If one of our fixed departure itineraries does not match your travel schedule or budget, consider embarking on a cultural journey to Tibet from our alternative trips list. Modeled after our longer cultural immersion trips, our cultural trips to Central Tibet and Kham are easy, short and sweet. You will visit places that are beautiful and sacred; experience the living and breathing culture of Tibet; and build friendships with warm and genuine Tibetans who you will remember for many years to come. Here is a sample itinerary of one of our alternative cultural trips to Central Tibet.
Snapshot of a Tibetan Cultural Trip
Accommodations |
Trip Duration |
Best Time to Go |
9 nights in hotel
2 nights in guesthouse
0 nights camping
|
9 Nights and 10 Days
(Can be modified for 5-10 days) |
May to October |
Sample Itinerary
Days 1-3 in LhasaWhile acclimatizing, explore Lhasa’s wonders, including: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Square, and Sera Monastery; meet Tibetan masters of painting, Tibetan medicine, wood curving and handcrafts, etc. and receive rare sacred blessings from Rinpoches.
Days 4-5 to Namtso: Namtso is approximately 240km northwest of Lhasa at an elevation of 14,720 meters. The lake is stunningly beautiful, and is considered very sacred to Tibetans. Although Namtso can be easily reached from Lhasa, be aware the one-way journey takes about four hours by car. Once you arrive, the high altitude will make you want to rest one night in a guesthouse. In addition, you can visit Tashi Dhor Monastery, walk with pilgrims, and mediate in sacred coves or simply mingle with nomads. Most tourists who come to the Lhasa area nowadays don’t miss Namtso.
Days 6-7 to Villages: We will drive to Drikung valley just northeast of Lhasa (about 3 hours drive) where you can visit, mingle and share meals with Tibetan families, and learn about their ways of life. A visit to a TVP project site or a meeting with some project beneficiaries can be arranged so you can learn more about how our money is used. You can spend a night in the Tridrum Nunnery guesthouse; enjoy soaking in the Hot Spring; take a short hike to a stunning nomadic mountain site, and hear the beautiful chant of nuns before driving back to Lhasa.
Days 9-10 in Lhasa and at Ganden: Ganden is one of the oldest and most important monasteries in Tibet, located on a hilltop near Lhasa. You can take a day trip there to experience the beauty and see remains from the Cultural Revolution. Raising prayer flags there will be a good way to honor those who left us and to accumulate good merits for your loved ones. You will have enough time to rest, purchase some gifts to take home and have a farewell dinner in Lhasa before saying goodbye.
Options: This 5-10 day sample itinerary can be altered to meet your time constraints, budget and personal interests. For example, you can skip or shorten the visits to Namtso, Ganden, and villages or include Samye in the mix.
Interested in this Cultural Trip? Please enjoy our slideshow and let us know how we can help!
