Small group or private
5 Days Lhasa Tour with Ganden Monastery
5 Days $589 per person Overview Itinerary Tips & FAQ Potala Palace Jokhang Temple Barkhor Street Drepung Monastery Sera Monastery Ganden Monastery This tour covers the historic sites of Lhasa — Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and…
- 5 Days / 4 Nights
- Potala Palace → Jokhang Temple → Barkhor Street → Drepung Monastery → Sera Monastery → Ganden Monastery
- Easy pace
- Best: April to 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, Barkhor Street
- Lhasa Monasteries → Drepung, Sera
- Ganden Monastery Day Trip
Day by day
Potala Palace → Jokhang Temple → Barkhor Street → Drepung Monastery → Sera Monastery → Ganden Monastery
Day1
Arrival in Lhasa — Airport Pick-up
Your guide meets you at the airport and takes you to your hotel. Spend the day resting and acclimatizing to the altitude.
Day2
Lhasa — Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street
Visit the iconic Potala Palace, the sacred Jokhang Temple and stroll the Barkhor Street pilgrim circuit. In the evening enjoy dinner in a local Tibetan restaurant.
Day3
Lhasa Monasteries — Drepung, Sera
Morning visit to Drepung Monastery — once the world’s largest monastery, home to 10,000 monks. Afternoon at Sera Monastery to witness the animated monk debates in the courtyard (15:00–17:00, except Sundays).
Day4
Ganden Monastery Day Trip
Drive about 45km east of Lhasa to Ganden Monastery, perched on a ridge at 4,300m above the Kyichu River valley. Founded in 1409 by Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug school, this was the first Gelug monastery in Tibet. Enjoy outstanding panoramic views before returning to Lhasa.
Day5
Lhasa Departure
Free morning for last-minute sightseeing or shopping. Your guide will transfer you to the airport or train station.
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 Alien’s Travel Permit
- All entrance fees for tourist sites listed in the itinerary
- Professional English-speaking local tour guide
- Private vehicle with experienced local driver
- All accommodation listed in the itinerary
- Tourist accident/casualty insurance
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)
- Tips for tour guide and driver
- Personal expenses (laundry, phone calls, 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.
