A Physical and Cultural Adventure in Tibet
This is an exclusive tailor-made Tibet tour subverting the classical ones. It is designed for the people who want to combine the culture experience and light adventures.
It includes the essence of Tibetan culture, but avoids being heavy on monastery visits. It journeys out to the beautiful plateau scenery and gets off the beaten path. It allows you to take an adventure into the undeveloped land of nomads and yaks without multi-day trekking and a heavy pack. It will truly bring you into touch with authentic and quintessential Tibetan life.
This 7-day tour including trekking and camping will be a once-in-a-life experience that will bring the mysterious Tibet in your mind's eye to life.
Tour 'Wow' Points
Trek to Discover the Hermitages and Hillside Views of the Lhasa River Valley
Enjoy a trek on the mountains to find the site where Tibetan characters were created and the incredible view of Lhasa city and its valley. Catch the monks' debates in Sera Monastery at the end of the trek.


Go with a Local Tibetan Back to His Hometown
Visit a Tibetan village hidden in a beautiful valley untouched by travelers, say hello to the villagers, and visit a local Tibetan's house to experience their daily life. Talk with a Tibetan monk from the monastery in the village.


Camp with a Nomadic Family on their Pasture
Have a camping experience on the plateau's upland without carrying all the equipment by yourself. Enjoy a starry night and a delicious hotpot right by your tent.


Experience Working with Tibetan Nomads
Camp with a nomadic family on their pasture. Take part in their daily work. Experience making yogurt cheese or butter, milking the yaks, or even drying yak dung, which is an important fuel.


Pilgrimage to the Palace That's 'Closest to Heaven'
Immerse yourself in the exquisite chambers on the Potala Palace. Discover the secrets of building this amazing palace.


Walk a Local Tibetan Kora (Religious Circuit) on 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.


Enjoy a Picnic on the Bank of the Holy Lake
Pilgrimage to the Lake Yamdrok and enjoy a picnic to enjoy the great views.


Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.

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Lhasa techo del mundo
![]() Lhasa era uno de mis sue?os y con la organizacion de China Highligts todo ha sido genial. El guía Yeshin ha sido lo mejor, muy resolutivo, nos ha ayudado en todo lo que hemos necesitado, además de ser muy divertido, lo hemos pasado muy bien. Si van a Lhasa este guía es perfecto. Totalmente recomendable. more
May 2025, Sandra E
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REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE AT LHASA
![]() We went to Lhasa through China highlights and stayed there for 3 days. It was a fantastic experience. We flew to Lhasa from Shangri-La in a two-hour flight. Before arriving, our permit and passport were checked several times as we are foreigners. The permit and the arrangement were done by China Highlights. As soon as we arrived, our tour guide Marry welcomed us with white silk scarfs and handed us countless fruits and two oxygen cylinders. From our room on the sixth floor of the Snow Mountain Hotel, we had a view of snow-covered mountains. The room had an oxygen supply and a humidifier. At first, walking just a couple of steps felt like we were about to fall asleep felt so dizzy. We were gasping for breath. We didn't have the courage to do anything, just sat in a chair, looked at the mountains and snow peaks, ate fruits, and slept. If we ate something, our heart rate would shoot from 90 to 140. We managed to sleep, thanks to the oxygen. We woke up feeling refreshed. At 9 AM the next morning, we set off with Mary in that huge car. Our first stop was the Drepung Monastery. This ancient monastery, over six hundred years old, is located 12,700 feet above sea level. As a result, our hearts and legs were protesting. We had to walk two kilometers and climb 400 stair steps. The monastery, the assembly hall, thousands of thangka paintings, countless Buddhas, Mahakali, Tara – all combined in room after room. Photography inside was prohibited. Marry provided able guidance to us and explained the history. After visiting Drepung, we drove to Norbulingka, which is the Dalai Lama's summer palace. There are three palaces and temples there. First, we visited the third Dalai Lama’s palace, then the thirteenth Dalai Lama’s, and finally the fifth to seventh Dalai Lama’s palaces. After touring the summer palace, it was around 1 PM. We went to a Nepali restaurant and had an Indian thali. After a long time, we had a meal truly enjoyed. From 2 PM to 4 PM, we visited the Sera monastery. First, we watched a debate between two lamas. One lama sat while another senior lama asked questions. If the answer was correct, they clapped loudly. If it was somewhat correct, they clapped softly, and if it was wrong, they just rubbed their hands together. There were 30/40 pairs of lamas busy in debating. After the debate, we visited the monastery that didn't have much elevation change, but there were about 100 of stairs and we had to walk another two kilometers. Each monastery spanned an area of about 10 to 12 square kilometers, almost like a small town. By 4 PM, I had seen everything for the day. Next morning at 9 o’clock, we set off in a car from the hotel to visit the Potala Palace. When we arrived at the base of the Potala Palace, we saw a lot of people. Now, it was the time to show our tickets and permits. After passing through multiple security gates, we entered the palace area around 10 a.m. The climb began—400 feet up. The view of the palace atop the mountain was incomparable: some parts were red, some black, and some white. The walls, made from rose branches mixed with yak dung, coloured in red, looked like velvet. Our guide, Marry, explained that the rose branches were very strong and significantly lighter than stone. This palace is repainted every year, and to paint the upper parts, the wall is doused with paint from above. There are numerous stairs to climb, and we were panting after each few steps. Of course, this is because we're at 12,600 feet above sea level, and our stamina is limited. No more breathlessness, but now, my legs could barely keep going. Slowly, with many breaks, we made our way up. As we climbed, we saw the snow-covered peaks of mountains. We took pictures as we went up . Before I knew it, we had reached the top. Next came the inside tour. No more pictures, because photography is prohibited inside the palace. Marry, our guide, told us that there are 999 rooms in the palace, but we were allowed to see about fifty of them, and that was only with special permission. We began viewing room after room—some were Buddhist temples, others were dedicated to Mahakali or Indian guru Padmasambhava, and some had thousands of Buddha statues. Bodhisattva were very prominent here, symbolizing knowledge and devotion. What I learned about the Bodhisattva is this:"The thousand-handed Bodhisattva is a Buddhist symbol of love, capable of taking the extraordinary form of eleven heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand hands to help all who seek her aid." We also saw the Dalai Lama’s residence, the place where he would meet visitors, many murals, many tankhas, and more. People were lighting lamps, chanting "Om Mani Padme Hum," and prostrating on the ground. Tibetans offer money to the deities and Buddha. Among the offerings, I even saw a 100-rupee note from India, amid many Chinese currency notes. We saw three mandalas, made from 500 kilos of gold and countless gems, with lamas meditating in front of them. We visited the tomb of the Dalai Lamas and the golden pagoda. This palace contains 3,700 kilos of gold and a large number of precious stones and gems. The palace, which dates back to the 7th century, was rebuilt during the reign of the subsequent Dalai Lama. Initially, Dalai Lama resided in the Drepung Monastery, but later, the Potala Palace became his residence and office. At 1 p.m., we began the slow descent. Our body was giving up, but somehow, we managed to reach the bottom. We got into the car and went to the Lhasa Namaste Restaurant. After eating juice, naan, potato-cabbage, and dal makhani, I regained some strength. Next, we visited the Jokhang Temple. The Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, Tibet, was founded around 647 CE by King Songtsen Gampo to house the Jowo Rinpoche, a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha brought to Tibet by his Nepalese queen, Princess Bhrikuti. We saw Shakyamuni's temple, Bodhisattvas, Buddha, Manjushri Buddha, various Yamarajas, deities, numerous thankas, and murals. The top of the temple glistened with golden water." By 3 p.m., our tour was over. Next, we visited Barkhor Street. We explored many old shops and, after walking around, became tired. We went to a Tibetan shop to try butter tea. Tibetans mix butter, tea, and salt, stirring it for a long time before drinking it. We didn’t like it, so we switched to Tibetan milk tea, which was much better. Our Lhasa expedition came to an end. We were exhausted. Next day, we return home, back to our old life. Lhasa will remain a cherished memory in our hearts. hanks t Marry and China Hightlights for providing such a memorable trip.. more
May 2025, DPMALLIC
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High level experience at High altitude.
![]() We had an amazing experience with Lobsang as our guide, photographer, negotiator, and simply a pleasure to be around. He was very knowledgeable about everything Lhasa and surrounding area. We highly recommend Lobsang. more
Apr 2025, Steve S
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Itinerary Quick Look
Here is a suggested itinerary. We are happy to customize a tour according to your interests.
Your private driver and guide will be ready for you when you arrive in Lhasa. Sit back in a comfortable vehicle, leave the hassles to your guide, and enjoy a trouble-free transfer and check-in to your hotel.
Pilgrimage to the Potala Palace in the morning. Unlock the technological secrets for building the world's highest palace. Enter its white palace and red palace to enjoy exquisite murals, decorated statues and antiquities, and also stories of the famous King of the Tubo Kingdom and the mysterious Dalai Lamas.
Have a walking tour in the afternoon to discover the history of Lhasa and its people's daily life. Visit Jokhang Temple and explore Barkhor Street including its local market, admire traditional Tibetan architecture, and enjoy a peaceful moment with a cup of Tibetan sweet tea in Ani Tsangkhung Nunnery.
On day 3, you will "jump" out of Lhasa city with a leisurely 6-hour hike into the hills in the northern suburbs of Lhasa. Discover the hillside hermitages to get to know more about Lhasa and Tibetan Buddhism. Admire the magnificent panoramic view of Lhasa city and the whole Lhasa River Valley.
Catch the interesting monks' debates in Sera Monastery at the end of the hike.
In the morning, you will be driven for about 2 hours from Lhasa to Lake Yamdrok. After viewing the lake from the popular platform, you will get down to the lake bank.
Enjoy an exclusive view of the lake and a picnic there before returning to Lhasa.
Day 5 begins with a drive from Lhasa to Galie village, which has never been touched by other tourists. Walk around this beautiful valley, say hello to the villagers, and visit a local Tibetan household to discover the real life of Tibetan people.
Have a chat with a monk in the village's small lamasery. He will be happy to answer your questions if you are curious about a Tibetan Buddhist monk's life and study.
Then hike about 2 hours up to a hillside pasture and visit the nomadic family there. Cook and enjoy a dinner with the Tibetan family. Sleep in your tent right by the nomads'tent.
You will take part in the work of the local Tibetan nomads. You might experience making yogurt, cheese, or butter, herding and milking the yaks, or even drying and collecting yak dung fuel! The activities depend on the working schedule of the local Tibetans on the day.
After a picnic lunch, you will say goodbye to the lovely Tibetan people, hike back to the village, and then drive back to Lhasa.
After breakfast, your private guide and driver will take you to the airport for your departure..
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-38