After breakfast, your Lhasa tour will first start with the 500-year-old Drepung Monastery, located in the western suburb of the city. Today you will learn that Drepung is the largest Tibetan Buddhist temple in the world with thousands of monks living in it. It is also one of the 'Three Great Monasteries' of the Gelug sect, known for their strict discipline. Drepung is literally translated as rice heap. Looking from a distance, the monastery is indeed like a heap of rice, consisting of whitewashed buildings layer upon layer. We will spend several hours here strolling around it and appreciating the spectacular architecture.

Continue with a refreshing break at the Norbulingka Park, the most beautiful and largest man-made park in Tibet. This park has lied there for 200 years and used to be the Summer Palace of successive Dalai Lamas, the spiritual leaders of Tibet. Next is the Sera Monastery, another great monastery with a scale second to Drepung in Tibet. We will take you to witness lamas debating on Buddhist doctrines, held during afternoon from Monday to Saturday, which the monastery is especially famed for. The debate is an important practice, as through it monks are tested and learn if they’ve truly grasped the knowledge or insights to enter the next academic level. Even if you don’t understand Tibetan language, the whole scene is still a spectacle for you. With each Buddhist topics-related case presented, questioners would loudly clap hands to urge the defenders to give answer - the aggressive momentum is something exciting to watch! Intriguingly, sometimes you may also encounter dogs raised by the monastery peacefully sitting by.

► Please Note:
When taking close-ups, especially of monks and women, please show respect by asking permission to avoid any troubles. It also should be aware that while at sacred sites like temples, please refrain from photographing unless there is sign explicitly allowing it.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Your excursion to the splendid Potala Palace is scheduled in the morning. Since it was built in the peak time of Tubo Kingdom (the 7th century) as an imperial palace, it had experienced untold vicissitudes of being nearly destroyed, then restored and expanded, until the 17th century when it finally became what it appears now. From then on, it has been the political, religious, cultural and economic center of Tibet. Here, appreciate the magnificent white-red architecture contrasting with blue sky and snow-dusted mountains in the background. Visit treasured stupas and chapels with murals, statues and Buddhist scriptures, among countless other travelers who’ve come from afar just like you. If time permits, perhaps walk with local pilgrims for kora, a meditative clockwise circuit around the palace, spin prayer wheels, and immersive in the religious life.

After lunch, head to the city center for the Jokhang Temple. As old as the Potala Palace, this Buddhist temple represents the architectural combination of Tibetan, Han, Nepalese and Indian styles. It worships the rare life-size statue of Sakyamuni at the age of twelve, and that’s why the temple becomes the holy center of Tibetan Buddhism. Out of the temple, mingle in local life on Barkhor Street, a thriving bazaar and the city’s most famous pedestrian street. Meet all walks of life - pilgrims, travelers, businessmen and expats - and be dazzled by items like jewelry, Tangkas (hand-painted Tibetan Buddhist painting), and leather products in boutiques and workshops. 

Today's journey will come to an end after visiting the Nunnery. We arrange this temple in our agenda because it is not touristy like others of its kind and you will be amazed with a tranquility on stepping in - most visitors are worshippers or patrons who donate money for nuns to chant for blessings. An interesting fact is that, all the nuns here are outstanding talents who can at least fluently recite 500 pages of sutra, which is required for a female Buddhist to be admitted. Some even have prepared for 16 years and still failed to pass! Now, there are 87 Buddhist nuns in total, with age ranging from 30 to 82.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch