9 Day Relaxing Hot Springs & Hike
Our 9-day overland group tour includes highlights of Monasteries and Hot springs. This Journey will start by exploring the Old Town of Lhasa and rubbing shoulders with some of the thousands of pilgrims who are here each day. Altogether, you will spend three nights in Lhasa.
Next, you will make the scenic drive to Shigatse going via Yamdrok Lake, Karo La Glacier, and the Gyantse Kumbum Stupa. From Shigatse, you will travel back to Lhasa.
We will also travel to the Drigung Til monastery and Tidrum nunnery hot spring where we will relax at one of the best hot springs in Tibet.
Group Price & Size
1,333 US Dollar Per Person
Minimum 4 People & Maximum 12 People
Single room occupancy supplement: 300USD (hotels only)
Tour Type: Group Tours
Group Size: 4 to 12 People
Tour Duration: 9 Days
Price: 1,333 USD
- All travel permits for Tibet
- English-speaking Tibetan tour guide
- Pick up and drop off by airport bus
- All transportation in Tibet per itinerary, a vehicle for the trip outside of Lhasa, taxis inside Lhasa
- Vehicle tolls and vehicle repairs(if necessary)
- All administrative fees
- All meals and accommodations for your guide
- All lodging listed in the itinerary
- Breakfast each morning
- Entrance fees for the places listed in the itinerary
- One-time welcome meal for the group
- One box of mineral water plus shared
- Oxygen tank in the car
- Transportation costs to and from Tibet
- Chinese visa fees and passport fees
- Lunch and dinner
- Personal expenses (laundry, photography fees, souvenirs, etc)
- Tips to the driver and guide
Day1. Arrive in Lhasa
You will be met at the Lhasa airport or train station by your Tibetan guide and transferred to the Shambhala Palace located in the Old Town of Lhasa, an elevation of 3600 meters. You can then explore the nearby Old Town of Lhasa and the markets lining Barkhor Square.
Overnight at 3-star Shambhala Hotel or Gold star Shambhala Palace or 3-star Kyichu Hotel, located in the heart of Lhasa city 200 meters from Jokhang Temple
Day2. Lhasa City Sightseeing, Visit Jokhang Temple and Sera Monastery(B)
After breakfast, you will visit the Jokhang, the holiest Buddhist temple in all of the Himalayas. Each day, many thousands of Buddhist pilgrims come here to worship. Many have traveled well over a thousand kilometers by foot to see this 1400-year-old temple. After lunch, you will visit the 600-year-old huge monastery complex of Sera. While at Sera, you watch the monks engage in entertaining Buddhist philosophical debates. In the evening, you will have free time to wander around the Old Town on your own.
Overnight at 3-star Shambhala Hotel or Gold star Shambhala Palace or 3-star Kyichu Hotel, located in the heart of Lhasa city 200 meters from Jokhang Temple
(B)=breakfast
Day3. Lhasa City Sightseeing, Visit Potala Palace and Norbulingka Palace (B)
In Lhasa (3700m) we tour the Potala Palace, the winter palace of the Dalai Lama built in the 17th century by the fifth Dalai Lama, and Norbulingka, the summer palace of the Dalai Lama, built in the 18th century by the seventh Dalai Lama.
Overnight at 3-star Shambhala Hotel or Gold star Shambhala Palace or 3-star Kyichu Hotel, located in the heart of Lhasa city 200 meters from Jokhang Temple
(B)=breakfast
Day4. Lhasa / Yamdrok Lake / Samding nunnery / Ralung monastery / Gyantse ( 310km ) 8hrs ( 3950m)
You will depart Lhasa in the early morning and drive through the scenic Yarlung River Valley toward Yamdrok Lake. Yamdrok is one of Tibet’s 4 main holy lakes and is regarded as one of the most beautiful lakes in the Himalayas. From the Kamba La Pass, you get a panoramic view of this spectacular lake with the nearby mountains. Next, you will drive along the lakeshore to Nankartse, where you will stop for lunch and visit the Samding nunnery with the great home of Samding Dorje Phakmo female practitioner. It is said that the first Samding Dorje Phakmo has never lied down in her whole life even at night, her diligence is the reason behind her spiritual accomplishment.
Next, you will begin ascending again to the stunning Karo La Glacier. Here, you can get an up-close view of Mt. Nojin Kangtsang and the glaciers coming off of it.
We visit the Ralung monastery, which was once the biggest Buddhist college in Tibet and home of many great Tibetan Yogis from the Drukpa Kagyu sect including Jetsun Ling Repa, Jetsun Tsangpa Gyare, Jetsun Tsang Nyon, Jetsun U Nyon, Jetsun Drukpa Kunley. They are no tourists and sometimes not even locals so Ralung Monastery is one of the most peaceful monasteries with beautiful landscapes.
After Ralung, we drive through the beautiful valley enjoying the views of beautiful villages and arriving at our next stop destination at the pleasant town of Gyantse.
Overnight in a 3-star Yeti hotel
(B)= breakfast
Day5. Gyantse / Shalu monastery / Shigatse ( 110km ) 2hrs ( 3950m) (B)
After breakfast, you will visit the massive Gyantse Kumbum Stupa as well as the Pelkhor Chode Monastery.
From Gyantse, we will drive to Shigatse by visiting the Shalu monastery on the way. One of the best monasteries in Tibet for a beautiful view of old wall paintings.
The driving duration is 1 and a half hours for 90 km. We arrive at Shigatse City, the second-largest city after Lhasa.
Overnight in 4-star Gesar hotel
(B)=breakfast
Day6. Shigatse / Nyemo Valley / Yangpachen Hot Spring / Lhasa ( 320km ) 6hrs ( 3650m)
In the morning, you will be free time in Shigatse to explore the Tashilhunpo monastery. One of the biggest Gelugpa sects collage in the Shigatse region. In the Tashilhunpo monastery, you will visit the big statue of the future Buddha which is the main relic of the monastery.
Travel to Lhasa by enjoying the beautiful nature at Nyemo Valley and the Yarlung Tsangpo River.
Option to go in the hot spring pool at Yangpachen. ( The entrance fee is 100-200RMB per person ) There is an indoor and outdoor hot spring.
Later travel to Lhasa from Yangpachen with a driving duration of 80km.
Overnight at 3-star Shambhala Hotel or Gold star Shambhala Palace or 3-star Kyichu Hotel, located in the heart of Lhasa city 200 meters from Jokhang Temple
(B)=breakfast
Day7. Lhasa /Ganden monastery / Drigung Til monastery / Tidrum nunnery Hot spring ( 160km ) 5hrs ( 4300m)
Today we start the day traveling to Ganden monastery, the most important monastery in the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism. The highlight will be the 1-2 hours hike from the backside of the mountain to see the whole Ganden valley. Since there is only a vehicle trip on most of the tours so to make the tour special, arranging the hiking tour is one of Tibet Travelers' specialties for the Travelers. The hiking route is also known as the pilgrim kora route for the local Tibetans. Very few Travelers can be seen so it's special.
We will also visit the tomb of Tsongkapa and the Throne of Ganden, the Great Hall of Ganden Monastery, and Ganden Tsogchen, where monks perform prayers.
Later we travel to Drigung Til Monastery, the main monastery of Drigung Kagyu School in Buddhism in Tibet. The monastery is famous for being the best sky burial in Tibet but it is not allowed to visit by Travelers.
From Drigung, we will travel to Tidrum nunnery Hot Spring. Tidrum is the meditation area of Maha Guru Rinpoche. We have options to stay at the nunnery guest house or the Shambhala Palace branch hotel (8km from Tidrum nunnery).
(B)=breakfast
Day8. Tidrum nunnery / Drak Yerba meditation cave hike / Lhasa ( 150km ) 5hrs ( 3650m)
After breakfast, an option to hike to the meditation cave of Maha Guru Rinpoche or the Drak Yerba meditation cave.
The duration of the hike to the meditation cave of Maha Guru Rinpoche is around 2 hours from Tidrum nunnery. This is quite a tough hike for Travelers who don't do hikes normally. Travelers can also choose to hike at Drak Yerba meditation cave or travel back to Lhasa.
Overnight at 3-star Shambhala Hotel or Gold star Shambhala Palace or 3-star Kyichu Hotel, located in the heart of Lhasa city 200 meters from Jokhang Temple
(B)=breakfast
Day9. Depart from Tibet
Morning Lhasa airport or train station dropping off, the time comes to say your farewells to your guide and driver, end of the tour Tibet.
Thank you for loving Tibet Beauties! Thank you for choosing Tibet Travelers! We look forward to seeing you once again in Tibet.