Lhasa-5-day-itinerary

Lhasa 5-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Acclimatization

  • Morning: Arrive in Lhasa Gonggar Airport (LXA) and take a taxi or shuttle bus to your hotel. Spend the morning relaxing and acclimating to the high altitude.
  • Afternoon: Visit the Barkhor Street (八廓街), a traditional Tibetan street that surrounds the Jokhang Temple. Explore the street, shop for souvenirs, and try some local snacks.
  • Evening: Enjoy a traditional Tibetan dinner at Tashi Delek Restaurant (བཀྲིས་བདེ་ལེགས་), known for its delicious momos and thukpa.

Day 2: Lhasa’s Sacred Sites

  • Morning: Visit the Jokhang Temple (ཇོ་ཁང་), one of Tibet’s most sacred temples. Marvel at the intricate carvings, frescoes, and statues.
  • Afternoon: Explore the Potala Palace (བོ་ད་ལྷ་), the former residence of the Dalai Lama. Be prepared for a lot of walking and stair-climbing!
  • Evening: Dine at Snowland Restaurant (གངས་ལིན་ཚོགས་), which serves a mix of Tibetan, Chinese, and Western cuisine.

Day 3: Monasteries and Nunneries

  • Morning: Visit the Sera Monastery (སེ་ར་), one of Lhasa’s three great monasteries. Watch the monks debate in the courtyard.
  • Afternoon: Stop by the Ani Tsankhung Nunnery (ཨ་ནི་ཙང་ཁུང་), a peaceful retreat for Buddhist nuns.
  • Evening: Enjoy a relaxing evening at your hotel or explore the nearby streets.

Day 4: Yamdrok Lake and Surroundings

  • Morning: Take a day trip to Yamdrok Lake (ཡར་བྲོག་མཚོ་), one of Tibet’s three sacred lakes. Marvel at the turquoise waters and surrounding mountains.
  • Afternoon: Visit the nearby Samye Monastery (བསམ་ཡས་), Tibet’s first Buddhist monastery.
  • Evening: Return to Lhasa and enjoy dinner at Lhasa Kitchen (ལྷ་ས་ཁི་ཆེན་), which serves a range of Tibetan and international dishes.

Day 5: Departure

  • Morning: Spend some time shopping for last-minute souvenirs or exploring a local market.
  • Afternoon: Depart from Lhasa Gonggar Airport (LXA) for your onward journey.

Accommodation

  • Hotel Tibet (བོ་ད་ལྷ་): A comfortable hotel with traditional Tibetan decor.
  • Shambhala Palace Hotel (ཤམྦྷ་ལ་པ་ལེ་སེ་): A luxurious hotel with stunning views of the Potala Palace.

Transportation

  • Taxi: Taxis are widely available, but be prepared to haggle over prices.
  • Bus: Lhasa has a well-connected bus network, including tourist buses that visit major attractions.

Tips and Essentials

  • Altitude Sickness: Take it easy on your first day, drink plenty of water, and avoid strenuous activities.
  • Permits: Ensure you have all necessary permits for travel in Tibet.
  • Respect Local Culture: Dress modestly, remove your shoes when entering temples, and avoid public displays of affection.

Other Things to Know

  • Language: Tibetan, Mandarin Chinese, and some English are spoken in Lhasa.
  • Currency: Chinese yuan (RMB) is widely accepted, but you may also be able to use US dollars or credit cards.
  • Weather: Lhasa experiences a high-altitude climate with low humidity and intense sunlight. Pack accordingly.

Enjoy your trip to Lhasa!