You will spend the first three days in Lhasa, visiting Dalai Lama’s Potala and Norbulingkha Palaces, the major Gelug monasteries-Drepung and Sera and ancient Jorkhang Temple while you get properly acclimatized before you head off to Namtso Lake- China’s second largest salt water lake; Kokonor Lake of Qinghai being the largest one. Namtso, situated at 15,416 ft (4,700m) is also known as the heavenly lake and has the finest sunset and sunrise views. Nyenchen Tanghla mountain ranges with peaks more than 22,960ft, (7000m) loom towering over the lake to the south. At Namtso, you will visit the cave hermitages, nunneries and take some fine walks along the lakeshores. Another attraction of Namtso trip is also the opportunity to have a look at the nomadic life of Changthang region. If you have no confidence on your legs for hikes and walks around, you can rent the horses from the guesthouses. Facilities in Namtso are pretty prinmitive.

On return, you will stop at Yangpachen, not an awe-inspiring town but has a hot spring pool and a monastery. Nearly 40 miles before Lhasa, its worth taking 4 miles off the road to Tsurpu Monastery-the seat of Karmapa-the head of Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism but after fleeing of the 17th Karmapa to India in 1999, the site has somewhat lost its charm, but it still holds its architectural and historical values.