Private tour — on your dates
8 Days Trekking Tour from Ganden to Samye
8 Days $1,000 per person Overview Itinerary Tips & FAQ Lhasa Potala Palace Ganden Monastery Shug La Pass Tsotup Chu Valley Herder’s Camp Samye Monastery Yarlung Tsangpo The Ganden to Samye trek connects two of Tibet’s…
- 8 Days / 7 Nights
- Lhasa → Potala Palace → Ganden Monastery → Shug La Pass → Tsotup Chu Valley → Herder's Camp → Samye Monastery → Yarlung Tsangpo
- Challenging pace
- Best: May to early October
- No Deposit — Ever
- Cancel Free Before Permit Issued
- Full Refund except $100 Permit Fee
- Bring 7, Your Spot Is Free
- Our Own Office in Lhasa, Since 1999
The trip at a glance
- Lhasa → Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple
- Lhasa → Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery
- Ganden Monastery to Tsotup Chu Valley (Shug La Pass, 4 → 5h)
- Tsotup Chu Valley to Herder’s Camp (Chitu La Pass, 5h)
- Herder’s Camp to Samye (Changtang Village, Yamalung Hermitage, 6h)
- Samye Monastery → Ferry to Lhasa
Day by day
Lhasa → Potala Palace → Ganden Monastery → Shug La Pass → Tsotup Chu Valley → Herder's Camp → Samye Monastery → Yarlung Tsangpo
Day1
Arrive Lhasa — Rest and Acclimatize
Airport pick-up and hotel check-in. Full rest day for acclimatization.
Day2
Lhasa — Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple
Explore the iconic Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple.
Day3
Lhasa — Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery
Visit Drepung and Sera Monasteries. Prepare gear for the trek.
Day4
Trek Day 1 — Ganden Monastery to Tsotup Chu Valley (Shug La Pass, 4–5h)
Drive to Ganden Monastery (4,300m) — the first great Gelug monastery, founded in 1409 by Tsongkhapa. Begin trekking south over the Shug La Pass into the sacred Tsotup Chu Valley. 4–5 hours of rewarding trekking.
Day5
Trek Day 2 — Tsotup Chu Valley to Herder's Camp (Chitu La Pass, 5h)
Trek through the stunning alpine valley, crossing the Chitu La Pass into the remote Herder’s Camp area. The landscape is a magnificent blend of snow peaks, glacial streams and wildflower meadows. 5 hours.
Day6
Trek Day 3 — Herder's Camp to Samye (Changtang Village, Yamalung Hermitage, 6h)
The final and most dramatic trekking day — descend from the highland plateau toward the Yarlung Tsangpo Valley. Pass through Changtang Village and optionally visit the ancient Yamalung Hermitage before arriving at Samye. 6 hours.
Day7
Samye Monastery — Ferry to Lhasa
Explore the extraordinary Samye Monastery — Tibet’s first monastery (8th century), built in a circular mandala design with concentric rings. Take the ferry across the Yarlung Tsangpo River and drive back to Lhasa.
Day8
Lhasa Departure
Transfer to airport or train station for departure.
Meals: Breakfast Tibet Permit — Required for All Visitors Every visitor to Tibet must hold a Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) permit. It is mandatory, cannot be obtained on arrival, and differs by nationality. We handle the full application once you book — please allow at least 15 days before your departure date.
What is included
Included
- Tibet Entry Permit and all necessary trekking permits
- All entrance fees for tourist sites listed in the itinerary
- Professional English-speaking local tour guide
- Private vehicle with driver for all non-trekking road sections
- All lodging listed in the itinerary (hotels and/or camping)
- Shared oxygen tank in the vehicle
- Tourist accident/casualty insurance and first aid kit
Not included
- Single room supplement — free of charge for any group booking 5 rooms or travelling with 10 or more.
- Flights or trains to/from Tibet
- Meals not specified in the itinerary (approximately USD 3–15 per meal)
- Porter or yak hire on trekking days (arranged locally, optional)
- Tips for guide and driver
- Personal expenses (laundry, snacks, optional activities)
Photos from this route
Questions travellers ask
How large will my group be?
Join-in departures run with a minimum of 3 travellers — usually 3–8 pax, and never more than 16. You choose the departure date, the starting point and the itinerary length that suits you; guests on different day counts travel together on the shared legs, and each group leaves when their own itinerary ends. If you prefer, this route can also run as a private tour for your own party only. A 3–8 group costs a little more per person and is quieter, with more freedom to change the day on the road; a 3–16 group costs less per person and gives you more people to travel with.
Which permits does this tour need?
We arrange all required Tibet permits for you as part of the booking — you only need a valid passport. Depending on the areas visited this can include the Tibet Travel Permit (TTB), the Aliens’ Travel Permit (PSB), the Frontier Pass and, for sensitive areas, a Military Permit.
How do I get to the starting point of the tour?
The tour starts in Lhasa. You can reach it by flight or by the Qinghai–Tibet railway — either way we meet you on arrival. Many travellers fly in and take the train out (or the other way round) to see both faces of the plateau. We are happy to advise on flights and train tickets as part of your booking.
Can this tour be customized?
Yes — every tour on this site can also run as a private departure with your own dates and pace, arranged by our own office in Lhasa. Send us your dates, group size and interests and we will adapt the itinerary around you.
Before you send your inquiry
- No deposit — ever. Your dates are held with a free inquiry, and nothing is due until we confirm. On fixed group departures, book early to secure your seats.
- Cancel free before your Tibet Travel Permit is issued — full refund, every dollar.
- After the permit is issued: the USD $100 permit fee is non-refundable, everything else is refunded. Refunds within 7 business days.
- Bring a group of 7 and your spot is free (7+1).
- Single room supplement — free of charge for any group booking 5 rooms or travelling with 10 or more.
- Tell us your dates and route on the form below — you will have a written itinerary and an item-by-item quote within 12 hours, with no obligation to book.
- Prices depend on group size, hotel standard, season and how you travel into Tibet, so we quote each trip individually rather than from a price list.
- Hotel details — the exact hotels we use — come with your quote. Ask below for the standard you would like and we will match it.
- A Lhasa-based Tibet tour operator since 1999 — our own guides, vehicles and office in Lhasa, 7,200+ travellers from 40+ countries, 4.9★ on TripAdvisor.
