Tibet Butter Lamp Festival 9-Day Tour: Lhasa, Shigatse & Shannan | Hilton Upgrade

Arrive in Lhasa, pick up at the airport and transfer to the hotel. When you first arrive at the plateau, slowing down is the most important thing. No sightseeing will be arranged today to allow your body to adapt to the altitude and climate, so as to lay a good foundation for the following Snowdon Festival and subsequent trips to the plateau.

➤ Lhasa (City of Faith)
The political and religious center of Tibet is also the city where the Snowdon Festival is held. The first day of arrival is spent resting and letting your body get into the rhythm of the plateau.

★ Helpful Reminder:
Avoid shampooing, drinking and strenuous activities when you first arrive at the plateau, drink plenty of water and rest early.

Walk through downtown Lhasa and get to know the heart of this city of faith. Today's itinerary focuses on the most important religious and living areas in Lhasa. Through the palaces, monasteries and neighborhoods, we will understand how Tibetan beliefs are closely intertwined with daily life. In the afternoon, we will arrange afternoon tea with a view of Potala Palace, so that we can enjoy the most representative cityscape of Lhasa without rushing the pace of the tour.

➤ Potala Palace (the most important A line: Dalai Nezame + Council Chamber)
The most representative landmark in Tibet, it is known as the "Pearl on the Roof of the World". Combining a palace, a monastery, and a stupa, it holds a large number of Buddha statues, thangkas, sutra scrolls, and precious cultural relics, and is the key to understanding the history, religion, and art of Tibet.

➤ Jokhang Temple
Founded in the 7th century, it is said that "the city of Lhasa comes after the Da Zhao Monastery", and is regarded as the core of Tibetan faith. The temple enshrines the statue of Sakyamuni, which was brought to Tibet by Princess Wencheng, and Tibetans can be seen prostrating themselves in prostration, reciting sutras and praying for blessings, creating a solemn and moving atmosphere.

➤ Barkhor Street + Oksaikang Market
Barkhor Street is the most representative area of Lhasa for meridians and living, where Tibetans go around to perform meridians and the rhythm of faith is integrated into the daily life of the street; while the market of Chongsaikang is the distribution center for local residents to buy, trade and exchange, so that you can actually feel the most realistic atmosphere of life in Lhasa.

➤ Potala Palace Afternoon Tea
Afternoon tea is specially arranged in a space with a good view of the Potala Palace, allowing the pace of the trip to slow down naturally, and preserving energy for the following Snowdon activities.

★Thoughtful Reminder:
Visiting the Potala Palace requires a combination of tickets and transportation arrangements, so please follow the instructions of the tour guide; most of the city is visited on foot, so it is recommended to wear comfortable walking shoes.

Delving into the local beliefs and cultures of Lhasa, this day is a relaxing introduction to the daily lives of Tibetans. Arranged on the day before Lhasa Sutton Festival, the tour offers a chance to experience the festive atmosphere in advance through monastery visits, Tibetan Opera, and art experiences, as well as to prepare your body and mind for the main event of Lhasa Sutton Festival on the next day.

➤ Zashi Lhamo Temple
This is one of the most spiritual temples in Lhasa, dedicated to the Goddess of Wealth in Tibetan beliefs. Local residents and merchants often come here to pray for good fortune and business success, and it is the closest place of worship to the daily life of Tibetans, with a thriving incense burner.

➤Dzongkaku Lukang Park (Tibetan Opera Appreciation)
The day before Lhasa's Sedol Festival, Tibetan opera is the first to begin in the city. Dzongkor Lukang Park, located at the foot of the Potala Palace, is an important venue for experiencing the festive atmosphere of Lhasa and understanding Tibetan performing arts in advance.

➤ Thangka Painting Experience
Experience traditional thangka painting and learn how Tibetan art combines faith and practice through the use of colors and threads. The process of painting by hand also leaves a period of calmness and concentration for the main event of Snowdon Festival.

★Thoughtful Reminder:
This day is the cultural day before Snowdon, so the pace of the trip is relatively relaxed. It is recommended to take an early rest to preserve your energy for the main event of the festival the next day.

Early in the morning, we set off for the most important time of the year, Lhasa's Snowdrop Festival. On the day of the festival, Lhasa's faithful will be diverted to the Drepung and Sera Monasteries to participate in the annual exhibition of the Buddha.
Giant thangkas are displayed on the slopes of the monastery, and in the morning light, the chanting of sutras is intertwined with the crowds of people. This is not a performance, but a real scene of Tibetans' once-a-year, collective walk of faith, which is solemn and shocking.

After the Buddha Show, we will arrange to enjoy the most representative Tibetan Opera performance during the Snowden Festival.
Through masks, chants and stories, see how religion can be transformed into art, so that faith doesn't just stay in the monastery, but actually enters into the festivities and life, leaving a complete and deep memory of the most important day of the festival of Snowdon.

➤ Drepung Monastery Buddha Show (Lhasa, Tibet)
One of the most important monasteries for the exhibition of the Buddha on the occasion of Shoton. Huge thangkas are unfolded on the mountainside, which is an important annual pilgrimage moment for Tibetans.

➤ Sera Monastery Exhibition of Buddha
Together with Drepung Monastery, it is one of the key monasteries for Buddha exhibition during the Snowden Festival. During Lhasa's Xuedong Festival, it is one of the largest religious scenes in Lhasa.

➤ Shoton Festival Tibetan Opera
The Tibetan Opera is the biggest performance period of the year, presenting a combination of religious stories, history and folk culture through traditional performance forms.

★ Helpful Reminder:
Today's tour starts in the early hours of the morning, and you will experience 3-4 hours without toilets (you need to go to the toilet in the wild), and it includes a long period of slow uphill climb and queuing, which is more demanding on your physical strength and endurance. Please assess your physical condition and adaptability carefully before joining the tour. This tour is more like a physical and mental training experience, so please understand and forgive us.

Depart Lhasa for Rikaze along the Highland Scenic Route. On the way, enjoy the lakes and mountains of the Yamdrok Yumtso, feel the beauty of the Karola Glacier up close, and visit the multi-denominational Baiju Monastery, where nature and faith are intertwined along the way.

➤ Yamdrok (Tibetan: yamdrok), ancient capital of Tibet (Tibetan: yamdrok)
One of the three sacred lakes in Tibet, the color of the lake changes with the light.

➤ Karjola Glacier
The highland glaciers can be viewed from a close distance.

➤ Palcho Monastery
A representative temple that integrates multiple sects.

★ Helpful Reminder:
The Karola Glacier is at a higher altitude, so please slow down your pace.

Leaving Shigatse, you will cross the high plateau passes and head towards the top of the world. At the Gawula Pass, you will see the Himalayan mountains lined up in a row, the scale and momentum of which is astonishing. Afterwards, visit the Jomol Monastery, the highest monastery in the world, to experience the quiet power of faith and snowy peaks.

Arrive at Everest Base Camp in the evening and wait quietly for the sky to change. As the sun sets, the golden light pours onto the snow-capped peaks, and Everest is gradually tinted with a warm color, welcoming the rare moment of **"sunrise over Mount Kinabalu "**. Watching the snow-capped peaks turn from cold to golden at the foot of the world's peak is one of the most touching and unforgettable images of the whole trip.

➤ Gaura Pass in XinJiang
Everest is a classic location for sightseeing, where you can see many 8,000-meter snow-capped peaks at a time, and the peaks are juxtaposed with each other in a majestic manner.

➤ Rongbuk Monastery
The highest altitude monastery in the world, snowy mountains, sutra streamers and monasteries constitute the most representative picture of the Everest region.

➤ Everest Base Camp (Sunshine Mountain)
If the weather and light conditions permit, you can enjoy the view of the "Golden Mountain" in the evening when the sun sets over the snowy peaks, which is the most stunning moment of the trip to Everest.

★Thoughtful Reminder:
Sunshine Gold Mountain is a natural landscape, depending on the weather and the amount of clouds; Everest region night temperature is low, the accommodation is relatively simple, please pay attention to keep warm and adjust the work and rest.

Leaving the Everest region in the early morning, we look back at the snow-capped silhouettes again in the morning light, capping off a night at the top of the world. As the altitude drops, the scenery changes from wilderness to river valleys and villages, and the pace of the journey slowly slows down, allowing the body and the mind to return to the steady rhythm of the backcountry.

➤ Gyatso La Pass (mountain pass)
One of the most important passes on the plateau, it offers a great view of the vast snow-covered area and the continuous mountain range, leaving the last memory of the Everest section.

➤ Sakya Monastery
An important monastery of the Sakya school with a distinctive architectural style that complements the understanding of the diverse facets of Tibetan Buddhism in an atmosphere of tranquility.

★ Helpful Reminder:
Today's drive is long, so please stay hydrated and take a rest.

Leaving the Everest region in the early morning, we look back at the snow-capped silhouettes again in the morning light, capping off a night at the top of the world. As the altitude drops, the scenery changes from wilderness to river valleys and villages, and the pace of the journey slowly slows down, allowing the body and the mind to return to the steady rhythm of the backcountry.

➤ Gyatso La Pass (mountain pass)
One of the most important passes on the plateau, it offers a great view of the vast snow-covered area and the continuous mountain range, leaving the last memory of the Everest section.

➤ Sakya Monastery
An important monastery of the Sakya school with a distinctive architectural style that complements the understanding of the diverse facets of Tibetan Buddhism in an atmosphere of tranquility.

★ Helpful Reminder:
Today's drive is long, so please stay hydrated and take a rest.

Tibet Snowdon Festival, only when you go on this journey, you know the weight of it.

You have stood in the midst of crowds and beneath snowy peaks and witnessed firsthand how faith unfolds on the plateau.

➤ Airport & Train Station Transfers (24/7 Private Service)

We provide 24-hour private transfer services. Whether you have an early-morning flight or a late-night train, a dedicated vehicle and driver will be arranged exclusively for you—no ride-sharing, no waiting—ensuring a safe and punctual arrival at the airport or train station.

CITS2Go accompanies you through the final leg of your journey, so you can return home with wonderful memories and complete peace of mind.

➤ Assistance with Qinghai–Tibet Railway ticket booking is also available upon request!