10 Days Highlights of Chongqing and Lhasa to Sacred Namtso Tour
(CTT002) Chongqing - Flight to Lhasa - Lhasa - Namtso Lake - Lhasa
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Tour Type:
Escorted by private guide and vehicle; leave 365 days a year!
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Trip Level:
Easy - suitable for all levels of fitness, family with kids and senior groups.
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Trip Level Guide:
- Easy - suitable for all level of fitness, family with kids and senior groups.
- Moderate - suitable for ones with average level fitness, family with kids bigger than 12 yrs.
- Moderate to Strenous - suitable for ones physically fit; have experiences of high altitude trek.
- Strenuous: suitable for adventures and individual with physically fit and healthy.
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Season:春
Spring夏
Summer秋
Autumn冬
Winter
Overview
The 10-day Chongqing and Tibet tour covers some of the highlights of historical, cultural and natural attractions in and around Chongqing. Not only can tourists enjoy the breathtaking night view of Jialing River and Yangzi River but also taste the tingling spicy hot spot. The old street in Ciqi Kou, vivid Buddhist sculpture in Dazu and stunning limestone bridges in Wulong, etc. will be your most memorable experience in hilly Chongqing city. And all of these are just an appetizer before the spiritual journey begins in Tibet. During your stay in Lhasa, you can visit the magnificent Tibetan monasteries, such as Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, and watch the fervent pilgrimage (kora) staged by devout Tibetan pilgrims. Besides, the jaw-dropping view of sacred Namtso Lake is going to upgrade your understanding of how beautiful the alpine saline lake can be. The sense of holiness of Tibetan Buddhism and exotic Tibetan customs are just another good reason to have this tour.
At a Glance
Day 1Arrive in Chongqing
Day 2Chongqing Tour: Three Gorges Museum, Ciqi Kou (Porcelain Village), , Hongya Cave
Day 3Chongqing Tour: Dazu Rock Carving Day Tour
Day 4Chongqing Tour: Wulong Karst Geology Park
Day 5Fly to Lhasa, acclimate the high elevation of Lhasa
Day 6Lhasa Tour - Potala Palace, Johkang Temple, and Barkhor Street
Day 7Lhasa Tour - Drepung and Sera Monastery
Day 8Lhasa to Namtso Lake and drive back to Damxung
Day 9Damxung to Lhasa via Chimelong Nunnery and Tsurphu Monastery
Day 10Departure from Lhasa
Day to Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Chongqing
Upon your arrival in the Chongqing airport or railway station, your local tour guide will escort you to your reserved hotel in Chongqing. The rest of the day is at leisure.
Recommended places for sightseeing and dinner:
a. Visit Jiefangbei Square, the “Times Square” in Chongqing
b. Taste well-renown hot pot in Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street
c. Enjoy the stunning night view of Yangzi and Jialing rivers from E’ling Park
Stay overnight in Chongqing
Day 2: Chongqing Tour: Three Gorges Museum, Ciqi Kou (Porcelain Village), , Hongya Cave
In the morning, we will visit Three Gorge Museum, where tourists can learn the historical facts of Chongqing before Three Gorge Dam is built. You can also enjoy the statues, ceramics, Buddhist art and bronze relics rescued from the rising waters of the dammed Yangtze River. Besides, you can see many historical photographs which give you an interesting insight into the small minorities inhabited in and around Chongqing in the past, etc.
After Lunch, the whole tour group is about to tour one of the must-see attractions in Chongqing, i.e. Ciqi Kou. The ancient town gives you a glimpse of the traditional cobbled streets and the distinct courtyard and lifestyle in hilly Chongqing. Some of the well-preserved shrines and temples are worth a visit. Though being a bit touristy, Ciqi Kou is packed with intriguing souvenir shops and tasty food stalls and home-run hostels. Do walk to the end and enjoy the river bank and ferry boats there.
In the evening, we will stop by Hongya Cave. With gorgeous neon lights sparkling around the Hongya Cave and Qiansimen Jialing River Bridge, you can taste hot pot and local snacks while enjoy the stunning night view of Jialing River Bridge and the commercial boats below, which is why Chongqing is named as “Small Hongkong”. You may also join the crowds to watch the live performance of street artists.
Stay overnight in Chongqing
Day 3: Chongqing Tour: Dazu Rock Carving Day Tour
Located approximately 108km away from downtown of Chongqing, Dazu Rock Carving is on the world heritage list as one of the eight most brilliant grottoes in the world. The massive and gigantic Buddhist sculptures date back to 7 AD and bear the influence of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism. You can learn the story of Buddha and different schools of traditional Chinese philosophical thinking and closely explore the sleeping Buddha, etc.
After the day tour is done, we will head to Wulong County
Stay overnight in hotels or guesthouses in Wulong
Day 4: Chongqing Tour: Wulong Karst Geology Park
Wulong Karst Geology Park is one of the most stunning natural heritages around Chongqing. The Karst topography is biggest features of this enormous geology park. We will visit Three Natural Bridges, a series of incredible limestone bridges in Xiannv town, namely Tianlong Bridge, Qinglong Bridge and Heilong Bridge. The incredible limestone bridegs and gigantic sinkhole make Three Natural Bridge the famous setting in renown Chinese director’s movie “Curse of the Golden Flower” and the Hollywood blockbuster “Transformers 4: Age of Extinction”.
After the tour, we will drive back to the downtown of Chongqing (around 3 hours’ drive) and have a rest for tomorrow’s morning flight to Lhasa.
Stay overnight in hotels in Chongqing
Day 5: Fly to Lhasa, acclimate the high elevation of Lhasa
Take a morning flight from Chongqing to Lhasa. Upon your arrival, your local tour guide will escort you to your hotel in Lhasa. The rest of the day is for you to take a good rest so as to adapt yourself to the high altitude of Lhasa.
Travel Tips: For new-arrivals in Lhasa, never run, do jumping and rush to tour Lhasa city because of your excitement, all you need to do is have a nice sleep in the hotel and give your body time to get acclimatized. For the first couple of day, do not have shower or drink alcohol and eat too much. Drinking more water and eat veg are recommended.
Stay overnight in Lhasa
Day 6: Lhasa Tour - Potala Palace, Johkang Temple, and Barkhor Street
Today's tour will first bring you to the Potala Palace which is the winter palace of the Dalai lama. It was put to use since the 7th Century by the 33rd great king of Tibet. The most valuable collections of Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.
Then after lunch, tourists head to Jokhang Temple which was founded by the 33rd great king of Tibet in the 7th century, in order to promote the Buddhist religion. Inside you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve, perhaps the only most venerated object in Tibetan Buddhism. Around the temple is Barkhor street where you can do kora (a religious circle of a building or mountain) with pilgrims and locals, in the meantime you can buy souvenirs.
Stay overnight in Lhasa
Day 7: Lhasa Tour - Drepung and Sera Monastery
In the morning ,you are going to visit Drepung monastery which is one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet, founded in 1416 by Jamyang choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. Ganden palace used to be Dalai lama’s palace in the Drepung before he moved to the Potala palace.
In the Afternoon, Tourists will visit Sera Monastery which is another one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet, founded in 1419 by Jamchen Chojey, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. The hot attraction is the Monks debate at around 3 - 5 in the afternoon.
Stay overnight in Lhasa
Day 8: Lhasa to Namtso Lake and drive back to Damxung
In the morning, drive from Lhasa to Lake Namtso, one of the four holy lakes of Tibet and also the highest saline lake in the world. On the way, you can see snow-capped Nyenchen Thanglha Mountain Ranges and lots of nomads and their tent with grazing yak and sheep densely-populated on the flourishing grassland (in summer). Besides, you can enjoy the view of the Sky-Road Railway with snow mountain background; while standing at the famous Lagenla Pass(5190m), you can view the stunning vista of holy Namtso Lake.
Then we can enjoy our time doing a leisurely trek around Tashi Dor Island and along the lakeshore. Drive back to Damxung. (For environment protection, the Lakeshore guesthouses were close by the government.)
Stay overnight in Damxung.
Day 9: Damxung to Lhasa via Chimelong Nunnery and Tsurphu Monastery
After breakfast, we will first visit Chimelong Nunnery (Phyirmil Lung Nunnery). Roam over the peaceful small nunnery and get an idea of different Buddhist studies in Tibet, you may also spot a sky burial site (Tibet funeral site) in the distance.
Then, we can go to Tsurphu Monastery, the seat of the Karmapa branch of the Kagyupa order of Tibetan Buddhism. Here, you can learn more about the ‘Black Hats’, the Karma Kagyupa school of Tibetan Buddhism. In the summertime (June to September), we can also go for a ‘Linka outing’ (Tibetan-style picnic) in the small village at the foot of the hill of Tsurphu Monastery.
Finally, we will drive back to Lhasa.
Stay overnight in Lhasa.
Today’s Cultural Tips: Sky burial is a funeral practice commonly seen in Tibet. The corpse will be disposed of and later devoured by vultures. In Tibetan Buddhism, sky burial is believed to represent their wishes to go to heaven. Only family members of the dead can attend the funeral.
Day 10: Departure from Lhasa
The guide will transfer you to the airport or train station and help you get on board.
Service Guide
Service Included:
- Tibet travel permit and all other necessary permits to Tibet;
- All entrance ticket fees for all tourist sites listed in the itinerary;
- Personal knowledgeable English-speaking Tibetan local tour guide;
- Personal comfortable, clean and safe vehicle with reliable Tibetan local driver; vehicle ranging from 4WD land cruiser to minibus depending on your group size;
- All lodging listed in the itinerary; it’s your decision about the accommodation class: luxury 5-star international hotel, comfortable 4-star hotel, economic 3-star hotel or budget hostel, guesthouse or tent. Please tell us your accommodation preference when submitting the enquiry; we will arrange the best-value hotels for you.
- Domestic flight/train tickets listed in the itinerary;
- All meals listed in the above itinerary;
- Tourist accident/casualty insurance;
- First aid kit;
Service Excluded:
- International flight to and out of China;
- Chinese visa (Note: we could help you with the Chinese visa application, like providing the invitation letter, presenting the hotel or domestic flight reservation copies, etc that you may need. )
- Domestic flight/train not listed in the itinerary. (We can provide you the domestic flight/train ticket booking service at the BEST discount price; please contact us our travel experts for the details.)
- Meals not specified in the itinerary; usually it costs about USD3-15 per person for one meal in TAR (Tibet Autonomous Region).
- Tips and gratitude to tour guide and driver;
- Personal expenses, like laundry, phone call, snacks, soft drinks (please do the best to avoid the alcoholic beverages during your Tibet trip), optional tour activities, etc.
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Most Frequently Asked Questions from our Clients
Our clients can explore the popular historical, cultural and natural sites in Chongqing and witness the exotic life in Tibet where Tibetan Buddhism exerts its powerful influence in every aspect of Tibetan life. The tour of heavenly Namtso Lake from Lhasa will certainly bring lifetime experience to you.
Tibetan Travel Guru,Master Catherine Jigme
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