8 Days Tibet Trekking Tour from Shalu to Nartang

When you arrive in Lhasa by train or flight, your tour guide will hold a board with your name on it at the exit to welcome you. Then you will be transported to your hotel. You may view the Yarlung Tsangpo River (the Longest and largest river in Tibet) and Lhasa River on the way to the hotel.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Tips: If this is your first visit to Tibet, you will need to acclimatize to the increased elevation, to prevent altitude sickness. This is best done by resting in the hotel and minimizing any physical exertion.

Today, you’ll pay a visit to the famous Potala Palace, the world culture heritage. You can explore 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.

Then tourists will head to the holiest temple in Tibet, the Jokhang Temple, built during Songtsen Gampo's reign by princess Wencheng of Tang dynasty, 647 A.D. Here you can observe sincere pilgrims making prostration in front of Jokhang Temple. While entering inside the temple, you can see the holiest statue of Buddha. Around the monastery is the famous Barkhor Street, where you can do the kora with pilgrims and locals. And then we’ll go to explore the old market and you may have chance to see the traditional jewelry trading between people from different part of Tibet.

Finally, you’ll taste Tibetan tea with locals in tea house and enjoy a welcome dinner at night.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Optional:
After finishing the sightseeing, if time allows, you may go with tour guide to visit Tibetan handicraft art or Tibetan Traditional Medicine center. Besides, you can also choose to upgrade your tour to enjoy Tibetan Culture Show in the evening (fr. 60USD).

Today, you will visit two of the three prestigious Gelugpa monasteries in Lhasa, the Drepung and the Sera. Founded by Jamyang Choeje in 1416, Drepung Monastery is the largest monastery in Tibet. Situated at the foot of Gambo Utse Mountain, Drepung was once home to more than 10000 monks. Here you can see the biggest monastery kitchen inside and then pay a visit to the Buddhist Sculpture Carving near Drepung.

After having lunch, you’ll continue to visit the Sera Monastery, which was founded in 1419 by Tsongkapa's disciple Jamchen Choeje. The highlight is the monk debate held in the courtyard at around 3-5 in the afternoon. Besides, you can also see the colorful Rock Painting of Buddha and the three sand Mandalas and then visit the Tibetan scripture printing house.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Today, we will drive from Lhasa to Shigatse. On the way, we will drive over the Gampala Pass (4790m), and you will have a glimpse of the glittering turquoise Yamdrok Lake, which is one of the top there holy lakes in Tibet. Besides, you can also appreciate Korola Glacier on the roadside. At Manak Dam Lake, tourists can hang pray flag at Simila Mountain Pass.

Then we’ll go to the heritage town Gyantse and explore its old street. We will stroll in famous Palcho Monastery. It’s the only monastery in Tibet where different Tibetan religious sects coexist in a single religious compound. You can climb the magnificent nine-story Kumbum Stupa to enjoy the stunning vista of Gyantse Fortress.

Later, we will arrive in Shalu Monastery after another one-hour driving. Shalu Monastery is the seat of Buton Rinchen, the great master of Tibetan translations of the Indian Buddhist. Near Shalu, we will begin our trekking tour. There is a perfect camp site few kilometers away from Shalu, and we will have our first camping here.

Camping near Shalu Monastery.

After breakfast at the camp, the 2-day Shalu to Nartang Trek officially begins. We will trek to Upper Lungsang which is 4060m above sea level. On the way, we will pass the Ripu hermitage, flood plain, Phunup village, and Showa-la Pass. You will experience the countryside life of Tibetan farmers, and see how locals in the countryside practice their Buddhist life.

Camping at upper Lungsang.

On the second day of trek, we will head to Ngor Village, through the farming fields. We will ascend slowing from Upper Langsang to Char-la Pass (4550m) and then descend down to Ngor Monastery. Known for the Sanskrit library and Newar-style (a tribe in Nepal) murals, Ngor Monastery once consisted of five assembly halls, 18 colleges and 400 monks. Then we will trek from Ngor to Nartang by passing several villages, saddles, and one electric utility. After arriving the destination, we will drive to Shigatse, the second largest city of Tibet.

Stay overnight in Shigatse.

In the morning, we will visit the home of Panchan Lama - Tashilunpo Monastery. It is largest monastery of the Gelug Sect in Rear Tibet, and the main stage where generations of Panchen Lamas carried out religious and political activities. Then we’ll drive back to Lhasa along the famous Sino-Nepal Friendship Highway. The road to Lhasa is 280 km long and it takes around six hours to drive. The road follows the course of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, which is the longest and largest river in Tibet.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

On the last day of your tour, our guide will transfer you to the airport or train station, and help you with checking in and boarding.