6 Days Tibet Bike Tour: Lhasa to Ganden Monastery - 112km Round Ride

Tashi Delek! Welcome to Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region! Upon your arrival at the airport in Lhasa, the tour guide and driver will meet you at the exit, and then escort you to the hotel in downtown Lhasa (100km, about 1.5 hours’ drive) . You can have a good rest to get used to the altitude (3,650m) in your hotel and get ready to explore Lhasa with your guide the next day.

Arrival Ideas: Lhasa is located in the southern part of the Tibetan Plateau and southwestern China. Traveling to Tibet is convenient by air, railway, or road. There are five airports in Tibet, with Lhasa Gonggar Airport being the most popular for flights from Chengdu (which is also popular), Chongqing, Xian, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Kunming, Xining, Shangri-La, and other cities. One international airline even connects Lhasa and Kathmandu. Moreover, travelers can take the train to Lhasa from Xining (21 hours, the starting point of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway), Lanzhou (24.5 hours), Chongqing (35.5 hours), Chengdu (36.5 hours), Xian (31 hours), Beijing (40.5 hours), Shanghai (47 hours), Guangzhou (52.5 hours), Shigatse (2.5 hours), Nyingzhi (4 hours), and other cities.

Kind Reminds:
1. It is good to avoid altitude sickness by slowing down, keeping warm, drinking water frequently, avoiding showers for the first one or two days, taking it easy, and sleeping well.
2. You should always follow your doctor's advice regarding altitude based on your health condition.
3. Be sure to let your guide or the hotel staff know whenever you feel unwell or need help. The people there are always willing to help and are good at dealing with altitude sickness.

Today you will explore Lhasa for its brilliant architectures, culture, and history, then stroll through the famous Barkhor Street with locals and experience the daily kora life of Tibetans.

In the morning, you can walk up to the Potala Palace to explore. Not only is it the landmark of Tibet, but it is also the traditional residence and winter palace of the Dalai Lama (1649-1959). After climbing 365 steps from the gate of the Potala Palace to reach the Red Palace, you will arrive at the highest palace in the world at an altitude of 3,700m, where you can enjoy an excellent panoramic view of Lhasa city. As you explore the principal halls, chapels, and shrines of past Dalai Lamas in the Red Palace, you will be amazed and moved by its remarkable paintings, gorgeous jeweled works, skilled carving, colorful ornamentation, and the mystery stories behind the treasures. Inside the Potala Palace, you will meet many Tibetan pilgrims who come from afar to pray at this sacred site, making it a lifetime destination for them. You can also ask your guide to provide more stories about Songtsen Gampo, the 33rd king of Tibet, who first built the Potala Palace in the 7th century for his marriage to Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty.

Please note that the visit order may be adjusted based on the visiting time specified on your Potala Palace ticket. All visitors are required to visit the palace with a tour group and remain inside for one hour. Please be advised that photography is prohibited inside the palace.

After exploring the Potala Palace Museum, move to the 1300-year-old Jokhang Temple, the spiritual center of Tibet and a world cultural heritage site. It is said that the Jokhang Monastery is built for King Songtsen Gampo's two brides: Chinese Princess Wencheng and Nepal Princess Bhrikuti. "Jokhang" means "House of Buddha", it houses the statue of the life-size 12-year-old Sakyamuni which is the treasure of the Buddhism world. That is why Buddhist pilgrims take it as the holiest destination. The time seems to stand still when you watch them pray in front of the temple during the day and night.

Afterward, take a walk on busy Barkhor Street near the Jokhang Monastery, which was a place for Buddhists to do a kora (pilgrim circuit) in ancient times. Nowadays, it has become a thriving local market where you can drink a pot of yak butter tea, dress in Tibetan clothes for photos, and pick up some local Tibetan, Nepalese, and Indian handicrafts and souvenirs.

Today you will enjoy the culture tour of Lhasa via a visit to two of the "great three" Gelug university monasteries of Tibet, the Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery.

In the morning, drive about 35min (12km) to visit Drepung Monastery which was the largest Tibetan monastery (Gelug Sect, Yellow Hat) in Lhasa. It used to be Dalai Lama’s palace before he moved to the Potala Palace in the 17th century. Now it is famous for Drepung Shoton Festival held each August, people come to offer yogurt to the monks who finished the 100 days’ meditation while enjoying the grandest Buddha (thangka) unfolding ceremony. Besides the unique architecture and amazing buildings, you can watch monks debating in Tibetan Buddhism vibrant and active with expansive gestures, clapping, and stamping. After Drepung Temple, you will have about a 2-hour Tibetan culture tour, which includes an introduction, Tibetan incense making, and block printing.

In the afternoon, drive another 40min (14km) to visit Sera Monastery. Step on one of the most beautiful monastery compounds, and its white stone roads and walkways makes you feel almost Mediterranean. The highlight of Sera Monastery is watch the monks’ debate at around 15:00 - 17:00 (except Sundays). It is an interesting form of debate, you can see one monk, the questioner, standing while the answerer or group of answerers, sitting. The standing monk will ask question and slap his palms and stomp, each action has its special meaning, such as activating wisdom, and are not meant to be aggressive.

After that, be escorted back to your hotel in Lhasa.

This morning, get your bicycle ready and start your Tibet biking tour from Lhasa to Ganden Monastery, covering a distance of approximately 56km (3-4 hours) via the renowned G318 Road. The route includes a 10km zigzag mountain road (today's highlight and challenge) from the foot of Mt. Wangbur (旺波日山) leading to Ganden Monastery.

Depart Lhasa, you will bike to the left at the Lhasa Bridge (拉萨大桥) and join the Sichuan-Tibet Highway (川藏公路; part of National Highway 318/G318). G318 starts from Shanghai and ends at Zhangmu in Tibet (China Nepal Border). Cycling enthusiasts acclaim it as the "most beautiful national highway in China" and a route many cyclists aspire to ride at least once. Along the journey on G318, you will encounter numerous fellow cyclists heading to Tibet or local Tibetans making the pilgrimage, and exchanging greetings will surely receive warm responses and encouragement. You can take a rest near the Dazi Bridge (达孜大桥; not accessible by vehicles ), adorned with prayer flags, and may chance upon local stray dogs basking in the sun. Continuing the ride, you can enjoy the scenic view of the Lhasa River (拉萨河). The Lhasa River, known as the "River of Happiness" in Tibetan, is the mother river of Lhasa. It originates from the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains (念青唐古拉山) and flows through Lhasa before joining the Yarlung Tsangpo River (雅鲁藏布江). The peaks along the banks of the Lhasa River range from 3,600 to 5,500 meters, making it one of the highest rivers in the world. Riding through the Lhasa River valley (拉萨河谷), you can witness the riverbed, yaks grazing on the banks, poplar forests, villages, and stupas. If you visit during autumn, the colors will be even more vibrant. When you reach the foot of Mount Wangbur (旺波日山), you will see the picturesque Taji Village (塔吉村) nestled against the mountains and water. Although you won't be able to see Ganden Monastery from the foot of the mountain, you can reach it by ascending the winding mountain road of nearly 10 kilometers. As you wind your way up the scenic road, the grand white complex of Ganden Monastery emerges into view, a dazzling sight that will leave you breathless.

After completing the challenging 10 km ride (the most difficult uphill stretch for the day), you will arrive at Ganden Monastery. Founded in 1409 by Tsongkhapa (宗喀巴), the visionary founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, Ganden Monastery was the first monastery of the Gelug tradition. Take your time to fully explore the Main Prayer Hall, where you will discover a treasure trove of thousands of Buddha statues, murals, and religious artifacts. Observe the monks praying, chanting, and performing rituals. And don't forget to marvel at the remarkable statues of Tsongkhapa, including a famous sculpture depicting him at the tender age of 8. After the tour, Overnight in Ganden and have a good rest.

Optional Experience: A kora around Ganden Monastery (1-2 hours) If physical condition permits and weather allows, hike with guide around the Ganden Kora, enjoy the view of wide Kychi valley. It is divided into high kora and low kora. The Ganden High Kora is a longer walk around the monastery area, climbing above the monastery to the Wangpori ridgeline, while the lower kora circles the complex and leads to Tsongkhapa's meditation cave. Tell us your interests.

This morning, you can choose to have a kora around Ganden Monastery. During the kora,you may come across numerous local Tibetans and monks engaged in prayer, rubbing holy rocks, and prostrating themselves along the path. On a clear day, you can enjoy stunning views of the peak of Nyenchen Thangla and the Kyi-chu valley below. Or you can just cycle back to Lhasa using the same road as the previous day. The journey from Ganden Monastery to Taji Village may take less than 0.5 hours (10km down). If you are interested, you can visit a local Tibetan family for a cup of yak butter tea while experiencing their traditional way of life, and chat with them.

Taji Village, nestled against the mountains and water, is a picturesque village. A stream flows in front of the village, its clear waters revealing swaying aquatic plants and groups of round and slender fish. The local Tibetans here do not eat fish and do not allow others to fish. Along the banks of the stream, the grass is green and untouched, while leisurely cows roam freely without any supervision. In front of each white-walled house, there are fields of green barley. Prayer flags fluttering on the rooftops and prayer flags surrounding the stupas create a vibrant atmosphere as if cheering on the cyclists. On your way cycling back to Lhasa, you will also encounter many brave biking warriors (covering over 2,100 km) who set off from Chengdu to cycle to Lhasa (Sichuan-Tibet Highway). There is an unwritten spontaneous behavior on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway - whenever cyclists meet, whether they know each other or not, they shout out to each other as they pass by, saying, "Keep going!" After the biking back to Lhasa, have a good rest and overnight in Lhasa.

It is time to end 6-day Tibet Biking tour. Your guide will escorts you to the airport/train station for your flight or train to your next destination. 

Extension Ideas: If you prefer to travel longer in Tibet, you can extend your trip to other highlighted parts of Tibet, including Shigatse, Gyantse, Everest Base Camp and Mount Kailash.

Thank you for choosing Asia Odyssey Travel (AOT) for your China tour, and we are always here working for you and hope to see you again for your next trip to China/Asia. Safe journey!