Nagqu Horse Racing Festival and Tibet highlights

Day 1 Lhasa

Lhasa arrival, transfer to hotel.
Overnight: Lhasa

Day 2 Lhasa (B, L)

– Potala Palace (the highest ancient palace in the world, symbolizes Tibetan Buddhism and its central role in the traditional administration of Tibet.)
– Jokhang Temple (the spiritual heart of Tibet, the center of the Tibetan Buddhism and the sacred land of Buddhist followers where thousands of pilgrims come for worship everyday.)
– the holy Barkhor Circuit (a quadrangle of streets that surrounds the Jokhang Temple, both the spiritual heart of the holy city and the main commercial district for Tibetans, the oldest street in Lhasa and remains very traditional.)

Day 3 Lhasa (B, L)

– Drepung Monastery (one of the “great three” Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet, the largest monastery in the Tibet with many white buildings overspreading on the mountain slope. )
– Norbulingka Park (a traditional summer palace and residence starting with the 7th Dalai Lama, and now it is the largest garden in Tibet.)
– Sera Monastery(one of the three great monasteries in Lhasa and one of the six great monasteries of the Gelug Sect of Buddhism in Tibet, one of the great seats of learning in the Mahayana Buddhist tradition. )

Day 4 Lhasa – Nagqu (B, L)

– Qinghai – Tibet Highway (the world’s longest asphalt road and at the highest altitude, winding along the Kunlun Mountain, Tanggula Mountain, Tuotuo River and vast grassland.)

Day 5 Nagqu Horse Racing Festival (B, L)

– Nagqu Horse Race Festival (the most important folk festival and the grandest nomadic celebration in North Tibet, the festival takes place annually in August.)

Day 6 Nagqu – Nam Tso (B, L)

– the Horse Racing Festival(the most important folk festival and the grandest nomadic celebration in North Tibet, the festival takes place annually in August.)
– Nam Tso Lake (“Heavenly Lake”, the largest salt-water lake of Tibet, the highest saltwater lake in the world, one of the four holy lakes in Tibet, one of the most beautiful places in Tibet.)
– Tashi Dor Monastery (has a number of hermitage caves including one cave said to be of the famous Indian master Padmasambhava and his consort Yeshe Tsogyel.)
– Nyenchen Tangla Mountains (at the high of 7152m , from the top of this summit, people can view the awesome panoramic range of snow peaks down to the sacred Namso Lake.)

Day 7 Nam Tso – Shigatse (B, L)

– Nam Tso Lake (“Heavenly Lake”, the largest salt-water lake of Tibet, the highest saltwater lake in the world, one of the four holy lakes in Tibet, one of the most beautiful places in Tibet.)
-Shigatse (the traditional capital of Tsang province, the most colorful area in Tibet with vast grasslands, fertile fields in river valleys, flourishing semitropical jungles and snowfields at high altitudes.)

Day 8 Shigatse – Gyantse (B, L)

– Tashilunpo Monastery (one of the oldest and largest Gelug sect monasteries in Tibet and it is also the traditional seat of successive Panchen Lama.)
– Shalu Monastery (a key national cultural relics protection unit, the first of the major monasteries to be built by noble families of the Tsang Dynasty during Tibet’s great revival of Buddhism, and was an important center of the Sakya tradition.)

Day 9 Gyantse – Lhasa (B, L)

– the Pelkor Chode Monastery (in Tibetan language means “auspicious monastery”, the only one large building complex in Tibet that old monastery and stupas are completely preserved and characterized as a monument.)
– the Kumbum Stupa (the “king of pogoda”, a museum of Buddha statues, a master-piece of the joint efforts of the Nepalese, Tibetan and Chinese.)
– the Yamdrok Lake (the world’s most beautiful water, a beautiful turquoise alpine lake, one of the largest three sacred lakes in Tibet has stunning scenery. )