Tibet Tours - How to Plan a Tibet Tour when There is Limited Travel Time

It is easy to plan a short tour in Tibet as there are so many options but it also needs some insight to make the right decision. If you have 3-4 days only, it is strongly recommended to just concentrate on Lhasa city and its surrounding area. In Lhasa, you shall not miss the cardinal landmark of Tibet - Potala Palace, the spiritual center of Tibetan Buddhism - Jokhang Temple and the bustling Barkhor Street around the temple. And if the time permits, you shall try to cover the Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery as well if possible.

For a 5-day tour in Tibet, you can put the extra day for a visit to the Gandan Monastery, Samye Monastery, Yamdrok Yumtso Lake, Yangpancheng Hot Spring or Namtso Lake. Among them, Gandan Monastery and Samye Monastery are for more experience with local culture. If for enjoy more of the beautiful natural landscape, I would recommend Yamdrok Yumtso Lake. It is about 100km from Lhasa and on the way, you can always enjoy the classical beauty of Tibet . Yangpancheng Hot Spring is also good but not as unique as Yamdrok in terms of high plateau features. Namtso Lake is available from April to October. It is located at a high altitude about 250km from Lhasa and can be completed within one day but it is advised to take when there is more time.

If you have 6 or 7 days, it is highly recommended to take the Middle Tibet Tour of Lhasa-Shigatse-Gyantse with or without Tsedang (where Samye Monastery is located). This tour cover some most impressive scenery of Tibet including the snow-capped mountains, holy lake, splendid monasteries, etc. And the famous Mt. Everest Base Camp tour can be done in 7 days as well, which however could be little bit tight.

As travel to difference places of Tibet may require different permits (except the entry permit, you may need an alien’s travel permit, or military permit or border permit to some border or remote areas), it is important to let the travel agency know the details in advance to help you plan a perfect itinerary and make arrangements accordingly.