My Memorable Trip to Lhasa and Heaven Namtso Lake

Touring Tibet has been my plan for quite a few years. I finally got a chance and time to visit Tibet through Tibet Vista in early September 2018. Known as “8 Days Central Tibet & Namtso Tour”, my trip was booked through Laura, who was extremely helpful and friendly, answering all my questions before the trip. As a foreign passport holder, I had to obtain a formal permission letter and carry it to enter Tibet. The Tibet Vista tour price includes the issuing of the permission, that made my life easier.

The tour included first 4 days in Lhasa, an overnight trip to Shigatse down the south, and another overnight trip to Namtso to the north, both from Lhasa. The sightseeing sites mainly include the following: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Yamdrok Lake, Namtso Lake. Of all those, I would like to share mainly three key points:

How I Take Tibet Train to Lhasa?

I took train ride from Xining, where the elevation is a bit over 2200 meters. It is great to spend two days to climatize myself. Making full use of the two days, I took a day trip to Qinghai Lake (which has become quite established tourist spot and thus rather business-oriented. I spent the other day sightseeing the huge Dongguan Grand Mosque and beautiful Kumbum Monastery, half an hour by car out of Xining.

The Xining-Lhasa train ride was really a unique and memorable experience, passing through spectacular snowy mountain ranges with winding rivers in front. The train is equipped with oxygen outlets for passengers to use, but I did not take oxygen throughout the trip, and suggest not to take it unless you feel really need it. The entire train trip takes about 20 hours to reach Lhasa. Friends advised to choose a train that arrives in Lhasa in the afternoon or early evening, so that you could see the beautiful scenery in Tibet (second half of the trip is the highlight).

Since the train tickets are sold out quickly, I strongly recommend you to buy the ticket a month in advance (I bought a soft sleeper one, sharing with three other passengers in a compartment). I believe that Tibet Vista also provides service to purchase the ticket for you.

The Iconic Potala Palace in My Mind

We were told that we were lucky to be able to take a 40-minute tour to see a large portion of the Potala Palace, obviously the must-see and one of the highlights of any trip to Tibet. A more restrictive tour, lasting for only 20 minutes would be the only option any time soon, due to the gradual damage to the palace by tourism. Only a limited number of tourists are allowed to enter the palace each day. - Find out where can you visit in Lhasa?

If you like photography, you don’t want to miss the night view of the palace, particularly by the pond in front the palace (as the photo shows). Another good view is from the backside of the palace. Our hotel was about one kilometer from the palace so that I easily walked there a few times to catch the good timing before sunset.

An optional program, not included in the trip schedule and price, is the “Princess Wencheng” opera show, that is truly worth watching and experiencing. It is an epic fairy tale of love between a teenage princess, Wencheng, and a noble emperor, King Songtsen Gampo, of the first bonds of friendship between China and Tibet that sprung up more than 15 centuries ago. It reflects the true story of the year 641, when Princess Wencheng married King Songtsen Gampo of the Tibetan Empire and their subsequent life. The show is set on an open-air stage, that is huge, made up of multiple levels, with the scenic mountain behind as the background. The show was performed by thousands of actors, with beautiful costumes, stage settings, and amazing lighting effects (see photo below).

Unbelievable Experience for the 2-day Holy Namtso Tour

Driving to Namtso takes 7 hours, via some of the best scenic roads in Tibet, gradually going up to about 5000 m and then down to 4700 m when arriving in Namtso. The remote view of the snowy 5190 m Lagenla Mountain range on the way is really spectacular!

Upon arrival in Namtso, the tiredness due to the long drive was totally gone. Even though I was expecting extremely beautiful scenery, I was still shocked by the panoramic and spectacular view in front of me, absolutely indescribable in words. The sacred Namtso water is completely transparent, reflecting the blue sky. The picture below could only give a little glimpse of the endless pure scenery. - All you need to know about Namtso Lake.

I climbed the half way of the hill next to the lake, and then a Tibetan boy took me to the top on his motorbike. The almost 360-degree view on the top is even more jaw-dropping, the countless pictures I took could not capture the scale and essence of the beauty. I then walked a full circle around the hill with all the excitement, which caused me sleepless and headache during that night. See the photo below taken from the top of the hill.

How Do I Thing of My Tibet Tour with Tibet Vista?

In the 8-day trip, I had two Tibetan tour guides, Kelsang and Nyima, both spoke perfect English and were really friendly. I have since maintained contacts with both of them on WeChat. Since that trip, I become interested in Mani stones and Mani heaps, the most popular, wide-spreading and influential type of Tibetan arts. I now collaborate with art researchers in China to research the roles, types, and patterns of Mani heaps and their Buddhism significance. Whenever I have questions on Mani heaps or Tibetan arts, I would ask Kelsang and he could immediately explain to me in details based on his first-hand knowledge.

About the trip itself, I feel quite satisfied and rewarding. The hotels we stayed are all three to four stars, except the one in Namtso, where there is no proper hotel but only metal-roofed rooms. The area is still under development and quite primitive. The hotels are all clean with breakfast included, and the front desk staff all speak good English and friendly. For those who have heart issues or feel uncomfortable in Lhasa, it is advisable not to visit Namtso where the elevation is 1000 m higher than Lhasa. The tours were all serviced by mini-buses, always with a Tibetan guide aboard. You do not always stay with the same group of people, since tours are all individually tailored to fit the planned schedules. I was in several small groups of 4-10 people, and by myself on the trip to Namtso. This served me well, since I could meet different people on different tour routes. In short, a great and unforgettable trip!

Overall, the trip was truly a great experience for anyone who visits Tibet the first time, and definitely worthwhile for what I paid. I would like to be back to Tibet, visiting different areas next time. I am pretty sure I will call for the Tibet Vista services again.