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Lhasa the Tibetan Plateau
Lhasa · Private group · Tailor-made

Lhasa & the Tibetan Plateau

Seven days on the roof of the world: the Potala Palace, pilgrims circling the Jokhang, and the drive over the Karola Glacier to the turquoise water of Yamdrok Lake. Permits, oxygen and acclimatisation all handled.

7 daysDuration
1Cities & regions
PrivateYour group only
Price on requestQuoted per itinerary
Overview

Seven days on the roof of the world: the Potala Palace, pilgrims circling the Jokhang, and the drive over the Karola Glacier to the turquoise water of Yamdrok Lake. Permits, oxygen and acclimatisation all handled.

Potala PalaceJokhang Temple & BarkhorSera Monastery debatesYamdrok LakeKarola Glacier
How our pricing works. We do not publish fixed prices, because a fixed price would either overcharge a couple or underdeliver for a group of nine. Every itinerary is quoted individually against your dates, hotel standard and group size, with everything itemised in writing. Send us your travel window and we will come back within 24 hours with a full quotation and no obligation.
Day by day

The full itinerary

Tap any day to open it. Every day is adjustable — this is a starting point, not a fixed schedule.

D1Fly to Lhasa (3,650 m) — rest dayTransfer
Met at Gonggar airport and driven to your hotel. The entire day is deliberately empty: no sightseeing, no rushing, plenty of water. This is not optional — it is what makes the rest of the week work.
D2Jokhang Temple and the BarkhorIn town
The holiest temple in Tibetan Buddhism, surrounded by the Barkhor circuit where pilgrims walk clockwise, prostrate and turn prayer wheels. A slow afternoon back at the hotel.
D3Potala Palace and Sera MonasteryIn town
The winter palace of the Dalai Lamas: thirteen storeys, a thousand rooms, dark narrow halls and an hour-long timed visit that we book the moment permits are confirmed. Afternoon at Sera Monastery for the animated monk debates.
D4Yamdrok Lake and the Karola Glacier≈ 260 km
Over the Kamba La pass to a 638 sq km turquoise lake, then past the Karola Glacier on the road to Gyantse. The best single day of driving in Tibet, with frequent stops.
D5Gyantse and Shigatse≈ 90 km
Pelkor Chode Monastery and the Kumbum, a nine-level stupa with 76 chapels. Then on to Shigatse and Tashilhunpo Monastery, with its 26-metre gilded Buddha.
D6Shigatse back to Lhasa≈ 270 km
The Friendship Highway north along the Yarlung Tsangpo, Tibet's great river, returning to Lhasa in the late afternoon.
D7Norbulingka and departureTransfer
The summer palace gardens, a short walk from the Potala and far quieter, then your airport transfer and flight out. We can route you onward to Chengdu or Xi'an.
Who it suits

Is this the right route for you?

Reasonably fit, patient travellers who accept a fixed permit-based itinerary and a mandatory rest day. Not recommended for children under twelve, or anyone with heart or respiratory conditions, without medical advice first.

What's included

Included and not included

Private vehicle and Tibetan guide throughout6 nights in 3- to 4-star hotels with breakfastTibet Travel Permit and all regional permitsPotala Palace timed ticketsOxygen in the vehicle and altitude briefingAirport transfers both waysFlights to and from LhasaLunches and dinners (unless arranged)Travel insurance including altitude coverPersonal spendingChina visa fees if applicable
Everything else is arranged too. Halal dining, prayer times, Alipay and WeChat Pay setup, hotel halal breakfasts, station and airport transfers, and a 24/7 WhatsApp line while you travel. If it is not listed as excluded, assume we handle it.
Where this route goes

Destinations on this itinerary

Tap any one for the full travel guide — what to see, where to eat halal, and when to go.

Lhasa & TibetLhasa & TibetTibet Autonomous Region
Lhasa & the Tibetan Plateau
Lhasa & the Tibetan Plateau
Questions

Frequently asked

What permits do we need and how long do they take?
Foreign visitors need a Tibet Travel Permit arranged through a licensed operator, and for some regions an additional Aliens' Travel Permit. We handle all of it. The paperwork takes roughly 15 working days and needs scanned passport and China visa pages early — this is the one trip we ask you to start planning two months ahead.
How bad is the altitude?
Lhasa is 3,650 m. Most people get a headache and feel breathless for a day or two. Your first day is deliberately empty. We keep oxygen in the vehicle, brief you on the symptoms to watch for, and build the route so altitude rises gradually rather than jumping straight to 5,000 m.
Can we get halal food in Tibet?
Partially. Lhasa has a small Muslim community, a historic mosque near the Barkhor, and a cluster of halal restaurants serving Tibetan and Hui dishes. Along the Shigatse road options are limited. If halal-only dining is essential we will map exactly which meals we can guarantee and which need to be packed from Lhasa before you commit.
What does the tour cost?
Tibet is quoted individually because permit costs, vehicle type and hotel standard vary. Send us your dates and group details and we will send a fully itemised written quotation within 24 hours.
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