8 days tour for Lhasa Shoton Festival

besides Lhasa, also travel to Tsetang, Gyangtse and Shigatse

（to be private tour）

Tour Itinerary:

(Sept. 17) Day01 -------------------------Chengdu to Lhasa by air, then drive to Tsetang city
Meals service: L ; Accommodation: 3* Snow Pigeon Hotel
Taking the morning flight into Tibet, upon your arrival, local guide will meet you and transfer you to Tsetang city. On the way, visit Yumbu Lakang Palace, the first palace for king in Tibet history and then visit Changdrok temple. Stay over night at Tsetang.

(Sept. 18) Day02 ---Samye monastery to Lhasa city
Meals service: B/L ; Accommodation: 3* Century hotel or Shangbala hotel
Drive to Samye monastery in the morning. Visit Samye monastery which is said to be the first monastery in Tibet. After it, drive to Lhasa city.

(Sept. 19) Day03 ---------------Lhasa sightseeing
Meals service: B/L ; Accommodation: 3* Century hotel or Shangbala hotel
In the morning, visit the grand -- looking Potala Palace, which was built in the 7th century for the King. In the afternoon, visit Jokhang temple and stroll in the famous local bazaar - Parkhor street.

(Sept. 20) Day04 -------------------------Join the Shoton Festival
Meals service: B/L ; Accommodation: 3* Century hotel or Shangbala hotel
Today will be first day of Shoton Festival, in the past, this festival was a purely religious celebration, later in the rule of 5th Dalai Lama, this festival was open a little to some people with high social status, with time going on, this festival becomes a common public celebration held in Drepung monastery first, then move to Norbulinka palace.
In the morning of this day, early visit to Drepung monastery to join the grand opening ceremony -- Sunning the Tangkha (a huge woven hangings ), this ceremony marks the official set-off of this festival. In the afternoon, visit Sera Monastery.

(Sept. 21) Day05 -------------------------Join the festival
Meals service: B ; Accommodation: 3* Century hotel or Shangbala hotel
This day, you are free to arrange your own time and visits in this city, doing such visits as going to Parkhor street market, visiting Ramoche temple, Medicine hill cliff carvings and Zonggyerukhang (a park behind Potala ) and doing others you like. No lunch today.

Suggest you go to Norbulinka to join people's celebrations such as singing songs, dance circles, local exchange market, Tibet opera show and so on.

(Sept. 22 ) Day06 -------------------------Lhasa to Gyangtse to Shigatse
Meals service: B/L ; Accommodation: 3* Kuanye hotel or Shigatse hotelor Kuanyue Hotel or Shigatse
Driving past the Gangbala pass(4800m), view the Yangdrok lake, then down by the old road to Gyangtse, visit the Karuola glacier, the Perkhor monastery in Gyangtse town. In the late afternoon, arrive at Shigatse.

(Sept. 23 ) Day07 -------------------------Shigatse to Lhasa 
Meals service: B/L ; Accommodation: 3* Century hotel or Shangbala hotel
In the morning, visit Tashilunpo monastery, which is the biggest monastery in rear Tibet, and the permanent residence for Panchan Lhama. Inside are some stupas for the passed Panchan lhamas, and a 30 -- metre high copper cast Future Buddha, see the local bazaar market. Then drive back to Lhasa through the valley of Yalu Zangbu river.

(Sept. 24 ) Day08 --------------------------Lhasa to Chengdu by air
Meals service: B ; Accommodation: no

Send to airport and take the flight back to Chengdu.

End of the tour