Among all the Buddhist nations in Asia, Tibet has preserved the most original forms of Indian Buddhism, partly because of its remoteness but mainly because it has allowed spiritual beliefs to permeate its culture and people's conscience almost entirely. From the 8th to the 10th century AD, Tibet witnessed the birth of more than 20 religious schools, each deriving from distinct lineages of Buddhism, and among these the most influential were the Nyingmapa, Sakyapa, Kagyupa and Gekupka.

This trip will start in Lhasa, the holy capital of Tibet, where we will explore its monasteries and temples under the guidance of our experts. We will then continue our journey to a sacred mountain for a three-day hike, followed by walks along the Bramaputra and Lake Yamdrok Yutsumo. We will take part in prayer ceremonies, visit the homes of local Tibetans and discuss religious customs throughout the trip. By experiencing the wonders and part of the spiritual challenges experienced by Tibet's pilgrims, we may gain an understanding of why Tibetans draw an equal sign between religion and life.

Day 1 Chengdu :
Arrive in Chengdu. You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel, where we will have a short briefing over fiery Sichuan food laden with local spices.

Day 2 Chengdu to Lhasa :
We will board an early morning flight to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. Allow yourself plenty of rest after arrival to ease acclimatization to the high altitude in Lhasa (3700 m/12,210 ft).

Day 3 Lhasa to Tsurphu Monastery :
After breakfast we will take a two-hour drive from Lhasa to Tsurpha Monastery, the seat of the Karmapa (the living Buddha) and one of the main temples of the Karma Kagyu sect. We will return to Lhasa in the early evening.

Day 4 Lhasa to Ganden Monastery :
An hour's drive out of Lhasa will take us to Gandan Monastery (3,800 m/12,467 ft), which was founded in 1409 by Je Tsongkapa, the founder of the Gelupka (Yellow Hat) sect. We'll visit the monastery and after lunch drive another hour to start our 3-hour hike.

Day 5 Hiking :
Today's hike is about 6 hours. We will set up camp at Drogpa, near the Shuga La pass.

Day 6 Hiking: Drogpa to Chitu La :
We will hike for 5 hours until we arrive at Chitu La pass (4,940 m/16,207 ft), which is located in a vast, flat plain where we will camp for the night.

Day 7 Hiking: Chitu La to Nyango Village via Yemalung :
Today's trek will take 5 hours. Our first stop, Yemalung, is a major pilgrimage site for the followers of the Pa sect. This is the very site where Guru Rimpoche, the founder of the sect, hid important religious texts known as the Terma texts in the 13th century. The meditation cave of Vairocana, Rimpoche's disciple, is located in the slopes above.

Day 8 Nyango Village to Samye Monastery via Wango and Dragmar :
The trek to Samye Monastery, our final destination, will take a total of 3 hours. Walking through a forest and a small village, the trail becomes increasingly barren as we approach the monastery.

Day 9 Samye Monastery :
Samye Monastery is believed to be Tibet's first monastery, built between 775 and 779. The original building is no longer intact due to destruction caused by wars and natural disasters, but the monastery has been rebuilt each time and still remains the symbol of Tibet's national identity. Its main building is a three-story tower with an interior influenced by Tibetan, Han and Indian styles.

Day 10 Samye to Shigatse :
After breakfast we will take a 6-hour drive along the Brahmaputra River to Shigatse (3900m/12,793ft), the second largest town in Tibet and the traditional capital of the Tsang. The rest of the day is open for you to explore the area on your own and visit the town market.

Day 11 Tashilhumpo Monastery to Sakya :
We will get up early to visit the Tashilhumo Monastery, the seat of the Panchen Lama built in 1447. We will sit and listen to the morning prayers in its Grand Hall, where you can see lamas rushing around pouring yak butter tea into endless rows of cups. The monastery houses a giant statue of the Maitreya Buddha and a tomb of the 4th Panchen Lama containing masses of jewels and gold. Drive to Sakya in the afternoon.

Day 12 Sakya to Shigatse :
After breakfast we will viste Sakya Monastery, center of the Sakya sect, one of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery is divided by the river into the Southern Monastery depicting a unique Mongol-style architecture and the Northern Monastery, whose original buildings were completely destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. The walls of the fortress-like Southern Monastery are painted gray with white and red vertical stripes denoting its importance within the Sakya Principality. Back to Shigatse in the afternoon.

Day 13 Shigatse to Gyantse :
Drive to Gyanse in the morning. Gyanse is an attractive, relaxed town offering a splendid sight of the Kumbum Stupa situated at its northen edge. Housed within the compound of a rather barren looking Pelkor Chode Monastery, Kumbun consists of 8 levels and contains a total of 75 chapels with wonderful murals revered by art scholars around the world.

Day 14 Gyantse to Lhasa via Samding Monastery :

We will leave Gyantse in the morning for Lake Yamdrok Tso, stopping on the way at Samding Monastery. Founded in the 12th century, the monastery is the residence of Samding Dorje Phagmo, the only female living Buddha in Tibet. After lunch, we will continue our drive to the holy lake of Yamdrok Tso (4,408 m/14,546 ft), the largest limnetic lake in Tibet and the largest area inhabited by birds. Many Tibetans believe that the life of Tibet will no longer continue when the lake dries up.

Day 15 Lhasa Potala Palace and the Barkhor :

Day 16 Fly out to Chengdu, trip ends :

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