9 Days Ganden to Samye Trekking Tour
| Tour Code: TTR-02
Destination: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Ganden Monastery, Yarlung Valley, Samye Monastery Tour Price: From $/ ?? p/p Availability: Daily, but early booking is highly recommended!
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 Drepung Monastery |
TOUR ITINERARY
| Day 1: Arrival – Lhasa(3650m) |
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| Arrive by flight or train to Lhasa. Upon arrival in the Lhasa Gongar airport or the Lhasa train station, you will be met by your tour guide and driven to Lhasa downtown. have a rest in Lhasa to acclimatize the high altitude. Overnight in Lhasa |
| Day 2: Lhasa Sightseeing – Potala Palace and Johkang Temple(B) |
 In the morning, you will go to the most sppendid museum, the Potala Palace, and explore the grandest of its myriad chapels. See the jeweled burial chorten of past Dalai Lamas as well as statuary, frescoes and paintings. Later visit the Jokhang Temple, which is considered as the most sacred temple in Tibet, it draws tremendous number of pilgrims from all over Tibet each year for it houses a magnificent image of Sakyamuni at 12 years old. Then stroll around Barkhor, a pilgrimage circuit that encircles the Jokhang, it also serves as the biggest bazaar in Lhasa, where you can find some handicrafts, ambers, jewery, Tibetan clothes, etc. Overnight in Lhasa |
| Day 3: Lhasa sightseeing-Sera Monastery and Drepung Monastery |
 Today, you will explore Tibet’s two greatest monasteries, Drepung and Sera. which once housed about 10,000 monks. Drepung monastery is situated at the foothill of a mountain and 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 famous among them as it is the government centre during fifth Dalai Lama and later moved to the famous Potala palace during fifth Dalai Lama. In the afternoon explore the Sera monastery which was founded in 1419 by Tsongkapa’s disciple Jamchen Choeje. The whole monastery is divided into two colleges and there are Sera ‘jhe’ and Sera ‘may’ respectively. Among them ‘Tsokhang chenmo’ is where the monks from all the colleges assemble and pray together there. you can also see monks debating there in the courtyard at around 6-7:30 in the afternoon section. Note: if you don’t feel tired, you can try for the khora (circumambling around) Drepung and Sera monastery. Your tour guide and driver will drop you back to your hotel. Drive to Ganden Monastery in late afternoon to prepare the trek. 1.5 hours driving Overnight in Ganden Monastery Guest House |
| Day 4: Ganden Monastery to Yama Do (5 hours) (B,L,D) |
 In the morning, you will visit Ganden Monastery, and other attractions around. Then start trekking, our first day of trekking begins at the highest point on the Ganden Kora. From here we walk along a saddle trail. After leaving this trail with wondrous views we traverse the west side of the ridge before passing through an ancient Hepu village. Later in the day we pass through Ani Pagong, a narrow bottleneck in the trail and former site of a nunnery. We will end the day with an ascent towards Yama Do, where we will set up camp. |
| Day 5: Trek to Tsotup Chu Valley (4 to 5hours). (B,L,D) |
| In the morning we leave the valley floor and make our way through a steep gully rising form the stream bank. Finally, we climb over the Shug La and begin our climb down through treacherous boulder fields. Later, we cross Tsotup Chu, a large stream winding through the valley floor. A comfortable camp will be set up in one of the many herder fields. |
| Day 6: Trek to Herder’s Camp (5 hours). (B,L,D) |
| Today we follow the Tsotup Chu down through its tributary and head towards the Chitu La pass. After ascending this rocky pass we will quickly descend down and find a beautiful place to camp in one of the fields surrounding the stream. To find our campsite we will meander through quiet herder camps for nearly an hour. Another beautiful day of our trek is over! |
| Day 7: Trek to Samye (6 hours) (B,L,D) |
| The trail gets wider and easier as we follow it through scrub forests in the main valley. Beautiful streams and lush forests surround us as we walk. However, the desert is close by. The next few hours are arguably the most beautiful part of our trek. More than 15 types of scrub trees, blooming rhododendrons, and vast meadow will amaze you every step of the way! After passing through this wondrous landscape we will trek pass the Changtang village. Less than an hour away participants can choose to make the one-hour hike to the Yamalung Hermitage. Yamalung is an ancient and holy Buddhist meditation site, but is completely up to you whether you want to go. Later in the day we join the Samye valley along the babbling tributary stream. The night will be spent at another comfortable campsite, not far from Samye. |
| Day 8: Explore the Yarlung Valley and Samye Monastery, back to Lhasa |
 The Samye Monastery is the first temple to be built in Tibet and the first complete with the three Buddhist jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. With these unique features, this splendid temple has become an attraction for visitors from near and far. After visiting Samye, we finish the trek and go back to Lhasa. You may take ferry across Yarlungzongpo River to the opposite side of the river to catch the minivan to Lhasa. |
| Day 9: Drive to Airport, leave Lhasa to your next |
| Today, our drive and tour guide will take you to airport (about 1.5 hours driving), fly to your next destination. |
