12 Days Trekking from Nyenchen Tanglha to Holy Lake-Namtso

Transfer to Lhasa downtown after arriving in Lhasa Gongar airport or the Lhasa train station. Have a rest in Lhasa to acclimatize the high altitude.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Go sightseeing inside Lhasa in the first two days in Tibet. Visit fabulous and typical Buddhist and historic sites, such as Potala Palace,Jokhang Temple,Barkhor street, Sera Monastery and Drepung Monastery.

In Potala palace, explore the grandest of this myriad chapels, its audience halls, the jeweled and Golden burial chortens(stupa Tombs) of past Dalai Lamas, and tremendous number of Buddhist frescoes, thangkas, combinations of mandala, figures of the Buddha.

You will visit 3 important monasteries in Lhasa, the first and foremost is Johkang Temple, the spiritual center of Tibetan Buddhism, which attracts pilgrims all over Tibetan Area, built during songtsen gonpo's reign by princess wencheng of tang dynasty, 647 A.D. The other two, Monasteries Sera and Drepung Monastery, locate in suburb of Lhasa, are hosted by hundreds of Monks, learning, praying, studying, and living there. The famous Monks debiting held in the courtyard of Sera Monastery in the afternoon.

Explore the circular pilgrim route barkhor while traveling at Johkang Temple, contact local folks, and if possible purchase some traditional Tibetan artifacts, religious implements, antiques, books, Tibetan music instrument, Thangkas, and tradition Tibetan clothes etc.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

In the morning, visit Tibetan Museum (admission fee is free). After lunch drive to Ganden Monastery, built by Tsongkhaba in 1409 soon after the Monlam Festival was over. Gandan is one of the three main monasteries of Gelug Sect. Anyhow, different from Drepung and Sera, and it once played a more prominent political role in Tibetan history. The abbot of this monastery possess of a high religious position within the system of Gelug Sect, just inferior to Dalai and Panchan. The monastery was reconstructed in 1993 and restored to its original appearance. The holy stupa of Tsongkhaba is just in the monastery.
Stay overnight in Ganden Monastery Guest House

In the morning, head for Reting Monastery 180 kilometers north to Lhasa and have lunch on the way. The monastery Reting lies in the midst of an expanse of cypress forest. It was established in 1057 by Drom Toenpa, Atishas most important pupil. It was said the cypress forest had developed from a tuft of hair from Drom Toenpa, who buried that beneath the soil. The visitors can take part in such activities, like walking outside of the monastery, and hiking along the Lingkhor (outside Zhuanjing route; approx. 1 hour). In the afternoon, visit the Reting Monastery or villages down the Kyichu River valley.

Camping

In the morning, drive on rugged road before reaching Damxung (4130 m) along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway, where our trek begin. Today we will not only have a short trek and go through a beautiful meadow, but also visit a monastery en route.

Camping

Pass through glaciated valley and reach a herder's camp, where we camp for the night.

Camping

Cross Kong La from where you have spectacular views of Nam Tso Lake and the Nyenchen Thangla ranges. Descend to a broad basin and hike along green meadows.

Camping

Hike along green meadows and pass through several nomad camps and their herds of animals. Have lunch by the lake. Then follow the jeep trail all the way to Tashi Dorje hermitage. Nam Tso, the biggest salty lake of Tibet, is 70 kilometers long from east to west and 30 kilometers wide from north to south, covers an area of 1,920 square kilometers with an altitude of 4,700 meters above sea level. It is said the holy lake and the holy mountain Nyenchentangla are a couple of lovers, who guard the vast pasture and cattle together.

Camping

Explore the Tashi peninsula by walking around the holy hill, the cliffs of which have been eroded over the centuries. Piles of mani stones stand on the way. Then visit the nomads in yak hair tents who have been living on the pastures between the holy Nam Tso and Nyenchentangla.

Camping

Head for Yangpachen. Cross over the Lhachen La and stop at Damxung to have lunch. Afterwards drive about 2 hours along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway to Yangpachen. Yangpachen is 90 km to the north of Lhasa and is rich in terrestrial heat and densely distributed with various fountains, geysers, hot springs, boiling springs as well as hot-water lakes. It is a wonderful enjoyment to take a bath in an indoor swimming pool, which is supplied by fresh hot springs of Yangpachen. In the afternoon, drive back to Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

The driver will drop you off at the Lhasa airport in the morning to end the trip.

Camping