Top Things to visit in Lhasa in 2 days

When planning a tour of Lhasa, what are the top attractions you’d better not give a miss? Here let local China Guide – Tibet tourism booking center provide the top 2 days Lhasa tour. It offers you the brilliant chance to enjoy what highlight Lhasa has to offer in such a short time. 

Lhasa Top Highlighted Tour in 2 Days Details Program

Day 1 Walking tour in Lhasa downtown: Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Streets, Ramoche Temple, Anitsangkong Nunnery, accommodation on your own

• Ani Tsankhung Nunnery (about 2 hours)

Ani Tsankhung Nunnery (Chinese: 阿尼仓空寺; pinyin: Ā ní cāng kōng sì) is a nunnery of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism in the city of Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. It has been used for meditation by the 7th century Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo. But the nuns support themselves through alms and manufacturing items such as clothing and printed texts.

• The Barkhor street market (about 2 hours)

The Barkhor street market provides tourist a pivotal insight in multiple aspects of Tibetan culture. There are vast assortments of authentic Tibetan products easily available to purchase at the visitors discretion. The Barkhor market is constantly alive and thriving with activity as the countless vendors and shops present a utopia of local Tibetan arts, crafts and cultural specialties.

• Jokhang Temple (about 2 hours)

Jokhang Temple was founded in the 7th century by the first great Buddhist king Songtsen Gampo. As the most sacred temple in Tibet, Jokhang is situated in the heart of Lhasa city and attracts many pilgrims from around Tibet to worship and walk around. The walking around Jokhang Temple following pilgrims from all over the Tibetan plateau is a must-needed experience.

• Ramoche Temple (about 1.5 hours)

Ramoche Temple (Tibetan: ར་མོ་ཆེ་དགོན་པ་, Wylie: Ra-mo-che Dgon-pa, Lhasa dialect: Chinese: 小昭寺; pinyin: Xiǎozhāo Sì) is a Buddhist monastery in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region. It dates back to the seventh century and is considered to be the most important temple in the city after the Jokhang Temple. Situated in the northwestern part of the Tibetan capital, it is east of the Potala and north of the Jokhang.The site occupies an area of 4,000 square meters (almost one acre).

Day 2 Summer and Winter palace of Dalai Lama (with a shared vehicle): Potala Palace, Norbulingka Palace/or Sera Monastery, accommodation on your own

• Potala Palace (about 4 hours)

The Potala Palace is a dzong fortress in the city of Lhasa, in Tibet. It was the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas from 1649 to 1959. And it has been a museum since then, and is a World Heritage Site since 1994.

The 5th Dalai Lama started its construction in 1645 after one of his spiritual advisers, Konchog Chophel (died 1646), pointed out that the site was ideal as a seat of government, situated as it is between Drepung and Sera monasteries and the old city of Lhasa.It may overlay the remains of an earlier fortress called the White or Red Palace on the site, built by Songtsen Gampo in 637.

The building measures 400 meters east-west and 350 meters north-south, with sloping stone walls averaging 3 meters thick, and 5 meters thick at the base, and with copper poured into the foundations to help proof it against earthquakes.Thirteen storeys of buildings, containing over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and about 200,000 statues, soar 117 meters on top of Marpo Ri, the “Red Hill”, rising more than 300 meters in total above the valley floor.

• Norbulingka Palace-optional (about 2 hours)

Norbulingka Palace is known as the summer palace. Despite the title of World Heritage Site and natural scenery, people also take it as a unique historical attraction in Tibet. The construction of Norbulingka began in 1755 by the 7^th Dalai Lama, Kelsang Gyatso. The primary function of Norbulingka Palace is to cure the health problems of the 7^th Dalai Lama. Then it became the summer residence of Dalai Lamas. During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, the Norbulingka complex suffered from terrible damage.

• Sera Monastery-optional (about 2 hours)

Sera Monastery is one of three famous Gelugpa or Yellow Hat Sect monasteries in Lhasa. The other two are Drepung Monastery and the Ganden Monastery. The Gelugpa or Yellow Hat Sect is branch of Tibetan Buddhism which was founded by Tsong Khapa. Jamchen Chojey, one of Tsong Khapa’s disciples built the monastery in 1419 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The monastery was named Sera which refers to wild rose in the Tibetan language, because the hill behind it was covered with wild roses in bloom when the monastery was built.

Lhasa hotel prices references

With regards to the accommodation booking, please refer to Tibet accommodation.

Please note that:

• 1) You can easily book our pick up/drop off transfer service economically for your arrival and departure transfer;
• 2) on day 2: Sera Monastery or Norbulingka (one site per guide’s choice and monks philosophy debating availability).
• 3) Please get to the meeting point 10-15 mins before the starting hour at 9 am (late arrival risks tour missing);
• 4) Why this tour does not include entrance tickets except for Potala Palace? Potala Palace booking process is time consuming. 4-5 days pre-application booking before visit is mandatory. And there is quota for Potala tickets for each day and each agent. While all the other attractions maybe free of charge due to different season and government tourism promotion. We leave this for travelers to pay at the spot for their money wise. And the tickets price is specified here: Jokhang Temple: CNY85, Norbulinka: CNY60, Sera Monastery: CNY50, Ani Tsankhung Nunnery: CNY45, Ramoche Temple: CNY20. It could be free in low season from Nov.1 till April30.
• 5) Why is there no Drepung monastery in this 2 days tour? Well, since there are Jokhang/Ramoche Temple, Ani Tsankung nunnery and Sera monastery optionally, you will visit many buddhism sites. We feel if we put too many monasteries, it may not satisfy every traveler in the group. If you want to have your own private tour to include Drepung, please specify and send your inquiry. Please note that, private tour can only be cheaper if you have no less than 4 people for private tour booking.