5 Days Gaden Ngachen Chenmo Festival Tour in Winter

Upon your arrival at Lhasa airport or train station, you will be greeted by your Tibetan guide and escorted to your hotel in Lhasa. Then check in at the hotel, and have a good rest to acclimatize the high altitude.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

In the morning, we are about to visit the famous Potala palace and explore the grandest of this myriad chapels, and you will experience 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, etc.

In the afternoon, we will tour the holist temple in Tibet, the Johkang Temple, built during Songtsen Gonpo's reign by princess Wencheng of Tang Dynasty, 647 A.D, and its famous Barkhor Kora (circling around Jokhang temple and Barkhor street) and bargain with vendors for Tibetan souvenirs on Barkhor street.

At night (around 8:00pm), we will move to Jokhang temple to watch the celebration of Tsong Khapa Butter Lamp Festival. Tourists will witness how the Jokhang temple and Barkhor street were illuminated with numerous lamps and Tibetans would wear formal dress and prostrate themselves on Barkhor street while saying the prayer or burn incense to show their deepest respect and worship to Tsongkapa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Situated at the foothill of a mountain, Drepung monastery was founded by Jamyang Choeje in 1416. The monastery is divided into two different colleges, that is, Drepung loselling and Drepung Gomang college. The Ganden podrang is the most famous for its role of governmental centre during fifth Dalai lama. Later the government centre was moved to the famous Potala palace during fifth Dalai lama.

In the afternoon, we will explore the Sera monastery founded in 1419 by Tsongkapa’s disciple Jamchen Choeje. It is famous for its dramatic monk debate held in the debating courtyard mostly around 3 - 5 in the afternoon.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

The full day experience the Ganden Monastery and take part in the evening lighting ceremony of Master Tsongkhapa.

The Gaden Ngachen Chenmo Festival honors Tsongkhapa, the founder of Gelugpa Tibetan Buddhism, and is celebrated on the 25th of October in the Tibetan calendar.

On this day, Lamas light butter lamps in Gelugpa monasteries, while laypeople illuminate lamps in their homes. This creates a breathtaking scene, especially at night, as the singular lamps symbolize auspiciousness.

The festival includes offerings and prayers at Jokhang Temple, with believers chanting scriptures in honor of Tsongkhapa. Additionally, participants are encouraged to perform good deeds, such as releasing animals, enhancing the festival's spirit of compassion and devotion.

In the evening, you will see southands of people gethering at Ganden Monastery, waiting the whole monastery is lighting by butter lamps and the yellow light strips shaping the roofs, pogodas, resembling candlelight, adorn the temple, transforming it into a sea of illumination.

Your driver and tour guide will take you to the airport and see you off.