Fulfill the Most Scenic Pilgrmage in Tibet
9-Day Tibet Tour with Lhasa and a Ganden–Samye Trek
This private Tibet tour includes the best of Lhasa and the most rewarding trekking route near Lhasa.
You’ll ascend into the amazing Potala Palace, visit the top three monasteries of the Gelug (Yellow Hat) Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, witness the magnificent landscape between the Lhasa River valley and the Yarlung-Tsangpo Canyon, meet friendly Tibetan people, and arrive at "the cradle of Tibetan history and culture"at the end.
Tour 'Wow' Points
Connect the Lhasa River Valley and the Yarlung-Tsangpo Canyon with Your Footprints
Follow in the steps of Tibetan monks'pilgrimaging between the two great monasteries. Experience the snowy mountains and awesome valleys, rivers, lakes, and meadows during a 4-day trek.
See Tibet's First Palace and Greatest Palace
Discover the origins of the Tibetan history in Yumbulakang Palace, and unlock stories of the mysterious Dalai Lamas in the Potala Palace.
Step into Tibetan Life in the Less-Touristy Corners of Barkhor Street
Feel the piety of local Tibetans as you see them worship with their whole body touching the ground. Explore a local market to experience Tibetan daily life and sit in a peaceful nunnery for a cup of sweet tea that's loved by locals.
Appreciate the Splendid, Fortress-Like Ganden Monastery
Visit the ancestral monastery of Tibetan Buddhism's Gelug Sect. Enjoy the magnificent architectures, exquisite murals, priceless Buddhist art work, and the tranquility there.
Delight in the Lovely Colors of the Pagodas in Samye Monastery
Visit the "cradle"monastery of Tibetan Buddhism. Find clues to the birth and development of Tibetan Buddhism in Samye’s architecture, containing the styles of India, the Han Chinese empire, and Tibet’s own distinctive identity.
Why Choose Us
Your Wellbeing is Our Priority.
- 1-to-1 travel expert
- Vaccinated guides
- Private Rides
Your Trip is Perfectly Planned.
- Less crowded
- Exclusive Exciting Experiences
Your Booking is Risk-Free.
- No cancellation fee (up to 22 days before departure)
- Free changes
Finish Your Booking in as Quick as 1 Day
1. Tell us your dream travel idea
2. Work out your unique plan with 1 to 1 expert advice
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Lhasa Tibet Adventure
Coco helped us plan our ideal trip to recent trip Tibet. She was informative, patient, and helped us tailor the trip to our own needs. She made excellent suggestions and supported us with the permits, travel itinerary, and even flights. She is an incredible asset to the China Highlights Team! Our local guide Tenzin was also excellent and flexible with us each day. I was hit with some altitude sickness and Tenzin helped me get oxygen and medicine needed. He worked with us each day to help us eat local foods and recommended ideal times to visit sites to minimize wait times. We were able to see everything on our list and eat excellent food. Thank you Coco and Tenzin! moreOct 2021, Samantha Jane
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Spiritual connection brought me back to Potala
Potala Palace mesmerizes me with its charm since 1997 when I first laid eyes on a photograph hung onto a wall at a monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal. From then on, I dreamt of visiting this place before I leave this world. The only thing that held me back choosing from my other favorite travel destinations that I travelled to in the past, is the fear of high altitude sickness and breathing difficulty. Once I step foot onto it, I felt a spiritual connection to this place. I climbed up to the top at the peak without any issue and gazed at Lhasa city from the top. It was a rare and wonderful experience. moreJul 2020, paulinelyepohlinl
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Lhasa - what a special place
Lhasa welcomed us with sunshine, but Sonem with an even brighter smile. It was a great pleasure to have him as guide - an exceedingly kind person. With his profound knowledge and experience, he gave us deep insights in the daily life of a Tibetan. The highlight of our stay was, of course, the visit of the Potala Palace, but we also wouldn’t have missed the discussion of the monks or the Yoghurt Festival. Thank you, Sonem, for the perfect organization. moreSep 2019, S-T-Travelling
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Top of the World!
From our welcome at the airport with the traditional Tibetan scarves to our departure 3 days later, out time in Lhasa was nothing short of fabulous! Our guide, Tenzin was exceptionally energetic, knowledgeable and friendly. He made sure our time was spent experiencing the many wonderful sites as well as learning about the history and culture of this exciting place. Potala palace is magnificent inside and out. Be sure to return to the nightly fountain show... the icing on the cake! The monasteries were very interesting and the location of many is breathtaking. We enjoyed Barkhor Street, especially at night when the lights create a serene atmosphere, a great contrast to the hustle and bustle during daylight. Outside the city, the drive to Yomdrok Lake is beautiful and the lake itself amazing. Stopping along the way to see the prayer flags flying in the wind left no doubt that you are in a special place. Thank you to China Highlights and their local partners, in particular our fabulous guide Tenzin for organizing and executing a most wonderful trip! moreAug 2019, anaI39VU
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Top of the World!
From our welcome at the airport with the traditional Tibetan scarves to our departure 3 days later, out time in Lhasa was nothing short of fabulous! Our guide, Tenzin was exceptionally energetic, knowledgeable and friendly. He made sure our time was spent experiencing the many wonderful sites as well as learning about the history and culture of this exciting place.Thank you to China Highlights and their local partners, in particular our fabulous guide Tenzin for organizing and executing a most wonderful trip! moreAug 2019, anaI39VU
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Great time with the Best Guide Norbu
I can’t say enough good things about China Highlights as they organized everything for us - the visa, guide and itinerary. When I asked for changes to make sure we saw the debates (none on sundays) they made the change. When my daughter was suffering from altitude sickness itinerary was adjusted to give her more time to recover. We had a fantastic guide - Norbu. His background was as interesting as Lhasa. While all of the guides we have had so far have had good English command, some are harder to understand than others making it hard work at times. Norbu’s English is embarrassingly good (as I have no capability in any other languages and am dependent on others learning English). He was very kind to my daughter while she was struggling. I highly recommend you ask for him as he will add to the enjoyment of your trip moreJul 2019, 913WorldTraveler
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LHASA - TIBET WITH KELSANG FROM CHINA HIGHLIGHTS
KELSANG was our Guide Tour in LHASA - TIBET. His English was great and he was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Since he picked us up from the airport till we left LHASA, KELSANG had always a smile, showed us his heart and soul and accommodate all our needs. We had a great time with KELSANG! All places mentioned above are unique and very special! Our experience in Tibet was stunning and we will not forget it for the rest of our lives! We will highly recommend KELSANG as your local guide tour in TIBET and ask for ALISA when contacting China Highlights as she will organize your tours as no one else will! Believe me! moreJun 2019, Fabian D
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china highlights is well organized(Tibet and Beijing)
I could say so many wonderful things about China Highlights; they have great qualified, knowledgeable guides and drivers, they understand the flight in and out and work around it beautifully, the prices are good, and the correspondence is top notch. Bit tops I would say, is they are efficient and organized. It can be a little worrisome planning a trip to the other side of the world. My agent through the whole process was Coco and she couldn't have done better. She answered every question, before and during the trip. moreMay 2019, Tim S
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Tour Map
Itinerary Quick Look
Here is a suggested itinerary. We are happy to customize a tour according to your interests.
Your private guide and driver will pick you up at Lhasa's airport or train station and accompany you to your hotel.
Visit the Potala Palace in the morning. Prepare to enjoy the resplendent chambers, exquisite wall paintings, and the stories about the king of the Tubo Kingdom and Dalai Lamas.
Have a walking tour in the afternoon. Visit Jokhang Temple and explore Barkhor Street including its local market, admire traditional Tibetan architecture, and take afternoon tea in peaceful Ani Tsangkhung Nunnery.
Start to discover Tibet's religion with the biggest and the most important monastery of Tibetan Buddhism — Drepung Monastery.
After lunch, visit Sera Monastery and watch a monks' debate. Guess the meaning of their gestures and grasp the chance to take photos. Admire the colorful thangka-style murals on the rocks on the hill behind, which is normally missed by most tourists, and enjoy a great panoramic view of Lhasa city from the monastery.
Drive from Lhasa to Ganden Monastery. This main monastery of the Gelug Sect has a magnificent building group.
Then continue to Tsubshi Village in your private car. Trek from there to Yama-Do Village — 7 km (4 miles). Along the way, you will see barely fields and meadows where there could be some yaks.
Camp in Yama-Do Village overnight.
On the second day of the trek, you will climb over Shug-La Pass by making a steep and rocky ascent out of the Lhasa River Valley into the rare air of altitude 5,250 meters (17,220 feet)!
The route continues across Shug-La Pass following a trail with many prayer stones. Descend gradually and reach a valley an hour and a half from the pass. Cross the Tsotup Chu, a long stream winding along the valley floor where Tibetan nomads with their yaks, goats, and sheep dot the landscape.
The day's trek is 10 km (6 miles) and you will camp near the Tsotup Chu stream.
From the Tsotup Chu valley, you will follow a small tributary. The path rises steeply for 30 minutes, finally reaching the mouth of a large col. The terrain ahead is not particularly difficult after passing the Chitu-La Pass — altitude 5,090 meters (16,700 feet), marked by several large cairns. A short steep descent leads us into a basin holding three small beautiful lakes.
The day's trekking covers 14 km (9 miles) and you will camp right by the Chitu-La basin lakes.
The final day of the trek will be an easier 14 km. Hike in a forest of shrubs for three hours. We go across a series of meadows. You will also pass several villages. The local Tibetans might be seen on their way into the mountains with their horses and yaks. When you get to the Yamalung valley, your personal driver will pick you up and transfer you to Samye Town.
Sleep in the guesthouse in Samye Town.
In the morning, visit Samye Monastery, which is significant to Tibetan Buddhism as it is the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery that had a Buddha, dharma, and monks. Its four pagodas in different colors are a unique feature.
Visit the first palace of Tibet — Yumbulakang Palace in the afternoon and listen to stories of the first king of Tibet in context. The barley field at foot of the palace's hill is the first piece of farmland that fed the local Tibetans, and it has been used generation after generation since.
Your personal guide and driver will escort you from Tsedang to Lhasa Airport.
Hotel Selection
—the Icing on the Cake
Boutique hotels are recommended to enrich your travel experience.
Price includes:
- Tibet Travel Permits
- Private air-conditioned business car with big windows and ample space
- All the equipment and provisions for camping and transport them during trekking
- English speaking local guide
- Activities, hotels, and meals listed in the itinerary
- 24/7 helpline for while you are traveling
Tour code: xz-29
Start planning your tailor-made tour now. Your 1:1 travel consultant will reply within 1 working day.
