8 Days Beijing Lhasa Drak Yerpa and Ganden Tour

After you land in Beijing, our local travel expert will be expecting you at the exit gate of the Beijing Capital International Airport and whisk you off to the hotel in downtown Beijing.

Travel Options:
For your free time today, it is recommended to take a Hutong visit by yourself. You can take a leisurely walk through the traditional alleys in downtown areas to experience the perfect blend of traditional local houses and modern life. Some of the popular Hutongs in Beijing include Nanluoguxiang, Yandaixiejie, Mao’er Hutong, Bada Hutong, etc.

Stay overnight in Beijing.

• Beijing Daxing International Airport
• enjoy rickshaw ride in Nanluoguxiang

Highlights:

Enjoy the cable car to view the panoramic view of the Mutianyu Great Wall

Hike along multiple sections of the Mutianyu Great Wall to view watchtowers, the mountain vista, etc.

“He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man”, as the great Chairman Mao said. In the morning, we will head to Mutianyu Great Wall, which is 65 kilometers to the north of Downtown Beijing. It is one of the well-preserved sections of the Great Wall with fewer crowds and less commercial than the Badaling section.

You will take the scenic cable car to reach the No. 14 Watchtower of Mutianyu Great Wall and enjoy the commanding view of its sprawling structure. Then, hike up to No. 15, 17, and 20 watchtowers, the best vantage points for viewing the Great Wall and surrounding hilltops.

At around 12:30 PM, you will have lunch at a nearby restaurant. After lunch and have a short rest, continue hiking and exploring other parts of the Great Wall to take Instagrammable photos of this landmark of China.

You will end the day with a cable car ride down to the entrance of the Mutianyu Great Wall and get transferred back to your hotel in downtown Beijing.

Stay overnight in Beijing.

Travel Tips:
Please wear a pair of comfortable trekking shoes for the Great Wall hiking.

• Mutianyu Great Wall in Spring
• Mutianyu Great Wall in Autumn

Highlights:

Stroll on Tiananmen Square, one of the world's largest public squares.

Explore the grand palaces and halls in the Forbidden City and the life of Chinese emperors.

Taste the famous Beijing Roast Duck.

After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel and start exploring the historical sites of Beijing. The first stop is Tiananmen Square, the largest city plaza globally. From there, you will enter the magnificent Forbidden City with over 500 years of history where 24 emperors lived.

As the largest ancient imperial palace, the Forbidden City has over 9,000 rooms. Even though only a few rooms are open for public visits, you can get a glimpse of how the ancient emperors managed the country and what their daily life was like. 

For lunch, you will enjoy the famous Beijing Roast Duck. Served with thin pancakes, spring onions, and sweet bean sauce, this traditional dish in Beijing offers a delectable blend of flavors and textures.

In the afternoon, you will head to the Summer Palace, another UNESCO World Heritage Site in Beijing. Summer Palace used to be a summer retreat by the royal families of China and was burnt to the ground by British and French troops in the Second Opium War (1860).  

Now, the restored Summer Palace is a popular park for the public, showcasing the quintessential Chinese garden design and China’s rich heritage and history.

You can roam over the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity where government affairs take place enjoy boating on the enchanting Kunming Lake and stroll along tons of eye-catching pavilions, islands, halls, towers, etc. before getting transferred back to your hotel.

Stay overnight in Beijing

• Forbidden City
• Summer Palace

In the morning, get transferred to Beijing Capital International Airport. Board the non-stop flight (Air China CA 4125) from Beijing to Lhasa Gonggar Airport. The flight takes about 4h20min.

Our welcoming local Tibetan guide will be expecting you with auspicious white Hada at Lhasa Gonggar International Airport and later whisk you off to the hotel in downtown Lhasa.

En route, you may view the Yarlung Tsangpo River, the longest and largest river in Tibet, and the Lhasa River. After check-in, have a good sleep to acclimate to the altitude and unwind in your hotel.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

• Tibetan tour guide greets you at Lhasa Airport.
• Lhasa River

Highlights:

Scenic hike in the Drepung Monastery (3,800m).

Watch the fiery monk debate in Sera Monastery (3,700m).

Awake to a day of brilliant sunshine. Let’s head to Drepung Monastery for a 3km leisurely hike/kora. The Drepung Monastery is one of the great three Geluga monasteries founded by a disciple of Tsongkhapa called Jamyang Chöje.

As you follow the pilgrim route towards Loseling College, you will see the iconic huge rock paintings depicting the Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Geluga Sect, and Buddhist mantras.

You can gather junipers and burn them as an offering to Buddha, drink refreshing mountain springs, or meditate alongside the local pilgrims beneath the rock face. At the mountaintop, the sweeping view of the enchanting Lhasa Valley will take your breath away.

In the afternoon, you will explore Sera Monastery, the second-largest Gelug monastery next to Drepung. You can appreciate the exquisitely made sand Mandala and admire Buddhist paintings.

The biggest highlight is to watch the dramatic monk debate (15:00 - 17:00, from Monday to Saturday). By clapping hands, jumping, yelling, and rolling Buddhist mala, the standing monk furiously debates with the other monk sitting on the ground about Buddhist philosophy.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

• Drepung Monastery, one of the Great Three Gelug monasteries of Tibet
• Monk Debate is a highlight of Sera Monastery

Highlights:

Explore the secret chambers of Dalai Lamas and tons of treasures in Potala Place(3,700m).

Worship the life-size statue of Buddha Sakyamuni in Jokhang Temple (3,650m).

Experience the holy Barkhor Kora with local pilgrims.

Start your day with a visit to the fortress-like Potala Palace, an architectural marvel, and the winter palace of Dalai Lamas.

You can explore the Dalai Lama’s living quarters, and ceremonial hall, and marvel at gilded buddhas, intricate mandalas, and jewel-encrusted tombs of generations of Dalai Lamas, and enjoy the panoramic view of Lhasa city atop Red Palace.

Next, roam over the Zhongjiao Lukang Park nearby and view the Potala Palace from behind where you can take a glimpse of how locals spend their day lives, such as enjoying Guozhuang/circle dance, paddle boat in the pool, etc.

In the afternoon, immerse yourself in the sacred Jokhang Temple, the spiritual heart of Tibet. Follow a long line of pilgrims in the dimly lit chambers to worship the life-size statue of a 12-year-old Buddha Sakyamuni.

Then, walk clockwise with prostrating Tibetan pilgrims to experience the famous Barkhor circuit/kora and unwind in a local teahouse to savor local obsessions,i.g. sweet tea, Tibetan noodles, Tibetan momos, Sha Phaley, or roam over the backstreet of Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

• Potala Palace is always the No.1 attraction for travelers visiting Tibet.
• A Tibetan pilgrim is worshipping Jokhang Temple

Highlights:

Visit the golden stupa and living room of the master Tsongkhapa in Ganden Monastery (above 4,200m).

Enjoy scenic Ganden kora.

Meditate in cliff-perched Drak Yerpa Monastery (4,500m).

Hang Tibetan prayer flags and toss Longda prayer papers.

Follow a scenic 1:17hrs’ drive, you'll reach the Ganden Monastery, located 60km northeast of Lhasa. The photogenic Genden Monastery on Wangbur Mountain was the first Gelugpa Monastery founded by the master Tsongkhapa and also the place where Tsongkhapa passed away.

You can worship the golden stupa of the master Tsongkhapa and visit his former living room and meditation romm. Then, embark on the 1hr scenic Ganden kora along with local pilgrims and the incredible views over the Lhasa Valley along the way will make your day.

In the afternoon, we keep moving to the Drak Yerpa Monastery, located 30 km northeast of Lhasa. It’s a famous cliff-hanging Nyingma (Red Sect) monastery, used by Guru Rinpoche and King Songtsen Gampo, etc. for meditation.

Slowly follow the stairway to reach the cliff-perched Drak Yerpa and explore the cave retreat and indulge in peaceful meditation and hange Tibetan prayer flags and toss auspicious Longda (prayer papers) to spread your blessings to the sky. Finally, drive back to Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

• A shot of Ganden monastery from a plane
• Drak Yerpa is cut out off ragged mountain where many meditation caves can be found.

Today marks the end of your Tibet tour.

Please make sure to verify your departure flight/train details with our guide in advance. And your guide will take you to the airport or train station.

Thank you for choosing Tibet Vista, and we extend a warm welcome for your return to Tibet in the future.

• Big farewell to Lhasa, and may you have a safe and pleasant journey back home!
• Your guide will escort you to Lhasa Railway Station if you depart Tibet by train.