8 Days Shalu to Nartang Trek (Best Countryside Hiking Trail)

Transfer to Lhasa downtown after arriving in the 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 chapel, 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 three 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.

You will also 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, drive from Lhasa to Shigatse .On the way, drive over the Gampala pass (4790 m), and you will have a glimpse of Yamdrok-tso (4400m) .The Lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and in the distance you can have spectacular views of Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar, (7191m) the highest mountain near Lhasa .

Later, we will pass and enjoy the Korola Glacier on the roadside; At Manak Dam Lake, you can hang pray flag at Simila Mountain Pass; Then, we will arrive in Gyantse, historically Tibet's third largest city (after Lhasa and Shigatse).In Gyantse, we will visit the famous Pelkor Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum and enjoy the Far view of Gyangtse Fortress.

After one driving, we arrive in Shalu Monastery, Visit Shalu Monastery, the seat of Buton. Rinchendrub(1290-1346), who was the great master of the Tibetan translations of the Indian Buddhist. Near Shalu, is the beginning of our trekking tour. moving to the best camp site few kilomiters away from Shalu, we will have our first camping in here. 

We start trekking after breakfast at the camp to Upper Lungsang which is 4060m above sea level. on the way, you will pass Ripu hermitage, flood plain, Phunup village, showa-la pass. In this way, you will have experience the Tibetan farmer's countryside life and see how local Tibetan in countryside practise their buddist life. 

Stay overnight at upper Lungsang Camp

Trek through the farming fields to the Ngor village. The Ngor monastery is renowned for its Sanskrit library and Newar-style(a tribe in Nepal) murals. There were once five assembly halls, 18 colleges and 400 monks. Cross the Char-la pass(4550m), there was once a trade link between Shalu and Sakya Monastery, but now has disappeared. Need to trek cross a steep slope of raw expanses of rock. Trek from Ngor to Nartang by passing several villages, saddles, and one electric utility. near the ending, we will drive to Shigatse City, which is the second biggest city of Tibet, also the seat of Pamcham Lama.

Stay overnight in Shigatse.

Drive back to Lhasa from Shigatse in 4 hours. On the way, visit the largest Monastery in west Tibet, the Tashilunpo monastery, as the last but famous historic sites for your Tibet tour. Tashilunpo monastery is one of the six great Gelukpa institutions and was founded in 1447 by a disciple of Tsongkapa, Genden drup who was the first dalai lama. Jamkhang Chenmo contains the world's largest gilded copper image (26m high) of future god Jampa.

Drive along the Friendship Highway back to Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Transfer to the Lhasa airport/Train station to end the service. On the other hand, if you prefer to stay longer in Tibet, you can extend your trip to other parts of China like Gyantse,Shigatse, Everest Base Camp,etc. - If you need, please contact us.