13 Days Holy Lhamo Lhatso Trekking
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Overview
Lhamo Lhatso trekking is the most unexplored Tibet Trekking that hides its beauty in remoteness, but due to its prominent religious value in Tibetan Buddhism. And hundreds of Tibetans make their pilgrimage to the Oracle Lake Lhamo Lhatso every year. The thrilling Tibet Trip through the most historical capital Yarlung in southern Tibet by visiting the first Buddhist monastery.
And first king’s palace in the fertile Yarlung Valley, then we extend the way to the remote villages into the southern alpine terrain, in five days of hiking over the nomadic pastures and photogenic villages. We cross several passes beyond 5000m and stunning lakes in the alpine valley.
The trail passes through a couple of historical monasteries and then finally a steep climb over a ridge from Chokorgyel monastery. That leads us to the view platform remarked with heaps of prayer flags, from the 5250m high ridge of the viewpoint it offers a picturesque view of the turquoise-colored visionary Lhamo Latso Lake down at the bottom of the basin valley.
Included/Exclude
Tour Cost Includes:
- - All necessary travel permits to Tibet;
- - Entrance ticket fees for all the sight spots listed in the program
- - Private transportation in Tibet: Ranging from 4WD land cruiser to bus, depending on the group size and trip; route (car gasoline is included), SEE VEHICLE PHOTOS HERE;
- - Private guide: English-speaking local Tibetan guide;
- - Lodging: available from 5-star hotels to budget guesthouses, SEE HOTEL PHOTOS HERE;
- - Pick-up and send-off services at the beginning/end of the tour;
- - Oxygen canisters: 2 canisters for each person;
- - Lodging and meals for guide and drivers;
- - First aid kit;
- - Liability travel insurance;
- - Basic camping gear: tents, mattresses, and sleeping bags;
- - Yaks and porters during the trekking days;
- - Cook and cooking gear; (Optional)
- - Full board meals during the trekking days; (Optional)
- - Travel insurance covers trip cancellation and emergency evacuation (recommended)
- - Expenses of a personal nature (alcoholic beverages, laundry, phone calls, etc.);
- - International and domestic flight/train. (Note: we accept flights and train tickets bookings in advance, please check the updated cost and ticket availability with your travel consultant);
- - Meals that are not specified in the itinerary (Average a meal in Tibet cost USD5 per person);
- - Gratuities for the guide and driver:
Tour Amenities
Tour Plan
A short flight to Tibet gives you a panorama of the snowy Himalayan ranges or the days of the train ride over the high plateau by crossing the mighty Thangu la ranges get you to Lhasa with beautiful sceneries along the route.
Upon your arrival at the Gonggar airport or Lhasa Train Station. Our Tibetan guide and driver will greet you and transfer you to your hotel in Lhasa City.
From the airport, it is about 70km to Lhasa and it takes 1:30 hrs, from the train station it is only 25km and it takes about a half hour, check in the hotel and take it easy for the rest of the day to acclimatize and alleviate the jet lag. Overnight in Lhasa.
Attractions; Potala palace, Jokhang Temple, and bustling Bakhor Street.
Today is your first day on the high plateau and some of you may have a little headache which is very common for travelers by the high altitude, so drinking enough water and mild activity on the first few days is important. In the morning, our guide will meet you at the hotel and take an easy visit to Jokhang Temple in the center of Old Lhasa City.
Jokhang temple is the most sacred temple in all over Tibet and it is always bustling with earnest local pilgrims. After you visit the temple you have time to walk around Bakhor Street which is one of the most devotional circuits.
As well a crowded central market of Lhasa for a long time, in the early days it is the most famous local market but now it is changed into a tourist gift shopping Centre.
In the afternoon we will visit the famous Potala Palace, the cardinal landmark of Tibet and the masterpiece of Tibetan architecture, 33rd King Songtsen Gangpo first built it in the 7th century and later in the 17th century, rebuilt by the 5th Dalai Lama then it was home to the Dalai Lama and his government. Continues to acclimatize and alleviate jet lag rest of the day. Overnight in Lhasa.
Attractions; Drepung monastery and Sera monastery.
Today we will visit Drepung Monastery in the morning, once the world's largest monastery that housed more than 10,000 monks. It was the residence of the Dalai Lama prior to Potala Palace, destructions were taken place at different times but still.
You have lots of things to see, walking through a number of narrow and twisted lanes through the monks' apartments is more like a typical village. The amazing day will end with a visit to the Sera Monastery that is built in the fifteenth century by the Jamchen Choji Sakya Yeshi.
Who is a disciple of Tsongka pa, a few different monastic colleges in Sera are home to several hundred monks from different parts of Tibet, and the famous Buddhist philosophical debates among the monks are happening every day in the afternoon except Sunday. Continues to acclimatize and alleviate jet lag rest of the day. Overnight in Lhasa.
Attractions: Yarlung and Chongye Valley.
After breakfast, we are driving to Tsetang which is located in the southeast of Lhasa. Crossing the only tunnel of Lhasa lengths 1.4km we will see the Yarlung Valley and River.
Driving from the airport towards the city gives you perfect views of the Yarlung River where also there is a ferry called Samye Ferry where before the road was constructed pilgrims use to take the boat to Samye monastery.
This ferry is so popular that still many tourists use to sit on the ferry and visit the monastery in order to get a taste of the local ferry. However, we will straight drive to Tsetang (reputed as the cradle of the Tibetan civilization). Chongye is the birthplace of the 5th Dalai Lama (1617-1682). Overnight hotel.
Attractions: Samye monastery and Yumbulakhang.
Samye is the first monastery in Tibet during the time of King Trisong Ditsen, in the 8th century. Containing more than 1200yrs of history shaped like a mandala structure located 50km away from the west of Tsetang.
This monastery is the only one at that time that contains the three atoms of Buddha. After lunch, drive back to the city and then take the Chongye Valley and make a left turn to visit Yumbulakhang. Is a castle made during the time of 1st king Nyatri Tsenpo.
Moreover, at the time of the 33rd King Songtsen Gampo, he used this castle as his winter palace. Located on a hill and prayer flags surrounded every side of the fortress. Drive back to Tsetang. Overnight hotel.
Attraction: Densatil monastery and Woka Hydropower station.
Today we drive to Zangri crossing the city bridge and visit the Phagdru Kagyu monastery called Densatil located on the Phagdru Mountain which is one of the four main sub-branches of Kagy order. Then in the noontime. We will drive downstream and see the Woka Hydropower station and from there we need to drive 20km upwards to a hill. Woka or Olka Taktse Dzong village is situated on that hill, once we get to the village we need to arrange all the necessary things for our trek. Overnight guesthouse.
Attraction: Choelung temple and Chusang temple.
Our trekking starts from the village via Choelung village, hiking on the winding mountain path through small valleys. After Choeong temple we will continue our trek for 30mins lead us to the Chusang temple. Tsongkhapa once stayed in this temple while spreading Buddhist teachings of the Yellow Hat order. Camping.
Attraction: Gyeluo pass (5550m), Azalea trees, and Nayu Valley.
Breakfast in early in the morning we will watch the sunrise appearing from the summit of the Gyelou Pass snow mountain. Beginning trek along the chattering brook makes us quite hard yet so adventurous.
And Azalea trees are growing everywhere on our journey. The environment gives us a feeling of peacefulness and harmony in the Nayu Valley. We will trek until the campsite in this valley.
Attraction: Mountain and landscapes.
Our trek starts from Nayu Valley, uphill first for some kilometers and then we are heading down along the mountain ridge. Most of the road is quite gentle and smooth so we don’t have to worry a lot about the road.
However, we will see on the right side of the Lung Pass (5180m) and snow-capped mountains. In the meantime, you can also do some Yoga if you like, as the place is so quiet. Hiking down the lower reaches of Dagu valley, lead us to the campsite. Our camping is near a village. Overnight camping.
Attraction: The oracle lake is called Lhamo Lhatso.
Today our final trekking day is to follow the valley until Oracle Lake. Lhamo Lhatso literally means Lhamo means for goddess or fairy and Lhatso means lake for the goddess or fairy.
This lake surrounded by high and snowcapped mountains. The lake situates in the core of the mountains regarding the lake, it is protected by the oracle called Palden Lhamo (goddess). This is one of the holiest lakes in Tibet where so many pilgrims are also visiting every year. Overnight camping.
Attraction: Chokhorgyal temple (4500m).
Our final destination is Tsojiu by crossing the Chokhorgyal temple which is founded in 1509 by the 2nd Dalai Lama, Gendun Gyatso (1476-1542), and inside we will see the footprints of the second Dalai Lama. This monastery is also used by the Dalai lamas and regents when they come to visit the lake. Hiking for 8 hours takes us to the last destination, Tsojiu. Overnight guesthouse.
Attraction: Gyatsa town.
After breakfast we are driving back to Tsetang via Gyatsa, it’s a town nearest to the lake and every permit is checked there both for the entry and exit for the oracle lake. However, we are driving back to Tsetang. Overnight Tsetang.
Drive straight to the airport from Tsetang that is 90km way. Fly out of Tibet and ends your trip.
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Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
We are 3 people that will travel from Chengdu to Lahsa by train, arriving around August 5th. We want to take 4 days tour in Lhasa. We need to know how to book the tour with you, the price, how to pay it and what are the documents we need to go there. We will get our tourist visa to visit China after we book the tour. Two of us will travel form Chile in South America and our son -also chilean- will do it form South Africa. Stay tuned to reply
Explore Tibet is one of the few Tibetan owned agencies based in Lhasa, we practice Responsible travel by using local services and employ locals as much as possible. We use Tibetan drivers and tour guides for their strong Tibetan Cultural and religious background to make your travel unique and authentic.
We are an agency based in Lhasa, not anywhere in mainland China. Since if something happened or you need anything during the tour, we local agency will be more convenient.
Tour information: Yes, you can join our group tour 4 Days Lhasa Highlight group tour departure on July 9th it will end on July 12th, For group tour, there will be at most 12 group members in one group, and the starting and ending dates are fixed, price will be cheaper. http://www.exploretibet.com/tibet-group-tours/4-Days-Lhasa-Highlight.html
The cost of the Group tour 4 Days Lhasa Highlight costs USD532 per person based on maximum 12 people in the group& triple-bed rooms
Best Regards
Mia (Trip Advisor)
Hi, I am interested in this tour. But I cannot exert myself much and was wondering if I can skip the Kailash Kora and use other forms of transportation. I do however want to see Mt. Kailash. Also are you able to provide oxygen?
Permit application:
Tibet travel permit process takes around 22 days and we need 3 days to send you the permit in mainland China . We also need your passport and China visa copy for the permit application. Please send me clear photos or scan copies. If your China Visa is not an “L” visa, then you must also provide additional documents such as student certificates, work permits, residence permits and so on. If you enter Tibet by plane, you need original permit which we will mail it to your last hotel in mainland China, if you by train, only need copy of the permit, which we will send you by email. Tour Information:
Here I recommend you 15 days Kailash group tour below, sorry, since this is group tour, basically everything is fixed, so, we cannot find other transportation for you to avoid the trekking. What’s more, there is no public bus.
Please check the details below. Also, please let me know if your nationality is India, thank you!
Have a wonderful day!
Best Regards,
Rex(Your personal trip advisor)
Hello! we would kindly like to know what’s the cheapest offer you have for this guided tour. We’re two people thank you!!
Explore Tibet is one of the few Tibetan owned agencies based in Lhasa, we practice Responsible travel by using local services and employ locals as much as possible. We use Tibetan drivers and tour guides for their strong Tibetan Cultural and religious background to make your travel unique and authentic.
As you have 2 pax, the cheapest way for this tour must be joining our group tour, in June, it’s still not high season, cost is USD900 per person. Max. 10 pax.
We have fixed dates starting on June 11th, 14th, 21st, 25th, and 28th. Which date is suitable for you?
In July, cost is USD1020 per person.
Best Regards
Sherry (Your Trip Advisor)
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