15 Days Central Tibet Biking Tour

Upon your arrival at Lhasa airport or train station, you will be greeted by your Tibetan guide and escorted to your hotel in Lhasa. From airport to Lhasa city, it only takes half an hour of driving along the Lhasa-airport highway. Driving along the Brahmaputra river, you will not only get amazed by the spectacular plateau scenery. If you take train to Lhasa, normally you will arrive in the late afternoon or evening, 20 minutes drive will take you to your hotel in Lhasa city.

Check into hotel, have a good rest to acclimatize the high altitude.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Today's tour will first bring you to the Potala Palace, the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. It has been used since the 7th Century by the 33rd great king of Tibet. The most valuable collection is the gilded burial stupas of past Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.

After you take lunch and then 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 single most venerated object in Tibet Buddhism. Around the temple Barkhor street where you can do kora (circling the Barkhor street) with pilgrims and locals and buy the souvenirs.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

In the morning, you are going to visit Drepung monastery which was one of the “three greet” Gelug monasteries of Tibet and was founded in 1416 by Jamyang choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. Ganden palace is used as Dalai lama’s palace in the Drepung before moving to the Potala palace.

Afternoon, Sera Monastery---It was one of the “three great” Gelug monasteries of Tibet and was founded in 1419 by Jamchen Chojey, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. The Most attraction is the Monks debate at around 3 - 5 in the afternoon.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Ride about 53 kilometers eastwards to visit the Ganden Monastery, which ranks the first among the six largest monasteries of Gelugpa. If you are not tired, you can walk the circuit round the monastery. Walking the kora takes about one and a half or two hours, and on a clear day there are stunning views of the peak of Nyenchen Thangla and the Kyi-chu valley below.

Stay overnight at Ganden Monastery.

Cycle back to Lhasa. The rest time of the day is for you to have a good rest, preparing the next destination - Namtso Lake.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Cycling northwards to Namtso, tourists can enjoy Nyenchen Thanglha shortly after you leave Lhasa.

In summer (May to August), the sheepherders and their family move to grassland and set up their tents. You could see green grassland, groups of sheep and yaks, nomad tents beside the road. Namtso Lake is the Heavenly lake which is one of the three holy lakes of Tibet and also the highest salt lake.

To spend a night at lake shore is fantastic. The night sky is so clean that you could see all the stars twinkling in the sky, so close to you as if you could stretch you hands to pick the stars. Situated at about 5000m high, Namtso lake is actually the lake in the sky, lying on the highest plateau in the world.

Stay overnight at Lake Shore.

While enjoying the clear morning at the lake shore, you can trek along the lake shore to Tashi Dor Island to explore the meditation caves. Bike over the Lagangla pass to Yangpachen and stay overnight at Yangbachen. Yangbachen is famous for its geothermal power station and there is a hot spring nearby where tourists can have hot bath and refresh themselves.

Stay overnight at Yangbachen.

Today ride back to Lhasa from Yangpachen. You could see green grassland, groups of sheep and yaks, nomad tents by the road. The road condition is the same as the day before.

Stay overnight in Lhasa .

Then bike towards the Samye located around 200km far away from Lhasa and it is one of the most popular Holy places where the tradition of the Tibetan people and Kings emerges. Also you can visit some of very ancient monasteries and palace.

Camping

Bike to Tsetang along the amazing Brahmaputra river, then to visit Trundruk Monastery and Yumbulagang Palace. Trundruk is one of the earliest Buddhist monasteries in Tibetan history. Yumbulagang was built for the first Tibetan King, Nyatri Tsanpo, in the 2nd Century BC and became the Tibetan Kings' palace since then.

Camping

The following two days, you will bike back to Lhasa from Tsedang. The road condition is quite good. After arriving in Lhasa, take a good rest at your Hotel.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

The guide will transfer you to the airport or train station and help you get on board.