2020 Losar Festival – Tibetan New Year

Day 1: Arrive in Lhasa (February, 2020)

Upon your arrival at Lhasa airport or train station, you will be greeted by your Tibetan guide and escorted to your hotel in Lhasa. Then check in at the hotel, and have a good rest to acclimatize the high altitude.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 2: Lhasa (February, 2020)

Visit: Potola Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street

In the morning, we will visit the famous Potala Palace in which you can see tremendous number of Buddhist frescoes, thangkas, combinations of mandala.

In the afternoon, tourists are expected to pay a visit to the holist temple in Tibet, the Johkang Temple, built during Songtsen Gonpo’s reign by princess Wencheng of Tang Dynasty, 647 A.D, and experience the religious circling around Barkhor street.

Later, we will visit local Tibetans’ family and learn to make traditional new year’s food “Gutu”(Guthuk), i.e. Dough drops with them and have dinner with them.

Today is the New Year’s Eve. Losar is The largest Tibetan festival, celebrated by all. Losar starts on the 1st day of the 1st month of the Tibetan Calendar, and lasts 3 to 15 days. On the evening of New Year’s Eve, the 29th (Nyi shu gu) day of the 12th month, Tibetans eat guthuk with their families.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Day 3: Yamdrok Lake (February, 2020)

In the morning drive to yamdrok lake
Afternoon free time in Lhasa.

Day 4: Lhasa Tour (February, 2020)

Note: Today is the first day of Losar in 2020.

Visit: Norbulingka, Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery

After breakfast, you are driven to visit the Norbulingka Park, the former summer palace of Dalai Lama and explore the beautiful gardens and one of the most holy sites in Tibetan Buddhism.

Next, come to Drepung Monastery, which was once the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery housing 10,000 monks in its heyday. Learn about the lives of Tibetan monks.

After lunch, continue to visit the Sera Monastery, founded in 1419 by Tsongkapa’s disciple Jamchen Choeje. The most dramatic scene is its monks’ debate held in the courtyard mostly around 4:00 – 5:30 in the afternoon. As it is in new year’s celebration, They dress up in their best clothes with grandest ornaments on to pray for good luck in the coming year.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 5: Lhasa – Chengdu/Beijing/Shanghai…(February, 2020)

Driven to Gonggar airport, say goodbye to tibet, end of the trip.