Losar Tibetan New Year

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Beijing

Arrive in Beijing at any time.

Day 2-3 Beijing

The vast expanses of Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall of China beckon. Beijing is a city of incredible sights, shopping, food and entertainment – as an introduction to China it cannot be surpassed.

Day 4-5 Trans Tibetan Rail Journey

Traverse the Tibetan Plateau on the famous high-altitude Beijing-Qinghai-Tibet railway and enjoy the amazing scenery.

Day 6-9 Losar and Monlam Prayer Festival

Although Losar is the celebration of the Buddhist New Year, there is plenty of drinking and eating at this three day party. After morning symbolic rituals performed by the yellow-hatted Tibetan lamas, the festivities kick off with massive parades and fireworks meant to chase off last year's devils. The Great Prayer Festival of Lhasa is the grandest religious festival in Tibet. Thousands of monks from far and near will gather for prayers, theological debates and examination for Geshe, a doctoral degree in Buddhist theology, at the temple. Pilgrims will come from everywhere to listen to sermons.

Day 10 Gyantse

Follow the pilgrim circuit up the 15th century stupa of Kumbum. Wind your way up increasingly narrow passages stepping into endless series of tiny chapels full of techni-coloured Buddhist images.

Day 11-12 Shigatse

Shigatse is Tibet’s second most important city with one of the country's most richly spectacular and extensive monastic complexes. Visit Tashilumpo, one of the six great Gelugpa or Yellow Hat monasteries. First built in 1447, Tashilumpo is the home of the Panchen Lama, the spiritual tutor to the Dalai Lama.

Day 13 Beijing

Return to Beijing for last minute shopping and sightseeing.