5 Days Lhasa Outskirts Trekking Tour from Pabonka to Pubjoi Monastery

When you arrive in Lhasa, your tour guide will hold a board with your name on it at the exit to welcome you. A private car will take you to the reserved hotel. You may view the Yarlung Tsangpo River/Bhamaputra River (the longest and largest river in Tibet) and Lhasa River on their way to Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Today, you’ll pay a visit to the famous Potala Palace, the world culture heritage. You can explore its audience halls, the jeweled and golden burial chortens (stupa tombs) of past Dalai Lamas, and tremendous number of Buddhist frescoes, thangkas, combinations of mandala, etc.

Then tourists will head to the holiest temple in Tibet, the Jokhang Temple, built during Songtsen Ganpo's reign by Princess Wencheng of Tang dynasty, 647 A.D. Here you can observe sincere pilgrims making prostration in front of Jokhang Temple. While entering inside the temple, you can see the holiest statue of Buddha. Around the monastery is the famous Barkhor Street, where you can do the kora with pilgrims and locals. And then we’ll go to explore the old market and you may have chance to see the traditional jewelry trading between people from different part of Tibet.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Today, you will visit two important monasteries in Lhasa, the Drepung and the Sera. Drepung Monastery, the largest monastery in Tibet, was founded by Jamyang Choeje in 1416. Situated at the foot of Gebeiwoze Mountain, it was once home to more than 10,000 monks. Here you can see the biggest monastery kitchen inside and then pay a visit to the Buddhist Sculpture Carving Workshop near Drepung.

After having lunch, you’ll continue to visit the Sera Monastery, which was founded in 1419 by Tsongkapa's disciple Jamchen Choeje. The most interesting thing is to see monks debating in the courtyard at around 3-5 in the afternoon. Besides, you can also see the colorful Rock Painting of Buddha and the three sand Mandalas and then visit the Tibetan religious text printing house.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Optional:
After finishing the sightseeing, if time allows, you may go with tour guide to visit Tibetan Handicraft Art Center or Tibetan Traditional Medicine Center. Besides, you can also choose to upgrade your tour to enjoy Tibetan Culture Show in the evening (fr. 60USD).

In the morning, you will visit Pabonka Palace about 15km from Lhasa and visit the holy cave where Songtsen Gampo the 33^rd Tibetan King used to meditate. Pabonka means "palace on stone" in Tibetan language, it is a palace built in the 7^th century on stone as well as the birthplace of Tibetan language.

Then, you will start the trek. During this short trek, you will pass through Tashi Chöling Hermitage, Tashi Choling, Tagden Ritro, Sera Ütse Hermitage, and Raka Drak Hermitage. You will also appreciate the spectacular scenery of both Nyangra and Thokde Valley, and enjoy the clear spring water, singing birds and gorgeous panoramic view of Lhasa City. After 3-4 hours’ trekking, you will arrive at the ending point Pubjoi Monastery and get on the car waiting there after vising this monastery.

Tips: Please bring enough water for the trek.  

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

The driver will take you to airport or train station.

Service end.