Popular Tibet Trekking: Ganden to Samye Monastery 12 days

Tibet Ganden to Samye Monastery Trekking Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Fly or take train to Lhasa [3650m] 
Once landed at Lhasa Gonggar Airport or reach to Lhasa Newwu Train Station, your private Tibetan tour guide and your Tibetan driver will pick you up with your name sign,they will transfer safely to your hotel in Lhasa, rest well for high altitude (behave wise to avoide heavy mountain sickness).

Day 2 Guided sightseeing tour in Lhasa   
Today what we will visit in Lhasa is the vital Potala Palace and the Jokhang Temple with her vicinities. Potala palace is Lhasa's most important landmark and she a wonder of Eastern architecture. Your first site of this massive structure will be a magical moment which will be remembered for your rest life time. It has been a palace since the fifth or sixth century and was once the home to the Dalai Lama. Well another visit we will take is to Jokhang Temple which locoates at Barkhor Bazaar. This temple is the most revered shrine in Tibet and is constantly bustling with devout worshippers. We will also be given the opportunity to shop in Barkor Bazaar, the crowded central market in ancient section of Lhasa where is the residence of many local people.

Day 3 Guided sightseeing tour in Lhasa    
After breakfasts in hotel, we will drive to west Lhasa city section (about 11km) and give a visit to the Drepung Monastery, which was once the world's largest monastery. Housing 10,000 monks, Drepung monastery lies hidden in rocky ridges just beyond the city. Surprisingly much of the building was left untouched throughout so many hundred of years.
In the afternoon, the site we will visit is Sera Monastery, a fifteenth century sprawl of golden roofs and whitewashed walls. This well preserved monastery is located just a few miles North of Lhasa and is home to several hundred monks. Its famous debating activities are happening 3-4pm quite regularly every working day, we will not give it a miss.

Day 4 Free day in Lhasa   
Today is a free day for your own relaxation,get fully acclimatized,and see more of Lhasa. You may do some of your own preparation for the outgoing trekking adventure comping up soon.

Day 5 Lhasa/Ganden Monastery, 70 km   
Drive from Lhasa to Ganden (about 70km, 4500m altitude), takes about 1 and a half hours, and we can trek up to the Angkor Ri Mountain if you prefer). Today will be spent acclimatizing further and visiting this wonderful Monastery. Overnight at Ganden monastery guesthouse or we set up camping nearby.

Day 6 Ganden/Hepu/Yama Do, trekking 5-6 hours, 17km(450m descent,300m ascent)
Our first day's trekking begins at the highest point on the Ganden Kora. From here we walk along a saddle trail. After leaving this trail with wondrous views traverse the west side of the ridge before passing through an ancient Hepu village. Later in the day pass through Ani Pagong, a narrow bottleneck in the trail and former site of a nunnery. We will end the day with an ascent towards Yama Do, where will set up camp. More info about this, please read some useful referrence in the handbook of Lonely Palanet of Tibet. 

Day 7 Yama Do/Tsotup Chu Valley, trekking 5-7hours, 10km (1000m ascent, 450m descent)    
In the morning, we leave the valley of Tsotup Chu and make our way through a steep gully rising form the stream bank. Finally, we climb over the Shug La (5250m) Mountain Pass and begin our climb down through treacherous boulder fields. Later, we cross Tsotup Chu, a large stream winding through the valley floor. A comfortable camp will be set up in one of the many herder fields.

Day 8 Tsotup-Chu Valley/Herders' Camps, trekking 5 hours, 14km (300m ascent,400m descent)  
Today follow the Tsotup Chu down through its tributary and head towards the Chitu La pass (5100m). After ascending this rocky pass quickly descend down and find a beautiful place to camp in one of the fields surrounding the stream. Camping

Day 9 Herders' Camps/Gen Do-Yamalung Hermitage-Nyango,4-5 rs trek,we will take tractor to get to Samye Monastery around 7 pm, 39 km (1200m descent)     
The trekking trail gets wider and easier as following it through forests in the main valley. We are given chance to enjoy the beautiful streams and lush forests. However, the desert is close by. The next few hours are undoubted the most delightful part of the entire trek. More than 15 kinds of scrub trees, blooming rhododendrons, and vast meadow will make you shocked when you take every step of the way! After passing through this wondrous landscape, we will get to the first permanent village Changtang since Hepu. From Changtang walking another one and a half hours to reach Nyango from which we will take a tractor to get to Samye Monastery around 7pm (but of course we can have overnight stop in Yamalung or Nyango tonight and finish the easy trek of 3 and hafl hrs till Samye tomorrow morning).We have overnight in Samye Monastery guesthouse.

Day 10 (Yamalung or Nyango)-Samye Monastery-Boat across the widest part of Brahmaputra, drive to Tsetang  
After breakfast in Samye, we will take a easy visit to this oldest monastery, and then we take ferry across the widest part of Brahmaputra, after 2 hours on the boat, we will get to the ferry point where our private vehicle and driver will take us to Tsetang, check in hotel, have a good rest.

Day 11 Yarlung Valley tour    
This grandios area is commonly regarded to be the cradle of Tibetan Civilization. The valley of the Tibetan tombs is located at the origin of the Tibetan people. You will be given a rare opportunity to explore this grandios site. It was here where both the massive burial grounds and Yumbulagang Palace locate. Yumbulagang Palace is an amazing architectural site perched on the cliff. It is one of the oldest buildings in Tibet! But you may feel tired if you walk up to the top, so why not ride a horse there? Yes, you will ride a horse there which gives you more interesting memory. o/n in Hotel

Day 12 Drive to Gonggar airport and Depart Tibet for next stop   
After breakfasts in hotel, we will check out the hotel and drive safely to the Lhasa Gonggar Airport for your flight out of Tibet. Hope your Tibet trekking tour leaves you a wonderful memory.