on Buddhist philosophy same mode practice of ancient Indian philosophers did thousand years ago, what more, you will visit sand mandalas the Buddhist Cosmology and printing house where they publish the sutras and mantras in very traditional way by stamping from wooden blocks, you can also buy small old type sutras blessed by monks.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Today you are most luckily to have a great opportunity to participate one of the most important annual religious ceremony in Lhasa and Ganden Monastery called “Gaden Ngachoe Chenmo” which means a Great 25th Day Ritual of the tenth month according to Tibetan lunar calendar,because that is the day of anniversary when Je Tsongka’s Parinirvana one of the greatest Buddhist masters in Tibetan history who reformed Tibetan Buddhism and established Geluk tradition.

In the morning drive about 50 km away from Lhasa to Ganden Monastery the home of Tsongkapa master to attend the ceremony with local pilgrims. The main attractions there will be a huge Tangkha/scroll painting of master Tsongkapa carried by 50/60 monks with chanting and special religious instruments outside the monastery and display it on a big wall to commemorate the lord Tsongkapa’s parinirvana, thousands of devoted pilgrims pay homage and offer Kadaks/white scarfs pray for themselves, their relatives and all the sentient beings on this planet. You can also do a small hiking around Ganden Kora/cercuit with gorgeous panoramic view of upper Lhasa valley.

Drive back to Lhasa in late afternoon and have a short break in hotel or you can do your own free sightseeing in local market near your hotel.

After dinner in the evening your guide will bring you back to Jokhang Temple and Barkor Street to see how Tibetans commemorate this Holy Day. Full of Jokang temple, around Barkor including every single living quarters of Tibetans are covered by butter lamps the “light of wisdom”.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Departure to your next destination, your guide and driver will transfer you back to airport or railway station and help you to get the boarding pass. Say good bye Tibet!