Shoton Festival Holy Lhasa 5-day Tour

Meet the guide at Lhasa train station, you will be offered Hada (Traditional Tibetan White Scarf) and a map of Tibet. Have a good rest to acclimatize the high altitude in the afternoon. Have Tibetan dinner in the evening.

Tour starts from the religious Potala Palace (3700m) built in the 7th century by the famous Tibetan king-Songtzen Gampo. The present one was built by the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century. It became known as the "Winter Palace" by the 1750, when the 7th Dalai Lama built the Norbulingka Park as his summer residence. After lunch, you will visit Jokhang Temple, situated in the old section of Lhasa. King Songtzen Gampo built this temple in the mid-7th century A.D. Now it is the most sacred place in Tibet. Pilgrims come here to pay homage from all over Tibet. Visit Barkhore Street in the evening.

Today is the most important and attractive for visitors. Shoton Festival is the most important festivals in Tibet. Originally, it is only a religious festival, now it is the common public festival as well. This festival is beginning at Drepung Monastery with the tanning Tangka, then shift to Norbulinka for Tibetan opera.
Early in the morning, arrive at Drepung Monastery to watch the Tangka Show. You will get to know how pious the pilgrims. In the afternoon, go to Norbulinka to join people's celebrations such as singing songs, dance circles, local exchange market, Tibetan opera show and so on.

Early in the morning transferred to Namtso Lake. Drive along Nyanchen Tangula Mountain Ranges,via Yampachen Hot Spring , altitude getting higher, we will enjoy the real nothern Tibetan landscape,  then we will arrive at a mountain pass called Ngagenla ,which is 5190m above sea level(equal to the sea level of Base camp of Mt Everest) Sometimes on the way ,we will see the pilgrims ,making the long prostration. And usually we will see the train passing by. And finally the heaven lake, which is the highest and largest holy lake will be in our eyes! It is about 1920 square kilometers, 4780 m above sea level, huge enough to be described by Tibetans as Tengri Sea. 30km wide、70km long. Each year in September since two years ago, there is an international trekking festival! Lots of people were attracted to the activity. And each year especially in the sheep year many Tibetans come to the lake for pilgrimage. It is said the Goddess (the lake was born in a sheep year). The Tibetans would like to walk around or make the long prostrations around the lake. We would like to describe the lake as the best landscape around Lhasa, the huge holy blue lake, the green grassland beyond your view, totally blue sky, and flocks of sheep and yaks on the grass, the snow-capped mountain across the lake. Paying a short visit to a nomad tent is worthwhile.
Luckily, you will find a special little rock nearby the lake as a gift to your friends!
Some unbelievable stories about the lake will be from the guide!
If you feel fine and strong, have another hour of trekking along the lake is a good choice. Another challenge is climbing to the top of the hill nearby the lake.
The whole trip to the lake will take us more than ten hours and lots of pictures will be in your camera. And you will be excited to challenge the altitude. The whole trip is about 500km (round way)

Transfer to the airport or train station. The tour ends.