Day 01: Arrive in Chengdu
Today we arrive in Chengdu, the capital of province Sichuan, the hometown of Panda, transfer to hotel. Overnight at Chengdu.

Day 02: Flight Chengdu – Lhasa (B/L)
In the morning transfer to airport, fly to Lhasa, the Capital of Tibet. Upon arrival at the Gongga airport, take another 1.5-hour-drive to the city proper (3650 m). On the way you will enjoy the spectacular scenery, and the typical Tibetan villages as well as the Yak-skin-boat cruising on Yalung Tsangpo River. After lunch stay at the hotel for adapting to the high attitude. It is helpful to take things easy for the first few days, and try to drink some water just and now. Overnight at Lhasa.

Day 03: Lhasa (BLD)
In the morning visit Drepung monastery the sacred land of Gelug Sect., which was established in 1416 and the second, third and fourth Dalai Lama once resided in. In the afternoon visit Sera monastery, which was created in 1419 and has always been an important Buddhist seminary. As rose are planted everywhere in the monastery, it is also called “the court of wild rose”. Today still 200 lamas live in there. Overnight at Lhasa.

Day 04: Lhasa (BLD)
In the morning visit Potala, which was originally constructed in 637 by Songtsen Gampo, the first king of the united Tibet, and later expanded and served as the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas as well as the religious-political nexus of traditional Tibet. The crowds of pilgrims, innumerable magnificent murals, Buddhist statues, scriptures and rare treasures altogether create a dense religious and art atmosphere that impresses every visitor. In the afternoon visit Jokhang monastery, the center of the Tibetan Buddhism and the sacred land of Buddhist followers where thousands of pilgrims come for worship everyday. The temple, built in 647, is the earliest wood-and-masonry structure still existing in Tibet. Walk on the Barkhor street surrounding Jokhang, a big free market with its prolific stalls for selling local specialties. Overnight at Lhasa.

Day 05: Lhasa – Ganden (BLD)
In the morning drive to Ganden Monastery, which was built by Tsongkhaba in present-day Dagaze County to the east of Lhasa in 1409. Ganden is one of the three main monasteries of Gelug Sect. Anyhow, different from Drepung and Sera, it once played a more prominent political role in Tibetan history. The abbot of this monastery possess of a high religious position within the system of Gelug Sect, just inferior to Dalai and Panchan. The monastery was reconstructed in 1993 and restored its original appearance. The holy stupa of Tsongkhaba is just in the monastery. Overnight in tent.

Day 06: Trekking Gandan - Drogpa (BLD)
Today's hike is about 6 hours. We will set up camp at Drogpa, near the Shuga La pass. Overnight in tent.

Day 07: Trekking Drogpa - Chitu La (BLD)
We will hike for 5 hours until we arrive at Chitu La pass (4,940 m/16,207 ft), which is located in a vast, flat plain where we will camp for the night. Overnight in tent.

Day 08: Trekking Chitu La - Nyango Village via Yemalung (BLD)
Today's trek will take 5 hours. Our first stop, Yemalung, is a major pilgrimage site for the followers of the Pa sect. This is the very site where Guru Rimpoche, the founder of the sect, hid important religious texts known as the Terma texts in the 13th century. The meditation cave of Vairocana, Rimpoche's disciple, is located in the slopes above. Overnight in tent.

Day 09: Trekking Nyango Village - Samye (BLD)
The trek to Samye Monastery, our final destination, will take a total of 3 hours. Walking through a forest and a small village, the trail becomes increasingly barren as we approach the monastery. In the afternoon visit Samye. Located in the north of Yarlung Tsangpo River and hold in the arms of mountains, it is the oldest monastery of Tibet (8th century). The stele hanging on the entrance to the main temple shows that king Trisong Detsen took Buddhism as the state religion in 779. The monastery complex consists of several buildings, whose arrangement reflects the Buddhist conception of the structure of the universe. Meru, the world mountain in the center of the universe, is represented in the building of great hall, around which are 4 halls representing the 4 continents swimming in the world sea. Overnight in tent.

Day 10: Samye – Tsetang (B/L/D)
In the morning drive 40 km to Tsetang. Located in the southeast of Lhasa, Tsetang is 3,500 meters high. It was said the legendary ancestors of Tibetans, a monkey (Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara in the shape of a monkey) and his wife a Dakhini once lived on the Gongpori mountain in the east of the city. And so the city of Tsetang is regarded as the “Playground of Monkeys” and the Tibetans as the descended of the Monkey. In terms of geography, the fertile valleys of Yarlung and Chongye here are appropriate for development of Tibetan civilization; there were once numerous temples, shrines and Stupas in this area. Besides, Chonggye is the birthplace of the 5th Dalai Lama (1617-1682). After lunch we make a trip in the Yarlung valley to visit the Yumbulakhang, a castle built in the 7th and 8th centuries during the time of the first Tibetan kings. It is far viewed that the castle is high on the rock hills and looks brightly white. The original fortress is now converted into a chapel; in the ground floor there is a shrine in honor of the early kings. The steps up are steep but it is worthy because on the top of the hill you can far view the valley and the surrounding mountain. Overnight at Tsetang.

Day 11: Flight out (B)
Transferred to the Gongga airport (90 km) in the morning and fly back to Chengdu. End of tour.