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Soul of Tibet - A Journey to Lhasa
2010 Departures: All year round
Trip Length: 5 days
Activity Type: Touring
Trip Price: From
It is a Customized Journey.
- Trip Highlights:
- Presentation of the Buddhism history at the beginning of the trip;
- Meditation by monk
- Study Leader
Day-by-day Itinerary
- Day 1:
- Xining to Lhasa: We start our trip in Xining, where we embark on a spectacular train journey to Lhasa.
- Day 2:
- Lhasa: On arrival, we meet our local guide and transfer to the hotel for fresh up. If time permits, we peruse the endless rows of antique and thangka shops on Barkhor Street, where we see local market and visit local work shops.
- Day 3:
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Lhasa: This morning, we join many Tibetans to discover the mysterous Potala Palace, an immense structure stacked atop Marop Ri (Red Hill), high above Lhasa Valley. In the afternoon, we first visit a Tibetan hospital and learn about the history, theory, and practices of Tibetan medication from an expert. Afterwards, we make a pilgrimage to Jokhang Temple, the spiritual heart of Tibet. A praying ceremony will be held here at 6:00 pm every night, where we can hang out and immersed in a true Tibetan spiritual experience.
Note: To protect the fragile wooden structures of this important cultural heritage, the local government has a restricted number of visitors who can go up the Potala Palace each day, so our schedule might be affected by this arrangement. Please confirm with your guide upon arrival. - Day 4:
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Lhasa: This morning, we embark on a short journey to the ancient and seldom-visited Pabongka Monastery, where local legend claims that the surrounding land was home to two divine tortoises - a male and a female – that now exist as two granite boulders at this site. Then we follow a trail up to the Tashi Choling Hermitage for breathtaking views of Lhasa Valley. If we are lucky enough, we might bump into one or two hermits who have been staying in the cave for over twenty years.
We continue up the ridge and along the flanks of Phurbu Chok to the Sera Tse Hermitage, and then hike onto the Dode Valley. We will have an opportunity to print our own Buddhist script at the printing center, where sutra texts are still made by hand on traditional Tibetan long paper. In Sera Tse Hemitage, we experience a very different side of Lhasa at the debate courtyard, where Tibetan monks energetically debate and challenge one another’s views and interpretation of the sacred scriptures, and in the process hone their understanding of Tibetan Buddhism. - Day 5:
- Lhasa: This morning we get our gear packed and drive (3 hrs) out to the Yamdrok Tso Lake (4408 m), one of the three holiest lakes in Tibet. Tibetans have regarded the lake’s various as having their own colors have spiritual meanings. We take a picnic lunch while enjoying breathtaking views of the lake’s turquoise water surrounded by mysterious Mt. Donang Sangwari (5,340 m) and the snow peaks of Nojin Gangzang (7,191 m) in the distance. Afterwards, we directly transfer to the airport for our flight home.
