6 Days Lhasa Namtso Highlights Private Tour with Breathtaking Holy Elephant Heaven Gate

Welcome to the roof of the world! You will be picked up by local tour guide at Lhasa airport hall or train station, and then be escorted to check in your hotel in Lhasa city (3,650 m) in a private vehicle. The rest of the day is free for you to explore the local areas and acclimatize yourself to the air, temperature and high altitude of Lhasa.

Recommended Activities: 1) stroll around Lhasa city to experience the local daily life and urban development; 2) go to Jokhang Temple Square and Barkhor Food Street to taste authentic Tibetan cuisine; 3) enjoy the local nightlife at Lhasa Ever-Bright City and Tianhai Night Market.

High Altitude Acclimation Tips: 1) go for some leisure walking to acclimate the high altitude but avoid strenuous activity after arrival; 2) you'd better not have bath on the first day, in case of catching a cold and causing altitude sickness; 3) drink more water and have some fruit to stay hydrated to adapt to Lhasa's dry climate; 4) have a good rest on the arrival day to help adapt to the high-altitude environment and better enjoy the following itinerary.

How to Get to Lhasa: you can get to Lhasa from nearby and top gateway cities in China, including Chengdu (about 3 hours), Chongqing (about 3 hours), Beijing (about 4.5 hours), Xi'an (about 4.5 hours), Xining (about 2.5 hours), Kunming (about 3 hours), Shangri-La (about 2.5 hours), etc. by non-stop domestic flights and Kathmandu (about 1.5 hours) by non-stop international flights. Or take a train from Xining, Chengdu, Chongqing, Beijing, Shanghai, Lanzhou and Guanghzou. Though Xian operates no trains to Lhasa, Shanghai-Lhasa trains and Guangzhou-Lhasa trains have a stop at Xian Railway Station and they can take you from Xian to Lhasa as well.

Start today's cultural heritage journey from the Potala Palace Square, where you can admire the grandeur of Potala Palace and capture classic photos of its magnificent front facade. From here, continue to the landmark - Potala Palace, an outstanding symbol of Tibetan architecture mainly composed of the White Palace and the Red Palace with many cherished cultural heritages. After entering the gate of Potala Palace, you need to walk up about 30 minutes along the zigzag stone paths with white-and-red walls to the White Palace. Remember to ascend the steps slowly and take some stops for sightseeing and rest which will be helpful to reduce high altitude sickness. Then you will explore the palace in an orderly way from the White Palace to the Red Palace with explanations accompanied by your local guide. After exploring Potala Palace, enjoy a leisurely walk through Zongjiao Lukang Park, a scenic lakeside park located behind the palace. Here, you can experience authentic local life, often seeing Tibetans gathering for singing and dancing, chatting, exercising, and walking kora. On clear days, the lake also offers beautiful reflections of Potala Palace.

Continuing your exploration, you will then get to Jokhang Temple, widely regarded as the spiritual heart of Lhasa and the most sacred religious site in Tibet as it enshrines the revered Jowo Rinpoche, a life-sized (about 1.5 meters / 5 feet) statue of Shakyamuni Buddha depicting him at the age of twelve. In the square before the temple, you will witness devoted pilgrims performing full-body prostrations, gradually polishing the stone flagstones beneath them-a deeply moving and unforgettable sight. The day’s exploration concludes at Barkhor Street, the bustling circular street that surrounds Jokhang Temple. The local Tibetans usually walk clockwise on the street for several circles, as part of their daily pilgrimage. Lined with lively shops and stalls, Barkhor Street is also an excellent place to browse for traditional Tibetan handicrafts and local specialties, offering a vibrant glimpse into both the spiritual and everyday life of Lhasa.

Optional Activity: If your physical strength permits, you can take a short climb to the Chakpori Hill Viewing Platform, which is precisely the location featured on the back of China's fifth series 50-yuan banknote. From this platform, you can appreciate the terraced architecture of Potala Palace ascending the mountainside.

Tips of today: 1) Potala Palace (3,700m) is situated at a higher elevation than the average city altitude (3,650m) and requires climbing many steps, so please walk slowly and take breaks as needed; 2) taking photos, videos and wearing hats are not allowed in the palace; 3) today you will be mainly outside, please bring some water, a hat, sun cream, and sun glasses with you.

Today after breakfast, you are going to explore Lhasa's suburb cultural sites and beaitiful scenery. Firstly, drive about 30km to Drak Yerpa which is nestled in the northeast of Lhasa. It is a sacred hermitage perched on cliffs at 4,400m, renowned for its ancient meditation caves used by Tibetan Buddhist masters like Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) and Songtsen Gampo. The site blends spiritual mystique with dramatic landscapes: narrow paths wind through prayer-flag-draped cliffs, leading to caves adorned with murals of Buddhist deities and relics. Highlights include the Guru Rinpoche Cave, where the sage meditated for seven years, and the Moon Cave (Dawa-puk), linked to visionary prophecies. Pilgrims trek here for silent retreats, prostrating along kora paths and soaking in panoramic views of the Kyichu Valley. Historically tied to the Gelug sect, Drak Yerpa remains a haven for both monastic study and intrepid travelers seeking raw, unspoiled Tibetan spirituality

In the afternoon, you will go to explore Ganden Monastery. Perched on Wangbur Mountain 47km east of Lhasa, Ganden is Tibet’s oldest Gelugpa monastery, founded in 1409 by Tsongkhapa, the reformer who shaped Tibetan Buddhism’s Yellow Hat tradition. Its architecture cascades across the mountainside: the golden-roofed Serdung (tomb of Tsongkhapa) glows with relics, while the Tsongkhapa Assembly Hall houses towering pillars and murals depicting Buddhist cosmology. The monastery’s Kora path offers sweeping vistas of the Kyi-chu Valley, where pilgrims circumambulate while spinning prayer wheels and chanting mantras. Once home to 3,000 monks, Ganden’s revival after the Cultural Revolution showcases restored chapels and festivals like the Tsongkhapa Butter Lamp Festival, where 26-meter thangkas illuminate the night. Surrounded by nomadic valleys and alpine meadows, Ganden epitomizes Tibet’s fusion of monastic rigor and natural grandeur

After the Ganden visit, drive back to Lhasa.

Venture into the untouched beauty of Namtso Lake,Tibet’s most beautiful holy lake. But first, let the journey itself be part of the magic. Your route begins with a smooth ride along the expressway to Damxiong County, the gateway to this celestial region. From there, wind upward along the highway to cross the iconic Nagenla Pass (5,190m), where the air thins and the world unfolds: pause at the pass to overlook the exhibition-like Namtso Lake, its turquoise expanse shimmering below like a fallen piece of sky.

Continue descending along the scenic road to the scenic area gate, then brace for the final leg—a 50km stretch of washboard road that jostles you toward the heart of the wilderness. The bumpy ride is a small price for what awaits: Shengxiang Tianmen (Holy Elephant Gate), Tibet’s most Instagrammable marvel. Imagine a colossal elephant-shaped rock arching into the lake, framing a "heavenly gate" where earth meets sky, with snow-crowned Nyenchen Tanglha peaks mirrored in the turquoise waters below.

Three most incredible sceneries of Shengxiang Tianmen (Holy Elephant Gate) Scenic Area:

• Three-Life Stones: At the heart of Shengxiang Tianmen lies the Three-Life Stones, sacred boulders symbolizing past, present, and future lives. Locals believe circling the stones with hands clasped brings eternal love and spiritual clarity—a ritual rooted in Tibetan Buddhist cosmology.
• Elephant’s Trunk Arch: Marvel at the 150-meter-long natural rock formation resembling an elephant drinking from the lake. Its "doorway" frames the lake and the mythical Three-Life Stone, creating a tableau of divine harmony.
• Highest Viewing Platform: Hike to the Moon Valley Observatory (4,800m), where the lake’s crescent-shaped bays and the Holy Elephant Gate merge into a surreal seascape. The snow-capped Nyenchen Tanglha peaks cast reflections on the water, creating a "heaven on Earth" illusion.

After soaking in Shengxiang Tianmen’s raw beauty, drive back to Damxiong County. Detour to a cliffside vantage for a fiery sunset over the lake—moments that will haunt your dreams.

After a hearty breakfast at Damxiong County (perhaps with yak butter tea and tsampa to fuel the journey), set out on a 2.5-hour drive back to Lhasa—a scenic route winding through rolling Tibetan grasslands, dotted with nomadic tents and grazing yaks. As the altitude gently decreases, feel the crisp air shift from the lake’s alpine chill to Lhasa’s sun-drenched warmth, a gentle transition from wilderness to urban soul.

Upon arrival, head straight to Nanshan Park (Lhasa’s “Green Lung”), a hillside oasis that tells the story of Tibet’s ecological triumph. Here, embark on a leisurely hike along shaded trails lined with willows, cypresses, and wildflowers—planted over decades to reclaim barren slopes. Pause at viewpoints to marvel at the greening project’s success: once-barren hills now burst with emerald foliage, a testament to local efforts to harmonize with nature. The highlight? A panoramic perch overlooking Lhasa’s skyline, where the Potala Palace rises like a golden crown against the azure sky—its whitewashed walls and red-tiled roofs glowing in the sunlight, framed by distant snow-capped peaks. Capture this postcard moment, where ancient spirituality meets modern resilience.

As afternoon light softens, make your way to Sera Monastery, one of Lhasa’s “Three Great Temples.” Time your visit for the famed monk debates (typically 3–5 PM), held in the monastery’s courtyard. Watch as young monks in maroon robes engage in lively, rhythmic debates—gesturing sharply, chanting Buddhist scriptures, and clapping to emphasize points. The air hums with intellectual energy, a dynamic display of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy in action. Sit quietly in the shade, absorbing the echoes of debate and the scent of juniper incense wafting from nearby shrines.

End the day with a warm Yak Hotpot dinner in Lhasa’s old town, reflecting on the contrast between Namtso’s raw wilderness and the city’s vibrant spiritual heartbeat—two sides of Tibet’s timeless charm.

Today is free for you until your tour guide and private driver transfer you to the airport in time for your flight or drop you off at Lhasa train station.

Tips of today: 1) please pack your luggage carefully, especially for small things like camera charger, power adaptor, mobile phone, phone charger, wallet and towel; 2) if your flight is arranged in the afternoon, please make sure you check out the hotel before 12 PM.