Tibet

1st Day: Athens/Thessaloniki/Larnaca – Lhasa

Gathering at the airport and flight via an intermediate stop to Lhasa, the impressive capital of Tibet.

2nd Day: Arrival in Lhasa

Arrival in Lhasa. Built on a plateau, Lhasa was until 1959 the seat of the Dalai Lama, the spiritual and religious leader of Tibet. Lha in Tibetan means "sacred" and sa "earth". Arrival and check-in at our hotel. Overnight stay.

3rd Day: Lhasa (Potala, Jokhang, Barkhor, Norbulingka Summer Palace)

A visit to Lhasa is the dream of every Tibetan from the province of Tibet. Faithful people start from every corner of Tibet to go to Lhasa for pilgrimage, covering hundreds of kilometers on foot under extremely difficult weather conditions. For us, the visit to the Potala Palace will be a much easier task. The Potala is a magnificent 13-storey building with 1,000 rooms that dominates the slopes of the Red Mountain. The construction of the palace began in 1645 by the fifth Dalai Lama and was completed in 1694. Next, we have the Jokhang Temple, the most important in Tibet. Inside it, the statue of Buddha in his youth is kept, which was brought by Princess Wencheng when she arrived in Tibet to marry Songtsen Gampo. The statue is considered the most sacred in all of Tibet. Hundreds of faithful people go from one shrine to another offering melted butter, which is used instead of candles, to illuminate the space. Leaving the temple, we will experience a unique experience: we will participate in the "kora", the pilgrimage route around the Jokhang shrine. On this route, the faithful move in the direction of the clock hands, chanting low "mantras" (prayers), which they count with the help of "mala" (prayer beads). With the other hand, they turn the prayer mill. There, where merchants and street vendors create a colorful polychromy, is the ideal place to buy religious souvenirs. Next, we will visit the Norbulingka Summer Palace, which in the Tibetan language means "Treasure Park". It is a huge area with gardens, temples, and summer residences of the Dalai Lamas in the western suburbs of the capital, on the banks of the Kyichu River, dating back to 1740 AD. Dinner with traditional dances at a local restaurant follows. Return to our hotel. Overnight stay.

4th Day: Lasa – Gyantse

The Versus compass today points to the old town of Gyantse. During our journey, we will pass by the beautiful lake Yamdrok, the "turquoise lake", one of the three sacred lakes of Tibet. It is fed by streams from the melting snow of the surrounding mountains. Then we will cross one of the most beautiful parts of Tibet and admire the Kare-la glacier. Arrival in Gyantse and check-in at our hotel. Overnight stay.

5th Day: Gyantse (Pelkor Monastery, Kumbum Stupa) – Shigatse

In the morning, we will visit the Pelkor Monastery, which was founded in the 15th century. Within the monastery walls stands the unique octagonal Kumbum Stupa (Place of a Thousand Images). As its name suggests, this stupa features wonderful murals. The stupa is a three-dimensional architectural representation of the universe. As the faithful approach the center through the corridors, they reach the essence of this journey. The faithful rise both literally (in height) and metaphorically (their perception is strengthened) and gradually reach the "heart" of the matter, which, in this case, is the top of the stupa. Then we will depart for Shigatse, the second major center of Tibet and the seat of the Panchen Lama, who is considered the reincarnation of Amitaba (the Buddha of infinite light) – the second-highest title in Tibetan Buddhism, after the Dalai Lama. Check-in at our hotel. Overnight stay.

6th Day: Shigatse – Lasa

Today we will visit the most important attraction in Shigatse, the Tashilunpo Monastery, which was founded in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama. Here is the extremely impressive statue of the Future Buddha Maitreya, 26 meters high. Nine hundred craftsmen worked for 9 years to complete it. Then we will depart for Lasa. Arrival and check-in at our hotel. Overnight stay.

7th Day: Lasa (Drepung and Sera Monasteries)

To get a better acquaintance with the mystical world of Tibet, we will visit the famous Drepung and Sera monasteries on the outskirts of the capital. These are two of the most sacred Buddhist monasteries in the country, which attract hundreds of faithful to worship. The Drepung monastery was once the largest in the world and housed 10,000 monks. It was also the seat of the Dalai Lama until the Potala Palace was completed. Today, about 600 monks live here, but it is impressive that the monastery managed to survive over the centuries, avoiding civil wars, Mongol invasions, and the cultural revolution. Our next stop is the Sera monastery. Here, we will see the central assembly hall with huge banners hanging. In addition to the traditional printing house with wooden plate-seals for printing sacred texts "sutras", the monastery still operates three schools dedicated to the study of esoteric tantrism. Return to our hotel. Overnight stay.

8th Day: Lasa - Chengdu (flight)

Our transfer to the airport and the return flight from Lasa to Chengdu is also a return journey from the "roof of the world" to a more earthly reality. Arrival, transfer and check-in at our hotel. Overnight stay.

9th Day : Chengdu – Panda Protection Center – Leshan – Chengdu

Departure

Athens – Lhasa

14:15 Athens

19 June (Friday)

05:20 Beijing

19 November (Wednesday)

10:00 Beijing

20 June (Saturday)

12:55 Chengdu

20 June (Saturday)

15:25 Chengdu

20 June (Saturday)

17:45 Lhasa

20 June (Saturday)

Return

Chengdu – Athens

21:00 Chengdu

28 June (Sunday)

23:45 Beijing

28 June (Sunday)

02:30 Beijing

29 June (Monday)

08:20 Athens

29 June (Monday)

Domestic flights

Lhasa – Chengdu

11:25 Lhasa

26 June (Friday)

13:40 Chengdu

26 June (Friday)

The trip includes

Air tickets in economy class with an intermediate stop.

Half board (mainly Chinese-style meals)

Transfers, guided tours, visits as listed in the program.

5* hotels in Chengdu, 4* in Lhasa, the best available in the rest of Tibet where infrastructure is low.

Greek tour leader – escort

Civil liability insurance.

Free travel guide – book in Greek Versus Travel.