The Sky Lake
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- Namtso or Lake Nam is a mountain lake, lies at an elevation of 4,718 m, and has a surface area of 1,920 square kilometres.
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- at Namtso Lake
Namtso or Lake Nam is a mountain lake, lies at an elevation of 4,718 m, and has a surface area of 1,920 square kilometres.
The Sky Lake (ST08)
Tibetan for ‘Heavenly Lake’ Namtso is regarded as one of Tibetan buddhism’s three holiest lakes. The lake is a pilgrimage site for buddhists, who consider it the seat of Paramasukha Chakrasamvara. Buddhists believe that buddhas, bodhisattvas and vajras will assemble at Namtso in the Tibetan year of the sheep. This trip shows the route from Lhasa northward to this holy lake then heading east to the monasteries hidden in the Nyainqentanglha Mountain.
Itinerary
Day 2 Chengdu to Lhasa: Fly to Lhasa (Gonggar Airport). The guide will meet you at the airport, and transfer you to Lhasa city with about 1h30 driving (100 km). On the way, you’ll get greeted by Nie Tang Buddha, a Buddha image engraved in the mountain face. Afternoon an easy walking visit to Luophuk lingkar – the summer palace of Dalai Lama.
Day 3 & 4 Lhasa: During this two days, we visit the ancient palaces of Potala Palace, Jokhang temple and Barkhor Bazar, and Sera, Drepung, Nechung monasteries.
Day 5 Lhasa to Namtso Lake: Deaprture from Lhasa, along Amdo-tibet highway for about 160km to reach Damshang, where the road turns to northwest about another 60km to reach Namtso Lake that lies beside snow-capped Mt. Nyainqentanglha, the son of Namtso and leader of sacred mountains. The lake with the highest sea level in the world is far away from the pollution of modern civilization. Natural wildlife — animals, birds and fish – is a summer attraction.
Day 6 Namtso Lake to Reting monastery: Reting is a place where covers Juniper forests. Reting Monastery is an historically important Buddhist monastery in central Tibet, was founded by Atisha’s chief disciple Dromtonpa in 1056 in the Reting Tsampo Valley north of Lhasa as the seat of the Kadampa lineage. Tsongkapa reformed the Kadampa School which then became known as New Kadampa or Gelug School and Reting became an important Gelugpa monastery, the seat of the Reting Rinpoche.
Day 7 Reting monastery to Drigung monastery: Drigung Monastery was founded in 1179, known for performing sky burials. The monastery is named after its location in a valley about 150 km east from Lhasa, in Drigung district, and is the mother monastery of the Drigung Kagyu tradition. After being destroyed, the reconstruction works began in 1980.
Day 8 Drigung monastery to Lhasa via Ganden monastery: Departure from Drigung monastery, drive to Ganden monastery, which is located on Wangbur Mountain, on the southern bank of Brahmaputra River. Ganden Monastery is one of the earliest and largest Buddhist monasteries in Tibet, and stands atop of the six famous temples of Gelukpa tradition. The temple is comprised of over 50 structures. The main halls in the temple are the Main Assembly Hall (or Coqen Hall), Zhacangs, Khangtsens, and Myicuns. After visit to this holy site of Tibetan religion, we will drive to Lhasa – the capital of the central Tibet.
Day 9 Lhasa to Chengdu: Drive from Lhasa to Gangkar airport, then taking the flight from Lhasa to Chengdu, after arriving in Chengdu, transfer to Chengdu Giant Panda Research Base, one of the most important centers in the world for the conservation of the Giant Panda.
Day 10 Chengdu to the airport for departure
