Trip Duration
11 Days
Trip Difficulty
Moderate
Group Size
2-16 people
Max. Altitude
5,500m. /18,045 ft.
Accommodation
Hotel
Transportation
Flight
Activity per day
Tours & Sightseeing
Start/End
KathmanduTrip Overview
The Central Tibet Tour stretches all over the Tibetan Plateau, also known as the “Roof of the World”. While the average elevation throughout the tour remains around 3800 meters, the highest point of the tour is 5150 meters at the summit of Karo La Pass. This is one of the exciting places you will visit on this amazing tour around Tibet. From this viewpoint, you will get to see peaks like Everest and Nyenchen Kangsar, one of the many stunning views you will witness throughout the tour.
The autonomous region of Tibet is not a heavily populated area, making it an intimate tour with fewer crowds. In fact, the population density, as per the 2020 data, is 3 people per sq. kilometer. However, the city areas are a bit more populated than that since that’s where the bulk of the population lives. Over 85% of the people there are Tibetans, while 12% of the population are Han, native to Greater China. The rest of the population belongs to the Hui, Monpa, and Lhoba communities.
En route, we will visit the famous Yarlung River Valley, which is known as the starting point of Tibetan civilization. This valley is also home to the very first Buddhist monastery and the very first royal tomb where the first king of Tibet lies. It is also where Tibetan Buddhism was born. Being a religious center, it is, of course, a great spiritual tour with many visits to ancient monasteries and gompas.
You will visit the first monastery in Tibet, the Samye monastery, along with other ancient ones including Pelkor Chode, Kumbum Stupa, Shalu monastery, Jokhang Temple, Tashi Lunpho, and a couple more. Throughout the tour, you will have a time of your life experiencing the views of Tibet, the food, the culture, and the amazing vibe all around. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the Central Tibet Tour package for you to understand what this tour is really about.
Highlights of Central Tibet Tour
- Visit the home of the first king of Tibet, Yumbu Lakhang, the first royal palace of the region.
- Visit the first monastery of Tibet, the Samye Monastery, standing tall since the 8th century.
- Tour around the Yarlung River Valley, the center of the civilization of Tibet, offering a bunch of interesting, scenic, and historic attractions.
- Cross the Kamba La Pass, 4794 meters, and the Karo La Pass, reaching 5150 meters above sea level.
- Take a walk around the Yamdrok Lake, enjoying its beautiful landscape and chilly breeze.
- Visit the Shigatse market and the Barkhor Street to observe the different local handicrafts, food stalls, and souvenirs.
Itinerary of Central Tibet Tour
Day 01: Arrive at Kathmandu
Arriving in Kathmandu is the official start of your Central Tibet Tour. As you fly over the hills of Nepal, you will be able to enjoy a great view of the mountains up north. Shortly after, you will land at the Tribhuvan International Airport, where you will have to apply for a tourist visa before leaving the airport. The airport officials will guide you to the immigration desk, where you will get a visa application form.
After filling out the form, you must pay your visa fees at the counter nearby. Then, you will be given a receipt which you must present to the immigration officer along with your visa application form, passport, return tickets, proof of accommodation, and two passport-sized photos. The visa officer will check your details and grant you a tourist visa soon. This entire process will only take about an hour to complete, but might be prolonged if crowded.
If you want to avoid crowds during the peak travel season, you can simply apply for a tourist visa online. It will require you to fill out a digital application form and submit the same documents as mentioned above. After you wire your visa fees to their account, you will have to wait 3 to 4 business days to receive a barcode, which is essentially your visa.
Activity: 45 mins drive
Max. Altitude: 1400m./4,593ft. (Kathmandu)
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 02: Pre-trip Meeting and Sightseeing around Kathmandu valley
The following day, we will have a leisurely breakfast at last night’s accommodation, followed by a pre-trip meeting, discussing the essentials of the Central Tibet Tour. The tour guide will explain things about accommodation, food, what you should be careful about, things you should not do, things to avoid, and more. Before you actually begin the tour, you must know a lot of things so we can avoid inconveniences along the way and go along on the same page.
After the meeting, we will have you go around the valley of Kathmandu for a day tour. This sightseeing tour incorporates sites like the Garden of Dreams, the Taragaon Museum, the Kopan Monastery, the Pashupatinath Temple, Swayambhunath Stupa, Hanuman Dhoka Palace, Kumari Ghar, and more. We will be out and about for over 6 to 7 hours, visiting many historic and religious sites within the valley. Some of the sites we visit require entrance fees, which our Central Tibet Tour will cover.
Following a day full of driving and walking around Kathmandu. We will head back to the hotel, freshen up, and get ready for dinner time. Your lunch and dinner expenses throughout the tour are not a part of the standard tour package, meaning you will have to pay for them separately. After dinner, you can go around the neighbourhood to enjoy the nightlife of Kathmandu a little.
Activity: 6 to 7 hrs
Max. Altitude: 1400m./4,593ft. (Kathmandu)
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 03: Arrive at Gonggar Airport and drive to Tsedang
Day 3 of the Central Tibet Tour finally takes us to the autonomous region of Tibet. After breakfast in Kathmandu, we will head to the airport and get on the flight to Lhasa. The flight duration is 1 hour 20 minutes, and along the way, you will get to see many famous peaks on your right and left. Peaks like Everest, Makalu, and Lhotse are on the right, while Annapurna, Gangapurna, Nilgiri, Dhaulagiri, and more are on the left.
After arriving at the Lhasa Gonggar Airport, we will go through customs and meet our local Tibetan guide at the terminal. He will greet you and take you all the way to Tsedang. The total distance is just 95 km, which will take about 2 hours or less to cover. Following the Yarlung Tsangpo River Valley, we will go over winding roads with a couple of breaks in between to enjoy the scenery and acclimatize.
Shortly after, we will reach Tsedang and check in at our hotel for the day. After a while, we will have our lunch at your preferred eatery nearby. You will have plenty of hours to explore the area on your own. You can stroll by the Yarlung River and enjoy some local dishes at roadside stalls.
Activity: 1 hr 20 mins flight
Max. Altitude: 3100m./10,171ft. (Tsedang)
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 04: Explore Yarlung Tsangpo, visit Samye Monastery & Yumbu Lakhang
Early in the morning, we will have our breakfast and get on the ride to Samye. Going through the Yarlung Valley, we will be accompanied by the Yarlung Tsangpo River, also known as the Brahmaputra, for the most part. En route, we will also visit the Qingpo or Nyimalung meditation caves. These caves are linked to King Trisong Detsen and Guru Padmasambhava, a major idol of Tibetan Buddhism.
After about an hour, we will arrive at Yumbu Lakhang, the first royal palace of Tibet. This site dates back to 127 BCE, built to house the first king of Tibet, Nyatri Tsenpo. At present, this site is a monastery and has been rebuilt a couple of times to maintain its structure. Inside the monastery, you will get to see ancient paintings of Nyatri Tsenpo, oil lamps, artifacts, and more. Leaving the monastery, we will head for a lunch break nearby.
Post-lunch, we will head to Samye Monastery, located 50 km north of Tsedang. This gompa is the very first of its kind in the entire Tibet. You can safely say that this is the birthplace of Tibetan Buddhism. Built under the commission of King Trisong Detsen, this monastery dates back all the way to 775 CE. After this, we will visit the Tradruk Temple and Dratang Monastery if we have enough time. We will spend the night in Tsedang.
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 05: Drive via Yamdrok Lake to Gyangtse, visit Kumbum Stupa & Pelkor Chode Monastery
Post-breakfast, we will leave the Yarlung River Valley, driving over a gentle uphill section that leads us to Kamba La Pass. This is the first pass of the Central Tibet Tour and reaches a maximum elevation of 4790 meters above sea level. The view from the top is amazing, featuring a panoramic scene of the Tibetan Plateau. From there, we will head towards the second pass, Karo La Pass, reaching 5150 meters above sea level.
En route, we will visit the Yamdrok Lake, one of the three sacred lakes of Tibet. Its turquoise waters are as aesthetic as it gets, and we will spend around 30 minutes there, clicking memorable photos and taking in the beautiful nature. After about 5 to 6 hours of driving, we will finally arrive at Gyantse. We will drop our bags at the hotel for the night and move out for a short Central Tibet Tour around the city.
First, we will visit the Kumbum Stupa, a nine-story-high gompa, reaching 35 meters in height, housing over 10000 Buddha statues and paintings. The arts in display and the interiors of the monastery display a mixture of Chinese and Newari art styles. After that, we will visit the Pelkor Chode Monastery, also known as Palcho Monastery.
This monastery dates back to the 15th century, built under the commission of Prince Rabten Kunzang Phak. The main temple is a three-story house full of vibrant Thangka paintings, housing over a hundred Tibetan opera costumes. There are many artworks symbolizing the teachings of Buddhism. After this, we will visit the Gyantse Dzong later in the evening. This 14th-century fortress features a great wide view of the valley and serves as an amazing sunset viewing spot.
Activity: 5-6 hrs drive
Max. Altitude: 5150m./16,896ft. (Karo La Pass)
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 06: Drive via Shalu monastery to Shigatse, visit Tashi Lhunpo Monastery & Shigatse Market
Day 6 of the Central Tibet Tour features a 95 km drive, which takes about 2 hours to cover. Leaving Gyantse at around 9 in the morning, we will traverse the Nyang-Chu river valley and head southeast. After covering about 22 km, we will arrive at Shalu Monastery, built in 1040 AD under the commission of Chetsun Sherab. The architectural style of the building is a mixture of Tibetan, Han, and traditional Chinese style, while the interiors are influenced by traditional Newari style architecture.
Continuing the drive, we will shortly arrive at Shigatse and check into the hotel for the night. Later in the afternoon, we will visit the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, a gompa established in 1447 AD under the guidance of the very first Dalai Lama. This monastery features a 26-meter-tall Maitreya Buddha Statue, one of the largest in China. It also has something called a Thangka Wall (32 x 42 m in size), which displays a beautiful artwork.
After exploring the insides, we will go on a 1.6 km long circumambulatory path around the monastery. This will take about 30 to 45 minutes, after which we will visit the Shigatse Market.
Activity: 2 hrs drive
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 07: Drive from Shigatse to Lhasa
On the 7th day of the Central Tibet Tour, we will leave Shigatse around 9 AM following a hearty breakfast. The initial part of the route follows the Friendship Highway, featuring a scenic treat of the arid and bright Tibetan highlands. En route, we will visit the Yamdrok Lake once again, reaching 4441 meters above sea level. This lake is about 2 hours from Shigatse.
From there, we will pass the Karo La Glacier and the Karo La Pass, with a great view of Mt. Naiqinkangsang (7,200 m). Descending from this 5150-meter-high pass, we will reach the hills of Lhasa. It will be a dramatic change in the landscape as we will see more green. At around 3 PM, we will check into a hotel, and you can spend the rest of the day exploring the nearby streets and attractions.
Max. Altitude: 4441m./14,570ft. (Yamdrok Lake)
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 08: Guided tour of Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street & Tibetan Medical Center
The next day on the Central Tibet Tour, we will finally explore Lhasa city. The day begins at around 8 in the morning with a visit to the Jokhang Temple. This is when the daily morning ritual begins. If you want to click photos, you will have to pay USD 12 for a permit, while the entrance fee is USD 11. After witnessing the morning ritual, we will move on to visit the Jowo Shakyamuni Statue, which was a dowry given to the then-prince back in 641 AD.
After that, we will visit the Four Guardian Kings and the Dharma wheel, which features a golden seer. Ascending to the upper floors, paintings of Bhrikuti, Songstan Gampo, and Princess Wencheng can be seen. At around 10 AM, we will go on a 1 km circumambulation walk around Barkhor Street. This vibrant and lively street encircles the Jokhang temple, selling different religious and traditional souvenirs.
At around midday, we will have our lunch and head towards the Tibetan Medical Center, aka Mentshikhang. This site is not that far from Barkhor Street, famous for traditional healing practices and rituals. After this, we will visit Ramoche Temple, Labrang Nyingba, and enjoy the lively vibe of Barkhor Street to end the day.
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 09: Guided tour of Potala Palace & Drepung Monastery
Day 9 of the Central Tibet Tour starts at around 9 AM. We will start the day tour with a visit to Potala Palace. This complex houses the White Palace, Red Palace, and many temples. The White Palace served as home to the 13th and 14th Dalai Lamas, while the Red Palace is a religious center with chapels, shrines, and relics. It also has the jeweled tombs of the 5th and 13th Dalai Lamas.
At around 12, we will head out for a lunch break, followed by a 15-minute ride to Drepung Monastery at 1 PM. This monastery was built way back in 1416 AD under the commission of Jamyang Chojey, serving as the official place of the Dalai Lama before transferring to the Potala Palace. After exploring this site, we will head back to Lhasa, or we have an optional ride to Norbulingka.
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 10: Drive to the Airport and fly to Kathmandu
The next day, we will take a ride to the Lhasa Airport after breakfast. The flight will take about an hour and 20 minutes, offering great views of the Himalayas of Nepal. After your flight lands in Kathmandu, we will transfer you to your accommodation for the night.
Max. Altitude: 1400m./4,593ft. (Kathmandu)
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 11: Final departure
This is the ultimate day of the Central Tibet Tour. After we are done with the final procedures, we will hold a brief farewell ceremony and drop you off at the airport as per your flight schedule.
Includes/Excludes
What is included?
- Airport pick up and drop
- Tibet travel permit
- All surface transfer as per itinerary in private vehicle
- Accommodation as per itinerary on twin sharing with BREAKFAST Only
- Monasteries entrance fees
- Sightseeing tours as per itinerary
- A local English speaking guide throughout the tour.
- All government taxes.
What is not included?
- International Airfare (Applicable)
- Excess baggage charge if any
- Travel insurance
- Chinese visa fee
- Nepal re – entry visa fee
- Expenses of private nature such as Laundry, Telephone calls, Beverages, Tips, etc.
Route Map & Altitude Chart
Trip Information
Add-Ons
Upgrade Your Accommodation
Our standard Central Tibet Tour package offers guests standard 3-star hotels throughout the tour. While our standard accommodation is perfectly fine and comfortable, we understand that some people might want a little taste of luxury, which is why we allow for upgrades and also help you arrange your preferred accommodation at a price. This is not a part of the standard package.
How does our trip start?
The Central Tibet Tour starts with a day tour around the Kathmandu Valley. The tour guide will take you to many historic and religious sites within the valley and explain the importance and history of each site as we go around. Sites like the Taragaon Museum, Hanuman Dhoka Palace, Kumari Ghar, Patan Durbar Square, and more are on the itinerary for the day. You can also arrange your own itinerary for the day.
The next day, we will head towards the airport and take a flight to Lhasa, preferably before 10 AM, since it will take some time to get through the customs and security checks in Lhasa. After we get there, we will drive to Tsedang and spend the night there.
Best seasons
In general, you can do the Central Tibet Tour basically at any time of the year since it does not include trekking or walking to remote places that could be affected by seasonal conditions. However, there are seasons that offer better factors that improve the quality of your tour overall. For instance, the seasons of autumn and spring offer mild daytime temperatures and great visibility. While the winter season features some gloomy days and snowy days that block the views of the landscape.
Accommodation, Food and Drink
Accommodation will be on a twin-sharing basis, which means you will share the room with a fellow traveler in the group. Private rooms can be arranged at a price, but you should let us know about it during booking. With the accommodation we arrange, you will also get breakfast every morning, but your lunch and dinner are not a part of the trek package coverage, nor are your drinks.
Transportation
Every ground transportation and flight required by the itinerary we have mentioned above is a part of the Central Tibet Tour package.
Permit
Travelers are required to have a Group Chinese Visa and a Tibet Travel permit for this tour. All of your permit expenses will be covered by the Central Tibet Tour package.
Cost & Budget
Adventure Tansen’s Central Tibet Tour will set your back USD __________ per person. This is a reasonable price as we will cover your daily accommodation expenses, travel permit fees, entrance fees at monasteries, entrance fees during sightseeing, daily wages of the guides, local taxes, transportation fees, daily breakfasts, and more.
Your Extra expenses
Your international flight expenses, personal travel insurance fees, visa fees upon arrival in Nepal, Chinese Visa fees, emergency medical services, laundry bill, any kind of beverages, and more are considered to be extra expenses.
Things to Remember Before Doing The Central Tibet Tour
- Always wear modest clothing while visiting religious sites, and do not wear anything revealing for the entire tour, as the communities are very conservative.
- Make sure that you have packed all your essentials for the tour; for some, it might be their medications, glasses, while for others it might be a camera, and batteries.
- Do not disturb the praying or meditating monks in any way. Unless you have permission, you should not even touch them.
- Sit on the right side of the plane if you want to see Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, and more peaks.
- While there are cultural taboos that you should avoid, at the end of the day, the Tibetans see you as foreigners and guests, meaning your mistakes are taken lightly. So, just enjoy the tour and do not worry that much about being the perfect visitor.
Frequently Asked Questions
For this tour, you just need to have the Tibet Travel Permit and a Chinese Group Visa. You will not be able to get a group visa if you apply individually. The Chinese government is restrictive and rarely gives individual visas to visit Tibet.
No, you do not need any extra permits to visit any of the sites we have mentioned in the itinerary above. The travel permit and group visa will be sufficient for the entire tour.
As your travel partner, Adventure Tansen will give you the Tibet Travel Permit on the 3rd day of the Central Tibet Tour. The local government of Tibet does not send emails to individuals regarding permits.
Yes, you are not allowed to photograph the interiors of the Potala Palace and Tashi Lhunpo Monastery. You can take as many photos of it as you want from the outside.
Those passes are very high in elevation, which makes it impractical to spend more time there hiking without days of proper acclimatization. So, to answer the question, we will be stopping there for photos and scenes only.
Yes, it is possible to go on a short hike around Yamdrok Lake, but this will extend your time there, which might need some tweaking of the itinerary.
The Jokhang Temple, Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, Samye Monastery, and Potala Palace hold customary kora walks.
You will get to see daily chanting ceremonies at Drepung monastery, Samye monastery, and Tashi Lunpho monastery. These rituals usually occur in the morning.
You can access floors from 1st to 5th, but access to the 6th floor and above is limited to certain people only. Mostly monks and other important people in the government are allowed access to the upper levels.
There are no “dress codes” strictly, but you should dress modestly, cover your knees and shoulders, and remove sun hats and sunglasses before entering the monasteries.
It is not highly recommended, but just to be on the safe side, you can carry those items. We will just be passing by those high-altitude sites, so there is no need to worry about altitude sickness, and oxygen concentration in the atmosphere is just fine.
The walk up to Yumbu Lakhang is not that physically demanding; it just takes around 15 minutes of uphill climbing, which can be exhausting to some but very doable. Meanwhile, the Drepung Monastery kora is very easy and gentle.
Yes, both cities have medical facilities, and you will receive the appropriate care in case you need emergency medical attention, which is highly unlikely.
You will get to taste a bunch of traditional Tibetan food such as Tsampa, Yak butter tea, thukpa, yak stew, Tibetan bread, and more. However, for those who are not a fan of Tibetan delicacies, you can stick to food options like pasta, pancakes, noodles, pizza, burgers, etc. There is something for everyone on this Central Tibet Tour.
Comfortable and lightweight shoes are the best options for this tour since you will be out and about for hours, exploring different wonderful sites throughout Tibet.
The standard accommodation will be in modern establishments with all the basic facilities and a few extra amenities. If you prefer to, we can arrange a heritage-style hotel stay during your time in Tibet. Just know that this will come at a price, and you will have to let us know about it during booking.
Generally, the locals are very friendly and will invite you to join in. If you are not invited, do not try to force your way into any of their activities.
Yes, there are many relics and artifacts inside both buildings. Those ancient relics are very significant to Tibetan history and culture.
You can see the Karo La Glaceir from the highway; it is just about 300 meters from the road. While there are no official hiking routes, you can hike up to a nearby viewpoint or cross a wooden bridge to get closer.
