5 day Essence of Lhasa

- Potala Palace: Former winter home of the Dalai Lama, a vast, awe-inspiring maze of corridors and stairs leading through countless rooms of richly decorated statues, tombs, murals and antiques. You will climb past the White Palace into the Red Palace, where the file of pilgrims offering silk scarves, coins or yak butter to burn in the shrines combine to make this an unforgettable experience. Note: you need to be fit for the long stairways.
- Jokhang Temple: Smaller and more manageable than the Potala, this 4-storey, golden-roofed temple is at the heart of a rich and living Tibetan Buddhism. Many locals pray here regularly; the Temple is surrounded by Barkhor Street and thronged with pilgrims and visitors. Yak butter lamps burn in front of rich statuary that includes the Sakyamuni Buddha brought to Tibet by Princess Wen Cheng in the 7th Century.
- Barkhor Street: Watch the pilgrims, wearing local dress from many different parts of Tibet, as they circle clockwise around Jokhang Temple with prayer wheels, or prostrate themselves near the front gate. Join the locals and visitors to shop for local goods at the colourful stalls, or relax in a coffee shop or tea house to enjoy the passing parade.

- Sera Monastery: It is known as one of the three greatest monasteries of Tibet. As one of the three main monasteries of Lhasa, it is here that the monks 'famous daily debates' take place.
- Norbulingka: Norbulingka means 'Jeweled Garden'. It was constructed as a summer palace for the Dalai Lama and later served the whole governmental administration.
- The Carpet Factory: The highland of Tibet is the actual home of the oriental carpets. By visiting Carpet Factory you will have a general idea how carpets are produced.

- Tibet Museum: An attractive modern building in Tibetan style, there’s a wonderful variety and quality of items on display here illustrating the rich history, traditions and customs of Tibet, both ancient and modern. Audio commentary is available.
- Tibet Medical and Astrological Institute: The central herbal and traditional medicine centre in Tibet, the Institute treats around 500 patients/day (up to 1000 in winter). This is a fascinating introduction to Tibetan medicine, the ‘tree thangkas’ and traditions over 2000 years old that are still working today.